For Christian Campbell, an independent filmmaker currently attending Middle College at Las Positas, filmmaking started with whatever camera he could get his hands on. Campbell began experimenting at an early age, filming videos and recording comedic narratives that he took pride in.
“Anyone who likes filmmaking will tell you, ‘I’ve been doing it since I was young!’” Campbell said of his early filmmaking days. “You know, it’s like a tape recorder, and then an iPod Touch — making stuff on whatever you had around.”
Now, at 17 years old, Campbell is moving beyond homemade videos and transitioning into a more ambitious production. His newest project – “Deadwater” – is a feature-length film currently in development.
Though the full film is still a long way from full production, Campbell describes the project as being in its earliest stages of principal photography. A concept trailer for “Deadwater” is currently being worked on.
“In the grand scheme of things, we’re still in development and kind of pre-production,” said Campbell, “but for right now, for this little part of (the concept trailer), we’re in production.”
The concept trailer is more than just a preview for “Deadwater,” though. It is also the launch of a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the film — a project that comes with major financial risk.
Campbell estimates that producing the full film will cost roughly $1,000. He is currently funding the project himself but hopes to raise additional funds with the campaign’s expected launch on Oct. 17.
Campbell described his leap of faith plainly: “If the crowdfunding campaign flops, I did still make the concept trailer which will be cool … that’s the stakes.”
For an independent filmmaker who is also a full-time student, $1,000 is no small gamble. But Campbell says paying the people who work on his productions is a priority. He wants the actors to care for the characters and his passion project. A principle which he said “comes before (his) own personal finances.”
Despite these financial risks, the film itself is set to explore the dangers of relying on a single coping mechanism, particularly when that coping mechanism begins to consume a person’s time and energy.
Campbell describes the plot of the film as “cathartic,” having written it after experiencing and witnessing the role mental health struggles took on himself and friends.
“Even though ‘Deadwater’ gets high concept, it’s mostly about – especially – people my age. How obsessed or tunnel visioned you can get with a specific thing when your mental health is not in order,” he said.
The plot will also contain supernatural and thriller elements, yet despite these dark themes Campbell insists it will not be a horror film. Rather, it will be a drama.
Following a group of siblings after the unexpected loss of one of their own, the tragedy the family goes through is set to drive much of what follows. Some characters will turn to isolation, while others will stop at nothing to replace what was lost.
Campbell himself, though not working alone, is responsible for much of the film — from casting actors and hiring crew, to managing money and securing equipment. An independence that he believes is very rewarding, yet also frightening as a student filmmaker who has to balance school on top of it all.
For Campbell, being an independent student filmmaker has been rigorous and time consuming. But, it has also been the most rewarding experience he could ever describe. A great takeaway he hopes his peers might learn is that: If you are able to create, you should.
“I want to send the message that you can make stuff, especially at a young age,” he declared. “There’s nothing stopping you, so do it.”
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TOP PHOTO: Christian Campbell (left) directs Walter Diaz (center) and Sean O’Brien (right) on set for a concept trailer set in Knights Ferry, Calif., on Oct. 9, 2026. This trailer is being used to raise funds for the upcoming film “Deadwater.” (Photo courtesy of Christian Campbell)
Pehnina is a staff writer for The Express. Follow her on Instagram @pehnina.
