JASON TROST
(THE FP and FP 2: BEATS OF RAGE)
Jason Trost is a fourth generation filmmaker that has worked in the film industry for his entire life. Raised on sets, he began young, as an assistant for his father in the craft of special effects. With years of working and learning the intricacies of filmmaking, he developed an appreciation for the art while reaching further than just special effects. Today he has written, directed and starred in six feature films including: THE FP, ALL SUPERHEROES MUST DIE, HOW TO SAVE US and FP2: BEATS OF RAGE.
MATT DIEBLER and JACOB GILLMAN
(THE INVISIBLE MOTHER)
Matt Diebler and Jacob Gillman are award winning Los Angeles based filmmakers with a focus on dark comedy and horror. Between the two of them, they have functioned as writers, directors, production designers, producers, editors, practical FX techs, VFX designers, and music composers. They prefer to fully immerse themselves in their projects, hand crafting every element so it truly feels like their combined vision. Their screenplay HORSE GIRL won the 2011 Bluecat Fellini award and their short film HAPPY HALLOWEEN, CHRISTMAS WHORE was screened at a number of film festivals across the country.
JAMES RENNER
(THE SECRET OF BYRON PREISS)
James Renner is the author of the novel, The Man from Primrose Lane and the nonfiction thriller, True Crime Addict. His first short film, ALL THAT YOU LOVE WILL BE CARRIED AWAY, was a featured selection at the Montreal World Film Festival in 2005. It was based on a Stephen King short story, and Renner was granted permission by the author to adapt it for the screen. His new book, MUSE, is his first work of horror. It will be published May 14.
CHARLES SMITH
(ZEROES)
Charles has produced successful feature films in many genres, from boundary-pushing horror to inspirational family drama. Zeroes, his feature directorial debut, evokes the spirit of the classic 80’s comedies he grew up with. But Zeroes is more than a comedy: it is a mashup of influences, from Italian giallo, to comic books, to the late night comedies of the 1970’s. It is a satire of the superhero genre, and a send- up of its tropes and characters. Charles lives and makes movies in Philadelphia.
LONNIE MARTIN
(THE LAST OF THE MANSON GIRLS)
Martin’s first feature length film, Women’s Studies, was distributed nationally in 2009. In 2018, he completed his second feature film, The Last of the Manson Girls which went on to win Best of Fest at the South Carolina Underground Film Festival. The film also garnered him a Best Director award at the Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival as well as awards for Production Design and Best Supporting Actress. That same year, Martin's feature length screenplay Maynard Came Back made it the second round of the Austin Film Festival Dramatic Screenplay Competition. Currently, Martin is employed as an Instructor of Theatre & Film at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, WV while also in development on his third feature length film.
CINDY MARIE MARTIN
(THE LAST OF THE MANSON GIRLS)
Cindy Marie Martin has worked as an actor in theatre and film since 1999 and co-produced seven films (two features) for Ningen Manga Productions, an independent filmmaking boutique specializing in narrative genre films. Most recently, she won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Sandy in The Last of the Manson Girls at the Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival. She has studied Egyptian style Oriental dance for 12 years and has worked as a professional belly dancer and teacher under the stage name Al-Anqa in the Washington DC area for three. You can find more information about her work on her website at www.CindyMarieMartin.com.
TED MICHAELS
(TANGOBORN MENCLENTY)
Ted Michaels is an actor, writer, director and puppeteer. As an actor, he’s starred in tv shows like The Comeback, CSI, According To Jim, Mad TV, and as Floyd in the acclaimed web series The Guild. He’s written for Mike Tyson Mysteries on Adult Swim and Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures on Nickelodeon. As an improviser, Ted performed with Eddie Izzard in his One Word Improv and is a founder of the Crazy Uncle Joe Show at the Groundlings Theater in LA, where he often directs their main company shows. As a puppeteer, Ted starred in The Happytime Murders, The Muppets on ABC, MTV's Warren The Ape, and the 2011 Grammy Awards as Cee Lo Green’s bass player. He currently lives in Joshua Tree, California.
BENJAMIN CAPPS
(CIVET)
Benjamin Capps came to Chicago in 1999 after receiving his degree in Theatre from the University of Missouri, Columbia. While an undergraduate, Benjamin founded The Inner Below in order to produce his own experimental theatre, with an emphasis on expanding on the theories of Antonin Artaud. Having written, directed, produced and acted in numerous stage-productions, Benjamin transitioned to film-making, now having made eight short-films. His current focus is Retro Science Fiction, Body Horror and Stop Motion experimentation.
PAUL VON STOETZEL
(THE CONQUEROR WORM)
Paul von Stoetzel has directed over 30 short films/music videos and as many plays in the Twin Cities area including his feature documentary, SNUFF: A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT KILLING ON CAMERA has won numerous awards while also receiving major North American distribution as did his second documentary Scrap. His company, Killing Joke Films, is now preparing the literary adaptation of acclaimed writer Ed Kurtz's horror novel BLEED into a episodic series while also producing numerous short films and music videos.
TROY DEUTSCH
(BROWN FISH)
Troy Deutsch is a filmmaker and playwright from rural Minnesota living in New York City. He studied with Nicky Silver as part of The Vineyard Theatre’s Playwriting Workshop. BROWN FISH is based on a short play from his collection of one-acts, IN A TILTED PLACE, which premiered at IRT Theater in 2015.
ANTHONY RISEN
(DEVIL’S NIGHT)
I only recently discovered the joys of filmmaking - I started with FX and gradually worked my way to directing like 4 years ago - but never lost the love of practical FX, but now I get to hire people who are better than me at it! Devil's Night was my first film - I can't wait to keep learning and bringing stories to life. I am currently working on an action/ horror film called Animus Blood ! - Martial arts has been a big part of my life just as much as all the horrors of real life and films. Films allow me to escape and experience things I couldn't otherwise in real life. That is the biggest joy for me. I can't wait to see everyone!
STEWART JAY KOSKI
(SASQUATCHES)
Stewart Jay Koski is an award-winning independent filmmaker, and an art director with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He received his Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Film from Vermont College of Fine Arts. His work dives deep into the horror of the unknown and frequently relates to the midwest region.
Matt Erman
(THE LEGEND OF HOLCOMB LANE)
Matt Erman is a Northwest Ohio native and owner of Capture 1 Studios. He is a writer, director, editor, cinematographer and visual effects artist. His film portfolio contains both narratives and documentaries.