40 Called, I Answered: Case Study
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Short Film · Portrait

40 Called, I Answered

A short film for Teresa Saxton's 40th birthday: three looks, a lifetime of photos, and one red dress.

Role
Videographer & Editor
Client
Teresa Saxton
Runtime
1:35
Year
2026
The '40 Called, I answered' title over Teresa in a red satin dress Teresa walking down a sunlit small-town street Teresa in a red satin dress beside a studio softbox A family photo in the collage sequence Teresa in profile in golden light
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Watch

The Film

40 Called, I Answered: Full Film
40 Called, I AnsweredBirthday film · 1:35

Overview

Teresa Saxton wanted something special to mark her 40th birthday, so we made a short film: 40 Called, I Answered. It moves through three looks. It starts with golden-hour portraits on a small-town street, in a "Limited Edition 1986" cap and a Whitney Houston tee. Then it flips through a collage of photos from her life. It ends in the studio, in a red satin dress, right as the title lands.

I shot and edited the film under my HJR AudioVisual name. I built the photo collage motion in the edit and finished everything with a warm, filmic grade. Teresa is well known around Statesboro, and I've filmed several of her and Brian Saxton's live events, including Deuce's first birthday party in 2025, shown further down.

Frames from the Film (10 photos)

Golden-hour street portraits, a lifetime of photos, and a red-dress studio finale.

The '40 Called, I answered' title over Teresa in a red satin dress Teresa walking down a sunlit small-town street An extreme close-up of closed eyes and lashes A photo from Teresa's life tumbling through the collage sequence A portrait photo in the collage sequence A family photo in the collage sequence Teresa in profile in golden light A phone screen reading 40 Teresa in a red satin dress beside a studio softbox The red-dress look framed inside the collage

Earlier Project, Same Family

Deuce's 1st Birthday (2025)

A year before the 40th, I filmed Deuce's first birthday party for the family: a Notorious B.I.G. theme called "Deuce the Notorious One." I shot and edited it with a vintage film-frame title treatment.

Deuce's 1st Birthday (1 video, 8 photos)

Selected video

Photos

A 'Happy Birthday Deuce' title over a film-frame border Party signs reading 'Deuce the Notorious One' A crown and boombox 'ONE' centerpiece Denim overalls with a cassette tape patch The birthday boy and his dad with a gold balloon Cutting the gold-chain birthday cake Dad looking down at the birthday boy The birthday boy smiling, framed like an old film still
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