Meet the Team
Xayne Allen
Producer, WriterHOMEFRONT began as an idea Xayne started writing nearly five years ago, born from conversations about identity, fear, and what it means to survive in a country where hate can still feel terrifyingly close. What started as a concept slowly evolved into something deeply personal: a tense, grounded story about the aftermath of a hate crime and the emotional wreckage it leaves behind.
As the project developed, Xayne brought the idea to PJ, whose vision and passion for emotionally charged storytelling made him a natural fit to direct. Together, they shaped HOMEFRONT into a cinematic thriller rooted not just in suspense, but in truth.
For Xayne, an African American writer, this story carries a particular weight. HOMEFRONT is not simply about violence. It is about survival, memory, and the invisible scars left behind when hatred enters a community. The film pulls from real fears, real tensions, and the uncomfortable reality that these stories are not confined to history books.
At its core, HOMEFRONT aims to explore how people hold onto their humanity after unimaginable trauma, while asking difficult questions about justice, identity, and the America we live in today.
Director, Producer, Co- Writer PJ GAYNARD
A multi-talented award winning storyteller with over thirty years of experience as a producer, director, writer, director of photography and editor. He co-created the Film Technician Program at The Community College of Allegheny County. He has a BFA in Film, Video, and Animation from Rochester Institute of Technology and an MA in Humanities/Humanistic Studies from CalState Northridge. Recently his work has included a strong bend toward community filmmaking. Last year he received seven telly awards for his commercial work.
Trevor's story can happen in our world as it is today, and because of that it needs to be told and explored. It is a kind of nightmare and triumph that I know speaks to Americans. We see hate in our communities, and we see people overcoming it. What draws me to this story is knowing that I want to be part of that solution. I am surrounding myself with African Americans and men that understand Trevor. I listen to them, to what they say to me, and what they think. I use that as an important part of my process.
I see this story revolving around Trevor. It is all in reference to him and his position in the world. When it is dark for Trevor’s it gets dark in the story and visual tone. There is a subjective nature, in slow motion, in moments where we feel what Trevor feels because of our shots, color choice, and lighting. We want things to feel real like it could be us. It gets bleak in this story but there is action there as well. Trevor is a man who when frustrated acts to make the world what he wants it to be. It is through that action that the world Trevor is in gets better.