My Story
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had an active imagination. The movies I loved as a kid weren’t just entertainment or distraction, but took me to new worlds and made me feel that life could be as big and exciting as I wanted it to be. Diving into a great book or movie is like going on an adventure; it might be playful, funny, scary or romantic – but when it’s over, you know you felt something. The ‘real world’ can often feel stressful, depressing or dull, but the best stories bring a sense of excitement and adventure that make life a little better. I hope to share the characters and stories that move me with as wide an audience as possible, and bring some of that child-like imagination to others in the way my favorite stories did for me.
I graduated from Cornell University in 2010 with a degree in history. In 2011, I joined the Army, and in 2014 was deployed to Afghanistan, serving with the 10th Mountain Division. Following my military service, I attended the MetFilm School in London. My first novel, Where the Light Falls, I co-authored with my sister Allison Pataki and published in 2017. Searchers in Winter was published in 2021. Smoke in the Cypress is my third novel, publishing in May 2025. I now live in New York where I am working as a screenwriter and filmmaker.
“All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that’s why it takes so long.”
Books
Films
I’ve loved movies my whole life. Working behind the camera to bring a vision to life with cast and crew is my dream, and I feel lucky every time I get to be on set. Click any of the videos here to view my past projects and stay tuned for more films in the near future!
