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In this episode of Hear 4 You, I sit down with filmmaker and writer Vivek Pranavamurthi to talk about his journey from growing up in Houston, attending the Air Force Academy, and serving five and a half years in the Air Force to pursuing his passion for filmmaking.

Vivek shares what originally sparked his love of filmmaking, why he eventually decided to step away from the traditional career path, and what it has been like building his creative career one project at a time.

We spend time discussing his micro-short film Paper Ghosts, a story centered around anxiety, grief, anger, helplessness, and the incredibly difficult process of letting go. The film intentionally leaves its ending unresolved, reflecting Vivek's belief that life itself rarely provides the neat, wrapped-up endings that movies sometimes do.

We also talk about:

• Growing up Indian-American and navigating questions of identity and belonging
• How personal experiences influence his storytelling
• His experiences with acting, improv, and acting training
• How acting experience has influenced the way he directs actors
• Why he believes less dialogue can sometimes create a stronger story
• The challenges of making a film on an iPhone in just two hours
• Building a career as an independent filmmaker
• Finding collaborators and working with limited resources
• His other projects, including Key Suspect, A Never Ending Beginning, and Kanna
• Kanna receiving recognition as a semifinalist in the Nashville Film Festival screenwriting competition
• Why filmmakers shouldn't be afraid to start small
• And his advice for anyone who has a dream but hasn't taken the first step yet

At the heart of the conversation is a simple message from Vivek:

If you really want to do something, just go do it. You'll figure it out along the way.

Sometimes you don't need all the answers before you begin. You just need to begin.

Follow Vivek's Journey on his instagram