From Filament to Film: MANO Comes Alive
By Coco He | September 2025
Read Time: 4 min
On the streets of Bushwick, Brooklyn, MANO tells the story of Nelson Diaz, a former Olympic boxer turned barber who is pulled back into the fight to protect his community. Behind the camera, director Shvwn Cooper and the BVLLSHVRK team faced a bigger battle: bringing their ambitious vision to life on a shoestring budget. The solution? 3D printing. By building custom rigs, modular carts, and specialized props in-house, the team gained unprecedented speed and flexibility. Every constraint became a chance to innovate. Learn more about MANO on Instagram.
The image shows the setup of a barber station
Reimagining Props and Production Gear
The team didn’t just print objects—they transformed how a film set comes alive. PLA-printed trophies, medals, and set pieces turned the Olympic-level world into a vibrant, believable environment. For high-stress camera mounts, rigging, and structural components, ASA and PETG ensured durability, while Overture filament gave the team the flexibility to prototype, test, and refine each piece in real time, making every tool and prop perfectly suited to the shoot.
One standout example shows the power of this approach: the team needed a glove-mounted POV rig for a punch shot. Traditional fabrication would have cost hundreds and taken weeks. Instead, they modeled and printed multiple prototypes in under 48 hours using just a few dollars of filament. Specialty clamps and tool holders on the production cart were also replaced with printed versions, giving a low-cost cart modular, studio-grade flexibility that evolved alongside the shoot.
The image shows a PS5 mount / controller caddy
Empowering Creativity with Overture
The heart of MANO is about pressure—the kind that builds silently and explodes without warning. Shvwn and her team translated that tension into every part of production. With Overture’s support—filament donations and access to high-quality materials—the team could prototype camera rigs, props, and tools without compromise. Overture filament became central to prototyping camera rigs, set pieces, and other production tools, giving the team the freedom to design exactly what each shot demanded without compromise.
The image shows an organizer
Building the Future of Filmmaking
For Shvwn, the possibilities are only expanding. “Now that we can build our own tools, we’re planning bigger action sequences, more complex rigging, and even full environment prototypes,” she explains. Gear for stunt cams, motion control setups, and modular lighting attachments are all on the horizon. With 3D printing—and Overture filament—at the core of their workflow, the team isn’t experimenting—they’re shaping the next phase of filmmaking on their own terms.
The image shows 3D-printed cable ducts
Tips for Aspiring Makers
For filmmakers curious about 3D printing, Shvwn’s advice is simple: don’t wait to master CAD. Start by remixing existing files, experimenting, and learning by doing. Invest in a reliable printer and Overture’s high-quality filaments, 3D printing is no longer just a tool, but a breakthrough that helps filmmakers bring bold ideas to life. Most productions underestimate how much faster, cheaper, and more flexible the approach can be—especially for small teams chasing big ideas.
Explore the Filaments That Power Purpose
