Cameron Duddy, bassist of the Grammy-nominated nation band Midland and a high video director, is about to turn into a feature-film director, and two of his bandmates are on board as nicely.

Duddy will direct “Cowboy,” which stars Ben Foster (“Hell or Excessive Water”), Gabriel Basso (“The Evening Agent”) and Rudy Pankow (“Outer Banks”; pictured above, L-R), and follows a touring rodeo and the group of entertainers inside it as they take care of the cruel realities of their chosen careers. The movie’s script was written by Adair Cole, primarily based on a narrative from Duddy and fellow Midland member Jess Carson, and likewise options the band’s Mark Wystrach in an appearing position.

The newly launched Paint Horse Photos, co-founded by Duddy and photographer Harper Smith, is producing with help from Vary Media Companions.

“It is a private story for me,” Duddy mentioned in an announcement. “It’s a movie about what it takes to grind it out on the street chasing your goals, and the emotional and bodily toll it takes on all of us.”

Duddy is an completed music video director, greatest identified for his award-winning work with Bruno Mars on “Uptown Funk” and “24K Magic”; he additionally received an MTV Award in 2021 for John Mayer’s “Final Practice House,” and has labored with amongst others.

“I do assume by way of visible storytelling,” Duddy instructed American Songwriter. “So once I’m writing a script and I’m writing it by means of a sure standpoint, that oftentimes is the place the digicam is. So I feel that as a result of my dad is a cinematographer, I’ve that inbuilt perspective.”

Paint Horse, which is described as “a banner devoted to tales of the folks, locations and beliefs of Americana,” may have entry to the infrastructure of Vary Media Companions, together with movie financing and gross sales and entry to expertise. On behalf of Vary, Matt Graham and William Lowery will oversee the banner, with Cam Duddy, Harper Smith and Sydney Allen rounding out the Paint Horse crew

“Cowboy” is produced by Lucas Smith of Endgame, Matt Graham, William Lowery and Ian Bryce of Ian Bryce Productions. Ben Foster will government produce alongside David Keinath and Jordan Yospe for DFA Leisure, Shawn Williamson of Brightlight Productions, James D. Stern of Endgame, and Sydney Allen of Paint Horse. UTA Unbiased Movie Group and Vary Choose are co-representing international rights.