James Ward Byrkit

Byrkit is also known for directing the science fiction thriller Coherence and co-writing the script for Rango, also directed by by Gore Verbinski. For Rango, Byrkit starred as several characters, most notably Waffles, a horned lizard. Byrkit's debut feature Coherence earned critical and audience praise and garnered attention for his unconventional approach in the making of the film as "proof that inventive filmmakers can do a lot with a little", and identifying him as a groundbreaking talent. Since its release, Coherence has become an international sensation and regularly appears on ranking lists of best films. Byrkit's follow-up project, Shatter Belt, is an episodic series in the tradition of Twilight Zone. Production on the first four episodes was completed in 2022, with the world premiere scheduled for 2023 at the SXSW Film & TV Festival.