The story should
change what happens next.
Operation Shield is developing documentaries about injustice, culture, and lived experience. We begin with the people who trust us with their stories—and consider what each project can give back.
WHY OPERATION SHIELD EXISTS ↓
Care for the story.
Care for the people.
Our films are in development. Our purpose is already clear.
Every documentary begins with someone trusting us with a story that matters to them. Operation Shield exists to honor that trust—and to make sure the work creates opportunities beyond the screen.
Today, we are developing films about social injustice, culture, and real life experiences that are too easily overlooked. Our founders bring investigative and filmmaking experience to that work. We listen to the people closest to each story, examine the facts, and develop films that invite audiences to understand more deeply.
Community impact is part of how we plan a production. We look for opportunities to work with local crews and businesses, include veterans and people with disabilities, and give emerging filmmakers practical experience. The opportunities will differ from film to film, because each story and community has its own needs.
We carry that thinking into screenings. Each event gives us a chance to bring people together around a clearly identified cause, account for the funds it raises, and show what those funds help accomplish. As Operation Shield grows, we intend to build on this work with mentorship and grants for the next generation of filmmakers.
Meet the co-founders.
Two paths through investigation and production. One shared commitment to hearing people fully and telling their stories with care.
Larry Biela
Larry Biela has spent more than 35 years working as a detective, taking on cases where careful investigation can change the course of someone’s life. His work spans criminal defense, wrongful-conviction matters, and other complex investigations. He has also served as a collaborating detective with the Innocence Project and the Exoneration Project on a variety of investigative work.
Larry brings that same commitment to film. As an actor, writer, and producer, he believes a well-told story can help audiences see people and circumstances they might otherwise overlook. He co-founded Operation Shield to bring investigative experience and filmmaking together—grounding documentaries in facts, giving people room to tell their stories, and creating work that can start meaningful conversations.
EXPLORE LARRY'S FILM WORK ↗
Michael Bussan
Michael Bussan founded Cyber Tiger Studios in 2008 and spent the next 15 years working across television, film, multimedia production, and security. Through a partnership with Sherman Worldwide on work for the US Cyber Challenge, he helped create digital content to reach and recruit people for the nation’s cybersecurity needs. That work included authorized interviews with members of Congress and people connected with organizations such as the FBI and CIA.
Michael also found a passion for private security, working with corporations and individual clients. He gained additional production experience at NBCUniversal in Chicago, extending his work across both security and media.
In 2023, Michael became a criminal defense investigator and joined Larry Biela in investigative work supporting the Innocence Project and the Exoneration Project. Together, they help advocate for people who may have been wrongfully accused or cannot effectively fight for themselves. As a co-founder of Operation Shield, he connects those disciplines through documentaries that give people a chance to be heard and bring overlooked issues into public view.
VIEW MICHAEL'S BACKGROUND ↗To bring what’s overlooked into view.
Our films are built around real people and real questions. We want each project to invite an audience to look closer, understand more, and take part in a conversation that continues beyond the screening.