As two actors bracing the storm that is Hollywood, we felt rather than waiting for opportunity to find us, we’d make our own opportunity. Stop waiting and start making. With DJ, a Georgia boy who’s been involved in theater most of his life, creating has been an integral part of his story. I, on the other hand, being from small town Connecticut with a science background, found acting later in life — a late bloomer of sorts. After realizing this newfound passion, I moved to LA where I met DJ. Without missing a beat we decided to stop wasting time and create, simply for the sake of creating; and tell the stories we want to tell.

Both DJ and I were fortunate enough to have objectively wonderful childhoods. But every childhood looks different, with good times and bad times. This story is a story for all of us. The little nuances of relationships that feel uniquely ours are somehow shared with so many others. As actors, the movie theatre is a rare place that feels so communal in a world that is so often isolating; the idea with this film is to show a story with moments that are shared in a space where moments are shared.

As we grow up, many of us realize that our parents aren’t perfect; they too are figuring out life as they go. The Ballerina Box illustrates the challenges and struggles of parenthood despite the best intentions, the real life struggles of family, the sense of loneliness so many of us experience, and the memories we didn’t realize would be cherished until they were gone. For mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, single parents and only children — this film is for you. It’s for all of us.