
Nathan Truesdell
Directing
Biography
Nathan Truesdell is a multi-hyphenate filmmaker who has been nominated for an Academy Award, a PGA Award, an IDA Award, was selected for the inaugural “DOC NYC 40 Under 40” list, and won a Cinema Eye Honor for Cinematography. His directorial work includes the award-winning shorts BALLOONFEST, THE WATER SLIDE, THE ART OF MAKING MONEY, IT’S COMING!, WHEN THE LAPD BLOWS UP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, and MYSTERY SEEDS. He was the Camera Department Head and a Cinematographer for the HBO series HOW TO WITH JOHN WILSON and produced and co-DP’ed Jessica Kingdon’s ASCENSION登楼叹 (2021).
Known For

When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of their victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.
You're Next

The film explores the pursuit of the “Chinese Dream.” Driven by mesmerizing—and sometimes humorous—imagery, this observational documentary presents a contemporary vision of China that prioritizes productivity and innovation above all.
Ascension

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A Derailment

A resurrected Aztec mummy conspires to manipulate men of power for world domination. Whether Mil Mascaras can be corrupted by the influence of his undead adversary is not clear, but the answer hinges upon the secret of his mask -- a mask which has been passed down to him from his ancestors since time in memoriam.
Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy

Ted "Black Lightning" Patrick's practice of "deprogramming," also known as "reverse brainwashing," started in the early 1970s and quickly snowballed into a vast underground movement composed of concerned parents, ex-cultists-turned-deprogrammers and some sympathetic law-enforcers whose mission was to physically and mentally remove individuals from cults.
Deprogrammed

Mid-Missouri cult hero Nathan Truesdell sifts through a Cleveland TV station's archives and unearths a fancy wrist watch, blistered fingers and other casualties of a misbegotten exercise in civic pride. In September 1986, the city of Cleveland attempted to set a special record: the simultaneous launch of 1.5 million balloons. But fate intervened, and the result was both crazier and more tragic than anyone could have imagined.
Balloonfest
Forty four years ago, it seemed like a good idea to build a squat, concrete motel in downtown Columbia, Missouri. But within a few years, guests were calling for a do-over. Now, with the downtrodden building’s fate sealed, the Rabid Hands artist collective arrives on the scene as hospice workers, assisting in the passing of the building’s soul. What ensues is a New Orleans-style voodoo celebration of a previously unsung piece of architecture.
Dear Valued Guests

On October 15, 2009, America watched with rapt attention a large balloon float through the skies of Colorado on live TV
Balloon Boy

At nearly 169 feet tall, Verrückt was taller than Niagara Falls. Riders flew down the world's tallest water slide at 70 miles per hour, challenging the laws of physics. Then, on August 7, 2016, 10-year-old Caleb Schwab was decapitated on the ride. What went wrong to cause such a horrific tragedy?
The Water Slide

In Las Vegas, they show the sex dolls; in China, they make them.
It's Coming!

A snapshot of how people process and respond to crisis, choosing to do so looking into a camera.
8:08 - How We Respond

ACADEMY OF DOOM is set on the campus of the famous Mil Mascaras Wrestling Women's Academy. The Academy finds itself the focus of seemingly disparate events involving the villainous Luctor; an eccentric Baron; and a series of bizarre murders. The most famous figure at the academy, La Torcha, joins forces with Mil Mascaras to unravel the mystery and ensure that justice prevails.
Academy of Doom

After thousands of mysterious packages sow the seeds of a xenophobic conspiracy, we track its growth through local news, internet detectives, and your online shopping history.
Mystery Seeds

Tensions rise on a busy street as news organizations and local residents witness an extremely volatile situation turn into a literal powder keg.