Who do you become when life gets impossible?

The Everyman is a story born out of blood, sweat, and survival. It follows Joseph Solis, an LA native raised amid chaos and scarcity, who spends his days juggling two thankless jobs while fighting to keep his family afloat and his spirit alive. His world is filled with endless obstacles: bosses who demean him, systems that trap him, and dreams that always seem one paycheck away from vanishing. A tale of neorealist grit and working-class exhaustion, The Everyman reimagines Joe’s daily grind as an American Odyssey set not across seas, but across strip malls and freeways.

This story isn’t fiction to me. The Everyman is, at its heart, about my best friend: my dad; the person who taught me what perseverance really looks like. We’ve spent our lives scrapping it out together, learning to create something out of nothing.

This is my attempt to honor this life by investigating the invisible, straining beauty of lower-class life and translating it into a journey that resonates with viewers from all walks of life. As a poor kid from a two-star town who got the golden ticket to Los Angeles, I see this project as a dream fulfilled: using USC’s state-of-the-art virtual/post production tools (an enormous LED wall, full CGI rendering, and a green-screen stage) to capture the raw emotional truth of our story. The funds raised will go toward studio rentals, casting directors, crew, gear, permits, and food to make this beautiful, chaotic dream possible.

Personal as they may be, the tragedies seen in The Everyman are anything but unique. This is the story of countless unseen lives; the people who build, serve, and endure. It’s not just about my father; it’s about every father, mother, and child who's ever fought to stay hopeful while the world told them to give up. This film is my love letter to them, and to the life that made me an artist.