Medford's Spear screening short film on WGBH site

Spear thought a journal writing documentary would fit perfectly with the station's theme for the current Open Call - Life Stories.

"Keeping a journal is literally telling your life story," she said. "I began keeping a journal in my mid-20s. I'm not getting into how long ago that was, but I had a very tumultuous summer this year, and having a journal was one of the things that really kept me sane."

But she looked to other diarists for "Lock & Key." Playwright and therapist Kelly Dumar and book editor Sarah Westbrook Binns responded to a Craigslist ad seeking interview subjects, while poet Jojo Lazar captivated Spear at a performance with an indie rock band.

Spear said the subjects offered their own special insights into keeping a journal.

"They come from very different backgrounds," she said.

And if many different people leave comments on the film, Spear could win the Nano. The director whose film receives the most comments as of Sunday wins the prize.

"I can't really afford to buy a new iPod, but I would love to [film] with one," Spear said.

She has screened her films at festivals in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, and Switzerland, among many other venues. She hopes to expand "Lock & Key" into a longer piece.