Big moves ahead for Bad Bella Productions. I’m excited to announce that production is officially scheduled for Family Tradition, my first live-action short film, set to shoot in Georgia this November. This marks the launch of Bad Bella Productions’ journey into hands-on filmmaking—and the beginning of something much bigger.
Family Tradition is a standalone short inspired by the pilot What’s Buried Beneath the Pines. It’s a character-driven, Southern Gothic piece that captures the eerie tone, dark secrets, and generational tension of the larger series—but in a tightly wound, unforgettable scene. It centers on a diner confession that threatens to resurrect a legacy of violence—and a killer no one’s ready to face.
This short will serve as a proof of concept for the full series and as a creative showcase for my voice—not just as a writer, but as a first-time director. It’s stripped down. It’s intimate. And it’s got teeth. In under 10 minutes, we’re aiming to capture the spirit of an entire world, rich with subtext, suspense, and unresolved family wounds.
We’re currently assembling the cast and finalizing production logistics—locking in talent, locations, and department leads. We’re keeping it lean and intentional. Georgia offers the perfect backdrop for this story. The pine forests, the soft winter light, the quiet weight of rural spaces—they’re not just scenic, they’re narrative. The place is a character in itself.
For me, this project is personal. I’ve written plenty of scripts that others have read and responded to. But this time, I’m stepping behind the camera. I’m shaping performances, framing shots, directing emotion in real time. That’s a new level of creative vulnerability—and freedom. It’s the start of a new chapter in my storytelling journey, one that requires a whole new skill set and a whole new level of trust in myself.
Also on the slate: The Last Stop, a deeply felt animated short about memory, mortality, and the final moments we all wish we could rewrite. It’s a quieter piece, steeped in reflection, told through simple yet arresting visuals. Animation allows us to enter dream logic—those surreal emotional spaces we can’t always touch with live action. This short will live in a different register, but it’s driven by the same truth: that stories have the power to help us heal.
Together, Family Tradition and The Last Stop represent two bold debuts for Bad Bella Productions. Different mediums, same heartbeat: emotionally honest stories that dig deep and linger long after the credits roll. These are the kinds of projects I’ve always wanted to make—the kind that don’t just entertain, but echo.
These shorts are more than just content—they’re declarations of intent. They say: this is the kind of work I want to make. And this is the kind of company Bad Bella aims to become. We’re not trying to flood the market. We’re trying to cut through it—with work that hits hard, moves fast, and means something. Whether it’s through gritty Southern realism or lyrical animation, we’re here to make stories that leave a mark.
There’s something incredibly humbling about stepping into production with a team that believes in the vision. Every phone call, every casting session, every tech scout—it’s all building toward something real. We’re not just prepping a shoot. We’re laying the foundation for what this company stands for.
Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing updates from pre-production, casting, storyboarding, and the edit bay. If you’ve been part of this journey as a reader, supporter, or collaborator—I hope you’ll stay close for this next chapter. It’s the most hands-on I’ve ever been. And it’s the most excited I’ve ever felt.
Georgia. November. We’re rolling.
Two shorts. One mission: tell the truth, make it count. Let’s make something unforgettable.