Really Good! Fresh Jerky
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Documentary, Western
When a new highway bypasses the tiny desert town of Olancha, one family’s beloved roadside jerky stand is left fighting for survival. "Really Good! Fresh Jerky" follows this community as they work to preserve their family, legacy, and some really good, fresh jerky.
Really Good! Fresh Jerky
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Documentary, Western
1 Campaigns | California, United States
16 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$1,460
Goal: $10,000 for post-production
When a new highway bypasses the tiny desert town of Olancha, one family’s beloved roadside jerky stand is left fighting for survival. "Really Good! Fresh Jerky" follows this community as they work to preserve their family, legacy, and some really good, fresh jerky.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Along Highway 395, tucked beneath California’s Eastern Sierra Nevadas, lies a forgettable town with an unforgettable roadside pitstop.
The town: Olancha.
The business: Gus’ Really Good! Fresh Jerky.
With its unmistakable billboards and sticker-covered walls, this tiny jerky shack became a California staple for travelers headed to Mammoth Mountain.
It was built by none other than Gus, an Argentinian immigrant who was drawn to the desert’s freedom and quiet country life. Gus and his family transformed a forgotten stretch of highway into a landmark. In 2021 Gus’s youngest daughter Nancy opened her own jerky shop in San Clemente, CA. She brought a taste of the country to the city, and a dash of the desert to the beach. For a while, this felt like the American dream. But all good things must come to an end.
For years, Olancha lived under the threat of a highway bypass that would divert traffic and isolate the town. In 2024, that worst-case scenario became a reality.
Today, Olancha is a ghost town, and the fate of Gus’s iconic jerky shop hangs in limbo. This is a short documentary about legacy, and fighting to preserve the people and places we love. It reveals the unseen forces shaping a town, and the quiet battles waged beyond what a tourist sees driving by. It’s a love letter to California’s lesser-seen spaces, offbeat roadside pit stops, and the people who run them.
…It’s also a story about some really good, fresh jerky.
Meet Gus.
The brains and the brand. Gus is the beloved patriarch whose unwavering humor and optimism shines through even in the face of life’s greatest challenges. Gus is the heart of this project.
Meet Nancy.
As the youngest of Gus’ daughters, Nancy is the bold visionary fighting to keep her father’s dream alive. She’s forging her own path and trying to save the town she loves in the process. Through her, we see Gus beyond the billboards, the family behind the famous jerky, and the deep roots that make this more than just a business. For Nancy, jerky is personal.
Meet the neighbors, Vasie and Terry.
Vasie is a lifelong Olancha resident whose family roots in the region run deep. He’s watched the town change and become shaped by state policies that few locals had a say in.
Terry is a retiree who arrived in Olancha more than a decade ago. He finds solace and community in the quiet desert town.
Together, Vasie and Terry’s perspectives offer a powerful window into California’s overlooked rural communities.
‘Really Good! Fresh Jerky’ invites audiences to be a part of the story, and the fight to save it. Today, viral moments and grassroots campaigns can revive struggling mom-and-pop institutions. This film taps into that energy, rallying not just the built-in fanbase, but anyone who believes in protecting these places. This is a real-time vanishing act. The bypass is built. Olancha is drying up. The clock is ticking, and the time to document, reflect, and preserve is now.
Gus built a legacy from nothing, but like so many rural communities, Olancha faces quiet erasure in the wake of state infrastructure projects built for ‘progress.’ This documentary offers a rare, intimate look at the human cost of those decisions. This film is a love letter to a disappearing California, and a disappearing America.
This isn’t just a story for fans of Gus. It’s for anyone who's ever had a favorite roadside stop, and knows what it means to lose it.
I’m one of the many Californians who grew up road-tripping along Highway 395 and stopping at Gus’ Fresh Jerky. So when I returned last January I was shocked to find the highway had changed and the shop appeared closed.
As a documentarian I knew I had to tell this story. But as a lifelong customer, I knew I had to try and help it.
This film examines both the reasons behind the highway expansion, and Gus' journey to this small town. My hope is this film resonates with anyone who’s ever passed through a rural community and wondered, “What’s it like to live here?”
I don’t know if we can save the business or Olancha, that might be beyond our control. But what I do know is Gus has a story that deserves to be heard. And at the very least, I can try to share it.
Every dollar raised here will immediately go into the post-production of this film to help finish the editing, coloring, music and graphic design.
This film is a grassroots effort to keep a small town from vanishing off the map. That means there’s more than one way to help support it. If you’re unable to contribute financially, following our social media, interacting with our website, and sharing our project is greatly appreciated. Every follow, shout-out, and repost goes a long way!
- Follow @freshjerkyfilm on Instagram
- Sign up for updates at freshjerkyfilm.com
We truly believe word of mouth can bring this project to life. Nearly 3 million people visit Mammoth every year. How many of them have stopped at Gus’ Jerky? How many have enjoyed the fruits of these tiny highway communities and the people who pour everything they have into them?
Let’s spread the word and get this film finished… for Gus, for Olancha, for all of us!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editing & Color
Costs $4,000
Professional editing and coloring will ensure this film looks its absolute best!
Design & Marketing
Costs $1,500
All original designs on posters, stickers, and promoted social media posts will help get this film in front of as many eyes as possible!
Music & Licensing
Costs $1,000
Our editors and composers need properly licensed archive and studio equipment to help support the look and sound of this project.
Production Costs
Costs $1,000
This covers gear rentals, gas, and other costs from our various shoots out in the desert.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Cami Buckman | Director + Producer
Cami Buckman is an Emmy-award winning documentary producer with a background in print and broadcast journalism. She has produced for traditional newsrooms, network television, and popular digital platform shows. Her reporting and short-documentaries have been seen in VICE, HBO, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and Youtube Originals. Her work blends humor, history, and people-centric storytelling. Cami is a born and raised California girl with a deep love for her state’s rural communities and weird roadside attractions. “Really Good! Fresh Jerky” is her directorial debut.
Her favorite jerky from Gus is Teriyaki.
Chris Pieper | Director of Photography
Chris Pieper is a cinematographer and camera operator with a strong background in narrative, documentary, and commercial work. He was a participant in the prestigious ASC mentorship program under Michael Bonvillain. His short films have been recognized on the global stage, with screenings at the Cannes International Film Festival. His commercial portfolio includes work with clients like Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, A24, Google, and Spotify.
His favorite jerky from Gus is Mango Habanero.
Sean Brandt | Editor
Sean is a director and editor whose body of work ranges throughout several narrative, documentary, and commercial projects. Sean’s work has screened on national television as well at the Cannes International Film Festival (with Chris!). Brands he’s worked with include Stanley 1913, CASETiFY, and Nike Air Jordan. But Sean’s favorite projects are ones with friends about small offbeat stories with a lot of heart and a lot of flavor.
His favorite jerky from Gus is Sweet’n’Spicy Brisket.
Rita Carmona | Sound Designer
Rita Carmona is a passionate sound designer and re-recording mixer whose approach to sound is shaped by her background in music and community organizing. Motivated by rhythm and the power of story, she found her place in ProTools while completing her MFA in Social Documentary at UC Santa Cruz. Her work has screened both nationally and internationally at festivals like LALIFF, NFFTY, Watsonville Film Festival and LAAPFF. In 2026, she started as a post production sound resident with Industry Standard x Netflix, now working full time with the residency at Mezzanine Media.
Her favorite jerky from Gus is Cowboy.
Andrew Morner & Michael Steinkirchner | Composers
Michael and Andrew are a bi-coastal composing duo based in Los Angeles and New York City. Michael is a songwriter and musician who spent his twenties touring, recording, and performing with a variety of West Coast indie & folk artists. He now primarily makes music with Delving, EBT Brass Band, & TV You. Andrew is a creative director and graphic designer who grew up inspired by his mother’s guitar playing. Now as a guitarist and singer, he’s entering an exciting new chapter of composition. Together, Michael and Andrew share a love of simple acoustics, ambient melodies, and classic California sounds that translate into the music of this project.
Their favorite jerky from Gus is Garlic.
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Along Highway 395, tucked beneath California’s Eastern Sierra Nevadas, lies a forgettable town with an unforgettable roadside pitstop.
The town: Olancha.
The business: Gus’ Really Good! Fresh Jerky.
With its unmistakable billboards and sticker-covered walls, this tiny jerky shack became a California staple for travelers headed to Mammoth Mountain.
It was built by none other than Gus, an Argentinian immigrant who was drawn to the desert’s freedom and quiet country life. Gus and his family transformed a forgotten stretch of highway into a landmark. In 2021 Gus’s youngest daughter Nancy opened her own jerky shop in San Clemente, CA. She brought a taste of the country to the city, and a dash of the desert to the beach. For a while, this felt like the American dream. But all good things must come to an end.
For years, Olancha lived under the threat of a highway bypass that would divert traffic and isolate the town. In 2024, that worst-case scenario became a reality.
Today, Olancha is a ghost town, and the fate of Gus’s iconic jerky shop hangs in limbo. This is a short documentary about legacy, and fighting to preserve the people and places we love. It reveals the unseen forces shaping a town, and the quiet battles waged beyond what a tourist sees driving by. It’s a love letter to California’s lesser-seen spaces, offbeat roadside pit stops, and the people who run them.
…It’s also a story about some really good, fresh jerky.
Meet Gus.
The brains and the brand. Gus is the beloved patriarch whose unwavering humor and optimism shines through even in the face of life’s greatest challenges. Gus is the heart of this project.
Meet Nancy.
As the youngest of Gus’ daughters, Nancy is the bold visionary fighting to keep her father’s dream alive. She’s forging her own path and trying to save the town she loves in the process. Through her, we see Gus beyond the billboards, the family behind the famous jerky, and the deep roots that make this more than just a business. For Nancy, jerky is personal.
Meet the neighbors, Vasie and Terry.
Vasie is a lifelong Olancha resident whose family roots in the region run deep. He’s watched the town change and become shaped by state policies that few locals had a say in.
Terry is a retiree who arrived in Olancha more than a decade ago. He finds solace and community in the quiet desert town.
Together, Vasie and Terry’s perspectives offer a powerful window into California’s overlooked rural communities.
‘Really Good! Fresh Jerky’ invites audiences to be a part of the story, and the fight to save it. Today, viral moments and grassroots campaigns can revive struggling mom-and-pop institutions. This film taps into that energy, rallying not just the built-in fanbase, but anyone who believes in protecting these places. This is a real-time vanishing act. The bypass is built. Olancha is drying up. The clock is ticking, and the time to document, reflect, and preserve is now.
Gus built a legacy from nothing, but like so many rural communities, Olancha faces quiet erasure in the wake of state infrastructure projects built for ‘progress.’ This documentary offers a rare, intimate look at the human cost of those decisions. This film is a love letter to a disappearing California, and a disappearing America.
This isn’t just a story for fans of Gus. It’s for anyone who's ever had a favorite roadside stop, and knows what it means to lose it.
I’m one of the many Californians who grew up road-tripping along Highway 395 and stopping at Gus’ Fresh Jerky. So when I returned last January I was shocked to find the highway had changed and the shop appeared closed.
As a documentarian I knew I had to tell this story. But as a lifelong customer, I knew I had to try and help it.
This film examines both the reasons behind the highway expansion, and Gus' journey to this small town. My hope is this film resonates with anyone who’s ever passed through a rural community and wondered, “What’s it like to live here?”
I don’t know if we can save the business or Olancha, that might be beyond our control. But what I do know is Gus has a story that deserves to be heard. And at the very least, I can try to share it.
Every dollar raised here will immediately go into the post-production of this film to help finish the editing, coloring, music and graphic design.
This film is a grassroots effort to keep a small town from vanishing off the map. That means there’s more than one way to help support it. If you’re unable to contribute financially, following our social media, interacting with our website, and sharing our project is greatly appreciated. Every follow, shout-out, and repost goes a long way!
- Follow @freshjerkyfilm on Instagram
- Sign up for updates at freshjerkyfilm.com
We truly believe word of mouth can bring this project to life. Nearly 3 million people visit Mammoth every year. How many of them have stopped at Gus’ Jerky? How many have enjoyed the fruits of these tiny highway communities and the people who pour everything they have into them?
Let’s spread the word and get this film finished… for Gus, for Olancha, for all of us!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editing & Color
Costs $4,000
Professional editing and coloring will ensure this film looks its absolute best!
Design & Marketing
Costs $1,500
All original designs on posters, stickers, and promoted social media posts will help get this film in front of as many eyes as possible!
Music & Licensing
Costs $1,000
Our editors and composers need properly licensed archive and studio equipment to help support the look and sound of this project.
Production Costs
Costs $1,000
This covers gear rentals, gas, and other costs from our various shoots out in the desert.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Cami Buckman | Director + Producer
Cami Buckman is an Emmy-award winning documentary producer with a background in print and broadcast journalism. She has produced for traditional newsrooms, network television, and popular digital platform shows. Her reporting and short-documentaries have been seen in VICE, HBO, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and Youtube Originals. Her work blends humor, history, and people-centric storytelling. Cami is a born and raised California girl with a deep love for her state’s rural communities and weird roadside attractions. “Really Good! Fresh Jerky” is her directorial debut.
Her favorite jerky from Gus is Teriyaki.
Chris Pieper | Director of Photography
Chris Pieper is a cinematographer and camera operator with a strong background in narrative, documentary, and commercial work. He was a participant in the prestigious ASC mentorship program under Michael Bonvillain. His short films have been recognized on the global stage, with screenings at the Cannes International Film Festival. His commercial portfolio includes work with clients like Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, A24, Google, and Spotify.
His favorite jerky from Gus is Mango Habanero.
Sean Brandt | Editor
Sean is a director and editor whose body of work ranges throughout several narrative, documentary, and commercial projects. Sean’s work has screened on national television as well at the Cannes International Film Festival (with Chris!). Brands he’s worked with include Stanley 1913, CASETiFY, and Nike Air Jordan. But Sean’s favorite projects are ones with friends about small offbeat stories with a lot of heart and a lot of flavor.
His favorite jerky from Gus is Sweet’n’Spicy Brisket.
Rita Carmona | Sound Designer
Rita Carmona is a passionate sound designer and re-recording mixer whose approach to sound is shaped by her background in music and community organizing. Motivated by rhythm and the power of story, she found her place in ProTools while completing her MFA in Social Documentary at UC Santa Cruz. Her work has screened both nationally and internationally at festivals like LALIFF, NFFTY, Watsonville Film Festival and LAAPFF. In 2026, she started as a post production sound resident with Industry Standard x Netflix, now working full time with the residency at Mezzanine Media.
Her favorite jerky from Gus is Cowboy.
Andrew Morner & Michael Steinkirchner | Composers
Michael and Andrew are a bi-coastal composing duo based in Los Angeles and New York City. Michael is a songwriter and musician who spent his twenties touring, recording, and performing with a variety of West Coast indie & folk artists. He now primarily makes music with Delving, EBT Brass Band, & TV You. Andrew is a creative director and graphic designer who grew up inspired by his mother’s guitar playing. Now as a guitarist and singer, he’s entering an exciting new chapter of composition. Together, Michael and Andrew share a love of simple acoustics, ambient melodies, and classic California sounds that translate into the music of this project.
Their favorite jerky from Gus is Garlic.