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Narrative · 2023–2026

Blood Brothers

Director · Writer · Producer

Two men confront one another in a carefully lit apartment interior.

The film

A contained dramatic short about adoption, familial bonds and the emotional scars that surface when Corky reunites with his long-lost brother, Roark.

The approach

James's direction leans on controlled blocking, close performance work and warm practical lighting to turn a contained set into an increasingly volatile emotional space, built around resentment, unmet expectations and the parts of family history that stay behind closed doors.

The current finishing master was completed in July 2026 and is being prepared for festival submissions.

Project details

Release: 2023–2026
Category: Narrative
Tags: Narrative Harrison Mendel DP KFS stage Festival preparation

The production

An apartment built for the confrontation.

Blood Brothers was filmed on the original Kelowna Film Studios stage, with the apartment built inside the black-box space.

Inside that set, the film moves from an uneasy reunion into a volatile confrontation without leaving the room.

IMDb title Blood Brothers KFS production Blood Brothers at Kelowna Film Studios

Additional credits

Cast: Roark Critchlow
Story by · Cast: Corky McMechan
Written by: James Alton
Written by: Corky McMechan
Director of Photography: Harrison Mendel
Assistant Producer / 1st AD: Aidan McLane
Production Design: Marina Ragimova
Production Design: Jon Mongul
Key MUA: Lindsay Kusy
Key Hair: Rebekah Heinrichs
Location Sound: Nathan Peacock
Camera / Lighting: Noah M. Dorsey
Camera / Lighting: Ben Armstrong
Edited by: James Alton · Harrison Mendel
Colour Grading: Nicholas Lareau
VFX: Gneiss Stuff
Post-production sound: Tyler Gillis · Aftertouch Audio
Music: Bremer/McCoy · Afkald
Music: Amber Riya & Mawk Phoenix · Evening Star

Behind the scenes

From the production.

Finished frames and behind-the-scenes photographs from the shoot.

Blood Brothers set built inside Kelowna Film Studios — The apartment interior was built and dressed inside Kelowna Film Studios.

Wide behind-the-scenes view of the Blood Brothers apartment set — Set dressing, overhead control and practical lighting turned the studio into a contained dramatic space.

Production monitor during Blood Brothers — Monitor view from the set as the blocking and camera coverage were refined.

Blood Brothers slate on camera monitor — The slate sits against the apartment set on the production monitor.

Monitor frame of a Blood Brothers performance beat — Performance coverage was built around close blocking inside the apartment set.

Actor close-up on production monitor for Blood Brothers — The film depends on restrained coverage and close performance work.

ARRI camera setup during Blood Brothers — Camera package and set layout were tuned for a compact dramatic interior.

Cinema lens detail during Blood Brothers production — Lens and camera detail from the controlled studio shoot.

ARRI camera rig detail during Blood Brothers — Camera support and rig detail from the KFS stage production.

Monitor frame of actors performing in Blood Brothers — Actors and camera coverage inside the apartment set during production.

Behind-the-scenes wide view of crew filming Blood Brothers — Crew, camera and lighting working inside the finished studio set.