A ride-hailing Driver is hijacked by a Criminal on the run from his crime boss setting in motion a series of events, placing both their lives in peril.

Our film was shot entirely in downtown LA with no permits, in cars, with prop-guns, we had a few altercations with over-zealous security guards, as well as ketamine induced people surrounding our leads on the street of (nighttime) DTLA. The locations were often found on the day, and the picture car (a rental) was brought up by the director from Austin (fully loaded with prop weapons, wardrobe and gear)...upon return to Austin we were subject a biblical attack of locust in the Texas desert.

All this for a film shot in 10 days with recognizable "name" actors and we loved ever second of it! Cheers!!!

Director Biography - Michael Merino

Michael Merino is an international award-winning director, producer, and writer. He began working on sets as a P.A. and over his early career has worked in various departments; Art, Camera, Electric, Grip, Hair & Make-Up, Wardrobe, Sound, Props, Catering and Construction. In addition, Merino also worked in post as an Editor before eventually focusing on Directing, Producing and Writing.

Merino grew up in Washington, D.C. the son of an Irish-Brit/German mother and a father who migrated to the United States from Mexico of Spanish-Basque descent. Having grown up in such a diverse home, Michael is fluent in Spanish and has a wide appreciation and understanding of the world beyond the confines of the Americas. After college, Michael traveled the globe for nearly six years, living and working abroad. His adventures included the running of the bulls in Spain, and being caught and detained during a coup in Fiji. During his travels he held an assortment of jobs, including short order cook, ladies shoe salesmen, carpenter, bartender, pizza maker, door to door salesman, house painter and peach picker in Stanthorpe Australia. In addition to his university studies, Michael is also a quondam member of the NYSBA (New York State Bar Association) and former freelancer/stringer having worked with MSNBC, CNN, Turkish TV and Fox News. Michael was sidelined by a diving accident, and during his convalescence decided to turn his focus to the arts, attending Rockport's International Film School and The Corcoran School of Art.

Michael directed his first feature, the award-winning action film The Deal, in 2003. In 2006, Michael released the horror feature The Milkman followed by the thriller 502, which won the coveted Shakes Award at the Dead Time Film Festival, in 2010. Michael followed up with the critically acclaimed Our Last Supper in 2012. In 2015, Michael was awarded Best Director and Best Writer for his feature The Haunting of Pearson Place at the 2015 Scare-A-Con film festival in Syracuse, NY. The film garnered more than two dozen nominations worldwide and won more than 20 awards. He also won Best Director and Best Screenplay for his short films Times Up and Dream On at the WMIFF in 2014. Michael was recognized for his regional commercial and training video work from 2013-2017. In 2016, he produced, wrote, and directed the web series DRAKUL, released in 2017. In 2019 Michael wrote and Directed the action/thriller ACCELERATION (BEST DIRECTOR-NIAFFS Spain 2020) starring Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, Chuck Liddell, Natalie Burn and Sean Patrick Flanery. Michael divides his time between Austin, Los Angeles, and Vancouver. He's known for being a cheeky Pirate.

Director Statement

We made CLUTCH in DTLA with no permits and shot it guerrilla for the sake of making a film. NO A.I. all blood, guts, and fist-fights over locations shot in 10 nights. Clutch is avant-garde street theater shot with the spirit of the French new wave and John Cassavetes guiding us.