Life & Work with Dusty Dale Barker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dusty Dale Barker.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve got a bit of a random background. I went to college for business and had always planned on going to law school eventually. I worked for my university as a recruiter for a few years, I even prepared for the LSAT, shadowed judges, and prepped for a life in politics. And then one day, I was walking down the street and thought, I just want to make films. So, I quit my job and moved to Nashville. There wasn’t a huge film industry in Nashville in 2012, but it felt right. It felt like where I was supposed to be.

I got sidetracked for a bit in music, and at some point, I held almost every job in the music industry. I ran a venue, worked at a label, and managed an artist. I toured with musicians worldwide, filming BTS content, taking photos, and building brands. Along the way, I started directing music videos, and every time I stepped on a film set as a director, I realized that this was exactly where I was supposed to be. That’s a hard feeling to describe unless you’ve had it, and I hope everyone does. But I knew that’s where I needed to go. I’ve had my photos and videos published around the world; in many outlets you’d know. But I was always just behind the scenes, and I felt comfortable there.

When the global pandemic shut down the music industry in 2020, I was able to take a step back and realize I wasn’t where I wanted to be. So, I took the newfound free time to study, research, and learn everything I could about storytelling in film and narrative structure. I’ve always had ideas banging around in my head, and needed to start finding direction for them.

In 2021, I entered the 48-hour film competition in Nashville. The first time I wrote a full script and directed a narrative short… and I won. That film went to the Nashville Film Festival and started a journey for me. A few months later I joined an improv class, which led to me joining an acting studio the next summer. Then, I did the 48-hour film challenge again in 2022, and I won again. It solidified that I was on the right track.

I took years of storytelling experience from music and started applying it to my projects. I stepped out from behind the curtain and started focusing on myself and what I knew I wanted to do. And for almost the first time I can tell you that I know exactly what I want and where I want to go with my career.

I have big goals and big ideas, and I’m actively bringing them together in the films and shows I want to make. In the meantime. I still direct music videos, take photos, and help artists build their brands in the music industry through my company VAYLL. VAYLL is named so because it actively works behind the veil of entertainment.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m not sure any creative path exists without many, many struggles along the way. Part of being creative and going after your dreams is facing struggle; be it social, economic, or even just creative hiccups. When it comes to film/video, I am entirely self-taught.

There were times when I didn’t know everything, I needed to know to do my job, or I just didn’t have the experience… And that leads to mistakes being made. Maybe it’s something that didn’t get booked, or a camera setting was wrong and the footage wasn’t usable, or maybe everything worked and the hard drive with the data crashed before you could even accomplish a first draft.

I’ve found one of the most important things you have to do is lose any sort of ego and understand that each project is a learning opportunity for the next. Things will go wrong, and how you respond to that will start to define your character and ultimately your career. I think the ability to problem solve and stay calm under pressure are two of the most important characteristics for people looking to advance in a creative profession.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a director, both at heart and in my profession. I got good at branding things, specifically musicians, for several years. I’m able to weave the brand and themes of an artist into a cohesive visual story. I’m also a trained photographer, and I’ve had my photos published around the world in almost every publication.

Lately, I picked up Improv and Acting, going as far as to join an acting studio about a year ago. That has led me to grow as a director in so many ways, and it is something I think all aspiring directors should do. Over the years, I’ve directed dozens of music videos for varying artists that collectively have millions of views. Recently, I won the Nashville 48-Hour Film competition in 2021 and 2022, and we are gearing up for one more year of that.

The success with the 48 allowed me to do a deep dive into film. This year, I’ve already shot one short film that is currently in post, and in September, I will be directing (and acting) in a film that I’m very excited about. It’s a short I wrote based on a 9-episode TV anthology that I’ve also written.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I feel like this section is going to be very long if I don’t condense it. Before I moved to Nashville, I had so much support from mentors at my university; Dr. Jim Spain, Chuck May, and David Rielley. They were cheerleaders and supporters.

The music and film communities in Nashville are so tight-knit that it’s too many people to name. A family friend, Nancy Wilson, let me stay with her when I first moved to Nashville and she helped me get started. Chris Blair, who owns the listening room, became a good friend and convinced me to stay in Nashville when I almost left. He also gave me the opportunity to run the listening room where I started to meet so many wonderful people.

Dan Layus (Augustana) gave me my first experience of touring on a big stage with an artist. We became fast friends and supporters of each other’s art. Tyler Filmore gave me the opportunity to create and build a brand around an artist from the ground up. Blake McDaniel at CAA, from the beginning, has always treated me as an equal, and constantly reminds me that good people are working in the entertainment industry.

Mike White, a cinematographer and frequent collaborator of mine has been one of my biggest supporters. He has always been there to help and together we’ve created some amazing things. If it weren’t for him reaching out about doing the initial 48, I’m not sure where I would be right now.

Community and Art go hand in hand. You can have them separately, but they are always better together. “It’s a team sport”, as I usually say. We all help each other out because we all grow together. Beginning has always treated me as an equal, and constantly reminds me that good people are working in the entertainment industry.

Mike White, a cinematographer and frequent collaborator of mine has been one of my biggest supporters. He has always been there to help and together we’ve created some amazing things. If it weren’t for him reaching out about doing the initial 48, I’m not sure where I would be right now.

Community and Art go hand in hand. You can have them separately, but they are always better together. “It’s a team sport”, as I usually say. We all help each other out because we all grow together.

Contact Info:

• Website: vayllnashville.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/dustbar
• Facebook: facebook.com/vayll
• Other: vimeo.com/vayll

Image Credits
Rachel Deeb and Sara De La Haya