As we reach one year at ShortEnd, I can't help but think about how I got involved with the project in the first place.

Nora and I went to grad school together in Syracuse, NY from 2005-2006. We watched many films during that year, partly because there was nothing else to do, partly because we both love film. During that time, she got a real sense of how I thought about film and apparently didn't totally disagree with me often enough that she grew to respect my opinion. We would talk and debate over countless films, TV shows, shots and anything else we watched together, but I never would have imagined we would come to this.

About a year after we graduated, she told me about this idea she had for a magazine that covered independent film. I told her I thought it was a great idea and she should pursue it, and then we lost touch for a few months. Then she came to visit me over the summer—unfortunately when I was sick as a dog—and we had the first annual Kim and Nora Film Festival. During those few days, we watched Joe Swanberg's Hannah Takes the Stairs. Nora had seen it already and, knowing my tendency toward snarky and painfully honest film viewing commentary, wanted to watch it with me to see how I would react.

As she expected, I was not a fan, but instead of our customary chat during and after a film about our reactions, she told me she wanted to film our discussion and that it had to be under 10 minutes long. She wanted to host it on YouTube as the first—of what we hoped would be many—video reviews.

So we filmed and we talked and ultimately we were divided on the film. I thought it needed a lot of work, and while she didn't disagree with me, she liked enough of Joe's other work to come out in support of Hannah. But that's not really the point of this letter.

The point is to explain that from that first review, I was hooked. She knew there was a future in this magazine. I saw that there could be a future for it, and for us. So she asked me to come on board as her Associate Editor.

Ultimately, I hope there is a print future for this magazine. I hope I'm there to see it and nurture it and let it expand into everything this industry needs and everything it can be. ShortEnd may be the unwieldy and young child of one extraordinary woman, but now and forever, it has a godmother in me.