My script for the short film, “Morning Song,” was inspired by a picture I took in Beijing, China in 2008. The first morning I arrived, I saw upwards of 100 people singing from songbooks under a tree. Later I learned about the hive of activity in China’s parks in the morning, much of it involving seniors who are retired.

Five years later, I heard about the Beijing International Screenwriting Competition, and wrote and entered “Morning Song.” It won one of the grand prizes, and came with a trip to Beijing and some funds towards making a short film. I shot the project in Beijing’s Purple Bamboo Park in Fall 2013. It was quite the adventure working with a largely Chinese crew and actors, but has become a highlight of my life.