I am a storyteller. As my pictures are telling stories why not make the pictures move so that they can show more complicated narrative? Everything is a portrait, everything a creation myth. Whether my work is political, social, environmental or humorous it is all seeking to describe the world we have inherited from our ancestors but shaped by the actions of invading belief systems and the actions of those who came before us.

Captivating the attention of people in the future and the present is the goal of my filmmaking practice and the measure of my value as an artist. These narratives are dense and compact and carry as much information as possible as space becomes ever more limited and time becomes ever more short, the time we have is bombarded with the pressures of the modern world and all of my work is meant to be viewed more than once, to unfold and reveal with each subsequent exposure.

To tell a story is a dangerous and important thing, a thing which must be done.

L’Hesitance

A post-real PSA about life during quarantine, vaccine hesitancy, algorithmic rabbit holes, and conspiracy theories through the lens of a people experiencing Colony Collapse Disorder.

The animated short L’Hesitance emerged from Covid-19 quarantine and the outgrowth of the superstructures of surveillance capitalism, paranoia, white nationalism, and what is being called the “post-real.” Influenced by (and parodying) the French sci-fi classic, La Jetée (1962), the work is a remix of a decade-old animation by Tony Coleman called, “Conspirabee.” Directors John Jota Leaños (Xicano-Italian/Chumash) and Sean Levon Nash (Choctaw, Muskogee Creek) set out to complete the new work within a three-week period. The work was not intended to be released to the public as it was purely an animation exercise. However, when the animation was completed and shared with a select few, the response was quite astounding as people related to this work’s humor, seriousness, and non-sequitur reflection of living in a pandemic.

Yakoke - A Creation Myth 2015

Yakoke is an animated short that combines various indigenous creation stories represented from a Choctaw Indian perspective. It was nominated for Best Animation at the 2011 American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, Ca. Narrated in Choctaw with English subtitles.

Deadtime Stories with Mariachi Goose & Friends

Witness the Great Fall of Humpty Mariachi Dumpty! Uncover questions buried for generations! Explore the wonders of Muertolandia and all its curious inhabitants! Meet Jack & Jill, So White and the Seven Deadly Dwarves, Rapunzel, and the Diva Big Bad Wolf.

Los ABCs ¡Qué Vivan los Muertos!

Official Selection Sundance Film Festival 2006

Do you remember your ABCs? We think you do! Sing along with this group of animated Mariachi social documentarians who will guide you through imperial history that will make you laugh, cry, and wonder why.