Table of Contents
Three Key Takeaways
- Hunter Wayne embraced limited time and resources to craft a uniquely chaotic music video blending supernatural whimsy with raw indie spirit.
- Collaboration with the band That Handsome Devil and the involvement of the singer’s children added a deeply personal and unpredictable heart to the project.
- Wayne’s irreverent approach to genre filmmaking and DIY effects underscores his desire to disrupt norms and make viewers uncomfortable in all the right ways.
Hunter Wayne’s music video “Buddha Was A Rich Boy,” selected for FilmQuest 2025, is an audacious plunge into a supernatural mosh pit where reality warps and paper airplanes spark an unforgettable adventure. Featuring That Handsome Devil both behind and in front of the camera, with Wayne directing, producing, editing, and conjuring special effects, the film channels the chaotic energy of live music and indie creativity. Cinematographer Brent Bailey and producer Brandon Torres also helped bring this visually inventive and emotionally charged piece to life.
What drew you to make this film? Why this story, and why now?
I dm’d the band on Instagram in the hopes that I could be considered to direct a music video for them alongside some of my friends that I’ve always wanted to work with in such a capacity. Despite having no evidence to indicate that I would be a good director, the singer (Godforbid) graciously told me that he liked my work. We ended up filming two music videos in two days. This one was primarily Godforbid's idea (down to the two child actors being his kids). A handful of the visual gags were ones I made on the fly.
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process this time—creatively or logistically? Was there a moment on set or in post that completely changed how you saw the story?
The lack of time, money, and control was not for the faint of heart. Being beholden to the unpredictable nature of the baby actor was probably the most tense moment of the whole thing. We were lucky to have gotten a wide spectrum of emotional range from her.
“Godforbid's want to make a video with his kids is the star of the show here.”
Is there a moment in the film that feels the most you—something only you could have made?
Despite my back being fairly against the wall compared to what I originally had in mind, there's little flares of Hunter in here. The door guy with the all-seeing eye was something I was set on doing. I wanted to have more slapstick baby antics but due to a lack of time and money we got good miledge out of our 'stuntbaby' in various bits. I put X's over the X-tras eyes cause some of them kept looking at the fucking camera despite me telling them not to do that, plus there's shows I like that have similar character design like Hazbin Hotel & Murder Drones.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making this film?
Letting go of all the puppeteering gags I had in mind was a little sad. I wanted to physically puppeteer the baby Son of the Mask stlye, but that would have been an uphill battle we wouldn't have time to fight in 8-10 hours of filming. I wanted to work with my friend Jamie Shannon (Nanalan, Mr. Meaty etc.) but the singer (Godforbid) nicely put it down due to another filmmaker expressing interest in puppet work. I doubt that person wanted to do anything close to what I wanted to do, but everything worked out in a way I wouldn't change anything.
What do you hope audiences take away from your film?
This is what I can do with little to no resources.
How has this film shaped or shifted the kind of stories you want to tell next?
It's an introduction to who I am as a filmmaker.
What’s a tool, technique, or resource that really helped you during production?
Davinci Resolve is my editing software of choice because fuck Adobe. Affinity Design is my illustrative software of choice, because fuck Adobe. and I used a Fluxus Duo vfx processor for the analog glitching effects. Fuck Adobe HAHA
Independent filmmakers often rewrite the rules out of necessity. What do you think is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into that on this project? Is there a lesson or breakthrough you’d share with others navigating this path?
“The lack of money and time is the blessing and the curse.”
Blessing because it pressures you to have the same school of thought as Guillermo Del Toro when he said directing is orchestrating a series of accidents. The curse because you're going to have the best idea ever and the audience will have no idea until you talk about in Q&As about it.
What does it mean to you to have your film selected for FilmQuest, one of the world’s top reviewed genre film festivals?
Sending to any film festival is a gamble. Even when you have reason to believe otherwise. You don't know if your ideas will align with a programmer's ideas. But considering genre-film is my first love in this space, it's super validating to have been deemed worthy by FilmQuest. They have a culture that I think deserves more awareness and love across the board.
FilmQuest celebrates the majesty and might of genre filmmaking across fantasy, horror, sci-fi, action, thriller, western, kung-fu, and beyond. How does your film fit within—or push the boundaries of—genre storytelling?
Under that framing, I truthfully thought I was too weird for the weird kids table. The lack of reception from other genre-film festivals led me to believe this much. I see this as a door opener for this baby I got to make with That Handsome Devil in that space.
Where do you see this film going next?
I'm not holding my breath for anything special, but a 5th Academy Award qualifying film festival selection/win would be dope haha The idea of the Academy's voters having to be subjected to this thing, even briefly as a name on a list, does make me smile :)
“At the core of all my work is a desire to make the wrong people uncomfortable."
Cast & Crew
- Hunter Wayne — Director, Producer, Editor, FX artist
- Godforbid (That Handsome Devil) — Singer, starring, and inspiration for concept; father of the child actors
- Brent Bailey — Cinematographer & Line Producer
- Brandon Torres — Producer
