Carter Canfield

Carter Canfield is a director, writer, and producer from Watertown, South Dakota. In 2018, he cofounded the film production studio Lausey Films alongside cofounded Dylan Lau. For four years, he held position as CEO and Head in-house Director for the company until its closure in 2022. During his time with Lausey Films, Canfield acted as director and show runner for multiple projects, most notably The Lausey Show (2019), an improv-based television series focusing on a group of friends in South Dakota. The first season was completed in 2019, while the second season was canceled in early 2020 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. He also directed short films in this including Sam vs Wild (2019), Poetic Corruption (2022), and an unaired The Grooks pilot. In 2021, Carter Canfield released his biggest project yet: The Grooks. This short film detailed the story of three cops attempting to solve a crime as they are followed by a camera crew. In the days following the film’s release, its sequel was greenlit, and production on a sequel began in 2022. The Grooks II (2022) was released the following Halloween with characters such as Rook and Griff returning to solve another case. Despite the disbanding of Lausey Films, a third film in the Grooks franchise is still rumored.

After taking a year off, Canfield returned to the film industry in 2024, founding a new production and distribution company, I29 Entertainment. I29 Entertainment is a company located and based in SIoux Falls, South Dakota, and was founded by Canfield, Sam Foust, Ben Griffin, and Parker Magnuson. The first short film released by the company, Le Trafic de Drogue, was released in June 2024. Today, Canfield acts as co-CEO and COO for I29 Entertainment alongside Ben Griffin, co-CEO and CMO.

Canfield is a two-time Lausie Award Winner, having won for the direction of the first season of The Lausey Show “Civil War” and for the direction of The Grooks II.