William Lee
Throughout the 1980s, Black filmmaker and martial artist William Lee wrote, produced, directed, and starred in dozens of D.I.Y. action epics - all shot on Super 8 in Ohio and New York City. He is probably best known for the cult classic "Treasure of the Ninja," which was resurrected by the American Genre Film Archive, released as a Blu-ray in 2022, and reignited Lee’s worldwide fan following. Lee currently has more than a dozen features in release on outlets including Apple TV, Tubi, Amazon, and RedBox.
Paul Andrich
Paul Andrich grew up in Manitoba Canada. When he was eight years old, for extra family income, he began to work as a professional clown. He has performed professionally ever since. He is a magician, a mentalist, a hypnotist, a fire breather, and one of the fastest balloon twisters in the world.
In the early 2,000’s he developed a passion for acting on film and has booked regular roles in productions ever since.
In 2018 he started working as an acting coach, sharing his passion with upcoming actors. His clients have booked roles on some very notable productions.
So far, every year or two, Paul produced a feature film with these very acting clients that train with him.
Their goal as a group is to continue to make films together and become more recognized in the film community.
S.N. Sibley
S.N. Sibley is a British independent filmmaker known for his work in low-budget horror and exploitation cinema in Northeast England. As a director, writer, actor, and executive producer, his films embrace a gritty, DIY aesthetic. Notable works include The Last Zombie Hunter (2010), Deadly Display (2023), and Trash Arts Killers: Volume Three (2022). He also wrote and acted in Axel Falcon (2024) and produced Full Moon Massacre (2006). Sibley’s films explore survival, psychological terror, and the macabre, earning him recognition in the underground horror scene for pushing genre boundaries with bold, raw storytelling.
Davide Montecchi
Davide Montecchi, born in 1981, is an Italian director and editor. A DAMS graduate with a thesis on Peter Greenaway, he trained in CGI, editing, and post-production in Italy and New York. After directing music videos and commercials in NYC, he founded Meclimone in 2013. His debut feature, In a Lonely Place (2015), received festival acclaim. In 2018, he directed In Defense of Sacred Images, blending medieval art and film. A lecturer at the University of Urbino, he’s also directed TV specials and commercials. In 2021, he co-produced La Fellinette, and in 2024, he released his second feature, Through the Deepening Night.
John Eagle
As a self-taught filmmaker from a small, impoverished town, I've honed my skills through determination, grit, and an unrelenting passion for storytelling. My work is a bold fusion of the raw intensity of Quentin Tarantino, the visceral energy of Robert Rodriguez, and the meticulous precision of David Fincher. I bring to the table a unique perspective that not only captures the heart of human experience but also challenges conventional cinematic boundaries.
Avaryana Rose
Avaryana Rose is an actress, known for Not for Sale: Florida, Bitter Souls, Spirit Springs, The Caretaker and award winning lead actress of Broken (2023) starring alongside actors Dean Cain (Superman), Daniel Baldwin, Quinton (Rampage) Jackson, Kevin Sorbo, Michael Hargrove (Candyman) and Greg Cipes (Teen Titans Go)(TMNT) Avaryana has also gained notoriety as a NYFW Runway Model, YouTuber, Social Media Influencer with well over a million combined followers and successful teen CEO of Avaryana Rose LLC + Babe Entertainment production company and also Babes Against Bullying a brand that spreads awareness against cyber bullying.
John Ragsdale
John Ragsdale is an independent filmmaker, writer, and director based in Missoula, Montana, and the founder of Full-On Riker Productions. With an MFA in Filmmaking from the University of Montana, he creates genre-blending films that combine humor, horror, action, and drama. His recent features, SmashSquatch (2025) and Chased By Shadows (2024), showcase his talent for storytelling on a budget. Committed to working with Montana-based talent, Ragsdale has written 27 screenplays and emphasizes originality, strong characters, and visual flair. His work pushes genre boundaries while celebrating authentic voices in regional filmmaking.
Matt Wechsler & Annie Speicher
Matt Wechsler and Annie Speicher are a husband-and-wife filmmaking team from Evanston, Illinois with a passion for sustainable agriculture. Their first collaboration, SUSTAINABLE, screened at over 40 festivals worldwide and received the 2016 Global Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Achievement. When not making films, Matt and Annie enjoy spending time with their two children, who are the reason they fight for a better food system. In the summers, you can find them working in their backyard urban farm, which features over 75 varieties of edible plants.
Ashley Morrison
Ashley Morrison is a documentary filmmaker, sports commentator, author, and funeral celebrant—above all, a storyteller. Born in England, now based in Perth, Australia, he’s known for his work across radio, podcasting (Not the Footy Show), and sports commentary, especially in field hockey, soccer, rugby, and boxing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he became a funeral celebrant, honoring lives through story. He’s authored six books, including one on his cancer journey, and directed acclaimed documentaries such as No Apologies and Return to Your Corner. Ashley believes everyone has a story worth telling—and he’s devoted his life to helping share them.
Steve Hermann
Steve Hermann is an award-winning filmmaker with over fifteen titles as director. His genre of choice is horror and supernatural which allows his mind to create stories not only to make you think, but also to terrify you. His interest in filmmaking began by adapting his books to film and continues as original stories pop into his head and become the next feature film or short film. Films directed by Steve Hermann are available on various streaming platforms.
Mia Katz
This is Mia Katz’s directorial debut in film. Previously, she has directed “The Moors” by Jen Silverman in Murphys, California, and “Everything Must Go” at Heartland Theater in Bloomington, Illinois. Mia is also a theatre and screen actor who has been seen in several other Acrostar projects, including Night of the Dead Sorority Babes, Attack of the Corn Zombies, and They Came Back From Somewhere.
Christopher Clarke
Christopher Clarke has been a singer, actor, director for over forty years. He has directed numerous plays, TV pilots, (NN-1) (RED LION SQUARE) and feature films, (BAKED BEAN) (PARALLEL LIES) (TORTU) (CARBON & WATER). He has three new features in development, scheduled for release in 2026, 2027. In October 2025 he has a new album released ODYSSEY.
Brooklyn Demme
Brooklyn Demme, son of Oscar-winner Jonathan Demme, began filmmaking alongside his father on Protection Not Protest (2016). After Jonathan’s passing, Brooklyn deepened his connection to Indigenous sovereignty, creating Akuy Eenda Mahwehlaang (2019) with the Ramapough Lenape Nation. Embracing storytelling as a communal act, he co-founded Truth 2 Power to mentor Black and Native filmmakers. With guidance from mentors like Norris Branham, he directed Mountain Lion (2024) and Diligence (2025). His outreach includes free courses and library visits with tribal elders. In 2023, he was named “TrueHeart” by community leaders, a title he carries with humility and commitment to healing through film.
Jack Tempchin
Jack Tempchin is the legendary songwriter of the Eagles' "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Already Gone", and dozens of other charting hits. He was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame in 2019. Midnight Jack the Movie is Jack's first feature-length experimental documentary film which features music, comedy and philosophy from Tempchin.
It has won many awards.
Gregory Page
Midnight Jack the Movie is Gregory Page's debut film.
He studied iMovie from the University of YouTube.
His cousin Neville Page is a motion picture creature concept designer who has worked on films, including Avatar, Star Trek & Cloverfield. Gregory realizes that name dropping is important in the movie biz and the only person he knows in the biz is his cousin Neville.
Mark Mackner
MARK MACKNER began writing and directing stage plays in 1998. His work played to sold out audiences at the Philly Fringe Festival in the early 2000s, with such titles as “WAKE UP, PADDINGTON, YOU WORTHLESS SHIT!” and “TELEPATHIC ALCOHOLIC TEENAGE PUNK ROCK PSYCHO SLUTS”. In 2008, he made the jump to filmmaking with the 10 minute short “DAISY DERKINS, DOGSITTER OF THE DAMNED”. He expanded that into a feature, which now has 4 sequels. As an actor, Mark can be seen in “CAMP BLOOD 666”, “REVENGE OF THE DEVIL BAT”, “DEATH HOUSE”, and more. Mark has also filmed several indie wrestling shows in the Philly/Jersey/Delaware area. Aside from filmmaking, Mark also enjoys comic books, pro wrestling, and dinosaurs.
Giuliano Tomassacci
Giuliano Tomassacci, born in Rome in 1978, is a cinematographer, director, screenwriter, and producer. Trained at DAMS and the Rossellini Institute, he studied under noted A.I.C. members and launched his career with features, shorts, and commercial work. Since 2001, he has lensed films, music videos, and TV content. He co-wrote and shot Report 51 (2011) and developed the Split-Vision project in 2015. His directorial debut, Three Mirrors Creature’s Flashes of Flesh, premiered in 2023. A film scholar, he’s collaborated with major festivals and institutions. He recently completed his second feature, LaBouche Canalla Wins Her Snack, a folk sci-fi/horror.
Jenni Farley
Worldwide television celebrity, Jenni Farley (also known as “JWoww”), has quickly made her mark in the entertainment industry and continues to do so with her 2 children, Meilani and Greyson Mathews, by her side. Jenni made her television debut in 2009 on the hit MTV reality series, Jersey Shore. The record-breaking TV show drew millions of viewers each week, taking a look inside the lives of Jenni and her seven other cast mates.
Jenni partnered with Australian Gold in 2011 and launched her own tanning lotion line which has been internationally successful since. In 2018, Jenni partnered with Kulture City and serves as a board member of their organization to educate and provide sensory inclusive programs worldwide.
Jenni returned to television again in April of 2018 with the revival of MTV’s Jersey Shore; Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. The series follows the housemates from the original Jersey Shore as they reunite to go on vacation in Miami, Las Vegas, and other destinations around the world.
In 2021, Jenni launched Heavenly Flower, an e-commerce boutique that offers coordinating mother/daughter outfits, as well as a variety of fashion pieces and accessories.
With over 15 years of experience in front of the camera, Jenni’s latest venture has her stepping behind the lens. In 2020, Jenni wrote, directed and produced her debut horror film, DEVON, which was picked up by Cineverse as a SCREAMBOX exclusive for fall of 2024. Jenni has also partnered with BarBHouse Productions to bring her chilling script NANNYCAM to life.
Liza Asner
Liza Asner (Producer, Writer & Director) is an award-winning filmmaker. From 2022-2023, her first film, a comedy-short starring her late-father and 7-time Emmy Winner Edward Asner and Academy Award nominee June Squibb was picked up by 12 different film festivals and garnered two wins. In 2024 she is followed her suc cess up with a political documentary on polarization in America — “It Isn’t JUST Politics” and the film’s laurels have been stacking up as the film tours the U.S. on the festival circuit. Liza was born and raised in L.A. but spent 22 years in Portland, OR working in pro motions and advertising before returning to the City of Angels to assist her father Ed. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism from Northeastern University and later a Master of Science in Education (recipient of the Helene Krivosha School of Education Scholarship). She produced and voiced radio spots for Portland Saturday Market (largest continuous open-air crafts market in the world), ran the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular at Fort Vancouver, worked in Production/Sales for KPTV Oregon’s 12. After returning to LA she managed the Saturday Conservatory of Music part-time for several years while running her father’s busy office. It was at this time that producing and writing film took hold. She was the Associate Producer of the film documentary MY FRIEND ED, voiced the role of Katherine in THE ROMANCING AND REAPING OF RIVEN ROCK, played the teacher in TIGER WITHIN, and played Cindy in PAINTING JANE. Asner was Casting Director/Stage Manager of Ed. Weinberger’s staged readings TWO JEWS TALKING with Ed Asner and Richard Kind and TWO SISTERS TALKING with Sally Struthers and June Squibb (2017) at the Falcon Theater. She was the Booker/Stage Manager of Weinberger’s A MAN AND HIS PROSTATE that toured for three years. She has two photo exhibits under her belt benefiting the Jewish Cuba Project and served as Producer, Stage Manager and Booker of Samuel Warren Joseph & Phil Proctor’s GOD HELP US, which starred Ed Asner which served as the genesis of her political documentary.
Irina Meyer
Irina Meyer is the visionary Executive Producer and Founder of Mama Lion Productions. Before establishing this production house, Irina embarked on her professional journey at Sils Capital, a venture fund dedicated to supporting early-stage companies worldwide, with a special emphasis on investing in women-led enterprises. In 2011, Irina received an Emmy for her outstanding work in Interactive Media, highlighting her significant contributions to the industry. As the head of Mama Lion Productions, she is dedicated to creating stories about extraordinary women and their impact on the world. Her expertise in media production, programmatic media buying, and interactive media solidifies Mama Lion Productions as an industry trailblazer.
E.E. Tallent
EE Tallent has had a life in horror and scary stories. His family owned a casket company and were cemetery caretakers outside of Seattle Washington. He spent family gatherings playing in macabre settings. His parents read King and Poe to him at an early age, and his first literary obsession was Goosebumps. It’s no wonder he gravitated towards the spooky side of creative endeavors. After years as a storyteller in gaming spaces he decided to make his first film, a collective of filmmakers formed around these early projects becoming Tapped House TV which continues to produce films and television with The Hallow Ian Horror Hour being the centerpiece of their work. When not playing a ghost on TV, Tallent enjoys being in the verdant nature of the Pacific Northwest, reading occult histories, and spending time with his dog, Bill.
Ship Shea
Los Angeles Barea is an award-winning filmmaker and the founder of SinAmor Films, known for using storytelling as a tool for social change. Her latest project, Green Superheroes 2030, is an internationally acclaimed documentary following 10 young environmentalists, ages 5 to 17, as they develop groundbreaking solutions to tackle climate change. Using cinematic visuals, green screens and stunning aerial footage, the film showcases their bold initiatives—from designing microplastic detectors to preserving the Amazon rainforest—while inspiring global audiences to take action. The film has won multiple awards: including the Green Organisation, Green World Award in the Climate Change category; Grand Jury Prize at the Awareness Film Festival; Best Feature at the San Diego International Kids Film Festival; Grand Jury Award for Best Educational Film at the Children’s International Film Festival of Wales; and Awards of Excellence at Nature Without Borders International Film Festival; a nomination for the Children Cinema Award (a member of the European Children’s Film Association); and the KIDS FIRST! Approved Film Award. Expanding on its success, Barea launched The Green Superheroes Movement, a nonprofit drive to empower youth-led environmental activism. In 2021, Barea wrote and directed Buy Me a New Life, a short film addressing school bullying and gun violence. Encouraged by its success, she went on to direct her first feature film, The Paper Boat, which won Best Feature Film at the New York International Film Awards and Best Director at the Madrid International Film Festival. She was also honored with the London Director’s Award for Best Director of a Film for Children. The Paper Boat is currently available on Amazon Prime. Originally from Mallorca, Spain, Barea first gained recognition in the entertainment industry as an actress, making her debut in Pedro Almodóvar’s Academy Awardwinning Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988). She starred in The Day of the Beast (1995) and Killer Barbies (1996) before transitioning into television, hosting programs for MTV, Canal Plus, and Spain’s RTVE. Now based in Los Angeles, Barea continues to use film to shine a light on pressing social and environmental issues, bringing powerful stories to audiences worldwide
James Ziolkowski
James grew up in the Chicagoland area and is a self-taught screenwriter. After a career in radio, he managed a movie theatre for four years where he lived, breathed, and slept movies. His days at the movie theatre became his unofficial film school.
He has won numerous screenwriting awards in various genres. Some of his writing highlights includes: Runner-up at the prestigious Waterfront Film Festival (Michigan), Top 20 - Red Inkworks (Ontario), First Place Overall - Get Initiative (Illinois), and First Place Comedy & First Place Horror the following year at the Indie Gathering (Ohio)
James wrote, produced, and starred in the independent feature film “Girl in the Refrigerator” (acting under his former radio name Jimmy “Kāsh” Bevetti).
His influences include Christopher Guest, Larry David, and Buster Keaton.
“There’s nothing better in life than a pen and a blank notebook.”
- James Ziolkowski
Ship Shea
Skip Shea is an Emmy Nominated producer of the series BEACON HILL and filmmaker with TRINITY, the Rondo Hatton Award Winning SEEDS and and Rondo Hatton Nominated FLORENCE.
He has also written, produced and performed in his one man show “Catholic Surviving Abuse & Other Dead End Roads” which debuted in NYC in 2005.
He is also the director of the The Shawna E Shea Memorial Foundation, Inc. an arts educational 501(c)(3) non-profit named after his daughter who passed away in 1999.
Alan Zhang
Alan Zhang went to Europe and the United States in the early 1990s, was one of the earliest investors in electronic signatures. Zhang has invested in hydroelectric power stations, hotels, real estate, high-tech chips and other industries in China, now mainly engaged in work related to film and television, media, culture, education, and other fields.
In 2008, he wrote and directed his first feature film Waiting In Beijing, then he was involved in many film productions as investor or producer, including Bait 3D, American Dreams in China, Wu Xia, Design of Death, Outcast and The 33.
His latest film, The Favorite of Times (written and directed by) has already received recognition from several international film festivals, including the recent concluded 2024 Septimius Awards.
Rory Fielding
Rory Fielding, Executive Producer of Rory Fielding Films is an award-winning broadcast professional and investigative reporter with over 30 years of experience in television production and distribution. Fielding directed ‘1955, Seven Days of Fall’ which was broadcast nationwide on ESPN and PBS. ‘1955’ earned three major awards including the Aurora Platinum Best of Show, New York Independent Film Festival Award for Best Sports Documentary and the Accolade Award for Excellence.
Fielding began his broadcast career as an NBC affiliate news reporter and was twice honored by the Associated Press for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism. Rory is a graduate of New York University where he served as an Associate Professor of Film & Television.
Rory Fielding Films recently produced and directed the national PBS Documentary Troubled Waters featuring actor and ocean activist Ted Danson, narrated by Peter Copyote, which focuses on the human impact facing our oceans and its sea creatures.
Victor van Aswegen
Victor van Aswegen is a Cape Town-based filmmaker whose work straddles the arts and the large, complex issues at the top of the global agenda. South Africa’s leading director of films about artists and their work, he has had two films in official selection at the Festival International du Film sur l’Art in Montreal, Canada, the world’s foremost festival for films about art and artists: Displaced in 2022 and Sculpting This Earth in 2024 – the only South African filmmaker who has had multiple films in official selection at Le FIFA. As co-lead of the Cape Town Drought Response Learning Initiative, the preeminent articulation of lessons learnt in the city that are applicable to urban water supply systems globally, he delivered nearly one hundred film outputs on various aspects of the 2017-2018 Cape Town water crisis. Other themes addressed in his films include the nature of complex systems, the traumatic experience of forcibly displaced people, and our relationship to the natural world.
Stephen Kern & Jacy Henry
Stephen Kern, born in New Haven, CT. Stephen grew up in Snellville, GA and has been a School Bus Driver (Regular Ed & Special Needs) for 11 years. Stephen has also been a drummer since Elementary school. Later in Highschool, he drummed for several Metal bands. Fast forward, Stephen went solo and would get a record deal.
Jacy Henry, born in Snellville, GA. Jacy grew up in Maysville, GA and has been an EMT for 13 years. Jacy also plays Bass guitar. Jacy was also in a band and even played a concert at a Walmart parking lot. Fast forward, Jacy joined Stephen's solo band and would go on to play several shows together, including a local Comcast Channel gig! Jacy also runs his own recording Studio (Nebulous Music Studio) and has recorded all Stephen's Metal music that got signed. Both Jacy and Stephen share their love of Metal and Comedy! They both would make random funny skit videos and also would interview all different Actors and Pro musicians etc (from a Seinfeld/Star Trek Actress, Athena Massey to Vegas Vacation/Dharma & Greg Actress Shae D'lyn to former Hall & Oates Keyboardist Eliot Lewis)! Jacy and Stephen would later upgrade their video cameras and one random day Stephen says to Jacy, "Dude, now that we have good ass cameras, would you want to make a full movie movie?? Like going all out!" Jacy said sure! Stephen said bro, I've had this idea for many years about a heavyset dork named ChooChoo McGovney, a slapstick movie! Stephen and Jacy both equally contributed Comedy material into the film (90% improv) and the rest is history! Henry/Kern Films, LLC was born!
Demetrious Donnell Edwards
(Born October 12,1977) Is an Actor, Producer, Director, Writer and Rap Musician known for his role in the underground rap group Black Flame. Edwards was born an identical twin in Macon Georgia by the name Demetrious Donnell Robinson, but due to complications during birth, his Identical twin didn’t survive.
Edwards grew up in a small neighborhood called Pleasant Hills and Attended L. H. Williams elementary school. He also attended Miller middle school and Central high school where he was involved in sports such as Basketball, Football, and Track. He also was in the JROTC program at Central High school for 3 years. At the age of 15 his last name was changed from Robinson to Edwards inheriting his Fathers last name.
In year 1999 Edwards started the Underground rap group Black Flame that took the streets of Macon Georgia and the surrounding cities by storm. In 2023 Edwards wrote, produced, and starred in the feature film Picture Me Roll’n (The Movie).It’s about a Jamaican named animal who grew up Fatherless and his mother died giving birth to him. Growing up was rough so to escape the slums of Kingston, Jamaica he made his way to The United States just to find out the same thing he discovered in Jamaica. The Struggle everywhere. Edwards then took on another project called Double Trouble. Double trouble is a faith-based movie written by and starring Demetrious Edwards, Playing the role of Samson Nazarite. Samson was born a identical twin, but when his deceased twin reveals himself after over 4 decades of being silent it took him completely by surprise and also transformed him to a person he never thought he could be. Samson was forced to come to the conclusion that when you surrender your all to God you can’t go wrong. Edwards is currently in the last stages of his third film called Blessed or Cursed. Blessed or Cursed is about a once Big time hustler name Problem that became homeless when a shipment came up missing. Problem was forced to hide out until he found a laptop in an alley looking for food. To survive and get away from his problems he had to play a game called Blessed or Cursed to survive.
Since then I’ve completed 3 more films Mountains in the water, Seven Seals, For the luv of “Money” and In the finishing stages of Death Struck. All of which I wrote, produced, and starred in.
Steven Ascher & Jeanne Jordan
Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan are Oscar nominated, Emmy and Peabody winning filmmakers, and founders of West City Films. Their feature documentaries include Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern, which won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance, the Prix Italia, a Peabody Award, and IDA distinguished Achievement Award. So Much So Fast premiered at Sundance, was released theatrically to critical acclaim, and was broadcast worldwide, including PBS’s Frontline. Raising Renee premiered at Full Frame and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Arts and Culture Programming.
Their most recent feature is Our Towns for HBO. Other collaborations include Emmy-winning portraits of artists, including Chuck Close and Shimon Attie. Ascher’s short Looking Forward premiered at DOC NYC.
Jordan edited two episodes of the landmark civil rights series Eyes on the Prize and dramas for American Playhouse. She was Emmy nominated series producer of PBS’s Postcards from Buster.
Ascher is author of The Filmmaker’s Handbook, a bestselling text used internationally. He has taught narrative and documentary filmmaking, most recently at MIT and Harvard, where he was a visiting professor.
April Wright
April Wright is an award-winning filmmaker who fell in love with movies at drive-ins and decaying movie palaces growing up in Chicago and Miami. She brings a fresh and creative approach to her narrative projects and documentaries, and is drawn to material inspired by real people and events, especially underdog stories from an underrepresented point of view.
April’s first documentary Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the American Drive-in Movie was released on drive-in screens on June 6, 2013 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first drive-in which opened in Camden, NJ in 1933. The son of the inventor of the drive-in Richard M. Hollingshead III appears in the doc along with legendary movie producer Roger Corman. The film remains the definitive movie on the topic.
Her documentary Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace was a follow-up to the original, shining attention on the magnificent indoor theaters that were mostly built during the peak of the studio system. It released theatrically in 2019-20 throughout the US and Canada, and won numerous Best Documentary and Grand Prize awards at festivals prior to its 2020 premiere on Turner Classic Movies.
Both documentaries are available on streaming platforms and DVD.
Richard Bailey
Richard Bailey’s movies The Dark Sisters (2023), King Judith (2022) and A Ship of Human Skin (2020) are available in wide release through various streaming services. His movies have shown at Alchemy Moving Image, Anthology Film Archives, Arizona Underground, AVIFF Cannes, Berlin Revolution, Black Maria, Dallas VideoFest, Hyperreal Film Club, Proyector International, SENE, SXSW, and many other festivals.
Jeffrey Schwarz
Jeffrey Schwarz is an Emmy Award-winning producer and director known for an extensive body of non-fiction work. His latest feature documentary is Commitment to Life, which chronicles the city of Los Angeles’ response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. It premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February, 2023.
His previous film, Boulevard! A Hollywood Story, is about Gloria Swanson’s attempt to adapt Sunset Boulevard into a musical and the resulting threesome with her songwriters. It premiered at Los Angeles Outfest in 2021. Other work includes The Fabulous Allan Carr (2017), about the flamboyant producer of Grease and La Cage Aux Folles, Tab Hunter Confidential (2015), a biographical portrait of the 1950s screen heartthrob, I Am Divine (2013), about the international drag superstar and John Waters’ leading lady, and HBO Documentary Films’ Vito (2011), the Emmy-winning portrait of beloved gay activist Vito Russo. Vito was nominated for two 2013 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Historical Programming, as well as a 2013 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary. Schwarz’s other films include Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon (2008) and Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story, which won the 2007 AFI Fest Documentary Audience Award and aired on Turner Classic Movies.
Donna Marvin-Platt
Donna Marvin-Platt, a modern day “renaissance woman,” is an award-winning art director and filmmaker, as well as a writer and comedienne. She has over 30 years creative direction experience in the field of medical advertising and has also acted and sang professionally, performing sketch comedy at such venues as Caroline’s, NYC. She wrote and produced the one-person show Life in the Short Lane which she performed at the 78th Street Theatre Lab in NYC. Her last film, the comedic short, Mini Happy Returns, was presented at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival.
Originally from New Rochelle, NY, Donna received her BFA in Design from Carnegie Mellon University and currently resides in Glen Ridge, New Jersey with her husband and two young adult children. Missed Conceptions is her first feature documentary.
Peter Flynn
Peter Flynn is a documentary filmmaker and educator. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and teaches courses in media production and film history at Emerson College.
Peter was born in Dublin, Ireland and lives with his wife, son, and two cats in Boston, MA.
His films include Film is Dead. Long Live Film (2024), The Dying of the Light (2016), and Blazing the Trail: The O'Kalems in Ireland (2011).
Dick Atkins
Dick Atkins has been producing and writing movies and television for many years, first as Vice President of Production for Telecom Entertainment (a subsidiary of the advertising agency D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles) and then for his own companies, A-Films and Atkins Pictures Inc. He was producer of the feature films Asunder in Virginia, and Forced March (which he also wrote) in Hungary, in addition to serving as executive producer or producer on numerous television movies for network and syndication, including Murder in Coweta County and The Gift of Love: A Christmas Story, a health and lifestyle cable series, three documentaries, an original eight-part video series and pilots for syndication and cable. He also has written three original theatrical shows for teenage performers, and directed many hours of documentary footage in Mongolia with the Dalai Lama and Richard Gere.
One of his current projects, The Dinner Set Gang, was profiled on both CBS/60 Minutes (story nominated for an Emmy) and Court TV. He has worked with many stars, including Kiefer Sutherland, Johnny Cash, Andy Griffith, Richard Gere, Blair Underwood, Angela Lansbury, Lee Remick, Marsha Mason, Mary Steenburgen, Ron Silver, Gregory Harrison, Kenny Rogers and Chris Sarandon, and with award-winning directors and writers.
Jill Salvino
After a successful advertising and commercial career Jill Salvino began directing for film and television. She has directed seven short films. Taking it for Granted won Best Drama at NYC’s Downtown Film Festival, two episodes of The Sonnet Project presented by the New York Shakespeare Exchange and Lies People Tell which premiered in the San Pedro International Film Festival. Lies was chosen by the New York Women in Film and Television as one of their Top Short Films of the Year. Six Degrees of Charity featuring Kevin Bacon raised money for various charities. My Second Backpack is part of the state curriculum for senior year New York kids.
Between the Shades was Jill’s documentary feature directorial debut and was featured day of release in The New York Times and is currently licensed in Universities across the country, available on most platforms and has made its network premiere. Salvino also lectures and does LGBTQI+ panel discussions for corporate America with cuts of this film.
Salvino is a member of Promax, long-standing chair of the Telly Silver Counsel, and a Member of the New York Women in Film and Television, as well as the Emmy Academy. Jill has accumulated over 200 industry awards including: Promax, Tellys, NY Festival, Addys, and an Emmy.
Brian Patrick Butler
Brian Patrick Butler is the writer and star of Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea, and he recently directed Michael Madsen (Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs, The Hateful Eight) in the upcoming horror comedy A Corpse in Kensington. Before Hemet, Brian wrote and directed the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic satire Friend of the World which currently holds a 91% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
As an actor, Butler has co-starred in films with Zach King and has recently starred as the eponymous gangster in Liar Liar and screenwriter Paul Guay's parody The Godfather. He will also be starring as the title serial killer in the upcoming horror comedy feature Morte.
Andrew Jara
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, writer/director Andrew Jara is a Latino filmmaker who has made three feature films and is interested in pursuing real themes and situations while bringing more voices to film. Andrew's features and shorts have played festivals all over the world and have been featured on multiple streaming services. His latest feature, The Empty Space, a cosmic horror about mental illness, won the "Best of the Fest" award at the Sacramento Horror Film Festival. Andrew hopes to continue making genre films that reach people on a level beyond entertainment value and bring a Latino perspective to a wide audience.
Joshua Nelson
Born and raised in The Bronx, NY, Joshua Nelson is an award winning actor, writer, director, and former lead singer of the heavy metal band New York’s Finest. Early on, Joshua wrote and produced several feature films including Skinned Alive (Lionsgate) and Aunt Rose (Anchor Bay). More recently Joshua has written and directed the films Aware of the Wolf, The Things We Cannot Change, Triaphilia, and Psycho-Therapy.
Cory Baxter
Cory Baxter is an independent writer and filmmaker. Having a lifelong interest in science fiction, he is an enthusiastic reader of books and movie watcher of the genre. At mid-life, he decided to write his own self-published fantasy novels. Eventually, his passion culminated with creating a motion picture based on characters from his books. Thus, he wrote the screenplay and directed the motion picture, Markus Bixby.
Tijuana Layne
Tijuana Layne has garnered several Best Actress Awards internationally, as well as awards as Best Director. She has achieved outstanding accomplishments in the realms of writing and producing and has contributed her talents to social issues.
In the past ten years, Ms. Layne has concentrated her energies and talents as an actor in film, such as her role as Cha Cha, in Mary Kay Letourneau: All American Girl with Penelope Ann Miller. During this time, she made the transition as both writer and producer on her own independent film productions, founding Three Eagles Productions.
Ms. Layne has written over 23 screenplays, producing eighteen, plus directing nine. Using the medium of film, she has earned respect in her edgy, provocative, performances, and social storytelling. Tijuana secured distribution for her second feature film, The Science of Fear, a film that she wrote, produced, directed and starred in, as well as her third feature film, The Color of the Heart.
Douglas Guarino
Douglas Guarino began his filmmaking career at a young age and has honed his craft throughout the years. With an excellent visual artistic sense, all of his projects offer something unique.
Douglas has worked with artists like Aerosmith, Christina Aguilera, Godsmack, and Josh Logan. His first feature length documentary, Morality: A Historical Perspective, was picked up by Insight Media and has global distribution. Douglas was able to exercise his storytelling skills directing music videos for Another Sight, BYSD, and NEM, and this led him to direct a number of short films including Creak, Family, and Wake Up.
He has also served as the director of photography on many projects, including Regret and Condo Hell. He has a thorough understanding of what it takes to direct actors and can create a scene that will resonate visually and emotionally.
Douglas has recently completed his second feature film, Trinitas, which is scheduled to be released in the winter of 2024.
Joe Leone
Sketch comedian/stage actor turned writer/director, Joe Leone is a proud New York native. A graduate of Skidmore College’s theater program, Joe’s recent accolades include winning “Best Writer” for his noir suspense-thriller Death Sentences at the Accord Cine Fest 2020, “Best Screenplay” at the Sydney Indie Film Festival 2019 with the caustic comedy Meant to Be Broken, and “Best Feature Script” at the BlueCat Screenplay Competition 2018 for the wryly cerebral fantasy Death of a Fool. His script Half Sisters was produced in 2022, and has received a theatrical release. Joe also wrote and directed Breakup Mountain (Best Twist, Top Indie Film Awards, 2023), Reap, Blood Falls, and Parched trilogy with the talented, perpetually thirsty crew of Parched Productions. A film he co-wrote will soon be released by Lionsgate, and he has a dark comedy currently in pre-production with Global Genesis.
Fred Zara
At age 15, Trenton, New Jersey native, Fred Zara, was the drummer for the punk rock band, Prisoners of War, playing venues in the Northeast, including Manhattan’s famed CBGB.
By the late 1990s, Fred began shifting his focus from music to film production. He has since been involved in dozens of documentary and narrative films, both in front and behind the camera. As writer and director his films have screened at film festivals across the US.
His 2009 feature-length documentary, Average Community, which chronicled his early days in Trenton, won awards at festivals in Philadelphia, Orlando, and NYC. In March of 2016, Fred’s narrative feature film, Read Me, premiered in New York City at the Queens World Film Festival and won the festival's award for Best Actor in a Feature Film.
Fred's third award-winning feature film, The Suicide of James Rider, was released by BayView Entertainment in 2020.
Brooke Harris Wolff
Brooke Harris Wolff has been a screenwriter, a member of a standup comedy duo with Wally Dalton, an improv acting teacher, a lyricist, a music producer, and a songwriter (her original songs can be heard on her album, The Last Broad Standing).
Recently, she completed a novelization (Killing Time in Beverly Hills); a sibling memoir (Growing Up Harris), written with Geoff, James, and Jonathan Harris; a graphic novel, The Best of All Possible Worlds, with a story co-written by Academy Award-winning production designer Rick Carter and illustrated by Talia Spencer. Brooke is also the executive producer of the album, These Are the Times—a one-of-a-kind musical, for which she wrote the lyrics, with music by Grant Johnson. Its music director/orchestrator was Doug Walter and producer John Koenig, and is available for purchase as a concept album on various streaming platforms.
Eye of the Storm is the first film Brooke produced and directed. A feature documentary, it chronicles American comedy by tracking the career of standup comic director, Howard Storm. It has been shown in 60 festivals and won 44 awards. She plans to base future films on her own screenplays. Meanwhile, she keeps writing, producing, and directing.
Steve Hermann
Steve Hermann is an award-winning filmmaker with over twelve titles as director. His genre of choice is supernatural horror which allows his mind to create stories that not only make you think, but also terrify you. His interest in filmmaking began when he started adapting his books to film, and now continues as original stories pop into his head and become his next short or feature film. Films directed by Steve Hermann are available on various streaming platforms, and his latest films, Attack of the Corn Zombies and Night of the Dead Sorority Babes, are distributed by BayView Entertainment.
Terry L. Jarrell
Terry L. Jarrell is an award-winning filmmaker and writer at Black Dog Filmz. With extensive experience in media, Terry has contributed to numerous national publications and has been involved in projects ranging from commercial advertising and small film productions to feature films.
A tech enthusiast with a background as an Apple Inc. trainer and consultant, Terry has a passion for innovative camera systems. He also hosted the popular Romero Pictures Indie Brigade - Drone Cav, where he explored drone technology, 360-degree cameras, and other cutting-edge tools for filmmakers.
Terry’s feature film, Harlow’s Haunt, has garnered over 100 international accolades, earning him recognition as Best Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor, Writer, and Best Horror Film, among others.
Deeply influenced by classic horror and thriller films from the 1960s through the 1980s, Terry draws inspiration from the works of Hitchcock, Hammer Films, and David Lynch. Currently, he is shaping the follow-up to Harlow’s Haunt, continuing his love for classic horror. Harlow’s Haunt is proudly released by BayView Entertainment.
Glenn Berggoetz
Glenn Berggoetz is the writer, director, and producer of twelve feature films. Such entertainment icons as Kane Hodder and Joe Bob Briggs have starred in Glenn's films. Glenn's most well-known films include To Die is Hard, Midget Zombie Takeover, Paralyzed with Fear, and The Worst Movie EVER!
Glenn has had four novels published, and his book on micro-budget filmmaking, The Independent Filmmaker's Guide: Make Your Feature Film for $2,000, was published by Hal Leonard/Rowman & Littlefield. Glenn is also the guitarist and primary singer for the band Norwegian Soft Kitten, which has had five songs reach #1 on indie charts in the U.S., Europe, and Australia.
Jeffrey Checker
Dedicated to capturing the truth, and presenting the outcome in an entertaining fashion, Dr. Jeffrey Checker and his team have traveled extensively throughout the U.S., helping people get rid of unwanted, supernatural beings in their lives.
Jeffrey has published three books and has appeared on numerous talk and radio shows. He is an advocate for the underdogs and the oppressed.
With six film festival wins and a movie on a syndicated streaming channel, Dr. Checker and his company, 777 Productions, is capable and ready to create emotionally driven, real-to-life horror films.
Manny Serrano
Manny Serrano is a multi-award-winning Director/Editor/Writer, and, along with his wife Lindsay, the co-founder of Mass Grave Pictures. They began producing their own horror films in 2008 and have since produced three feature films and over a dozen short films together.
Manny was named HorrorSociety.com "Director Of The Year" in 2013 for his first feature film, Blood Slaughter Massacre. In 2017 he wrote and directed his second feature, Theta States, and co-wrote/co-directed a third film with Lindsay, Dark Tales From Channel X. In 2020 both films premiered at the Macabre Faire Film Festival and are available through BayView Entertainment.
Over the years, Manny has lent his hand as a cinematographer, editor, and graphic designer for indie feature and short films, multiple web and TV series, commercials, and theater productions.
Manny recently completed his work as the Technical Director for the Long Island International Film Expo from 2020-2024, is the co-host of the Haunted Hangover Podcast, and is currently working on his fourth feature film with HWA writer Marc Abbott.
JT Kris
JT Kris was born in Sweden and has lived in Spain since the early 2000s. Being a huge horror nerd, he began making horror short films at the age of 12. As an adult, his love for photography led him into making his first feature film. His passion for horror has only grown, leading to five feature films shot on location in Spain.
JT’s first film I Think We're Alone Now was released in 2020, followed by Ghosts of Amityville, and found footage films, Ouija Clown and Don't Make a Sound.
The Arkansas Pigman Massacre is his fifth feature shot on location in Spain with remote roles shot in Texas, Utah, and exterior shots from Arkansas.
Jay Leonard
Jay Leonard is an independent filmmaker known for crafting compelling stories with shoestring budgets. Break Glass marks the fifth film that Jay has written and directed, adding to a growing portfolio that includes Death Before Discomfort (2014), The (Other) One (2017), and Middletown (2020). Jay's work is a testament to the belief that great films should not be limited by financial constraints—his latest project, Break Glass, was brought to life with just $1,800.
Jay is a champion of punk rock cinema, driven by a relentless passion for storytelling. His films explore the complexities of relationships, both romantic and platonic, capturing the raw, unfiltered emotions that define human connection. For Jay, filmmaking is more than just a career; it’s a rallying cry to create, no matter the obstacles.
Marty Ketola
Writing Fren-Zee director Marty Ketola has produced five feature films. Alongside Clif Campbell, he also co-wrote the critically acclaimed twenty-episode sci-fi comedy series, Zhon: The Alien Interviews (RobEric Media, 2013), which has the running time of two feature films.
Ketola is also an award-winning film editor, and recent work includes the short thriller Bequest (RicMel Films 2018) which has won awards at eighteen festivals.
N. Santi Amantini
Born in Sansepolcro, Italy on January 15, 1989. He is a director, cinematographer, screenwriter. He has attended cinema and photography studies since high school and in various courses and internships held by professionals in the sector.
In January 2006 he joined WHITEROSE PICTURES, with which he worked as a cinematographer on the set of the movie LIFE’S BUT – LA VITA NON È ALTRO CHE…, and of the horror IN THE MARKET directed by his friend and collaborator Lorenzo Lombardi.
In 2009 he was assistant director of Chris Weitz on the Italian set of the film NEW MOON – the TWILIGHT saga.
In June 2010 he directed his first film as a director, NON CI INDURRE IN TENTAZIONE, which was released in Italian theaters in February 2013. In the same year he was the cinematographer of the documentary AROUND EUROPE by Antonio Castaldo.
He is also the cinematographer of many short films, music videos and documentaries. Since 2016 he has held film workshops in middle and high schools, directing, screenwriting and photography.
In 2023 he directed the film ALLA RICERCA DI ROSE, the first film in the world with an entire cast of children under 10 and which sees the extraordinary participation of Valentina Lodovini as narrator.
Ashley “Ash” Hefner
Ashley “Ash” Hefner is a Cinematographer, Director and Actor out of Illinois. Originally from Orlando, Florida, Ash found her love of filmmaking at an early age. Her filmmaking style can best be described as unique and unconventional. She grew in her craft under her mentor, Steve Hermann of Acrostar Productions.
Matthew Heines
Producer, director and author Matthew Heines has a background different than most people in movies today. Matthew Heines has a background in teaching for over twenty years, from the USA to the Sultanate of Oman. His service as a paratrooper in the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division also adds to his unique story-telling ability. His debut into professional directing and producing came with his initial project, “The Cascade Bigfoot Blood Mystery.”
“I didn’t even realize I had a documentary until I got home and started thinking about the blood. Then I realized I still had no idea how it had got in my tent. People need to know how it got there as much as I do.”
Matthew Heines is also a published author whose works include, My Year in Oman, Another Year in Oman, Killing Time in Saudi Arabia, Deceptions of the Ages, The Rainier Paradigm, I Fought The Deep State & I Won & Heinessights: Wisdom For The Ages.
Recently, Matthew Heines released ECETI Ranch Stargate: The Portal Opens. He is also working on a number of political and paranormal documentaries about life in Washington State.
Maryanne Paterson
Maryanne (Annie) grew up in Australia, with her childhood spent in remote towns and Aboriginal Reserves on Pintinjarra land and Laverton, which inspired her writing, including the well-known script Lucky Valentine. Collaborating with industry figures like John Jarratt and Ian McFadyen fueled her ambition to become a director. In 2011, she won Producer of the Year at the ASIN Awards and was nominated for Director of the Year in 2012.
Maryanne Paterson entered the film industry in 2007, showcasing her passion through various roles such as screenwriting, production design, and management, but her directing talent truly distinguished her. She has contributed significantly to projects like The Verge, where she served as Production Designer, and directed the pilot episode of Outback Matty's Bush Kitchen, which was later picked up by Fox.
Her expertise encompasses art department work, location scouting, and pre-production, and she efficiently creates script schedules and call sheets using Move Magic Schedules to compile detailed Production Bibles. As a committed director, she draws on her life experiences to elicit genuine performances and visuals, with strong communication skills enhancing her directing prowess, as demonstrated in her work on Friendship Love and Loyalty, which solidified her passion for filmmaking.
Alfons Emilian
Alfons Emilian is an award-winning Writer, Director, Actor, and Producer with over 15 years of experience captivating audiences. Emilian’s love for cinema began working at a local movie theater as a teenager, where he first glimpsed the magic of the silver screen. Destiny took over when a job search landed him as a movie extra in "The Alamo," sparking a career filled with unlimited possibilities. His next lucky break came with a role alongside Luke Wilson in "Idiocracy." He began working on popular shows like The Kid Kraddick Morning Show and Russell Rush's Haunted Adventures as a Videographer/Editor. He captured unforgettable moments at Clearchannel's Mixfest Concert Series with stars like Adam Levine, Katharine McPhee, and Three Days Grace.
But his true passion lay in the art of storytelling. Starting his career with raw talent and an unrelenting drive, Emilian taught himself filmmaking, turning every challenge into a learning opportunity. His directorial debut, "Delirium," won Best Director. He continued his success with "Limbo", a dramatic piece about child abuse starring Evlin Lake and Jesse Borrego which garnered accolades for Best Actress and Best Experimental film. His first feature, "III Day," a post-apocalyptic thriller impressed audiences at New York’s Shockfest Film Festival and continued to win Best Horror Feature at other festivals. Prepare for an unparalleled cinematic experience as Alfons Emilian's bone-chilling horror film "Lechuza," is set to take the horror world by storm.
With a unique blend of cutting-edge techniques and a visionary approach, Alfons Emilian is poised to revolutionize film, delivering timeless masterpieces that resonate with true cinema lovers.
David Axe
David Axe is a filmmaker, graphic novelist and journalist in Columbia, South Carolina. He wrote THE THETA GIRL (2017) and wrote and directed BAE WOLF (2022) and ACORN (2023). David is the subject of the documentary CREATE OR DIE (2023).
Diana Galimzyanova
Diana Galimzyanova is a Tatar filmmaker, video and performance artist based in Moscow, Russia. Her award-winning films were accepted to more than seventy festivals in twenty countries, and her art pieces have been a part of group exhibitions in multiple countries. She is also the curator of Bomba Video Club (Bomba Gallery, Moscow, Russia) and Almaty Underground Screening Series (Almaty, Kazakhstan)
Franklin Correa
Franklin Correa is an award-winning filmmaker, fight choreographer, and martial artist based in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Originally from Newark, New Jersey, Franklin has been an active force in the entertainment industry since 2000. His work reflects a unique blend of cinematic expertise and martial arts mastery, honed over decades of dedication.
A 5th-degree black belt under Dr. Dan McEaddy, Franklin proudly carries on the legacy of Dr. McEaddy’s mentor, the late O’Sensei Ronald Duncan, widely recognized as the father of American Ninjutsu. Franklin’s martial arts background has significantly influenced his creative vision, particularly in the realm of fight choreography.
With nearly 25 years of experience in the film industry, Franklin has built a reputation as a resourceful creator, specializing in low-budget filmmaking. His passion for storytelling and action design has enabled him to produce compelling work on budgets often under $10,000. In addition to his filmmaking achievements, Franklin is also an author of two books: one on creating films with minimal resources and another focusing on fight choreography and innovative techniques for filming action scenes.
Franklin remains committed to mentoring others, sharing his knowledge of filmmaking and martial arts to inspire and empower emerging creators. While he has already made a notable impact in the independent film industry, Franklin continues to push boundaries and carve a path to greater success.
József Gallai
Best known for his found footage films, mysterious story lines and surprise endings, József Gallai was born on January 22nd, 1988 in Sopron, Hungary. Since 2015, he has been directing films in English, which have garnered him more than 140 festival awards and nominations. During his career, he has worked with Eric Roberts, Sally Kirkland, Larry Hankin, Tom Sizemore, Bill Oberst Jr., James Duval, Robert LaSardo, Simon Bamford and Andrew Divoff.
Stacie Frazier
I am a passionate Executive Producer and Filmmaker from Philadelphia with over 14 years of experience in the film/music industry. My background in artist management and music production as the owner of ‘A Geek Production’ has helped me build strong relationships with artists and producers, while my work as a documentary filmmaker allows me to tell compelling stories that connect artist. Committed to creativity and collaboration, I strive to enhance production quality and celebrate the vibrant culture of the music community.
Jason Pitts
Jason Pitts is an independent filmmaker with a degree in Radio, Television, and Film from the University of North Texas. Growing up on horror films in the 80's, Jason knew at a young age that his passion was to make movies, specifically horror movies. Jason is known for writing the script for Manje (2006), writing and directing his acclaimed short films, ALONE, Masquerade, and When The Stairs Creak, as well as his Friday the 13th fan film, Voorhees: Night of the Beast, which racked up over 600,000 views on YouTube in less than a year."
Holly Grayson
Holly Grayson is an international award winning director, editor, cinematographer, and screenwriter from Charleston, WV. Her work has been honored at numerous prestigious international film festivals. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Media Studies, Digital Film Production Concentration and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Screenwriting concentration. She is also a Part 107 Certified Commercial Drone Operator. She is most known for her dramatic thriller feature film "My Autopsy", her horror short flim "I Am of You" and as being the creator of many music videos for the Metal Blade Records band Byzantine. Always ready to jump in on a creative project, she has directed, written, shot, and edited numerous feature films, short films, documentaries, and music videos. She is a self described metalhead who loves going on cruises to exotic locations, and the Louisiana sludge metal band Acid Bath.
Rick Danford
Rick Danford is on a mission to bring the magic of Hollywood to Florida. His passion for filmmaking began at the age of 8 when he used his father’s 8mm camera to shoot his first action film, The Big Hit, in his own front yard. From that moment, Rick knew his life's path was set. Over the years, he has written, directed, and produced a variety of projects, including the award-winning supernatural feature The Clock. In addition to his work behind the camera, Rick has also acted in several productions, including the made-for-TV film The FBI Murders, starring David Soul and Michael Gross. His latest venture, Indie Horror Junkie, started as a digital magazine and has grown into a thriving multimedia brand. It now includes a print version, a weekly podcast, an annual film festival, a production arm, and, as of 2024, original films. Rick's most recent directorial effort is Velocity Kings: Ride or Die, a dramatic biker film that is already garnering attention. Both The Clock and Velocity Kings have received worldwide distribution through BayView Entertainment. With a dedication to storytelling and an eye for innovation, Rick Danford continues to shape the future of filmmaking in Florida and beyond.
Billy Offland
Billy has spent most of his adult life documenting and researching the realities on the frontlines of the biodiversity and climate crises on his way to travelling to every country in the world. Billy now balances commercial production with trying to tell important, lesser-known stories.
Olivier Richomme
A highly regarded photographer, it was only a matter of time before Olivier turned from stills to moving pictures. A keen storyteller, Olivier finds the smaller details that define us and amplifies them to highlight the story within. Beautiful and yet honest, his style allows him to cover many genres with integrity and passion.