Poyser teaches film history, screenwriting, short film development, and film production practices at TXST. He’s made four feature films and numerous short films, and he’s twice been nominated for the Independent Spirit Award. For Leads, he put together a budget based on donations.
“I decided in the early fall of 2023 that I wanted to make another feature and decided to use the resources of the university, both physical and human,” he said. “We shot on campus during that winter break because no one was here.”
Movie scenes take place at Live Oak Hall (including in Poyser’s office and the sound stage), the Theatre Center, Alkek Library, and outdoor locations across campus.
Leads stars veteran actors Heather Kafka and Justin Arnold as the siblings at the center of the movie’s plot. Current and former TXST students play most of the student roles. The moviemakers also used camera and editing equipment from Live Oak Hall, the university’s new film and digital media studio that opened in fall 2022.
“We hope the movie will basically be a commercial for the film program at Texas State,” Poyser said. “It will show you what our facility is like and what our classroom is; these are the tools, the lights, and the cameras that you can shoot movies on while you’re here.”
John Brown, a senior film major, served as the key grip on Leads, meaning he worked behind the scenes to construct the lighting infrastructure needed for different scenes of the movie. He said working with seasoned moviemakers on the project provided hands-on education and an opportunity to make connections in the industry.
