“A young man with an old soul and a camera. See you at the movies! “
I am a film director and I love to act in every movie I make. I am known for my cameos and take pride in collaborating with my actors and crew. I always ask “Who is the Director?” So I am known for that phrase. I hope you someday know me as The Director. See you at the movies.
cody “the director” grande
Hi, I’m Cody Grande, and I am an actor and filmmaker. The question I’m often asked is: what inspired me to make movies and become who I am today?
Growing up in a family of movie lovers had a huge influence on me. However, the moment I truly discovered my passion was when I was 16 years old in high school. I directed my first film project for a class assignment, and from that moment, I knew filmmaking was what I wanted to pursue.
After that experience, I started creating short films on my iPhone with my little brother. At the time, he had no acting experience, so I helped guide him. Since I had taken theater in high school, I used what I learned to help both of us become performers. Before we knew it, we were creating our own home movies and discovering how much we enjoyed storytelling.
Once I had experience making films with my brother, I was ready to take the next step and direct a short film with my friends to share with the public. Luckily, I had friends from my theater class who joined me in the project. Although it was not an immediate success, it gained attention from my family, who became my biggest supporters. They were so inspired that they wanted to be part of my next short film, and please note the majority of my family are not professional actors, so I had to help them out, however, let’s just say as soon as my family acted in my third short film called “The House of Clues” this is when I made a name for myself. The film was released and everyone at my school immediately loved it. I have met new people and made more friends and they all have asked to be in my next short film. People started giving me the nickname “The Director” and throughout my high school career I made 6 short films all on my iPhone. It turned out to be an incredible high school experience.
I have learned so much about filmmaking and the industry ever since high school when I was introduced to directing by an amazing film teacher, Richard Way. I credit him with a special thanks at the end of every film. Exploring various genres, learning about the art of storytelling, and gaining hands-on experience behind the camera opened my eyes to the power of visual storytelling and its ability to convey emotions and messages.
As I look back on all the short films I have made I see how much I have grown as a director, an actor, and as a person. My family, my friends and even my teachers have noticed my growth and dedication as an actor and a filmmaker. This is what I want to do!
Learning different types of styles from some of my favorite directors like, Wes Anderson, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, and my personal favorite Quentin Tarantino has been influential. To be honest Quentin’s movie Pulp Fiction inspired me to make movies. He just has a fun and entertaining style that I enjoy, and his dialogue never bores me. I try to bring that same creative style into all my films while making my own cinematic experience like Tarantino and other filmmakers aim to do.
It is in these projects that I find the opportunity to express my creativity, challenge myself, and bring unique stories to life. I am eager to embark on this journey, pushing boundaries and captivating audiences with the stories I have always dreamed of telling.
LATEST WORK
FOUR FOR ONE by CODY GRANDE
Watch here!
THE HOME OF CLUES by CODY GRANDE
Watch here!
IMITATION by CODY GRANDE
My first feature film 2023. Watch here!
Cody Grande
"The Director"
Cody Grande 