As Creative Director of Greensboro, NC’s straight jacket-tested/doctor-approved Mad Ones Films, Jaysen Buterin has devoted himself to showing the unbridled kaleidoscopic creativity just waiting to be unleashed when the inmates are finally allowed to run the cinematic asylum. Since 2006, he has specialized in creating character-focused, dialogue-driven genre-juggling independent short films including everything from Faustian rock & roll thrillers (“The Devil’s Tramping Ground”) to dark deadly comedies (“The Decapitator”) to femme fatale fantasy (“Flipper Stripper Vixens at the Inferno A-Go-Go!”) and more!
Buterin spent four years writing, directing and masterminding the epic short film trilogy, “The Gospel According to Booze, Bullets & Hot Pink Jesus.” Initially released as three separate short films – allowing viewers to literally watch the movie as it was being made – this multiple award-winning set of sinful stories is a “Twilight Zone meets Tarantino” thrill ride, a Shakespearean spaghetti western that will serenade your brain and ride off into the sunset with your heart.
Once the HPJ Trilogy was completed, Jaysen turned his attention to a full slate of projects both behind, and in front of, the camera. Having filmed supporting roles in Brett Mullen’s Italian-style zombie splatter film, “Bombshell Bloodbath” and the end of the world killer comedy, “Fix It In Post,” from Sick Chick Flicks, Jaysen also acted alongside the legendary Judith O’Dea in Matt Cloude’s reimagining of the cult classic, “Night of the Living Dead: Genesis.” He’s also been seen onscreen in award-winning short films such as “Knob Goblins,” “Department 666,” “The Devil’s Lettuce,” and “Emotional Support Demon,” just to name a few.
More comfortable behind the camera, Buterin jumped back in the writer/director’s chair for his next four award-winning projects. The terrifying tale of revenge from beyond the grave known “Between Hell and a Hard Place,” was followed by the thrilling and chilling short, “Don’t Let the Light In.” After that was the sinister short film, “The Corner,” which showed that sometimes, just sometimes, home is where the horror is! Most recently, he wrote and directed his very first feature-length film, the coulrophobia-courting/clown killing goodness of “Kill Giggles,” which after winning several awards across the film festival circuit, was picked up for distribution by Lionsgate and is currently available on most major streaming platforms everywhere. In fact, there will be a special late-night screening of it during this year’s ConCarolinas Film Festival!