By Jon Huang
It’s Saturday afternoon on the set.
The entryway leading to the kitchen is packed with black and yellow storage totes, crash pads and props. Boxes of fruit, snacks and chips cover the kitchen island. Cast and crew members cram the couches. Behind them, three actors playing unnamed guards tease one another about their nondescript roles in the film.
From the garage, Ben Johnson, assistant director, yells “Quiet on the set!” The room falls silent.
This is not a typical Hollywood greenroom; it’s the actual home of Falcon native, Wesley Clark, director of the sci-fi series “Sirona.”
The cast and crew are from all walks of life — a corporate salesman from Denver, a veteran Colorado Springs police officer, a media production specialist at the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind. One actress had a recent mastectomy and is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
In the garage, the cast and crew are filming where Clark, Johnson and others had built a room exclusively for the movie. The air conditioning has been turned off to reduce noise. Between takes, fans are switched on and windows opened.
Despite the heat and crowded confines, what is occurring at the film site today is the stuff of which dreams are made.
A Falcon resident finds his passion
When people think of movies, many think of the big screens and bright lights of Los Angeles, but for Clark, it began in Falcon.
“I’ve always loved movies. Growing up, I would buy the films I really connected with, especially the ones that included behind-the-scenes features so I could study how they were made,” Clark said. “Filmmaking always felt out of reach, though. It looked expensive, technical and like something only professionals in big cities could do.”
Living in El Paso County since age 5, Clark graduated from Falcon High School in 2010. In his early 20s, he was invited to be an extra on a local production, an experience that ignited a passion. Because he couldn’t afford to go to film school, he taught himself. From there, he joined Peak Film Forum, a local grassroots independent film organization that provided networking opportunities and a supportive community that led to his first few short films.
Meanwhile, Clark pursued a career in business and human resources to support his family and pay the bills. He worked for two health care organizations prior to a managerial role at Heuberger Subaru in 2019. There, he met a co-worker who eventually funded his first feature film; and, with additional crowdfunding support and a dedicated team, “Sirona” was born.
The story of “Sirona”
The film series began as a conversation between Clark and two friends about doing a film together. One wanted to do a military film, but to fit a realistic budget, they decided on one about military contractors. As he wrote the story for what would become his first feature film, Clark saw a vision for a trilogy.
“Sirona” follows a government experiment that escapes a black site called Valkyrie and is hunted by mercenaries. As the story unfolds, the mercenaries begin to question the morality of their objective, forcing them into difficult decisions that ultimately alter their mission. The film explores what happens when people are forced to make moral choices that go against everything they’ve been taught or ordered to do, highlighting the realities of life where not every villain is pure evil and how even the best of intentions require difficult, seemingly impossible choices.
As many compelling stories go, “Sirona” reflects Clark’s own experiences.
“I’ve had to make tough choices where doing the right thing wasn’t popular — where it meant going against people I once respected,” he said. “It’s painful, but sometimes growth requires that kind of inner conflict. I wanted the characters to face that, too, because it’s something many people can relate to, especially in leadership roles.”
Weaving a tale of science fiction and moral realism, “Sirona” debuted in the fall of 2023. Profits exceeded the film’s small budget, allowing them the opportunity to do the sequel, “Sirona: Valkyrie’s Shadow,” which is currently in production with plans for release next year.
“In the sequel, the stakes are much higher,” Clark said. “The mercenaries are now dealing with the consequences of their actions — even the ones made with the best intentions. They’re changing, both physically and emotionally, and they’re forced to confront who they’ve become in the aftermath of those decisions.”
The logistics of indie filmmaking
When it came to selecting film locations, Clark drew from his own local roots.
“I chose to film locally because I know Colorado — but I really know El Paso County … I’m familiar with just about every corner. Colorado has so much to offer visually — farmland, mountains, forests, deserts and lakes — all within driving distance. If I need a city look, Denver is right up the road. With that kind of variety, I didn’t see a reason to film anywhere else. Everything I needed to tell this story was already right here.”
While “Sirona” filmed in a variety of landscapes, much of the sequel occurs indoors so they have filmed in homes of friends and other sites around Colorado Springs.
Independent (or “indie”) filmmaking often lacks the large budgets frequently afforded by corporate backing. It’s not uncommon for crew members to wear multiple hats. Clark both directs and acts in the films. He also did the editing and visual effects for the first film. His assistant director, Johnson, also an actor in the film, scouted for shooting locations and coordinates the action scenes. Others have worked on social media presence and promotion.
Indie films also lack the large indoor sets that come with big productions, which make noise, weather and lighting trickier to manage.
“The hardest part is that there’s never enough time,” Clark said. “I always want to spend as much time as possible making every scene perfect — but the reality is, no film is ever perfect. That’s something you strive for, but putting that kind of pressure on yourself or your team can lead to burnout and low morale so you learn to compromise.”
Another issue is managing public expectations, which often expect indie films to match their Hollywood equivalents in scale and polish.
“Indie films are really about passion, grit and problem-solving,” Clark said. “I do everything I can to rise to that challenge — and I just hope viewers watch with that in mind and see the heart behind the work.”
Through it all, the community and collaboration has been gratifying for those involved. Crew members spoke fondly of Clark and Johnson’s passion. From the jokes to the prank messages that make it onto the film slate, the camaraderie was evident.
“I’m not just making a movie — we’re making a movie. When I see it on screen, I don’t just see the scenes — I see the people behind them,” Clark said. “I see the teamwork, the trust, and the shared creativity that made it all happen.”
He has also drawn from his other professional experiences while working in film. Dealing with contracts, legal issues, budgeting and planning, his background has given him the tools to handle stressful situations and manage all the behind-the-scenes logistics that come with indie filmmaking.
Filmmaking is not too far off from his day job in human resources, he said.
“I spend a lot of time listening to people, resolving conflicts, boosting morale and supporting others,” Clark said, adding that the major difference is that the HR “rarely offers” a creative outlet. “Both roles are about leadership, problem-solving and bringing people together to reach a common goal.”
Doing a movie based on his day job won’t be happening anytime soon. Although the material is there, Clark said, “I’ve seen enough wild things in this career to fill a whole movie, but I think “The Office” already has those stories taken care of.”
For additional information:
To watch “Sirona” check it out on Amazon, Apple TV, Tubi and Vudu.
For updates on “Sirona: Valkyrie’s Shadow,” follow on social media at @sironathemovie on Facebook and Instagram, or visit the production website.
If interested in donating financially to the film, visit https://www.creativecinemastudios.com/sirona?movie=sirona2
If interested in becoming an investor in the film, email info@ccsfilm.com
Filming scenes often requires multiple takes and angles to enhance cinematic effects.
