Brian - (Short Film)

In the spring of 2026, my wife alerted me to a local film festival hosted by the Hill Country Council for the Arts. At the time, I was busy preparing for a spring Market Day and trying to finish a large painting, Mourning Morning, which can be seen in my Fine Art section.

I decided to put the painting aside and embarked on a mad rush to create a short film, The Demon—Reimagined. After that experience, I vowed that when the next film festival came around, I would dedicate adequate time to developing my next film.

Enter Brian, my newest project.

As you can see from this frame in the opening scene, Brian is being shot using older video technology and stars my very talented son, Cooper.

Cooper has been acting for many years through his own YouTube projects and the music videos we have created together over the past five years. I believe he is an exceptional young actor, and his enthusiasm for this project has made the experience even more rewarding.

My wife is also a dedicated, talented, and accomplished theater actress. Her passion for performance has inspired Cooper to dive more deeply into the craft and continue developing his abilities as an actor.

Above, you can see an image of me testing our new—well, new to us—VHS-C camcorder. Getting it to work required quite a bit of troubleshooting. In addition to finding compatible tapes, I had to track down a working battery and charger because, to my surprise, the camera arrived without any of the required accessories. Always read the fine print.

I also had to determine how to output the camera’s analog video signal, convert it to a digital format, and record it on my computer.

The complete signal chain looked like this:

Camcorder → 1/8-inch A/V-to-composite cable → composite-to-HDMI converter box → HDMI digital video capture card → Mac Mini running OBS → exported footage edited in Final Cut Pro

Enter the Drama Mini Jib.

One thing about shooting with a VHS-C camcorder that caught me completely off guard was just how shaky the footage could be. Having used digital cameras and iPhones for most of my previous projects, I was struck by how unstable the handheld footage looked.

After filming a few test shots, I realized that unless I wanted the entire movie to resemble The Blair Witch Project, I would need to shoot almost everything on a tripod. But how visually interesting would that be?

Then I came across a Facebook Marketplace ad for a professional mini jib at a surprisingly low price. Cooper and I drove nearly an hour to pick it up, adding yet another piece of vintage-inspired filmmaking equipment to the production.

Above, you can see Cooper working with the jib as we attempted to get everything functioning properly. Simply assembling the jib was a project in itself.

Shortly after buying it, I discovered that it had been designed for a much larger camera—which, in hindsight, I probably should have seen coming. I first had to order an adapter that converted the jib’s larger mounting screw to the smaller size required by the VHS-C camcorder. I then discovered that the camera would not sit flush against the mounting plate, causing it to point off to one side. To correct this, I ordered rubber washers that allowed the camera to sit straight.

Finally, the camera had a tendency to rotate and tilt sideways while the jib was moving. If you look closely at the footage, you may notice a string being used to control its rotation. It may not be the most sophisticated solution, but independent filmmaking often requires a little creativity.

We are currently working hard to complete enough footage to apply for a grant that would help us increase the film’s production value. Our ultimate goal is to complete Brian and submit it to major film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival.

Those who would like to support the project can contribute to the Brian Film Fund. Supporters will be recognized in the film’s credits as a thank-you for helping us bring this project to life. Check my shop for a item to process your donation.