Behind The Scenes

Behind-the-scenes content outlines the process that Byron and the company take to make a quality product. The key is to plan and account for every aspect of production in pre-production. Outline, schedule, and have multiple contingencies to secure get the day. Most BTS content is on Patreon and requires some additional support to

StarQUALITY Smoov “Write A Book.” Official Video

Smoov and I worked together while back before the pandemic and the frenetic Trump administration before the world seemed like it was on its knees. We both were not proud of the video we put together back then, and we decided to not release it. It is always a painful decision. But looking back, it was the right one to make.

THE hardest VIDEO I HAVE EVER DIRECTED

I love working with Pottymovth because they allow me to push the boundaries of what is possible in both ethics challenging sequences. Some of the content of this video could be hard for some people to look at, or trigger, but the message is clear. We live in a messed up nation that contains a lot of injustices, with this, we push our polis to the brink of sanity. We are speeding into an unknown future with countless issues on the table that we do not solve as a society.

Authority Official Directors Cut

It's complete. I just uploaded this cut of Authority to Hoosier Films. But I wanted you all to enjoy it before it can be viewed on the HF platform. 

Here is more on my process and why I felt compelled to make this film. 

au·thor·i·ty

1. the power or right to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience.

"he had absolute authority over his subordinates”

I remember feeling off about making this film because I was a male director telling the story of a female victim. However, most of my films are based on injustice and inequity. I found courage in the victims who I interviewed, while this content could be triggering, it is a story that should be told in the world because it is all too common. Maybe if exposed, this film could change the world. It could make a positive impact on the rampant abuse of Authority that exists in our society. As a filmmaker, the theory that I can change the world is the working hypothesis with which I approach all of my films.

Authority Behind the Scenes

Scarecrow Screentest (Directors Analysis)

Scarecrow Screen-test (Directors Analysis)

After years of development, writing, re-writing, casting, hiring crew, and fundraising I was about ready to throw in the towel. With the limited funds that we do have, I opted to test the resources we did have by throwing together a screen-test. We brought most of the principal cast together, and the selected crew so far to shoot for a weekend in May. 

The cicadas were in full effect, the air was warm, and inside producer Logan Hunter's house, there was no air conditioning because it was too loud for our sound mix. I am about to post the final screen-test to Patreon with the full story. This video is about the process and thinking that was done before the screen test. It is exclusively about my directing process and how I am trying to develop and hone my craft. 

I have had a lot of amazing opportunities this past year in the directors' seat. I am looking forward to more through 2021-22 and a shot at making the dream movie "Scarecrow" a reality. 

My Process

I take after Martin Scorsese and I design and draw every frame of the movie, analyze every line, and rehearse meticulously with talent before we ever get to set. I respect the fact that mistakes happen even when you do everything right, but not having clear contingencies and plans to achieve the vision regardless is the main mistake I see in other directors. If you invest in this film, I take it personally as an investment in me. My number 1 desire is to provide a return on that investment that is both entertaining and profitable. To achieve this my team and I will be meticulous all the way from pre-post production and provide reports to stakeholders regularly. The only way to ensure we achieve movie magic is to set the pieces in motion far before the say of shooting a scene.

I am drawn to the stories that happen all around us. Cloak and dagger domestic violence is an insidious cultural norm whose victims rarely speak up until it is too late. The reality is that there is a lot of community shame and blame that faces the victims if they do expose their abusers. I created Scarecrow to show the realities of a rural community that shelters abusive behavior. Nora is the ultimate innocent, but it is at extreme risk Elsa Ray has befallen a victim of Mile’s abuse. It is common that the abuse suffered by guardians is eventually passed down. I work in magical realism in the same fashion as Guillermo Del Toro, (Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, Hellboy) while the protagonist befriends seemingly a monster. Ceres strikes fear into those who gaze upon her, a jarring, horrific example of a Scarecrow in an unplanted field. Nora seems to be able to communicate with this monster, making Nora’s sanity questionable to the viewers of the film throughout the picture. This will create a constant tension between reality and fiction. The reality is the potentially abusive situation that Nora and Elsa Ray find themselves in, and the fiction that a supernatural scarecrow could save the day. The film will be heavy set with rain, Ceres seems to use storms to move around, she is the Ancient Roman Goddess of grain, agriculture, and mother love after all. We were all told that the roman deities were myths, but we were not there, I beg the question: Could they have been beings from another place that played in the game of life of human beings until the fall of Rome? Scarecrow film explores the idea that Ceres is a guardian angel, and Nora's desperate plea at the beginning of the film brings her back to life in a gnarly old scarecrow.