Table of Contents
Three Key Takeaways
- Justin Evans pioneers “Lean Filmmaking” by creating epic, high-quality films with minimal crew and innovative lighting technology.
- Texas Strange blends sci-fi, comedy, and western genres, drawing inspiration from classics like The Princess Bride.
- The film showcases how technical ingenuity—especially in lighting and audio—can revolutionize indie filmmaking.
Justin Evans, the visionary behind Texas Strange, brings a fresh twist to genre filmmaking with his sci-fi comedy western now selected for FilmQuest. Featuring Jason R Moore (known from Marvel's The Punisher) and Michael B Tabb, the film exemplifies Justin’s unique approach to production—crafting grand stories with a micro-crew and inventive lighting technology. With a background that includes hands-on experience on Carlito’s Way, Justin’s journey merges bold creativity with practical innovation.
What drew you to make this film? Why this story, and why now?
"I invented a world-changing lighting device and wanted to make a movie to prove it would allow independent filmmakers to light movies as big as a James Bond or Marvel film with a micro-crew."
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?
A 75MPH dust storm wiped out the first night of the shoot...and we still wrapped early!
Is there a moment in the film that feels the most you—something only you could have made?
I particularly love dialogue...I craft dialogue carefully. My actors did an amazing job bringing our dialogue to life.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making this film?
"I limited myself to a 7 person crew to prove we can make expensive-looking films without spending the money."
I'm teaching a Camp Cthulu course on this concept. We call it Lean Filmmaking. It is about making GRAND, EPIC films but without the budget.
What do you hope audiences take away from your film?
I hope they laugh. I hope they enjoy themselves. I hope our use of my lighting system is completely invisible...that it 'just looks like a Hollywood movie' to them even though it was made with a micro crew.
How has this film shaped or shifted the kind of stories you want to tell next?
Yes! I'm no longer afraid to tell any kind of story. My next film is going to be much bigger and the crew will be even smaller.
What’s a tool, technique, or resource that really helped you during production?
32-bit float audio changes everything about audio recording. Nairobi lighting changes everything about lighting. Edelkrone motion control tools allow me to do complicated camera moves alone.
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?
I worked as a PA on Carlito's Way and watched the union crew light Grand Central Station for two weeks...and I thought at the time 'There is no way in hell I will ever have the budget to light on that level.' And that's what makes a movie look like a big budget movie. It's the lighting. Not the camera, not the lenses. The lighting.
It took me 15 years but now I can light Grand Central Station with a handful of lights by myself or with a 1 person G&L team.
What does it mean to you to have your film selected for FilmQuest, one of the world’s top reviewed genre film festivals?
It's a tremendous honor! I've had previous films in about 200 film festivals...FilmQuest is by far my favorite.
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?
It's a Sci-Fi Comedy Western that has more in common with The Princess Bride than anything else.
Where do you see this film going next?
More festivals. But, my focus is on helping filmmakers understand how Nairobi can change the rules of filmmaking.
“At the core of all my work is a desire to make excellent margaritas.”
Cast & Crew
- Justin Evans — Filmmaker and innovator behind the Nairobi lighting system and Lean Filmmaking.
- Jason R Moore — Actor known for Marvel’s The Punisher.
- Michael B Tabb — Actor featured in Texas Strange.
Watch the film trailer here.
