My name is Tyler Holmes, and Triggerman is a crime thriller short film that I wrote and will direct. The film follows two rebellious friends who steal their car back from a greedy junkyard owner only to have their plan unravel as they find themselves headed towards their own self-destruction.

This story follows a friendship with an unbalanced power dynamic and examines the alluring nature of peer pressure when feelings of inadequacy leave our character searching for his own identity.

The film centers on two young thieves, Grayson and Vincent, and through them, we explore the complexities of modern masculinity. These two young men are as different as apathy and empathy. Grayson is uncertain, neurotic, and has a natural boyish charm whereas his partner in crime Vincent is cynical and egotistical.

When a greedy junkyard owner takes Grayson's car and refuses to return it, Vincent devises a plan for the two of them to swipe it back. As their ambition gets the better of them, we see their plan unravel and take an unexpected turn for the worse when the junkyard owner realizes that the young men have thieving intentions. Soon after escaping harm, the two friends begin to clash over the morality of their actions, and the situation escalates to violence.

Ever since I was a little kid, I've always had an interest in filmmaking, but growing up, I never felt like it was a realistic goal to pursue. I didn’t have the resources, the social network, and I was honestly afraid that I didn’t have the talent necessary to make this dream a reality.

As I got older and I started to begin my professional career, the film bug kept scratching at me and no amount of accomplishment or job security could make the itch go away. I was writing all the time and producing shorts on the weekends, until my drive led me to USC’s School of Cinematic Arts where I was selected to be in the Peter Stark Producing Program. There, I met countless friends and collaborators while earning my MFA, which set me on a path to reach my goals as a writer/director.

Within this past year, I put together a proposal for a short film that unfortunately wasn’t selected for funding by the university due to the constraints of the pandemic. I was incredibly disappointed and felt my feelings of self-doubt begin to resurface once again. But I hadn’t come this far to let the journey end in rejection. I decided to team up with producers Ben Levine and Sarah Al-Qatou to help bring to life Triggerman, the project that has long lived inside my head.

Over the last few months, we’ve developed the script together and have recently attached cinematographer Jay Swuen and editor John St. Pierre to join us. We’ve come a long way since this project began, and now in order to make this film a reality, we need your help to finance Triggerman in advance of our August 2021 shoot.

As a writer/director, I am most interested in exploring universal truths through a diverse and subversive point of view. I want to create art that is both thought-provoking and entertaining. The films that have impacted me the most masterfully balance both. 

Whether that’s Michael Mann’s visceral feature film Collateral, Alfred Hitchcock’s psychological crime thriller Rope, or David Fincher’s gritty cult-classic Fight Club, Triggerman mirrors similar themes and visual touchstones that I plan to capture tonally and stylistically while injecting my own unique style.

Through all the tools of filmmaking, ranging from narrative structure to sound design, this production has assembled a great team that can help make this film an immersive experience. 

Triggerman requires a $15,000 budget for our two-day production across two locations in August. A sizable portion of our budget is devoted to Cast and Crew, in order to pay equitable wages to each person contributing to the film. In addition, it is of the upmost importance to us that everyone involved have a production experience in which they feel safe and able to focus on their work. In order to accomplish this, we are closely monitoring the regional guidelines regarding COVID-19. Our primary locations are all outdoor spaces, and all cast & crew will be expected to be fully-vaccinated in advance of shooting. We will be implementing mask-guideline that are in-line with production standards for Los Angeles county, regularly sanitizing equipment, and providing PPE. Craft services will be offered in individualy packaged meals on set. We are confident that our advanced prepartion for shooting this August will allow us to have a safe and healthy set experience for everyone. 

Another large part of the budget is dedicated to Location Fees, which will be needed to allow us to rent time to film at both a junkyard and in the desert. It is crucial that we have the right locations to bring this story to life, and this section of the budget will allow us to secure the locations we are eyeing and stage them realistically.

Additionally, we require funding for Equipment Costs and Production Expenses. Our goal to bring to life a high-quality short film includes shooting on an Arri Alexa Mini camera, as well as seeking the best sound and lighting equipment available to us.

We are excited to accomplish our goals for the scope of this production, all while filming in a safe and fair environment for everyone involved. 

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

This proverb has always guided me towards collaboration because when one of us succeeds, we all succeed. This is not only a short film but also an opportunity to showcase each crew member's abilities in our respective fields.

While Triggerman is a film that will allow us to create great work, it will also give me the chance as a filmmaker to work with a talented and hungry team of creatives who value diversity and are committed to paving a path for all those that follow.

I would not be here without the foundation of a loving community, and I need your help with the next stride in my journey. If you have any questions about the project or our journey, please don't hesitate to reach out. Please consider contributing here on our Seed & Spark page today to play a monumental part in making this film and helping us move forward towards our dreams. 

Thank you!

Tyler Holmes