The Story Behind Hashtag Blessed: My First Feature Film
There are moments in life when a story arrives like a whisper… soft, persistent, impossible to ignore. Hashtag Blessed was one of those whispers for me. It came during a season of transition, healing, and rediscovery… and it became the start of a journey I never expected to take.
Storyboard Concept artwork by Direk Ramie Balbuena of Nick L. Klaus helping Jessi after her grocery bag ripped open.
Where It All Began
When the idea came to me, I had just moved to Colorado Springs. My life was all boxes, half-arranged furniture, and the quiet hum of stepping into a new chapter. My mom and I were already deep into conversations about The Christmas Witch book, and she had been helping me with character creation and world building — the very early soil where Amberlight Valley first took root.
One day, in that gentle way only she could manage, she told me: “You should write a Christmas movie.”
Mind you, at that point I had never written a script in my life. It felt like being asked to leap across a canyon with only enthusiasm as a parachute. But something in me said yes.
And that yes changed everything.
Jessi (Isabella Blake Thomas) and Grandma (Mama Char Leonard) decorating and baking up a storm of cookies in the kitchen. Ricardo Gale’ capturing the Christmas magic.
What I Wanted to Explore
The holidays hold so much beauty… lights, memories, warmth — but they also carry the weight of everything we’ve lost, everything we long for, and everything we’re afraid to admit. I knew I wanted to make a Christmas movie, but not the usual glossy, surface-level kind. I wanted something honest. Something human.
What happens when the holidays hurt? What does hope look like for someone standing in the dark?
I’ve always loved It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s a classic because it shows a man wrestling with his worth. I wanted to explore that same emotional landscape but through a modern lens, with a female lead, and through the very real struggles so many people face today.
Around the holidays, loneliness, depression, and grief often spike. The pain is still real and often invisible. People feel alone in rooms full of lights.
I wanted Jessi’s story to speak directly to that.
My mom — Martina Webster, and myself at the Denver Christkindl Market.
A Deeper Influence — My Mom and Grandma Maribel
In so many ways, Grandma Maribel is a love letter to my mom. Her kindness. Her humor. Her grounded wisdom. Her ability to speak one sentence that stays with you for years.
Even her sass and stubbornness.
When I was writing Hashtag Blessed, my mom was not just emotionally supportive, she was part of the creative DNA of the story. We spent hours talking about characters, themes, and the heart behind Jessi’s journey. Those conversations shaped the spiritual warmth of Grandma Maribel in a way only she could inspire.
Some of Grandma’s lines, especially the ones about compassion, resilience, and remembering your worth, came directly from things my mom has said to me throughout my life. Writing those moments felt like bottling her light and weaving it into the film.
She was — and is — one of my greatest muses.
Grandma Maribel (Mama Char Leonard) beaming at Jessi, after seeing that her “light” has returned.
From Script to Screen
Writing the screenplay happened mostly alone, in pajamas, fueled by coffee, intuition, and many late-night rewrites.
Producing it? That was a different planet. But it also felt like home.
I grew up watching my parents produce large events. Filmmaking was the same kind of vibe… only with more equipment, more people, and more “magic hour” scheduling.
What surprised me most was how deeply the cast and crew connected with the story. They weren’t just acting; they were bringing pieces of themselves to the film.
One moment I’ll never forget is filming the bathroom mirror scene with Isabella Blake Thomas. It was a silent montage, so no audio was needed. She asked me to stay with her and talk her through the scene. Ricardo, our cinematographer, and I climbed into the bathtub so I could speak affirmations to her while she let herself break.
That kind of vulnerability is holy. It was a very emotional moment that I will never forget. I am so honored to have been part of it.
Jessi (Isabella Blake Thomas) and Grandma (Mama Char Leonard) shopping at the Christmas market while sharing a happy memory about Grandpa.
The Lens We See Life Through
One of the biggest themes in Hashtag Blessed is distorted perception — the way pain can cloud our vision so heavily that we can no longer see the truth of our own lives.
Pain distorts the beautiful lens through which we view our lives. When that lens fogs over with grief, burnout, fear, or depression, even the good things look dim. Even blessings look like burdens. Even possibilities look like threats.
It doesn’t mean the good isn’t there.
It means we’re human.
I wanted the film to be a gentle reminder that sometimes our inner world is lying to us — not out of cruelty, but out of overwhelm. And that’s why community, friendship, and connection matter. They love us and help us clean the lens so we can see clearly again.
John Crosby and Pamela Bowen Stanley strolling down the road as Grandma’s adorably nosy neighbors… Mr. and Mrs. Thompson.
Why I Wanted to Make a Different Kind of Christmas Movie
I adore classic Christmas films — the nostalgia, the comfort, the ritual of them. But I’ve always wanted to create something deeper. Something that doesn’t pretend life is perfect just because it’s December.
I wanted to make a Christmas movie that felt real.
A story for the people who are hurting.
A story for the people who feel alone in a room full of lights.
A story that says:
“Your life is still beautiful, even in the dark. And you are still needed here.”
What I Hope You Carry With You
My hope is that when you watch Hashtag Blessed, it reminds you how beautiful your life is… even if things feel messy, uncertain, or overwhelming.
I hope it encourages you to call that friend whose silence worries you.
I hope it helps you see the parts of yourself that are quietly waiting to shine.
I hope it shows you that asking for help is not weakness — it is wisdom.
And most of all, I hope it gives you permission to believe that even the smallest spark of hope can light up an entire night.
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