Soleil Moon Frye’s Werewolf in the Waves, a deeply personal documentary about her relationship with late Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock, has added Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Emmy-winning producer Dax Dasilva as executive producers.
Soleil Moon Frye’s upcoming documentary Werewolf in the Waves, which explores her longtime friendship and deeply personal relationship with late Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock, has gained new backing from Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company Appian Way and producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Dax Dasilva.
The documentary follows Frye’s reconnection with Shellshock, whose real name was Seth Binzer, as an attempt to document his musical comeback gradually became an intimate story about friendship, love, addiction and loss.
Frye directed the majority of the film using her iPhone. The footage began as an effort to chronicle Crazy Town’s return to music but took a dramatic turn as her relationship with Binzer became more personal and he struggled with a relapse.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Boards the Documentary
Appian Way, the production company founded by Leonardo DiCaprio, has joined Werewolf in the Waves as an executive producer. The move also reunites Appian Way with Frye after the two previously worked together on her 2021 documentary Kid 90.
Frye serves as an executive producer alongside Appian Way’s Jennifer Davisson and Phillip Watson, Dax Dasilva, and Binzer’s sisters Aubrey Binzer and Mieke Binzer Dumont.
The documentary has already screened at film festivals, giving audiences an early look at Frye’s highly personal approach to Binzer’s story.
Dax Dasilva Joins as Executive Producer
Dax Dasilva, who won an Emmy for his work on the nature documentary Wildcat, is also joining the project as an executive producer.
Dasilva said he was drawn to the documentary because of its focus on addiction, loss and resilience. He described Frye’s perspective as an opportunity to reach people who have been personally affected by drug addiction.
The producer is known for supporting impact-driven documentary projects. He is also the founder of Lightspeed Commerce and Age of Union, a nonprofit focused on conservation and environmental initiatives.
Frye said Dasilva’s involvement was particularly meaningful because of his passion for the story and his commitment to helping carry Shellshock’s legacy forward.
Frye and Shifty Shellshock Had Known Each Other for Years
Frye and Binzer’s connection went back to their adolescence, long before Crazy Town became internationally known.
Frye initially began filming Binzer while documenting his efforts to revive his music career. As they reconnected, their longtime friendship developed into a romantic relationship, changing the direction of the documentary.
The film ultimately became a much more intimate record of Binzer’s struggles with addiction and mental health.
Binzer died on June 24, 2024, at the age of 49. His death was later reported as an accidental overdose.
From Crazy Town’s “Butterfly” to a Difficult Later Life
Shifty Shellshock became widely known as the frontman of Crazy Town, the Los Angeles band that combined rock, hip-hop and metal.
Crazy Town’s 2000 debut album, The Gift of Game, produced the band’s biggest commercial success with “Butterfly.” The song became a major hit in 2001 and helped establish the group during the peak of the early-2000s rap-rock era.
However, the band struggled to reproduce that level of success, while Binzer’s public battles with substance abuse increasingly became part of his story.
Werewolf in the Waves approaches that history from a different perspective, focusing less on the conventional rise-and-fall narrative of a rock star and more on the person Frye knew personally.
A Personal Documentary Similar to Kid 90
The new documentary continues Frye’s work as a filmmaker exploring intimate stories through personal footage.
Her previous documentary Kid 90 drew extensively from home-video recordings she made while growing up as a child actress in Hollywood. The project examined her friendships and experiences as she came of age in the entertainment industry.
Werewolf in the Waves similarly relies heavily on footage captured by Frye herself, with much of the documentary filmed on an iPhone.
This time, however, the camera follows someone else’s struggle as Frye documents Binzer’s attempt to rebuild his life and career.
Shifty Shellshock Wanted His Story to Help Others
According to Frye, Binzer wanted to share his journey in the hope that it could help people dealing with addiction and mental-health struggles.
Frye said his goal was to make people experiencing similar challenges feel less alone and encourage greater understanding and compassion.
That mission has become an important part of the documentary following his death.
The filmmakers hope the film can encourage conversations about addiction while presenting Binzer’s life through the perspective of someone who knew him personally.
With Appian Way and Dax Dasilva now joining the project, Werewolf in the Waves has gained additional support as it continues its journey toward a wider audience.
