In the middle of another successful touring season for his reunited band Creed, Scott Stapp has offered something unexpected: a 9-minute, high-octane short film, in which he stars as a man of faith who, Lord forgive him, has to go back to the old him.
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Deadman’s Trigger: A Short Film, which was unveiled on YouTube on Thursday night (July 31), serves as both a music video for Stapp’s “Deadman’s Trigger,” from last year’s solo album Higher Power, as well as a Western shoot-‘em-up. Directed by Tyler Dunning Evans, the project stars the Creed frontman in action-hero mode and his 7-year-old son, Anthony, as the impetus for the return to his gun-slinging ways.
“It all was inspired through the song,” Stapp tells Billboard of “Deadman’s Trigger,” which is lyrically focused on a peaceful man being pushed beyond his breaking point and toward retribution. “The narrative was born of the Wild West — this stoic, patient, humble man, and those who target him forgetting how dangerous he can be. And as you’ll see, they find out real quick.”
Stapp says that “Deadman’s Trigger” is all about “life imitating art” and touches upon his devotion to family, which is part of the reason why he wanted to involve his children in the short film. While Anthony co-stars — and gets entangled in the action by the end — his 18-year-old daughter Milan also served as a production assistant on the project, which was filmed over two days at Whitehorse Ranch in Landers, Calif.
“Anthony is a key part of the video, and a key part for how the song came about,” says Stapp. “All my kids have grown up doing acting and being behind the camera, so it wasn’t anything super new for them, but I definitely wanted to go the extra mile with him, and make sure that we understood exactly what was going on and had the proper safety protocols. And he just jumped right in, like he had been making movies his whole life. I’m so proud of him for what he did, how he owned his role, how he understood the concept of all the scenes emotionally even though his lines were short, and how he carried himself.”
While “Deadman’s Trigger” is being promoted as the third single from Higher Power, Stapp has been leading Creed through another North American tour — including an inaugural Summer of ’99 and Beyond festival last month — after the best-selling band reunited last year. With the latest leg wrapping up later this month, Stapp says that the reunion has felt similar to Creed’s discovery in the late ‘90s, with the commercial success exceeding all expectations.
“It’s been so rewarding, and so fulfilling,” he says. “We’re selling 80% of our tickets to fans between 18 and 35. There’s even younger fans there now! To see our music stand the test of time and reconnect like it’s brand new to an entire generation — I know it sounds cliché, but I’m just so grateful. I’m at a place in my life where I have a deeper sense of appreciation for how rare this is, and how fortunate I am to be able to do what I do.”
Now, that job description includes starring as an action hero in a short film. “It was a lot of fun, and a really cathartic experience,” says Stapp. “Hopefully the fans connect to it, and enjoy it as much as we did.”
