Samantha Geis

Behind the scenes:

rock and a hard place

Director’s Guild of America: 2018 Jury Award Winner

My family and I have been traveling to Abacos, Bahamas for the past 10 years.  Over the years we have developed very strong relationships with the community of young Haitian Bahamian boys, one of them being the film’s star, Rocky.  Rocky quickly became a part of our family.  He is easily the most loving, selfless person my family has ever met.  Which is why when given the opportunity to shoot a documentary at SCAD, I knew I had to share Rocky’s story with the world.  We had all known that Rocky had a tough upbringing however, we did not know all of the details.  Going into this travel documentary blind and with only 3 full days to capture magic was probably the most challenging experience I’ve had as a director. After the first day of shooting I knew I had to give Rocky some time to open up and to let his story guide my decisions as a filmmaker.  The shoot was an absolute success and as we wrapped on our final day my crew and I knew we had something very special and powerful to share.  Rock and a Hard Place is a film that is very close to my heart.  The film has given myself a chance to share the story of an amazing person who deserves to have his story heard and to hopefully inspire change. 

We are currently in the process of submitting the short documentary to film festivals.

cutting edge

Watching my words come to life for the first time was easily one of the most unforgettable experiences as a filmmaker.  This project was really the turning point for me. Through this process, I learned a lot about myself and my passion to bring my stories and characters to life.  

I had a ton of support behind me and this television pilot.  All of which included my school and professors at The Savannah College of Art and Design, my amazing crew, my friends and owners of The Butcher's Block & my family.