At 28, Howard decided to team up with Harry Dodge again, but this time to write, direct and act in a film. He wanted to do a movie that puts the world he knows on big screens. By Hook or by Crook was exhibited in 2001, after a three year long struggle. Although the shooting phase only took three month, it was a lot of work to get the necessary funds since translating transgender issues on screen was considered a big risk. But it didn't stop them to go though with it.

Falling in love with visual storytelling and the power it has, Howard decided afterwards to get a MFA in directing in UCLA and graduated in 2008.

Back in San Francisco, he associated with Harry Dodge, a former band member and they opened a cafe called Red Dora’s Bearded Lady Café where artists could come in and expose their art. It was situated next to a gallery that a friend of his who was diagnosed AIDS and had a few years to live decided to open in order to curate shows aimed at a queer audience. Surrounded by art, punk music, drag and queerness, he was an active component in the representation of alternative movements and give a voice to people who were often considered the marge of society. He eventually moved from music to cinema, in order to continue to do so.