Every Episode. Every Frame. Moving Forward.
- Oklahoma Ward
- May 1
- 8 min read
Behind-the-scenes updates, production news, and indie filmmaking insights from TRYHARD COMPANY.
🕹️ TRYHARD PROTOCOL
"No matter the setback, we push forward. Every shot, every edit, every hour — we don't retreat. We reload. TRYHARD COMPANY doesn’t stall. We advance."
📑 TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Battle for Survival: TRYHARD COMPANY Update
Mission Briefing: Eyes Only - Sneak Peek
Code Red: Filmmaking - Director's Thoughts
Reconnaissance: Hidden Masterpieces - Cult Classics
Surveillance: Hidden Treasures - Underrated Series
Debriefing: The Mover and Shaker's Club - Meet the Game-Changers
Intelligence Gathering: The Vault - Past Highlights
Victory Report: Crawl or Die
🏆 CRAWL or DIE Spotlight
We made CRAWL or DIE on grit, guts, and sheer willpower — and we’re still floored every time someone mentions Tank.
If you’ve never seen the film — or want to revisit it with insider perspective — you can rent it directly from us.When you rent through our site, we receive 100% of the support — no middlemen, no studios, just us and you.
Plus, you’ll also unlock a bonus version: 🎤 A behind-the-scenes cut with Nikki and I talking over the film — sharing how we pulled it off, what nearly broke us, and what it really takes to finish an indie sci-fi/horror film with no backup plan.
Thank you for believing then.Thank you for standing with us now.
⚔️ Battle for Survival: TRYHARD COMPANY Update
TRYHARD COMPANY Production Update
This week, we made solid progress across all six episodes. We knocked out a few critical reshoots — the kind of precise, detail-driven inserts you often miss on high-pressure shoot days. Hands on doorknobs, weapons being drawn — the connective tissue that really sells the moment on screen.
At the same time, we’ve been reviewing color swatches, locking notes for the score, and continuing to build out the Command Center — specifically, the episode node system.
Soon, when you click on any episode, you’ll be able to dig deep:
See what’s been completed
What’s left to do
How many SFX shots are done (and how many to go)
Where titles, intros, and end credits stand
And even get teaser hints — like what Episode 3’s intro will be based on
Our PR campaign doesn’t officially launch until mid-July, because we’re focused on being fully done and ready to sell by September 1st. That means every deliverable prepped, every trailer finalized, every promotional image staged and locked — all built into a briefcase we can hand over and say:
“Here you go — it’s all there.”
Six trailers. 100+ unreleased promo images. QC reports. Every file in every format — ready.
This is how we’re doing it from now on.
And once it’s live, you’ll get to see how that machine runs — right there inside the Command Center.
Create fearlessly.
➡️ Enter the battlefield by clicking the button below — decrypt what's waiting.
— for direct access to the secured intel archive.
Mission Briefing: Eyes Only
🔍 Sneak Peek: Episode Node System Incoming SOON! Stay tuned!
We’re building something for the fans who want to go deep.
The new Episode Node System inside the Command Center - coming soon - will let you click into each episode and get a clear, no-BS look at where it stands:
How many VFX shots are left?
Which scenes are locked?
Are the intros, credits, and scores complete?
Which ones still need tuning?
And we will be throwing in a few bonus hints — like sneak clues about Episode’s intro or visual themes.
If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to finish an indie series — from raw cut to delivery-ready — this will show you. Transparently. Brutally. And proudly.
🚀 Stay sharp - — it’s coming.
Code Red: Filmmaking - Directors's Thoughts
Step into the mind of the director as we explore the creative process behind TRYHARD COMPANY, with personal reflections, insights, and inspirations.
💥 Let’s cut to the truth...
How Do You Direct?
There are a thousand ways to direct — and no single right one.
You hear people talk about how you should direct, how it has to be done.
I’ve listened to Spielberg, Cameron, Clooney, Eastwood, and countless others. Some directors shoot 50 takes. Some only shoot one. Some follow the script to the letter. Others don’t even want a script on set.
Me?
I’ve taken a little from each and built my own system.And I’d never tell anyone to direct like I do.
About a month ago, someone commented, “This is taking too long. I don’t think you’ll finish. You’re doing it all wrong.”And I knew — immediately — they weren’t in this business.
They asked, “How many movies are you going to make in your life if you only release one every ten years?”
The answer?
As many as I want.
Maybe that’s one.
Maybe six.
Maybe ten.
That’s my path.
Tarantino made nine. Linklater spent over a decade making Boyhood.Some directors only ever make one film.
There’s no shame in that. There’s no rulebook.
And there’s zero obligation to create on someone else’s timeline.
The truth is — the people actually in this business? We don’t critique each other’s pace or method.
We just get it.
If someone on my set says, “I could do it differently,” I say, “Great. Go do it.” And I mean it.
There’s room for every story, every voice, every style.
Just make sure the way you work… is your way.
Learn from everyone. Try everything. Then discard what doesn’t fit and double down on what does.
Confidence doesn’t come from doing it like someone else.
It comes from knowing why you do it your way — and standing behind it.
🎥 Reconnaissance: Hidden Masterpieces – Cult Films
🎞 Underrated Sci-Fi/Horror Spotlight: Marathon Man (1976)
❤️ WHY I LOVE: MARATHON MAN
Why did I go see Marathon Man?
The trailer.
It terrified me — and that’s what hooked me. (Watch it below — maybe you’ll see why.)
Dustin Hoffman was on fire at that time, and John Schlesinger directing? I was in. But what really grabbed me was the simplicity of the premise — and the nightmare of it.
Not knowing what’s going on.No one believing you.Being tortured in a chair with no answers.
It’s so good.
The acting is next-level. I’ve watched behind-the-scenes footage of how Hoffman prepared for those scenes — it’s dedication and pain and performance all wrapped into one.
Yeah, now when I watch it, I kind of know what’s coming. I’ve seen so many thrillers since, I can spot the structure. But the first time? I was sweating during that dentist scene.
Seriously — just thinking about the sound of that drill makes my limbs go numb.
It’s not gore.
It’s the idea.
It’s the sound.
It’s what you don’t see.
"Is it safe?""Is it safe?""Is it safe?"
Great suspense. Great acting. Great structure.
And one of the most iconic scenes ever committed to film — Hoffman running, breathless, with the wind screaming through that hole in his tooth.
Unforgettable.
📜 Summary: Directed by John Schlesinger, Marathon Man is a tightly-wound psychological thriller that drops an innocent grad student (Dustin Hoffman) into a deadly web of international espionage, Nazi war criminals, and surgical torture. With every scene ratcheting the tension, the film is a masterclass in dread, paranoia, and survival under pressure.
🧩 Two Interesting Facts about this Grand Fan Favorite:
The iconic dental torture scene was so intense that audiences reportedly fainted during early screenings.
Laurence Olivier, seriously ill during filming, completed his role as the terrifying Szell — and still earned an Oscar nomination.
🎭 Actor Spotlight: Dustin Hoffman famously stayed up for days to achieve his frenzied, sleep-deprived look during the film’s most stressful scenes. When Olivier heard about this, he supposedly quipped:
"My dear boy, why don’t you just try acting?"
🎬 Iconic Scene:Szell slowly approaches Hoffman in a dentist’s chair, asking repeatedly:
“Is it safe?”A simple question becomes a line of cinematic terror.
🗞️ What the Critics Say:
“A thriller with teeth — literally and figuratively.” — The New York Times“One of the most effective slow-burn suspense films of the decade.” — Variety“Unsettling, razor-sharp, and impossible to shake.” — Roger Ebert
🎥 [Watch the Trailer]
📺 Surveillance: Hidden Treasures - Underrated Series
🎞 Underrated Series Spotlight: FROM (2022– ) 📣
☕ Pick up your coffee cups...
❤️ WHY I LOVE: FROM
I’ll be honest — I wasn’t expecting From to hit me the way it did.
There’s a certain kind of horror that doesn’t rely on gore or jump scares — it just presses on your chest. This show does that. The mystery, the town, the people — it all creeps up on you.
And yeah, sure, it’s got a Lost vibe. But this is meaner. Tighter. Less mystical and more primal. When the sun starts to set in that town… you feel it.
What I really love is the restraint. It’s not afraid to slow down, build character, then slap you in the face with something brutal. And that opening? That’s one of the best pilot hooks I’ve seen in years.
Perrineau kills it.
The monsters are horrifying. And the rules — the rules of that world — feel terrifyingly possible.
That’s what gets me.
It’s grounded, but wrong.
Familiar, but off.
If you're a fan of atmosphere over exposition — From delivers.
📜 Summary:From begins with a nightmarish hook: a town you can’t escape from — literally. No matter which road you take, you end up right back where you started. And once the sun goes down, the real monsters come out.Part survival horror, part psychological mind-bender, the show is dripping with dread, secrets, and a growing sense that something ancient is watching.
🧩 Two Interesting Facts about this Fan-Favorite Series:
The series was created by John Griffin and executive produced by the Russo Brothers (yes, those Russos — from Avengers: Endgame)
It’s often compared to Lost, and for good reason — From shares Lost alumni Harold Perrineau and Jack Bender (who also directed many Lost episodes)
🎭 Actor Spotlight:Harold Perrineau (Lost, Oz) anchors the show with quiet fury and emotional weight, playing Sheriff Boyd — a man balancing law, trauma, and the town’s unraveling sanity.
🎬 Iconic Scene:The very first night in the town. A family locks up tight, as instructed… but their daughter hears a friendly voice at the window.She opens it.What happens next is unflinching and brutal — and tells you exactly what kind of series you’ve stepped into.
🗞️ What the Critics Say:
“A compelling nightmare you can’t stop watching.” — Collider“Lost meets The Mist — only meaner.” — TV Guide“A small-town horror with big scares and bigger questions.” — IGN
Debriefing: The Mover and Shaker's Club
Meet the innovators, game-changers, and trailblazers in the entertainment industry, with interviews and insights from the people making things happen.
Industry Insight
Not much to report here this week — full focus has been on production, system building, and getting things locked.File uploading. Eyes burning. Coffee cooling. You know the drill.
We’ll dive back into the behind-the-scenes trenches soon — for now, it’s all hands on the finish line.
Intelligence Gathering: The Vault
Take a trip down memory lane with us as we explore the archives of our past content, with forgotten gems and timeless insights.
Classified Files Pending...
TRYHARD Recruitment: Sign Up Now
Join the TRYHARD COMPANY team and stay up-to-date on the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes information. Sign up now to receive exclusive content and join the conversation!
Mission Accomplished... for now.
The briefing may be over, but the mission continues. Join the TRYHARD COMPANY team and stay tuned for more updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes information. Share your thoughts and join/follow us on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, twitter/x etc. - and we'll catch you every Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday...
Create fearlessly,
Oklahoma Ward
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