RTM / CYBERPUNK (2019-??)

ROLES: Director, Writer, Editor

GENRE: Comedy / Historical Drama

LOGLINE: The unbelievable true story of a Harvard student who crashed NASA servers, the US Army’s Missile systems, and Ivy League networks with the world’s first computer worm—while his dad was in charge of Cyber Security for the NSA.

DIRECTOR’S NOTE: RTM started as a proof-of-concept sizzle I created for an Open Writing and Directing Assignment in 2019. With just ten days from the pitch being scheduled to the meeting, I pulled the whole thing together to showcase the visual and tonal style I had in mind. It wasn’t just about pitching the story—it was about bringing the feel of the film to life. I wanted RTM to channel the spirit of a modern John Hughes film—playful, self-aware of its 80s nostalgia, and bursting with the same energy as the internet itself. Fortunately, it worked, and the humor, tension, and father-son dynamic I captured landed me the job to write and direct the project.

The story follows Robert Tappan Morris, a young hacker who unleashes the world’s first internet worm, causing havoc as it crashes servers at NASA, Ivy League schools, and even the US Army’s missile systems. And to top it off, his father just so happens to be the head of Cyber Security for the NSA. It’s a movie about legacy, rebellion, and the chaos of technological ambition, all set against the backdrop of the internet’s awkward birth.

Josh Hutcherson was attached to play Robert when I came onto the project, and after reworking the script with him and our producing team, Bob Odenkirk signed on to play his father. We had financing secured, and it felt like everything was falling into place—until, in classic Hollywood fashion, it didn’t. The project was halted just before production, but the work and collaboration with the amazing producers and talent were invaluable. Still, the four years I spent working on RTM were one of my favorite creative endeavors, and like so many near-misses in this industry, I’m holding out hope that one day the pieces will come together, and we’ll finally get to make it.

If any financiers or producers are interested, I’d be thrilled to share the script and my director’s treatment—this is a project I love deeply and can’t wait to see realized.