#USA #Los Angeles #O'Shaughnessy #Max Gallen #Don't Bury the Dead

O'Shaughnessy Ventures' Newest Fellowship Recipient

In an exciting move for the filmmaking community, O'Shaughnessy Ventures LLC (OSV), an investment firm dedicated to empowering creators, has granted the esteemed O'Shaughnessy Fellowship to filmmaker Max Gallen. This award aims to support Gallen's upcoming project, a genre-defying short film titled Don't Bury the Dead, set to weave together elements of comedy and horror.

Filmmaker's Vision

Max Gallen, who is based in Los Angeles, intends to utilize the fellowship as a means to produce Don't Bury the Dead, which revolves around a group of friends who struggle to reconstruct the bizarre events from a night filled with encounters with both historical figures and pop culture icons. These iconic characters will be portrayed using motion capture technology, allowing for a blend of live-action and visual effects that aims to honor the originality of the performances while enhancing the storytelling through digital wizardry.

The technique Gallen plans to adopt distinguishes itself by augmenting human creativity rather than superseding it. Over the next year, he intends to navigate through writing, producing, editing, and marketing his short film, leveraging audience feedback to determine the direction of future projects.

A Background in Creativity

Gallen is no novice in the film industry; he brings over a decade of experience in creating films, parody videos, and AI-enhanced content. Co-founder of the digital production house KAǏMAX, his work has garnered a staggering 45 million views across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. While pursuing his studies at Emerson College, Gallen shone brightly, receiving 12 nominations for the EVVY Awards—at the time, the largest student-run, multi-camera awards ceremony in the U.S. His accolades include winning Best Short Film in 2024 for Mariah Ruins Christmas and Best Visual Effects in 2023 for Don't Overwork VFX Artists, a project focusing on labor conditions in the visual effects sector.

Words from the Founder

Jim O'Shaughnessy, OSV's founder and CEO, expressed enthusiasm about Gallen's approach to filmmaking. He remarked, "Max treats AI as a tool a filmmaker directs, not one that directs the filmmaker. That distinction matters. We're thrilled to be backing him."

In response to receiving the fellowship, Gallen stated, "I'm incredibly grateful to receive this fellowship and to have my creativity recognized in such a meaningful way. Not everyone gets the opportunity to pursue their ideas when inspiration strikes, or to give those ideas the time and space they deserve."

About the O'Shaughnessy Fellowships

The O'Shaughnessy Fellowships program, initiated in 2023, seeks to discover and empower some of the most daring creatives, builders, and researchers across the globe. Each fellow can receive up to $100,000 in funding along with access to OSV's network of experts, investors, and entrepreneurs. The firm plans to award up to 20 fellowships in 2026, with Gallen being the seventeenth fellow announced this year.

Further details about previous fellows can be accessed through OSV’s website. Applications for the fellowship will open again on January 1, 2027.

About O'Shaughnessy Ventures

Founded by Jim O'Shaughnessy, a noted figure in quantitative investing and the author of five books, OSV is committed to enabling creators to transform their ideas into reality. It aims to provide not just financial support but also a path for promising creativity to thrive—regardless of the creator's background, location, or experience. For further information, readers can explore OSV’s online presence for updates and announcements.