The Black Dahlias

My name is Travis Calvert and I am a DIY filmmaker from Reno, Nevada.

I originally grew up in the Midwest, Iowa to be specific, and then I spent the better part of decade in Mankato, Minnesota where I graduated college with a degree in Computer Science. After finishing college my wife and I moved to the Twin Cities briefly, before living abroad in Paris, France for a short time. That was an amazing experience and I really believe everyone should travel and try to see the world from other perspectives.

I’ve already had several careers working in mostly technical fields, but at some point a switch flipped in my head and I knew I wouldn't be content unless I was working creatively. It was then I transitioned into my current role as a Video Producer for a slot machine company in Reno, Nevada.

In this role I am responsible for sourcing and editing various video content used in gambling products. I also write and direct voice-over sessions. Working in this capacity has brought me into contact with such talented folks as: John Lithgow, Ernie Hudson, Jeremy Piven, and Ken Jeong. Working with these folks has made me realize that anything is possible... you just have to want it bad enough.

While filmmaking is something I have always wanted to do, it wasn't until the past few years that I believed it was something I could do. Now that that the means of film production have become egalitarian and most everyone can afford the equipment to make a film, why not?

Still I believe it is an art form which one must study and plan to become proficient at, so in order to better my skills I took an online screenwriting class with James Franco last summer. I took a screenwriting class at the local University under the tutelage of Prof. Steve Gerkhe.. I was also involved in a theatrical production of Sam Shepard’s Tooth of Crime where I was responsible for embedding video content directly into the play. In 2015 I was selected as one of three winners of the Jameson First Shot Screenplay competition, where the winning prize was going to Hollywood and making my short film with Adrien Brody as the lead. I also write and play rock and roll music for fun.