Independent Filmmaker To Watch Out For In Coming Years: Hair-Trigger Director And Writer Steven Gerald Warkel.

The year 2022 belonged to independent filmmakers and OTT platforms, with cinemas suffering from a financial crisis unlike any in history. The sinking ship of Hollywood has been kept afloat by emerging filmmakers who have produced content-driven low-budget films that the audience has well received. The young, upcoming name in the industry, Steven Gerald Warkel, made his mark with his first feature-length film Hair-Trigger.

Steven also released two of his short films in 2022, Ramen and Urban Luau, both of which were critically acclaimed. With a wide range of releases, Steven, with his multiple projects, stood out as an indie filmmaker in the American entertainment industry. Outscoring  commercial films with his impressive line of projects, the emerging talent with his audience-based approach has the eyes of many glued to what he brings in next.

Steven’s passion for filmmaking has stemmed from his love for films like Reservoir Dogs and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to which his film also pays tribute. A treat for viewers anticipating a crime thriller that feels spooky and uncertain at all times, where everyone seems a culprit, yet no one knows who it is. Will it be someone who caught them committing a crime, or is it anyone of their own, or has the supernatural intervened? Watch the trailer at Hair-Trigger Official Trailer.

Steven began working on his first film by getting the right combination of the cast and crew. Knowing he needed fresh talent who would give 100% regardless of the pay scale, he revisited his film school to find his desirable cast. He stumbled upon many of his classmates and batchmates at the Minnesota State University Moorhead, who he had closely worked with during his time there. ‘I’m very grateful for the group of actors we had. Almost all of them were local to the upper midwest. Everyone, cast, and crew came to set each day eager to collaborate and support each other so we could get across the finish line,’ shared Steven. Distributed by Craig+Porter Film and Media, Hair-Trigger is now available on Vudu and Amazon.

Born and raised in the twin cities, in 2017, while he was still a student, he made his formal debut in the film industry with his short film Stanley. After graduating in 2018, Steven created many short films that went on to win awards.

Steven shared his favorite scene from the shoot, while being emotional, he recalled one of the end scenes that was to be shot during the sunset on a deserted road. Getting the scene execution in a time constraint was challenging; recalling the panic situation the cast and crew were in, he shared with immense pride about the professionalism his team delivered to shoot the scene in minutes. ‘That is the confidence and faith the director has to have on his team, I didn’t even for a second think it wouldn’t be possible, we had given Hair-Trigger all we had and I knew we would pull it off without fail,’ Steven further added.

Steven, after a fully overloaded 2022, is currently laying low and is figuring out his future projects while also working on his next short film ‘Walk Away’ in which he will explore the concept of midwest crime. He is also planning his next feature film with the Hair-Trigger producer Brady Halverson the details of which still need to be shared. Readers can follow him on his Instagram for candid interaction or to stay updated about his upcoming projects.

Read more about Steven Gerald Warkel at Steven Gerald Warkel – IMDb.