Bailen Estrada

Film Director

BASED IN

Los Angeles, CA

In Pursuit Of Greatness

Bailen Estrada is a director originally from Chicago, Illinois. His journey began with local commercials while still in school, learning from some of the city's most respected creatives. Determined to carve his own path, he took a leap and moved to Los Angeles in 2022 to further his career - and he's been making waves ever since.

With a deep love for storytelling and a background in acting, Bailen brings a distinctive approach to every project he directs. His ability to step into the mind of both the performer and the audience allows him to craft narratives that feel dynamic but deeply human. His strong foundation in photography sharpens his eye for composition and color, allowing him to create visually striking films that balance bold cinematic style with raw emotion.

Bailen's work spans commercials, music videos, and narrative films, each infused with his signature blend of elegance and energy. Whether he's capturing a high-octane action sequence or a quiet character moment, his meticulous attention to detail and instinct for rhythm makes his films impossible to look away from.

Los Angeles, CA

Gen Z
Experimental
Contemporary

STILLS
Movie Referneces
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THE GOOD OLE DAYS
The Good Old times
FIRST STAGE DIRECTOR
In Action
Fun Times
FIRST STAGE (PT 2)
Home Sweet Home

Prompts

A scene I'll never forget directing is this grocery store scene I did for my first commercial. That's when I realized directing was a drug that I couldn't get enough of. I thought to myself “This is it, I found it.”

If I wasn't directing I would be a camera operator capturing extreme sports. That was my dream when I was younger. I always knew I wanted to do something with cameras.

“Waves” by Trey Edward Shultz or ‘Sinners” by Ryan Coogler. They both made me realize that you can add layers to movies that have far deeper meanings.

I think they all have their own story and I'm eager to explore that. Learning new things is a driving factor in my life so working with any brand is a thrill on its own.

Davinci Resolve. It's where I make the magic happen. On set, my favorite piece of gear is the headset just because it makes me feel really cool.

If I had to narrow it down to one story, it would be when I worked as a boat boy at a state park during COVID. That job could have been its own TV series. Boats crashed all the time, new characters showed up every day, and the people I worked with each felt like they deserved their own spinoff episode. There were just too many stories to count.