An American director, producer, and screenwriter. He was born in Denver, Colorado, USA. He was awarded a scholarship to the University of Southern California Film School for his early filmmaking efforts. He produced and directed his first three feature films on his own before Malibu Spring Break (2003) became his breakthrough film. After a break from feature films for more than a decade, he returned to filmmaking in 2021 with Willy's Wonderland (2021). His films have received numerous awards and taken part in several film festivals.