Don't Hit Rewind: How I left A Corporate Job to Make an Indie Horror Film - The Story Behind VHS SUMMER CAMP

A few years ago, I reached a point in my life where it was now or never. I left my corporate job to finally pursue the creative path I’d always dreamed of—writing, filmmaking, and telling stories that meant something to me. I had written books and screenplays before, but stepping behind the camera was new territory. I learned by doing—making short films, working on local productions, and slowly building the knowledge and relationships I’d need to bring a feature to life.

 That journey led to VHS Summer Camp—a micro-budget, independent horror feature inspired by the 1980s slashers I grew up watching. It’s the story of a group of teens hired to clean up a summer camp, only to uncover a haunted VHS tape that predicts their deaths. We shot on location in rural Florida, using real cabins and night exteriors to capture that authentic retro feel.

For two weeks in January 2025, the cast and crew worked together and at times stayed overnight in the cabin in the woods we filmed in - like a real camp experience and we built up chemistry and camaraderie that comes with sharing a common dream. There were long days and sometimes cold nights (yes Florida can get cold in January) and a lot of creative problem-solving. What we lacked in money, we made up for in passion.

My style of writing and filmmaking is I’m inviting you to a horror film and then I’m going to tell you a story. I wanted to make a horror film that had a backstory that would resonate with an audience, and it wasn’t just about the shocks and the kills and the blood. Sure, it has all the suspense and yes, people will die, but there’s teen drama and a love triangle between three characters. One of the main characters has a history that’s tied to the camp that will be discovered, and another character can see the future on the VHS tapes.

It’s not just a horror film and that’s what I think is important when it comes to making films and telling stories that you can cross genres and entertain people beyond the action and the kills and I believe you can accomplish that in a horror film and that’s what I set out to do. 

 VHS Summer Camp became a true community film, fueled by local talent and serves as a reminder that you don’t need permission to make your dreams come true — you just need the courage to start and the persistence to finish. 

VHS Summer Camp has secured distribution through Bloodhouse Distribution and will be released on Amazon Prime and Google Play on January 22^nd, 2026. Look out for it!