I first read an account of the legend of Perillos when I was a teenager – the implications of the story have haunted my thinking ever since, demanding that I do something with it, as a warning to artists and others who seek alignment with fascist power. The initial form of The King's Tribute was written in 2012, with subsequent revisions and changes until I produced this version in 2024.

The story was written with music in mind – my objective was to create something that felt fully integrated, utilizing music that I composed as co-narrator, not just background filler. In the process, I think I learned more than I had with any of my prior work. What I now call "audiocinema" is the closest I've gotten to conveying the layered meaning, the psycho-resonance, of how ideas exist in my mind. When I experience films like Andrei Rublev or Mirror by Andrei Tarkovsky, or Tropical Malady by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, what I ultimately feel is "That's it! That's where I want to go," and with The King's Tribute I feel like I finally stepped onto the path that leads to such great work.

This version of The King's Tribute may not be my final take on the story – it may expand in the future, or even change form and become something like a theater piece, but, as it stands, I am proud of what I did to realize this version. Please set aside some time to experience what I consider an important step in my personal development as an artist.