Where's The Lighter Studios is a Portland, Oregon film production studio built by two people who've been telling stories since long before it was a business.
Tony started making movies before he can even remember deciding to. By 10, he'd launched his own YouTube channel — and taught himself editing, pacing, color grading, and storytelling from the ground up, one upload at a time. Stories, to him, are the spark that connects people: the emotion, the build-up, the hero's journey — everything has a story if you care enough to look for it. Today, Tony works full-time as the social media marketing strategist for Steve's Auto Restorations (S.A.R.), a legendary Portland shop celebrated for award-winning hot rods, street rods, and concours-level classic builds — currently celebrating its 50th year in business. It's there he films the shop floor, documents builds in progress, and turns decades of craftsmanship into stories worth sharing — most recently with *Building Dreams*, a tribute film honoring S.A.R. founder Steve Frisbie.
Evelyn brings the writing, directing, and editing eye behind the camera. Her photography and cinematography have earned multiple Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, including a Gold Key, a Silver Key, and several Honorable Mentions. Her short film *North Dakota* — shot and directed to an original song by Nina Nastasia — was featured in the 2026 Best of Portland Public Schools Film Festival. Her work moves fluidly between portraiture, film stills, and narrative video, always in service of the same instinct: finding the story underneath the image.
Together, Tony and Evelyn direct, shoot, and produce together — bringing complementary strengths to every project: Tony's technical production background and storytelling instincts from a decade-plus behind the camera, and Evelyn's directorial eye, writing, and editing craft.
Where's The Lighter Studios exists to bring that same care to every story we're trusted with — whether it's a business finding its voice, a couple's wedding day, or a build that deserves to be remembered.
Based in Portland, Oregon.