Sincerely, 2020 (a film for Riverdale High School's graduating class)

I spent quarantine compiling clips that my classmates sent to me from our senior year and videos that I shot myself to make Sincerely, 2020. I totally climbed under the fence onto the football field everyday for like a week straight. Is that okay to say now? Oh well, it's the truth. My point is, I was willing to do anything to make this film possible - was willing to give anything to assure that the class of 2020 got the ending they deserved. There were many, many cuts of this film. And every time, I would say, "Something's missing." I wrote new screenplays. I made new shot lists. I tried everything and anything to find this missing piece. I even bought a new camera along the way. Little did I know that missing piece was me. I didn't have a place; somewhere I forgot along the way that this story is mine too. I promised myself during pre-production that I would not be in the film whatsoever. That changed, as I'm sure you can see. I fear attention. I fear being noticed. I've always been a behind-the-camera type person. All throughout high school, I was shy - I was scared. And that will forever be one of my biggest regrets. I'm shy, but I'll also talk your head off. Weird, right? I'm not who people think I am. I hide my confidence. I hide my dreams. Every time someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my heart would drop because was frightened that people would tell me to be more realistic, or that they'd be surprised. But you know what? Thanks to the growth I've achieved while making this film, I will gladly scream from the rooftops that I'm going to make films when I grow up. I'm going to make so many freaking films. I'm going to do all the things that used to scare me to death. Because what this whole pandemic thing has taught me is that you don't have forever. High School, something that you take for granted everyday, can be pulled right out from under you. And then all you can do is miss it like hell. I will miss it like hell. There isn't time to kill; there isn't time to deny your aspirations. I transferred to Riverdale on a whim halfway through freshman year. People used to ask me why. I came up with excuse after excuse because I felt like the reality wasn't good enough. I transferred because I had a gut feeling; that's the truth. Some part of me knew that I would meet people that would change my life - that I would find a love that would turn my world upside down. I did. I found filmmaking, and I found people that loved how passionate I am towards it. I found myself. I was ridiculously unhappy at my previous school. I cannot even fathom the fact that I might've been wearing the wrong colors at graduation - that I might've been hugging the wrong people, that maybe I would've walked across that stage not knowing who I was or what I wanted to be. I know who I am now. I'm Mak Johnson, and there is no other label I need to bear. I faced challenges with my sexuality and my differences that absolutely tore me apart throughout high school. But there is absolutely no shame in self-discovery, or just being yourself in general. I'm going to grow; I'm going to change. I refuse to be placed in a box my whole life and just be buried in one down the road. No. Instead, I want to think outside the box. I want to show the world new things - things that have never existed before. How am I going to do that? I'm going to direct movies. I'm dedicating my life to this joy I've found. And who knows? Maybe it will take me to a place I love, and maybe there I'll find a person to love. I didn't use to think that way. I thought for sure I'd die young - that there wasn't anything out there for me. I cannot even begin to thank Riverdale High School enough for helping me realize that I couldn't have been more wrong. To everyone that sent in videos or sweet messages, you have no clue the difference you've made. There wasn't a single one that didn't make me cry. I would love to get to know each of you more, and I pray it's not too late. Literally, I would love to buy you coffee (or any other beverage) and talk about life with any of you. I want to know how you see the world. Are you scared? Are you relieved? Excited? I know I feel more emotions than I can put into words. You're probably thinking, though, why write all this? Well... I needed to. I needed to accept myself, and I needed you to know that this isn't just a movie about our senior year. I needed you to know just how real this all was. I love you all endlessly. I wish this dumb pandemic wasn't a thing so I could hug all of you, but I'll just keep my hugs ready and waiting. Riverdale students and faculty, thank you for the memories. Thank you for everything. I owe you the world, but I hope this movie is enough... but for what it's worth, this movie is the world to me.