Projects
Features, shorts, and the recurring series we keep coming back to. Click a title above to jump straight there.
Left for Dead
An independent post-apocalyptic western directed by Ogden filmmaker Ryan McDonald, following a lone drifter stalked by a ruthless hunter across the emptied-out American West — drawing comparisons to No Country for Old Men and Mad Max. Shot entirely across Utah, including desert settings and the historic silver mining ruins in Frisco, Utah, with terrain that stands in for classic western backdrops.
Convicts & Chocolate
A short comedy that parodies and mashes up Con Air with the character Forrest Gump. Written and directed by Brandie Lee McDonald, the Utah-made spoof swaps Forrest Gump into the chaotic prison-transport plane setting of Con Air — filmed on the actual retired "Con Air" aircraft at Wendover Airfield.
Winner, Best Use of Theme — Carbon Shortcuts Film Festival.
Ancient Evil Film Series
An ongoing anthology of horror shorts New Ogden Cinema has produced entries in for years — including "Ancient Evil LVI: Twenty-Nine," "Ancient Evil XX: Bloodletting," "Ancient Evil: FrankenCock," and the award-winning "Ancient Evil: Moon's Blood." Nine of these tales were compiled into a feature-length anthology film, "Ancient Evil: The Movie," directed by Madison Easley, Matt Johnson, Ryan McDonald, and Jason White. Equal parts practical-effects horror and dark comedy, each installment stands on its own.
"Ancient Evil: FrankenCock" is the most awarded of the shorts, traveling festivals worldwide and winning Best Special FX, Best Editing, Best Director, and Best Horror Comedy at Kevin Smith's SModCastle Film Festival.
Ancient Evil: FrankenCock
On set with the cast and crew behind the series' most awarded entry.
FrankenCock
Dennis Record, Cast
FrankenCock
Reviewing the Take
FrankenCock
Ryan McDonald, SModCastle Film Festival
Cast & crew: Michael Rathburn, Dennis Record, Heather Hyer Haynes (cast) · Shawn Gordon (makeup & creature creator) · Jesse Howell (assistant director) · Madison Easley (director of photography)
Ancient Evil: Moon's Blood
Werewolf makeup, storyboarding, and cast on location for the award-winning entry in the series.
Moon's Blood
Ryan McDonald, Writer/Director
Moon's Blood
Shawn Gordon, Makeup & SFX
Moon's Blood
BJ Whimpey, Werewolf
Moon's Blood
Makeup Touch-Up
Moon's Blood
On Set
Moon's Blood
Kymberly Coppard, Cast
Moon's Blood
Michael Rathburn, Stunts & Cast
Moon's Blood
Brandie Lee McDonald, Producer
Married and Loving It
Ryan McDonald's directorial feature debut — a dramatic comedy about a couple on the eve of their tenth wedding anniversary, wrestling with how you can love someone and hate them in the same moment. Shot entirely on an iPhone 6 on a roughly $6,000 budget, the film went on to be submitted to more than 70 film festivals worldwide, picking up awards including Best Editing, Best Screenplay, and Best Ensemble Cast along the way, with additional nominations for Best Director and Best Feature Film.
Produced by Brandie Lee McDonald (credited as Brandie Rich), who met Ryan through New Ogden Cinema — the two later married. Directed by Ryan McDonald, shot by Director of Photography Matt Johnson.
Starring Nicole Finney, Michael Solarez, Aimee-Lynn Chadwick, Demetrius Daniels, Cheryl Holdaway, Ryan McDonald, Cherie Julander, and Devin Liljenquist.
Press
On Set
Married and Loving It
Ryan McDonald, Finding the Shot
Married and Loving It
Reviewing the Shot
Married and Loving It
Ryan McDonald, Director
Married and Loving It
The Shot List
Married and Loving It
Ryan McDonald & Matt Johnson
Married and Loving It
Shot on an iPhone 6