“Unsigned” is a documentary that trails three rising rock bands in Los Angeles as they chase their dreams of making it big in the music industry. We follow “Fight Friendly” ” Paul Nagi” and ” The Muddy Reds” as they learn to balance their rock ’n’ roll aspirations with the hardships and realizations of every day life in a film which dares everyone to follow their dreams.
Direction
Payson never glamorizes the hustle — it's brutal, beautiful truth.
Editing
Raw vérité style lets the bands hang themselves with hope.
Director
Edward Payson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Edward Payson shot over 300 hours of footage across three years, then nearly abandoned the project when he realized how depressing the 'happy ending' wasn't coming.
Released at the exact moment the music industry collapsed — streaming was rising, MySpace was dying, and 'making it' meant something entirely different than a decade prior. The timing is almost too painfully perfect.
US
