Garrett Patten's 'Self Custody' Portrays Dual Aspects of Bitcoin, Featuring Adrien Grenier and Henry.

      "Self Custody," a clever and humorously tense thriller co-directed by Garrett Patten, who also stars in the film, effectively highlights both the advantages and disadvantages of Bitcoin.

      The advantage of Bitcoin lies in its decentralized nature, functioning as peer-to-peer digital currency that is untraceable and free from government regulation.

      Conversely, the drawback of Bitcoin is that it is decentralized, peer-to-peer digital currency, untraceable and unregulated by any government.

      "Self Custody" explores both sides of the coin but focuses predominantly on the negatives. It draws inspiration from the reality that countless dollars in Bitcoin are lost each year due to fraud or mere oversight. The title alludes to the notion that Bitcoin holders are entirely responsible for their assets.

      The film was showcased during a special SXSW screening on Saturday night, where Patten participated in a post-film Q&A alongside Entourage star Adrien Grenier, who delivers a pivotal and impactful performance as a detached catalyst for chaos, and two-time UFC champion Henry Cejudo, who makes a late entry in the film, showcasing his fierce determination both on-screen and in the ring. Odette Annable also gives a strong and convincing performance.

      The 31-minute film, which Patten refers to as a micro-feature rather than a short, is available on Amazon Prime, Tubi, and Plex. In the lead role of Scott, a father and business owner facing financial issues, Patten delivers an empathetic and engaging performance. Scott believes he has struck gold when a friend and advisor (Michael Monks) informs him that he holds a Bitcoin fortune from a signing bonus received over a decade ago.

      However, there’s a catch: Scott must recall both his old PIN code and a seed phrase to access the funds. Things quickly spiral out of control.

      Both Grenier and Cejudo expressed during the Q&A that they eagerly joined the project because of their friendship with Patten. Additionally, Grenier mentioned his personal stake: he is a Bitcoin enthusiast, or "maxi," who views its benefits as vastly outweighing its drawbacks.

      When the audience asked Grenier to explain "maxi," he humorously responded: "It’s someone who believes in Bitcoin above all other cryptocurrencies, or s— coins. That's a technical term, you know. There are two sides to the coin, or Bitcoin."

      After eliciting laughter from the audience, he added: “It’s a pure technology that truly resembles digital gold, while other cryptocurrencies often have numerous loopholes. You can’t actually access Bitcoin, which is a feature that incorporates multiple checks and balances. On the other hand, other cryptocurrencies essentially function as an elaborate app or website.”

      Sounds appealing? Here's the downside again. Patten shared that each of those checks and balances has its own downsides: he was inspired to create "Self Custody" after a friend experienced losing millions in Bitcoin because he couldn't access it.

      "A friend who lost his job discovered that he had been gifted crypto in the past, and he went on a journey to try to retrieve it," Patten recounted.

      While researching for the film, which he co-directed with Fernando Ferro, Patten came across numerous cases of individuals losing hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin.

      The screening in Austin took place at the beautiful Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Mueller, marking a homecoming for the film, which was shot at SXSW. Patten praised his Austin-based crew for the film's exceptionally high production values.

      "For an indie film, it felt like a feature, and that's all due to the crew," he noted. "You can't achieve that in every city. I've filmed in many locations, and Austin has a lot to offer."

      (He also touched on filming in Austin during a recent Sundance panel discussing the Best Places to Live and Work as a Filmmaker.)

      Grenier, who resides locally, was excited to shoot near home.

      "I strongly advocate for the Austin film scene and for Texas in general," he stated. "I want to begin creating projects in this area. On a personal level, I want to return home to my family at the end of the day, and with the new $1.5 billion incentive from the Texas government, I believe we'll start seeing more projects developed here."

      Patten, who has primarily worked behind the scenes on productions like 2022's Bandit and last year’s The Hand of Dante, prepared for his leading role in "Self Custody" by taking acting classes and bringing in his acting teacher, Monks, for an important part in the film.

      "We had great chemistry right from the start and became good friends. Supporting him in something he was pursuing was something I loved to do, creating a wonderful symbiotic relationship," Monks shared. "His dedication was inspiring, and I wanted to be involved."

      At one point (spoilers ahead), Monks' character faces off against Cejudo's, allowing for a blend of expert acting