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Welcome
Latest Videos
Welcome to the Latest Videos section. Here, you can find the most recent videos created by Misfit Lunatics Productions. Whether you're a fan of short films, documentaries, or just straight up wacky skits, we've got you covered. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the latest content from our talented team of creators.
I'm Cody Jaron Navarro, I'm currently a Digital Cinema student at Utah Valley University. There I'm studying to be a director. I’ve directed a total of 6 films, produced 11 and written 4 shorts. Within these short films, I’ve recently got 2nd place in the “Best Student Documentary” category at Athens International Film Festival. My films have also been selected in numerous other film festivals like 2024's Lego’s The 25-Second Film Festival, celebrating 25 Years of Star Wars and in 2024's Los Angeles Short Film Awards.
I'm certified in graphic design, photography, Adobe programs, generative AI for business, and project management. All of which I do professionally via freelancing.
My goal is to eventually make a feature film. I’m super into horror and dramas like Longlegs, Last Night in SoHo, The Lighthouse, Musica and Whiplash, all being inspirations for my film style. I’m also someone who likes to bring on people new or unsure about filmmaking to my crews to create connections and friends within this field.
Directing films has always been my goal, as I found myself loving every aspect of filmmaking, creative and technical. Meaning I understand editing, cinematography, performance, lighting, and production. I’m always the guiding presence on any film set, with even some of my peers/fellow directors, coming to me for advice on whatever set I'm working on.
Currently I’m in post-production on two films of mine. Treasure Hunt, a film I wrote, co-directed and produced. And Unexpected Turns, a film I directed and produced. Both films I’m super proud of and hope to soon release them.
Unexpected Turns 2025
Role: Director
Genre: Romance/Drama
Treasure Hunt 2025
Role: Co-Director, Writer, Producer
Genre: Drama/Action/Adventure
TENET Sweded 2024
Role: Director, Editor
Genre: Action/Thriller
In The Moment 2024
Role: Director, Writer, Editor
Genre: Drama
There Is No Studio 2024
Role: Producer
Genre: Documentary
Jedi Knight Tyrone 2024
Role: Cinematographer, Writer, Producer
Genre: Sci-Fi/Stop-Motion
Two Crazy Brothers 2020
Role: Director, Writer
Genre: Comedy
The Thing In The Tunnel 2018
Role: Director, Writer
Genre: Horror
Capstone Project
When it comes to coming up with capstone projects, its kind of hard to figure out what I wanna save for that. I write and work with so many people within our program, projects come at me left and right.
The first idea that comes to mind is this script I'm writing called "The Echoes of Mallory Kay". It's a story about a young man that struggles with overcoming a tragic event. Being a painter, his art begins taking a mind of its own, portraying his tragic event in a dark and gruesome way. The event in question is a presumed suicide of Mallory Kay, however being at the event and being her friend, Sam believes he was a reason she died.
Currently rewriting it with flashbacks to the event, but I not 100% sure the audience needs to know what really happened. Leaning into the delusions that close death and depression can cause to a soul in the months after.
My main inspiration for the short is my close connection to suicide, death, depression and trust issues within my family. My brother struggled with depression and pushed out the world. My redacted abused drugs causing death to a family member unexpectedly. Suicidal attempts from close loved one and my own struggles with trust/friendship has been poured into the concept.
I feel a really gothic tone for the film, with dim lights and dark swirls of paint. The main character mostly conveys his emotions through movement and actions, so it's definitely something different and far from my normal style.
The Life of the Party
My second idea is "The Life of the Party", a passion project of mine that is still just an outline, focuses on the inner thoughts or over thoughts of a young man struggling with his self doubt, shyness and ADHD, all just to try and ask a girl out.
It's a little basic, but I have this obsession with imagination and not being able to focus at the world around you. This lead me to lean into a interpretive dance or theater-like scenario that plays around my main character.
As I've stated I only have an outline for the script, characters, and scenario, but its been on my mind recently.
Essentially the idea is that my main characters best friend initiates a party in which the main character and the love interest end up at the the same place. A lot of build up and stress with the best friend leading up to the party, then a moment of moments where we believe things can go one way but end up another way.
A script I've been slowly writing since the world went berserk with Covid. This being my third idea means its kind of the weakest. Two brothers are locked up together in their house due to some unknown event forcing the world to go into quarantine. It's the brothers trials and tribulations that lead to their eventual insanity and downfall.
I find it hard to write this one, due to my lack of connection to the material. I mostly began writing it to play with the idea of insanity.