KTown to Backyards in Gardena (Chapter 3: Lockdown Productions)

Directing a film requires vision — and then it requires managing an entire network of actors, crew, locations, animals, and much, much more in order to see that vision come to life.

I’m Robert Christopher Smith, and this is The Lethal Voice Podcast — my confessional where I dig deep and hold nothing back, revealing exactly what it took to bring Vengeance Turns from the page to the screen. Season One is called Turning to Vengeance, and tonight’s episode is “From KTown to Backyards in Gardena,” the penultimate chapter in Season One’s Lockdown Productions.

This episode dives into some of the most demanding and defining days of our shoot — from scouting the western town in Littlerock, to wrangling makeup disasters, to protecting actors’ privacy in precarious shooting situations. You’ll hear about compromises that became creative breakthroughs, about moments of frustration that nearly derailed us, and about the stubborn belief that this film had to be finished — no matter what.

Along the way, I share how Vengeance Turns transformed in meaning because of the sacrifices, grit, and belief of the people who stuck with it. It’s not just about indie filmmaking under pressure — it’s about refusing to let go of a vision, even when the odds (and sometimes your own team) try to push back.

LINKS & RESOURCES (drop them here before publishing):

• Previous Episode: “HQ and the Greenscreen Room”
• Vengeance Turns: Volume One (Tubi)
• Vengeance Turns: Volume Two (Tubi)
• “Reservoir Dogs”-style clip 
• Instagram post with vegan wrap photo
• Theatrical Premiere tickets for SPREAD: Pigs to Slaughter (Eventbrite link)