Brandon C. Lay is a renowned filmmaker and founder of Living Proof Pictures, celebrated for crafting character and dialogue-driven dramas that put dynamic female leads at the forefront. His journey in film began as early as 2006, but it wasn't until 2014, with the release of the micro-budget feature Macie on a Good Day, that Brandon started creating the films for which he and his production company are now recognized.
The following year, he began collaborating with Valynn Turkovich, who would go on to star in the next three films, propelling Living Proof Pictures' rise on the festival circuit. A Hole to China (2016) was created in a mere 24 hours for the annual 24hr Film Race, held by the Marietta International Film Festival (now the Cobb International Film Festival). The film earned a finalist spot, won Valynn a Best Actress award, and took home fourth place in the race. It went on to screen at festivals across the country and around the world, opening doors for subsequent submissions, including the 40-minute short Binge Purge (2016) and the feature film The Ground that Sinks (2017).
In 2017, Brandon and his team entered the 24hr Film Race with Make it Pink, starring Marcy Repp, which won first place, Best Supporting Actress: Syd Stauffer, Best Score: James Mason, and Brandon's first Best Director award.
In 2019, Brandon released his two largest undertakings to date, both starring Jenna McBreen and Syd Stauffer: the ten-episode limited series Price of Faerie Tales and the feature film The Worry Doll. The Worry Doll became Living Proof Pictures' most recognized film, garnering awards and nominations for its cast, score, Brandon's direction, and the film itself. That year also brought a much-needed upgrade to Living Proof Pictures' equipment, marking the beginning of an exciting new phase in Brandon's career.
Despite the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Brandon produced three short films, which garnered over twenty official selections throughout the year. Among those selecting Cueball (2020) was the St. Louis International Film Festival, marking Brandon's first acceptance to an Academy Award qualifying festival. Cueball was created with a skeleton crew and explores various topics through the lens of quarantine in its under-fifteen-minute runtime. The film's leading lady, Sarah Cugini, will next be seen starring alongside Marcy Repp, Chris Egging, and Kate Hughes in Brandon's newest feature film, Bitter Taste of Ginger (2021).
