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directorgpayton

@directorgpayton

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Director / Writer / Photographer 🎥📸📝 From Gotham.

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It was always a dream of mine to play Diana, Princess of Wales. So when rumors started swirling that Ryan Murphy was working on a season of FEUD centered on the Prince and Princess of Wales, I took matters into my own hands. I created my own short film presentation and an accompanying photo shoot to go after the role.
The show never materialized, but going after what I truly wanted felt incredible. I didn’t wait for permission to pursue my dream—I made it happen. 👑✨

#PrincessDiana #CreateYourOwnWork #DreamRole #ManifestYourDreams
📸 by @directorgpayton

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Every screening is a reminder that showing up matters. From workshops to set to seeing the finished project on the big screen, this has been an incredible experience.

Thank you, LA Directors Lab, for creating opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with such talented creatives. Excited for what’s next. 🎬
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#ladirectorslab #verticalscreening #laactors #ladirectors #actorslife🎬

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Presenting “Act Natural” - The official scene for Group 5 from our RomCom & Heartbreak Workshop 4 at the @ladirectorslab! ✨💋

Director Greg Payton @directorgpayton
Writer Katrina Jaxson @katjaxson
Actor Alysha Young @alysha_y
Actor Alex Peña @alexpactor
DP Joaquin Morales @quantumboat
Intimacy Coordinator Ellen Arroyo @ellenarroyop

Production Manager: @ryanbarkauskas
1st AC: @ricardo_med
2nd AC: @alxandxra
Gaffer: @trebetts
Key Grip: @africadabra
Sound: @hartshornsound
Unit Stills/BTS Photographer: @bahareh.co
BTS Videographer: @yubitripin & @amarasoleofficial
Art PA: @angelabrittain
Production Assistant: @alexandra_deigh, Jorge Jaen, Indiana Pagan

Location: @sotostages

Created, produced & run by @latinadirector

👉🏼Want to join our next workshop? Head to the link in bio to sign up for our email list to be notified first of when registration opens up!

#LADirectorsLab #DirectorWorkshop #filmworkshop

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Introducing Group 5 from our RomCom & Heartbreak Workshop 4 through the @ladirectorslab!

Director @directorgpayton
Writer @katjaxson
Actor @alysha_y
Actor @alexpactor
DP @quantumboat
Intimacy Coordinator @ellenarroyop

Director Greg: “As a Director in the RomCom Workshop, I approached it openly as a way to simply have fun with a genre I’ve known from afar, but never gravitated towards or seen myself in, outside of the rare film or tv show here and there. During our shoot, it was the first time, ever in my career as a Director, that everything and everyone came together so well, I was too moved to call cut. It was a story that became my late parents love for each other speaking not only through me, but through the actors, crew and entire scene. And for that, I remain eternally grateful to them, and the lab; a process made safe enough to be vulnerable enough, to mine and uncover something creatively and emotionally. It was a beautiful breakthrough.”

Actor Alex: “I had a great time. Loved being exposed to talented and passionate creators with whom I hope to work again. This space gives creators the freedom and communication tools to create from within and share that with everyone else.“

📸 by @bahareh.co

📍 @sotostages

👉🏼 Head to the link in bio to sign up for our email list to find out when our next workshop will be!

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Introducing the second half of our directors for RomCom Workshop 4 through the @ladirectorslab! 🎬

Director @dajuanjohnson
Director @directorgpayton
Director @mslauragarcia

Writers
@katjaxson
@kenyajustme

Actors:
@lifewithranela
@alysha_y
@alexpactor
@officialkrishnaparekh
@jmitchelllove
Gjergj K.

DPs:
@jason_cowan
@sadendya
@quantumboat

In this workshop, we brought in Intimacy Coordinators as many directors & actors have yet to work with one or even if they have, still are unclear about their responsibilities. We had our IC’s break down what their job really entails and all the ways they are there for the production, not just the actors.

While we shot intimate scenes with the safety of IC’s on set, we all learned so much from them! They brought a world of understanding to safety and comfortability on set during intimate interactions and that’s the core of what this workshop focused on. 🙌🏼

Shoutout to our Workshop 2 Intimacy Coordinators:
@ellenarroyop
@julia_jaynetx

Thank you to these 2 for their time, support & education into the world of working Intimacy Coordinators!

Keep watching our page to see what each group created for their final short project! 🎬

🎥 Shot & Edited by @yubitripin 🔥

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Picture Start Verticals Panels and Showcase, an engaging look at the future of vertical storytelling.

With
@johnlewisspace John Lewis, founder of MUVPIX @muvipix
@erikheintz

@tommyharperofficial
Tommy Harper, founder / CEO VEYOU @watchveyou

Alex Montalvo co-founder / CCO GAMMATIME @gammatime

Moderated by Real Reel co-founder Celine Zen
PANEL 2: THE CREATIVE OF VERTICALS
Moderated by Dean Celine Shimizu, Dean UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
@uclatftdean

Speakers:

HAN CHOI - Us Content Lead - VIGLOO @woolgu @vigloo_official

ROBIN TANG - Adviser, Content & Strategy - COL GROUP “everyone needs to be a taylor swift and that’s why data is very important in this industry” @niborgnat

DJ AZUL - Writer - REELSHORTS Alta TV, Narval @djdamienazul @altatv
“Irrational amount of engagement - a pool scene and a woman on a horse… keep that in mind writers”
#verticalfilmmaking
ASHLIN YU - Head of Development, SHORTIES STUDIOS @ashlinyu @shortiesstudios #verticalproductions #microdrama #vertical #verticalmicrodrama

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Future filmmakers workshop festival 2026

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Premiere screening of Casa Luxe, a 24 episode digital series that I was so lucky to be in the writers room for. Created by @emmyloudiaz and @latinadirector through @ladirectorslab, it was one of the most exciting, collaborative, and supportive experiences I’ve ever had. 💗

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Screening and celebrating @ladirectorslab the stunt workshop. This is the best community of humans I’ve had the pleasure of working with, the culture of open creativity and learning is truly the best in the biz!!

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Ever grateful for another shot to meet and to make.

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Where do directors go to practice their craft?

The LA Director’s Lab isn’t school or class, it’s a gym. To put in the reps. To get stronger at the craft of directing.

Typically directors are usually the ones with the least amount of reps and on-set hours than everyone else. But we are expected to lead the way on set. A confident director leads and that confidence is built by repeating the process of actually directing.

Feeling the pressure to finish on time. To work with actors and a DP & establishing that connection. To finish a project in record time & to also watch it on the big screen.

We as directors need this, in repetition. Direct, rinse, repeat. That’s what we do here at the lab.

Take it from these folks:
@robertflowerstv
@emmyloudiaz
@directorgpayton
@freshfreckles
@shayphox

Come join us for the next one! 🎬

Video edit by @moffatedits!

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✨2025 RECAP✨

Bruh, this took me 5yrs to edit. 🥴 I think I squeezed in like 95% of anyone that I saw, worked or hung out with this past year.

2025 was absolute trash for our collective world but was pretty magical for me personally. So in my happiness I still raged.

I accomplished so, so many things that I am so proud of and I was able to bring sooooo many people with me along the way bc this journey isn’t meant to be traveled alone and doing this thing called life with my favorite people just makes me feel all warm & gooey inside. 🥰

Thank you to every person I crossed paths with this year that brought laughter into my life. It’s my favorite non-work activity.

Looking forward to continuing this incredible journey I feel so lucky to be living, into 2026, and I hope to keep creating with all you wonderful people!

Also I really need it to happen this year. You know. 😏

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