About the Director

Hey everyone, my name is Tanner Ray. I am a writer and director who grew up in rural Oklahoma.

The Story Behind Love You, Bye

Love You, Bye is my first narrative feature film, based on a true story I actually lived. Growing up as the only “artsy” kid in a small town, I never really felt like I belonged. Then one summer, when I had no friends, a group of rowdy "truck kids" invited me in. Despite the weird glances and the culture shock, they took me under their wing and completely changed my perspective on the place I grew up. (The place I thought I hated).

They took me to rodeos, taught me how to two step, how to ride a horse, and most importantly how to pay attention to what was right in front of me. They somehow made the Walmart parking lot feel like the center of the universe. That summer changed my life.

Synopsis

When a 17 year old skater from New York is sent to live with his grandma in a small Oklahoma farming town, he discovers friendship and belonging in the last place he ever imagined: among a group of rowdy country kids.

What the Film Is About

The film follows Carter, a quiet teen who has been uprooted from his life and sent to live with his grandmother in rural Oklahoma. When he meets a group of small town kids who pull him into their world, he slowly finds connection, belonging, and a reason to open up again. It is a story about unlikely friendships, learning to let people in, and discovering that love often shows up in the most unexpected places.

Why now? Why this story matters

In a world that feels more divided than ever, I believe we need stories like this. Stories that remind us of the middle ground we all share. Stories that bring people from completely different worlds together. Hollywood rarely shows what growing up in rural America actually feels like in an honest, human way. I want to tell a real story made by small town kids, for small town kids.

Why is it called “Love you, bye.”?

One night, something I will never forget happened. These kids always said “Love you, bye” whenever someone left, even if they had only known you for a week. I finally asked one of them, “Why do you guys always say that?” She looked me in the eye and said, “You never know what your last words will be to someone.”

Under the buzzing lights of a Walmart parking lot, that moment hit me in a way I could not shake. It is the heartbeat of this film.

Those kids taught me how to make a life out of shopping carts and hay bales. How to make something out of nothing. That is what Love You, Bye is all about! They say "write what you know" and I know this story because I lived it.

More Than a Movie

This is not just a movie. It is a movement. We are hosting community events, fundraisers, a rodeo, and even a punk show in a barn. All of it is meant to bring people together. This film is about connection, so we want that movement to happen in real life too. We are building a community where city kids, country kids, anyone, can unplug, stop scrolling, and hang out in real life again.

Where Your Money Goes

Our total goal is 50,000 dollars, but we are starting with 25,000 here on GoFundMe. This first goal covers pre production costs like hiring a strong production team, casting, and getting the film fully into motion so I can focus completely on writing and planning. Every dollar goes directly into making Love You, Bye.

It takes a small army to make a movie, and I cannot do it alone. If you can donate, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you cannot, even sharing this campaign could reach the right person. Sometimes all it takes is one yes to make something real.

This is not just my story. It is OUR story. Lets make it together!