5 Years of Wild 7 Studios

On July 7th, 2020, Wild 7 Studios was officially founded in Los Angeles, CA—in the middle of a global pandemic and amidst the uncertainty that blanketed the entire film industry. At the time, we were just beginning the animation phase of our first feature film, Debbie and the Devil, and had no idea what the next few years would hold.

But to really understand how we got here, you have to go back to the beginning.

The story starts in early 2018, when cinematographer Lucas Pitassi brought together three filmmakers who had never worked together before—April Mendoza, Naz Red, and myself. We were green. Really green. But we were hungry to make something. Lucas introduced us with a single mission: help bring a wild indie horror project to life. That film became Debbie and the Devil—an ambitious, no-budget, all-heart movie that took everything we had to finish.

We didn’t have the money, the experience, or the crew size of other productions, but we had passion, creativity, and an almost foolish belief that we could make something that would stand out. That belief paid off. On December 11th, 2021, we premiered Debbie and the Devil to a sold-out crowd in Santa Monica, CA. We were hooked. Like fools, we made a movie. And then we made another. And another.

As we gained momentum, the industry around us shifted again. The strikes in 2023 brought production in California to a screeching halt, and we had to pivot. We doubled down on production services, helping other filmmakers bring their visions to life. We invested in equipment—cameras, lenses, lights—and built our own unique aesthetic, specializing in vintage glass with rich character and soul. We leaned into what made us different.

We also expanded into other media—podcasting, behind-the-scenes content, and short-form storytelling under the Wild Shorties label. We released over a dozen original short films, built miniature sets by hand, produced content for clients like Planned Parenthood, and even published comics and weird fiction.

Through it all, we kept growing. Not because it was easy—but because we couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Now, in 2025, Wild 7 Studios is bigger and bolder than ever before. Our slate includes feature films from each of our founders, with our next major production—Start Listening to Me—slated to begin shooting in September. It will be our biggest undertaking yet, and our first full-scale theatrical release. It’s personal, it’s ambitious, and it’s the culmination of everything we’ve learned over the past five years.

And this is just the beginning.

To our crew, our collaborators, our audience, and our clients: thank you. Wild 7 Studios wouldn’t exist without the community that has grown around it. We’re proud to be a part of the changing landscape of independent cinema—and we plan on being here for a long time.

Here’s to 5 years of Wild 7—and to all the films still to come.

Let’s go make something.