Today we’d like to introduce you to Lilton Stewart III
Lilton, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began my career in the industry as a music video and wedding videographer in 2008. This freelance work continued while I attended film school, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Digital Film & Video Production. After several visits to Los Angeles and building my network here, I took a leap of faith and moved to the city in 2018. I immediately immersed myself in the work, collaborating on short films, television pilots, and writing projects. In April 2022, I wrote and directed my first feature film, The Burden of Guilt. That film has led to my second feature, All Things Come to Night, currently in post-production, as well as my next feature, Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole, which is slated for production this year.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The only thing that has been smooth about this road is that I know it will consistently not be smooth. I’ve had to battle with being homeless for three years, dealing with people who lie and flake on opportunities promised to me for their own gain. I’ve struggled to have a steady income, one that can pay for just my bare needs, like eating and keeping my hygiene together, all while also working on my mental and emotional health through all of the chaos.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a writer/director for fiction and non-fiction narrative storytelling. I mainly focus on the psychological horror and thriller genres. I’m most known for my first venture into independent feature filmmaking with The Burden of Guilt, which is currently streaming on Amazon and Tubi. It’s a nine-time IMDb-accredited, award-winning film about a husband and wife seeking help from a therapist to deal with the passing of their son before their marriage implodes because of it.
I’m currently most proud of my second feature film, All Things Come To Night. It’s a horror mystery that I pitched as, what if Alfred Hitchcock made The Strangers? We shot during the summer of 2024 with a small but incredible team, including the cast and crew. The journey this film has taken me on showed me that I can handle the filmmaking space on a professional level. While still dealing with the struggles of independent filmmaking, we got multiple locations, effects, production design, etc., that set this film apart from my first, which took place in one room.
I think the thing that sets me apart is my ability to think like a Producer and a Creative at the same time. So rarely have I come across anyone who can really embody both of those elements because they have such stark differences and usually clash in this industry. I have the vision to create wonders, but I have an understanding of what has to be done to meet deadlines. A studio will never lose money with me. I know how to play ball.
What are your plans for the future?
The future is closer than I thought. Our third film, Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole, with Ernie Hudson, is slated to go into production this year. I’ve been developing it since 2023 and look forward to continuing planning and preparing for its shoot this year. It’s the biggest budgeted film I’ve helmed, and I can’t wait to get the cameras rolling. It’s going to be huge!
Outside of that, I keep falling more and more in love with writing. So, I want to write more screenplays and teleplays this year and have them produced. The lack of confidence I used to have back in my early start is slowly fading away. I love sitting in front of my laptop and creating a story from scratch. So, besides being on set and sitting in the editing bay, the plan is to get more stories crafted.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liltonstewart3/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiltonStewart3/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liltonstewart3/
- Twitter: https://x.com/liltonstewart3
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiltonStewart3
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5835918/
