KANSAS 1989: What is the true Return On Investment of an Independent Short Film? "It's emotional, artistic, perhaps spiritual, it's many, many things...but it is not financial."
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
KANSAS 1989 is a queer coming-of-age short film inspired by true events, following a Midwestern teenager on the verge of coming out and the dangerous encounter that alters the course of his life.
During a recent FiB Live conversation, writer/ director Clayton Dean Smith and cinematographer Giacomo Belletti joined us to discuss the making of the film, their commitment to shooting on 16mm, the power of images as story, and the realities of independent filmmaking. What emerged was a deeper reflection on why filmmakers continue to create films despite overwhelming obstacles. At the center of the discussion was a question every independent filmmaker eventually faces: What is the true return on investment of an independent short film?
For Clayton, the answer begins with COMMUNITY. He learned early on that sharing your goals publicly and asking for support where you need it is mandatory. Rather than viewing crowdfunding as asking for donations, he sees it as building a team of supporters and inviting others to participate in the success of a project they believe in.
"Return on investment for an independent short film is emotional, artistic, perhaps spiritual, it's many, many things...but it is not financial." CLAYTON DEAN SMITH
Long before KANSAS 1989, Clayton Dean Smith's creative journey began as an actor. After moving to New York, he immersed himself in theater, television, and film while training extensively with renowned acting coach Bob Krakauer. Reflecting on those years, Clayton describes Krakauer as an "actor whisperer" whose approach fundamentally shaped the way he thinks about performance. One piece of advice, in particular, stayed with him: "Don't be an actor, just be a person." That simple philosophy continues to influence Clayton's work as a filmmaker.
"Don't be an actor, just be a person, please." BOB KRAKAUER.
KANSAS 1989 is based on true events, Clayton explains that his primary focus was exploring the internal experience of the protagonist. "What I was trying to depict," he shares, "was a portrait of an internal experience." That approach influenced every aspect of the film, from the writing to the cinematography.
Cinematographer, Giacomo, describes the visual language of KANSAS 1989 as being rooted in memory. "It's kind of like when you have a dream and you remember just a very small fraction of it or just one image," he explains. "You don't remember the dream in different angles and close-ups and wide shots. It's just one way that you remember it and a feeling that you remember." Rather than presenting events as objective reality, the filmmakers sought to capture the emotional texture of memory itself.
For Clayton, that emotional truth was inseparable from the experience of coming out. He intentionally explored what he described as the protagonist's internal journey, allowing audiences to witness the uncertainty and self-discovery unfolding beneath the surface. "That's what coming out is," he reflects. "You don't come out like that and then it's done. You say it and it's magic. You come out again and again and again and again to yourself a hundred times and to people, of course, more externally."
"So this night depicted in the film was a real night that happened to me and one of my best friends in high school, the cool kid." CLAYTON DEAN SMITH
For cinematographer, Giacomo Belletti, filmmaking and painting are not separate practices. Originally from Italy, Belletti shares that his background is in figurative art and painting before eventually transitioning into cinematography in his early twenties. Today, he continues to keep both practices alive, bringing a painter's eye and sensibility to his visual storytelling.
When discussing the visual language of KANSAS 1989, Belletti explains that his approach is less about aesthetics and more about observation. "I love to be idle," he shared. "I need to breathe. I need to take breaks. I need to stop and look around." That attitude informs both his painting and cinematography, encouraging him to remain open to the details, emotions, and moments that surround him. Here is one of his paintings.
"I love to be idle.I need to breathe. I need to take breaks. I need to stop and look around." GIACOMO BELLETTI
As the conversation came to a close, Clayton reflects on the future of independent filmmaking. He acknowledges that the industry is "in the middle of a massive recalibration" and that things are "shifting and changing" as traditional models continue to contract and consolidate. However, he believes there will be an opportunity for independent filmmakers to "take the reins over their own careers and not wait for permission." While he admits that path requires "a lot more of the heavy lifting," he pointed to the incredible creative accomplishments still happening despite the obstacles. For filmmakers who care about telling stories or may be losing faith in the industry, Dean Smith offers a simple message: "Don't give up on it." He encourages artists to "keep the idea, write it, nourish it, talk to people, share your goal publicly, keep the vision alive and water the garden." Opportunities often emerge from unexpected places, and as his own experience demonstrates, meaningful connections can make all the difference. "Don't decide ahead of time that it's impossible."
“Don't decide ahead of time that it's impossible. ” CLAYTON DEAN SMITH
"KANSAS 1989" FiB Live Here:
Listen To The FiB Live Interview Here:
Clayton Dean Smith is a New York-based writer-director and an actor in theater, film and television.
His first film, "Off Track Betty," a 16mm short shot on the Lower East Side, played the festival circuit for two years and has been distributed internationally. It won the Best Short Audience Award at the Brooklyn Film Festival, a Jury Award at the Tallgrass Film Festival, and the 2018 Kodak Award for Best Work Shot on Film at QWFF. Watch it at offtrackbettythemovie.com.
His second short, "Too Late," was an end of season project for Filmshop and has won 3 awards on the festival circu
Since its release, KANSAS 1989 has continued to build momentum on the festival circuit, earning selections at the Austin Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival, Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, and Out On Film, while also receiving a nomination for Best LGBTQIA+ Film at the Queens World Film Festival.
View Clayton Dean Smith's website here.
Giacomo Belletti is an Italian-born cinematographer, camera operator, and visual artist based in Brooklyn, New York. His creative background began in figurative art and painting before he transitioned into cinematography in his early twenties. Today, he continues to maintain both artistic practices, bringing a painter's eye to his visual storytelling. Belletti has collaborated on a range of narrative film projects and is known for his thoughtful, observational approach to cinematography.
In addition to filmmaking, he remains an active painter whose work explores memory, atmosphere, and human experience. He enjoys traveling, working outdoors whenever possible, and, according to his bio, has a passion for standing in the cold, dark chocolate, and bananas.
View Giacomo Belletti's website here.
What stayed with me most about KANSAS 1989 was its nostalgia.
Beyond the 1980's period details and beautiful 16mm imagery, what lingered was Aiden's emotional journey. One of my favorite moments is what I affectionately call the "Danny Zuko shot", Aiden's gaze toward the cool kid, Ryan. The framing, the blue sky, the innocence of youth, and that feeling of young love where everything feels new and alive immediately reminded me of the classic film Grease.
In KANSAS 1989, that moment captures something universal: seeing someone you genuinely admire and feeling completely alive and swept away...
It's MAGIC!!!
We've all felt it...
It lasts forever...
It's that very first moment of attraction, curiosity, and possibility.
— Julissa Scopino, on behalf of Filmmakers in Boardrooms
