TRYHARD COMPANY: The Legacy of CRAWL or DIE Continues
- Oklahoma Ward
- Jul 9
- 9 min read
"TANK doesn’t sleep — and neither do we. Week by week, we’re bleeding through the cut… and loving it."
Behind-the-scenes updates, production news, and indie filmmaking insights from Oklahoma Ward
📚 TABLE OF CONTENTS
🎬 PRODUCTION BREAKING NEWS
Hot Off the Workbench – While the render was still smoking.
ALL SIX EPISODES — EDIT PASS 3: COMPLETE ✅
We made it. Every episode of TRYHARD COMPANY is now officially locked in on Edit Pass 3 — the full story structure is in place.
💥 And now… the FINAL PHASE BEGINS.
While also taking care of my father this weekend, I’ve been grinding behind the scenes — getting cameras in position, powering up the edit bay, syncing FX plates, testing color monitors, and prepping every last tool for the FINAL EDIT PASS.
🛠️ Edit Pass #4 is where the real fun begins — the explosions go in, the creatures hit the shadows, the grit gets layered, and every shot starts to look the way you’ll see it in the final series.
⚠️ But just to be clear — this isn’t the finish line yet. After Edit Pass 4, we still need to do the final color correction pass, which requires a professional-grade color monitor. We’re looking at ways to fund or borrow one when the time comes — but for now, the mission is Edit 4, all the way through.
🎯 From here on out, it’s a minute-by-minute visual charge — when a scene is done, it’s done. No more placeholders. No more guessing.
We’re officially in the FINAL BUILD.
🛠️ PROJECT UPDATE: TRYHARD COMPANY
💬 Field Notes from the Director's Chair – Progress, Pressure, and the Push Forward.
⚙️ PROJECT UPDATE
From the world of CRAWL or DIE
TRYHARD COMPANY: The Chronicles of TANK – A Limited Series
After months of intense work — tunnel builds, pickup scenes, creature shots, edit passes, audio fixes — we’ve officially crossed the threshold: Edit Pass #3 is complete on all six episodes.
Now begins the deep final pass:
🔥 Every explosion, tunnel light, alien blur, and smoke puff you’ve seen hinted at — gets locked into the timeline for good.🎧 Final pass means no placeholders, no rough cuts. This is the full realization of the TRYHARD world.
It’s the longest pass, but also the most exciting. Because this time, every frame we touch is one we can share, show, and stand behind.
What’s next?
We begin Episode 1 this week — minute by minute — building the final image from sound to screen.
The edit bay is lit. TANK is watching. Let’s get to work.
So as TANK would say…
🩸 Buckle up. Knuckle up.
We’re not stopping.
🔍 Curious where each episode stands?
The TRYHARD COMMAND CENTER gives you a live look at every mission — from edits to effects to final sound.
Every update. Every step. Every fight to the finish.
(For access to all Episode Breakdowns)
🎙️ DIRECTOR'S THOUGHTS
Wires, Guts, and Everything in Between.
🎬 Let’s cut to the truth...
🎙️ Why I Love the Fight
As I get ready to start Edit Pass Number Four, I’ve been thinking back on everything I’ve been through with this project so far — and honestly, why I love this process.Why I love how hard it is. How difficult it is — mentally, physically.
But it all just reminds me how much I love making movies.
There are a lot of reasons why, but one thing that’s always stood out to me — and I think it’s important for every movie or series — is that you need at least one great scene. It’s great if there’s more. But at least one.
That one scene you remember.
That one moment that stays with people.
For me, that’s what helps a movie or series really stand out and last.Think about the Spaghetti Western — that iconic stare-down, cutting between eyes, the tension building.
Or the opening shot of Jaws — the girl swimming, and we don’t see what’s under her… just the way she’s thrown through the water, and that staccato breathing. Or Star Wars — the little ship goes by, and then that massive Star Destroyer follows, and just keeps going.
You see those scenes in memes, in GIFs — because they hit everyone.Even if someone doesn’t love the entire movie, they’ll love that scene.
So when I build a project, I always — always — try to have that.That one moment that people can point to and say: that’s the one.
And yeah, maybe you could call it manipulation. But isn’t storytelling a kind of manipulation? You’re shaping something to move people. To entertain.I don’t see that as a bad thing. I get excited about it.
I want to give people that scene.The one that makes them lean forward.The one that makes them feel something when it hits.
What are the scenes you’ll always remember?Think of Citizen Kane — so many people haven’t even seen the movie, but they know the snow globe… the lips saying “Rosebud.” Or It’s a Wonderful Life — George running through the snow-covered town, yelling “Merry Christmas!”
I’ve already got my iconic scenes locked in for four of the TRYHARD COMPANY episodes.But the final one?
That’s the very last thing I’ll shoot.
The very last shot I’ll ever do on this series.
And I’ve been saving it — because it’s going to be epic.
Every episode so far is building to that moment.
And I can’t wait to get there.
That’s the fun of all this.
That’s why I’m still here.
And why I’m not stopping.
🎭 ACTOR SPOTLIGHT
They didn’t just play the role.
They became the reason you kept watching.
🎬 Featured Actor:
Drops every WEDS.
📺 SERIES SPOTLIGHT
Drops every other Saturday.
🎥 FILM SPOTLIGHT
This week’s featured film: Sexy Beast (2000)
Directed by Jonathan Glazer | Starring Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, Ian McShane
📜 Summary
A retired safecracker is living the dream in sunny Spain — until his violent past comes knocking. When the psychotic Don Logan arrives demanding he return for “one last job,” the tranquility of paradise is shattered. What unfolds is a tense, psychologically charged battle of wills between freedom and fear, civility and savagery. Sexy Beast isn’t your typical crime film — it’s an operatic character piece disguised as a heist thriller, boiling over with mood, menace, and twisted humor.
🧩 Two Interesting Facts
• Ben Kingsley’s performance as Don Logan was so intense, it reportedly caused tension on set — and earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.• Director Jonathan Glazer was known primarily for music videos before this — Sexy Beast was his stunning, stylized debut into feature films.
🎭 Actor Spotlight: Ben Kingsley
We all know him from Gandhi, but in Sexy Beast, Kingsley flips expectations entirely. As Don Logan, he’s feral, funny, and utterly unhinged — a character so abrasive you can feel your skin crawl. Kingsley delivers each line like a weapon, never blinking, never softening.
🔥 Most Underrated Moment
The airplane bathroom scene. Without a word of dialogue, we watch Logan descend into full madness. It’s disturbing, sad, and hypnotic — a masterclass in nonverbal performance.
🎭 What Makes Him Great
Kingsley is a chameleon — but more than that, he knows how to dial into the core of a character’s intention. In Sexy Beast, every twitch, every insult, every scream is calculated to dominate. He never overplays — he controls.
🎬 Iconic Scene
“No. No no no no no.”That standoff on the patio — Logan ranting, Gal frozen — it’s pure tension. The heat. The silence. The bursts of rage. That scene is the film’s heart — a psychological gun to the head.
🗞️ What the Critics Say
“A crime film with art-house bravado and volcanic performances.” “Ben Kingsley’s Don Logan is one of cinema’s great monsters.” “Glazer’s debut is a fever dream of sun, sweat, and simmering violence.”
❤️ WHY I LOVE: Sexy Beast
Let’s just say this right up front — Sexy Beast is one of the main reasons I make movies. Period.
And the reason I love this movie ties directly into one of the biggest things I chase as a filmmaker: great scenes.
I mean, Ben Kingsley’s performance? Before this, we’re talking Gandhi. We’re talking this very particular, refined image of him. And then… look at him here. Look at him. He becomes one of the scariest gangsters I’ve ever seen in film or TV. I’m not saying there aren’t others who are just as scary — but there are none more scary. None.
Yes — the direction is brilliant. The cinematography? Gorgeous. But what lodged this movie into my mind forever is the combination of performance and iconic imagery. And that dream sequence? With the jackrabbit-slash-man-slash-beast that comes to Ray Winstone? I’ve never forgotten it. I remember thinking, “I want to try something like that in my own work — maybe even top it.” And I think… I think I might have.
Let’s talk about line delivery.
Ben Kingsley:
“No no no no no.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
That’s it. But the weight of those words? The control? That’s masterclass stuff. It’s not over-acted. It’s under-acted — and that’s why it hits. He plays the opposite of what most young actors would do with a villain. It’s calm, and it’s cold. And then — in a single glance — he turns into pure evil.
Ray Winstone gets one too — his moment of power. His moment of soul. Every single actor in this film hits the mark. Not a single one misses. Even the kid. It’s just… perfect performances across the board.
And the cinematography? I mean… come on. It’s stunning. So many poster-worthy shots. I’m proud of the imagery I’ve created in TRYHARD COMPANY — and I think I’m tapping into something new, something that pushes boundaries — but as far as pure, frame-by-frame iconic photography? Sexy Beast is untouchable.
If you haven’t seen this film, you’re missing out.And I don’t mean that in a film-snob kind of way.I mean: you can’t leave this planet without watching Sexy Beast at least once.
You’ll find something to love:
• The rage
• The heartbreak
• The vengeance
• The weirdness
• The “Who’s gonna live? Who’s gonna win?” of it all.
The performances are unforgettable.The story is bold.The mood is thick.And there’s something in it — no matter who you are — that’s going to stick with you.
Sexy Beast is mandatory viewing.
Put it on your list of movies to see before you die.Because it’s one of the best.And it’s the kind of movie that made me want to pick up a camera and make something that hits just as hard.
👇 ⚠️ SPOILERS IN THIS ONE VIDEO BELOW ⚠️ 👇
🏆 CRAWL OR DIE CORNER
The film that started it all.
Before TRYHARD COMPANY, there was CRAWL or DIE — a relentless indie beast that clawed its way out of the U.S. underground and became a cult phenomenon, especially overseas.
🎬 WATCH IT NOW
You can stream or rent CRAWL or DIE here:
🔥 Cult underground sci-fi. One tunnel. One woman. One chance.
🎨 FAN TRIBUTE VAULT
This week’s spotlight: Vintage Fan Art
From the early days of the film — gritty, handmade tributes from the trenches of indie fandom. 🔍 Click to enlarge. Soak in the grime. The legacy. The love.
💬 STILL BLEEDING INDIE
TANK wasn’t just a survivor — she became a symbol. A silhouette of desperation, rage, and raw survival. In TRYHARD COMPANY, her legend evolves. The war gets bigger, the world gets meaner — but at its core, it’s still her story: One soldier. One mission. One endless tunnel.
🎬 Rent / Buy / Stream the Original CRAWL or DIE and Prepare for TANK’s return in TRYHARD COMPANY: The Series
FOLLOW THE JOURNEY
🔴 Don’t Miss the Next Drop 🔴
STAY IN THE LOOP WITH US
Get behind-the-scenes updates, new blog posts, and future project news — not just TRYHARD COMPANY.
👤 Follow Oklahoma Ward – director, editor, indie war room general
👩🚀 Follow Nicole Alonso – actor, creator, and the face of TANK
📰 Follow this Blog – for every update, every drop, every detour
Whatever we build next — you’ll be first to know.
🚀 JOIN THE TRYHARD COMPANY TEAM
We’re building this series from the ground up — no studio net, no budget machine. Just fire, grit, and a need to create something real.
If you’re reading this — you’re part of the mission.
💥 Want to Go Deeper?
🔗 Visit TRYHARDseries.com
📢 Share this blog with someone who loves raw sci-fi
📡 Spread the word:#TRYHARDCompany | #TANKarmy | #IndieSciFiLives
🎥 The mission’s live. The team is growing. Let’s make this impossible thing happen — together.
🟡 SIGN UP FOR UPDATES 🟡
🔗 CONNECT
📣 Want to stay in the loop?
Follow us across socials and join the team:
🟡 SIGN UP FOR UPDATES
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 Weds/Saturday...
Create fearlessly,
Oklahoma Ward