Pop Up Anthology

Irina Varina works as an actor and filmmaker in New York and Philadelphia. Most of her projects start out as explorations of life experiences that are hard to put into words or seem too shameful. Her work tends to revolve around women, personal history and the desire to connect and find a place in the world. Her films have been screened at The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, Queens World Film Festival, NewFilmmakers New York, Tiny Film Festival (grand prize winner for a short “A Memory”), PBS channel (winner of the weekly Reel 13 contest for “A Memory”) and others. She is a recipient of 2017's Small But Mighty Arts grant. Her first feature film "Us, Forever Ago" premiered at The 2018 Art of Brooklyn Film Festival. http://www.irinavarina.com/

Jennifer Suwak is a local filmmaker working in documentary, narrative and animation. Her filmmaking deals with issues about memory, loss, animal communication and animal/human relationships. She is currently working on a new documentary and animation film.

www.roamingdingoproductions.com

Steve Abruzzese is a local filmmaker from Bangor, Pennsylvania that focuses primarily on documentary style of filmmaking. He is working with Jen Suwak on several new documentaries and animations that they hope to release by the end of the year.

www.roamingdingoproductions.com

K. Kypers is a "professional doodler" with a BFA in animation from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. In addition to a number of disparate freelance projects, their resume includes storyboarding for NBC/Sprout's Astroblast! and directing/animating a handful of holiday-themed web videos for Post-it Notes. K. values dreams, empathy, and crude drawings.

Marguerite Louissaint has been working in the film and theater industry most of her career. She has previously held various positions as a managing producer, a script editor, a line producer for many film producers in New York.

Since meeting the award winning playwright Samuel Harps in 2010, Marguerite has worked on numerous projects with him. First as a stage manager of “The Workshop”, as an associate producer for the HYT play “In Search of a New Land” and Shades Repertory Stage Performance of “Burning of New York”, both written by Samuel Harps. In 2011, she was the producing manager for “Dead Dog Park” written by famous Westchester playwright Barry Malawer. She executive produced the 2012 documentary “Brick Town, We the people” directed by Samuel Harps. She also executive produced four short films for the 2016 summer youth film festivals in Rockland County with Wayne Mc. Duke for Shades Productions.

Marguerite has many upcoming theater projects with Sam Harps and some film projects in development with two New York Lead Producers. She is the Lead Producer and Creative Visionary in Mixed Media. She plans to continue to write, direct and produce two feature screenplays “Dark End” and “Pieces of Dreams”.

Chloe Carroll is a U.K. trained actress and producer. She has been featured in multiple award winning films. Though she can walk in the shoes of any character that she is cast, horror is her passion and she always tries to get involved with horror projects. Chloe has recently spearheaded the creation of Fear Crypt Productions which is now officially the horror wing of PGC Studios, a company in which both her and her husband Phillip G. Carroll Jr. own.

Phillip G. Carroll Jr. is an emerging independent filmmaker from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the founder of PGC Studios, LLC. At the young age of 10, Phillip began to notice the power of stories when he and his brother John first picked up their father's video camera. Soon, screenings of their latest shorts became a tradition at every family party. Phillip studied Film & Media Arts at Temple University where his film, Words of Atonement, won Best Undergraduate Film his freshmen year. Phillip strives to tell meaningful stories that capture the truth of the human condition, challenge society’s views and beliefs, and most importantly are a joy to watch. Through the collaboration of many talented artists, Phillip’s award winning films have been screened at festivals around the world, along with four of his films having been streamed on Comcast OnDemand. Among the subjects that are important to Phillip are mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, LGBTQ topics, life and the afterlife, spirituality, immigration, and homelessness. But most important to Phillip is that his films make you, the viewer, feel an emotional connection to the rest of the audience through joyful laughter, longfull tears, or suspenseful screams. Phillip's mission is to create movies that ultimately lift the human spirit, promote love, and encourage others to follow their dreams - all in an effort to help people realize that whether your life is like a drama, comedy, or horror film, you are never alone.

The Cremer Brothers are writers/directors based in Northern NJ, where they run their production company, JoeBert Entertainment. They’ve been producing and self-funding their own films since their first production, the award-winning 2016 short horror film, Keep It in the Dark. In 2017 they produced their first feature film, God’s Law, a horror movie that deals with the subject of conversion therapy. They continued their momentum into 2018, producing three short films on their own and co-producing three others with Outtake Productions (best known for the webseries Or So the Story Goes). While most of JoeBert Entertainment’s productions are written and directed by The Cremer Brothers, they often produce for other filmmakers whom they have established relationships with, including Grace Soriano, Theresa Labreglio and Melissa Malone. To learn more about their current and upcoming productions visit www.joebertentertainment.com and follow them at https://www.facebook.com/joebertentertainment/.

Aleksandra Svetlichnaya is an actor and filmmaker who was born in Kharkov, Ukraine and later relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her family. She is the founder of SVET Studios and made her producing, screenwriting and directing debut with “DINNER” – a short film that despite being made on a $0 budget screened at six film festivals and five comic cons around the country (so far!) and was praised by Dread Central, Geekadelphia and PhillyVoice, just to name a few. “DINNER” (aka #DINNERMOVIE) lead to the creation of an anthology series of short films known collectively as the DINNERVERSE. “DINNER” was followed by “BREAKFAST” (aka DINNERMOVIE2), which is currently on the film festival and comic con circuit. Aleksandra continues to work on other TV and film projects, but her main focus remains firmly on the DINNERVERSE. DINNERMOVIEs 3-5 are currently in development.

Learn more about Aleksandra at aleksandrasvet.wix.com/aleksandrasvet or follow her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AleksandraSvetOfficial, on Twitter @AleksSvet and on Instagram @aleksandrasvet. And keep up with what’s going on in the DINNERVERSE right here: https://www.facebook.com/Dinnerverse/

Brad Bergling has long loved horror, fantasy and sci-fi movies started when he watched Evil Dead as a 6 year old and admiring Elvira and the Chicago great Svengoolie on weekend TV. Since those beginnings, he believes the greatest ideas for personal and political psychology are best suited for the realm where we suspend reality willingly. His proudest moment was time served in Afghanistan where he spent his free time teaching Afghan women and children how to read and write.

JERKS Productions is a Philadelphia based horror film & art production team run by Brandon Tanczak & Jill Trager. Together, they create horror films and host a bi-monthly art show and film screening called Fused Underground and themed art shows that benefit local charity's and business' at Tattooed Mom in South Philadelphia. Our mission is to create and express our art as well as give other artists an outlet to share their work. We are working to build a community where artists and creators can come together in a very casual setting to network with others and share their works and expressions.

Our social media:
Twitter: @JERKSProduction
Instagram: @JERKSProductions
Facebook.com/JERKSProductions
www.JERKSProductions.com

Stacey Larkins is an award winning filmmaker, writer and musician residing in central New Jersey. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College, and a Masters in Music from New York University. She has shot, written, directed, composed and edited several short films that have played in various film festivals as well as Shorts TV International. Her award winning film Jabari Keating was recently licensed by Aspire TV. She has also written work for theater, that has been produced by theatrical production companies in New York City and in the U.K.

Amy Tiehel has worked in the Film/TV industry for 25 years as a production manager, post producer, actress, and writer. She started as a script writer and associate producer in educational documentaries in Philadelphia, then worked for HBO in New York. At HBO she was a production manager for the comedy division, HBO Downtown Productions, on shows such as Short Attention Span Theater, The Chris Rock Show, and Exit 57. She then worked as a post producer on programs for TLC and the Discovery Channel. After years of working behind the camera Amy stepped out in front. She first attended Circle in the Square Theater School in New York, then continued her acting education in Los Angeles while auditioning for commercials, TV and film. She was cast in multiple short and indie films, and was the lead in the horror film, Amhurst. She has written a feature film script, Within, three children's books, and the short film, Redcoats. She is currently writing/developing the feature film, Bald Eagle with her sister, Tammy. www.redcoatsfilm.com

Ingrid Stobbe is an award-winning Visual Media Artist currently based in South Orange, New Jersey. She creates a diverse range of artwork including both narrative and experimental pieces that address the medium itself as a vital component of effective storytelling. Her work poses questions of self-identity, feminism, and perception while continually investigating the most effective manner to convey meaning in artistic dialogue; whether that finds expression in film, paint, or writing is dependent on the nature of the story. Ingrid is an Assistant Professor of Video Production at William Paterson University and serves on the Marketing Committee for the Metropolitan New York Chapter of the US National Committee for UN Women. Her creative work has screened nationally and internationally, and she additionally produces media projects for corporations and companies at various stages of project development. With extensive experience designing and teaching curricula for the visual arts, she has spoken at various institutions about media and film production, and its broader social impact. https://www.ingridstobbe.com/

Anna Frankl-Duval is a British actor, singer, voiceover artist, and filmmaker. Brooklyn-based, in love with New York, and still hanging on to the accent and a few British-isms of her native London - when Anna is not in the rehearsal room, on stage, or in the booth, she can be found wandering through Prospect Park, reading feminist literature on the subway, or singing her heart out at Marie’s Crisis (wine in hand).

Some of her recent work includes playing the badass leader of a resistance group in ‘The Resistance’, voicing online videos for luxury brands and medical companies, and writing, producing and starring in her own short film, 'If Only', which is currently making its rounds on the festival circuit - picking up a few award nominations on the way.

Melissa De Leon is a freelance filmmaker based in the East Coast who produced 12 projects so far, several which have won awards, including Best Actress in a Narrative Short from WideScreen Film & Music Video Festival. Additionally, Melissa has been a production assistant on over 70 productions including Marvel's The Defenders, Jessica Jones Season 2, and American Ninja Warrior. She is currently submitting her short film paralysis to festivals, is currently working on a post apocalyptic screenplay, and recently started working on 17 Bridges starring Chadwick Boseman.

Laura loves comedy, especially physical comedy. Her latest project is a new Web Series called SCRATCH THIS written and directed by Jody Lauren Miller. SCRATCH THIS has won numerous awards including the Grand Prize and Best Comedy in the NYWIFT (New York Women in Film and Television) Short Film Festival in cooperation with GoIndieTV.

Producing comes naturally to Laura as she spent many years as a corporate executive prior to dedicating herself full time to acting and producing. She was awarded the Global Leadership Professional (GLP) from the Wharton School of Business in 2013. To ensure she is able to meet the demands of being a multi-hyphenate she became a Reiki Master and has incorporated many holistic practices into her life.

Youssef Ksentini is a screenwriter and a director from Tunisia based in New York. Winning the first edition of the '48 hour film project Tunis in 2014' with a no-budget animal film put him under the spot lights, gave him national attention and the opportunity to be involved in more advanced projects. His documentary 'Return' Produced by the 'Tunisian nation center of cinema and picture' was Sfax International festival of Mediterranean cinema opening film (2017).

Krissy Mahan is a working class daughter of South Jersey and filmmaker determined to create a world that is more fun for everyone. Mahan uses objects/animation as a way to disrupt encrusted ideas about the way things are or are not. Mahan taught herself how to make movies in the early 1990s and hasn't stopped amusing herself since. Over the past twenty years Mahan has developed a body of work exposing the absurdity of man-made barriers to human movement, happiness, and social access.

Her work has been screened at Anthology Film Archives as part of the Feminist Film Week (NYC), the British Film Institute (London), Union Docs (Brooklyn), Tisch Film School at New York University, BFI's "Queer Women In Love" program (various UK locations), New York University's GenderReel (various locations), Leeds Queer Film Festival, Wotever DIY Film Festival (London), SQIFF/Scottish Queer International Film Fest (Glasgow), GAZE Film Festival (Dublin), Creative Quarters Folkstone, Kent (UK), Oska Bright program of Leeds Film Festival (UK), Women Over 50 Film Festival, Brighton (UK), Austin Gay/Lesbian International Film Festival (US).

James Tralie is from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania studying Geosciences, Film, Astrobiology, and French at Princeton University. His films have been selected by international film festivals for screening and awards. He was invited to the White House to meet President Obama, won a Student Emmy for his work, is a YoungArts alumnus, and is the winner of the 2016 Young Filmmaker Award from the San Francisco Green Film Festival.

Efeme Onaodowan is an 2D animator and illustrator working in the NY Metro area. She studied animation at UCLA Animation Workshop. Her latest venture is experimenting with paper cut animation and paper cut illustration. She is currently collaborating with her brother and fellow artist Okierete Onaodowan on a visual poetry project.

instagram.com/efemeoo
portfolio: https://efemeo.myportfolio.com/

Teagan is an artist, storyteller and animator based in Pennsylvania. His film ‘The Snowball Effect’ was made in roughly three months with the help of some close friends, and almost entirely on a mobile device. It is the first of many planned future projects, and he hopes you enjoy it.

Sharyn Alice Murray is Motion Graphic Artist. She studied graphic design at Parsons School of Design in New York City. Her passion for graphic design morphed into video and she has spent the past ten years as a station manager for Princeton Community Television, a public access television station where she advises on all aspects of production. She finally settled on a niche specialty of motion graphics. Last year she attended an intensive class at Mograph Mentor which pairs each student up with a mentor. The result paid off landing several clients creating social media content as well as longer pieces such as the one presented here. Her specialty is working with historical photographs to tell a story.

Jo Anna Van Thuyne is an actor, comedian, and filmmaker from Philadelphia. She graduated from LaSalle University and is most well-known for her interview series, Creepy Basement on the Scrapple TV YouTube Channel. She is also one of the producers and stars of the horror film, American Exorcist.

Jo Anna produced, wrote, and starred in the comedy news series, Lampoonery News, which was broadcast on the Philadelphia cable access channel, LaSalle TV. She acted as Associate Producer for ShadowBox Pictures where she helped produce a number of television commercials. She also served as a Production Assistant on many independent features including Stuart Connely’s The Suspect. Jo Anna managed and performed in a number of infamous Philadelphia based haunted houses like The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride and Eastern State Pennitetury’s Terror Behind The Walls.

Jo Anna moved to New York in 2016 and completed the core curriculum at the Upright Citizens Brigade Training Center in New York City. She was accepted into the Advanced Program and continues to practice improv regularly. She also trains with Penny Templeton of The Penny Templeton Studio.

After two years of inspiration through education, Jo Anna wrote Mezza Morta as a culmination of all of the skills she has learned over the past decade. Mezza Morta, written, produced, and starring Jo Anna Van Thuyne…is also her directorial debut.

Keith Chamberlain is a writer and director currently living in southern New Jersey. Over the past several years, he has written and directed four short films including the award-winning comedy, "The Friend of my Friend is Apparently Not My Friend". His films have screened at the Golden Door International Film Festival, Pittsburgh Uncut Film Festival and Hang Onto Your Short Film Festival among other venues. He is currently in production of his first web series, Herrings, which airs bi-monthly on YouTube. You can view his production company website, along with all current projects at www.aquariarts.com as well as follow him on Twitter and Instagram @Herrings_Series

John Hasbrouck is a cinematographer, director and owner of "Brick and Mortar Films LLC". John got his start in video production at a young age by creating YouTube videos with his friends. He earned his bachelor's degree from The School of Visual Arts in Film with a concentration in Cinematography. Today John has worked with major brands and production companies for projects including Google, Pandora Media, Klipsch Audio, Bed Bath and Beyond, Vice Media, Atlantic Pictures, Microsoft, NFL Films and more. John continues to hone his skills through professional mentorship with filmmakers and photographers from the American Society of Cinematographers and National Geographic.

Ines Dominguez del Corral is a Colombian singer, actress and dancer who has worked in theater since she was four years old. She has had the opportunity to perform in Colombia, Germany, Austria and the States. Theater credits in Washington DC include Tita, the leading role in the U.S. premiere of Like Water for Chocolate, a show she is very proud to have been a part of. Other credits include En el tiempo de las mariposas (Mate), Don Juan Tenorio (Doña Inés), and Crónica de una muerte anunciada (Ángela Vicario) at the GALA Hispanic Theatre, Alice (u/s performed) in Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure (Imagination Stage); Anita in West Side Story Selections (Kennedy Center); Prudence in Bahvi The Avenger (Convergence Theater); various roles, including dance soloist, in Sonata; and Inés in Love Songs (Vienna International Dance Festival, Dschungel Wien Theater, Austria), among others. She received intensive training in acting, voice and dance in Germany and Austria. She has a BM in Musical Theater from The Catholic University of America and speaks Spanish, English, German and French. www.inesdominguez.com

Dillon Greenberg is a New York based actress from Sacramento, California. She attended college at Catholic University for Musical Theatre in Washington, D.C., and also received conservatory training at the London Dramatic Academy in London for acting. While in D.C., she performed at the Kennedy Center, Warner Theater, GALA Theatre, and more. She made her Off- Broadway debut in “Bright is the Ring of Words”, and was most recently in the immersive show “A.human” where she performed in front of The Fab 5, The Kardashians, and Katie Holmes. www.dillongreenberg-actor.com

Bill Drummer earned a degree in Radio, Television and Film at Temple University Klein College of Media and Communications. He shot over fifty wedding videos, joined the Business Innovation Group at Merrill Lynch, and was promoted to Assistant Vice President of International Training OnLine. Since 2002 Bill has freelanced in corporate video and events for clients such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thomson Reuters, BlackRock, AstraZeneca, Children’s Home Society of New Jersey, Merrill Lynch/Bank of America and Merck. He has produced videos for theater, concerts, acting demos, and has performed various roles in the production of about a dozen independent films. Recently Bill worked on the music videos for “Sober” by Mike Rossi, directed by Adrian Colón, and “Seen Your Ghost” by Rich Hennesy, directed by Denise Reed. He has produced social media content with Broadway consultant Kimberly Faye Greenberg and TheatreNerds.com.

Bill is thrilled to be starting a full-time job with TeamPeople to produce webcasts at Merck. He plans to continue producing content for the Westfield International Film Festival (www.bigdreamsandsilverscreens.org) and select independent projects.

www.billdrummerproductions.com

After earning my Bachelor's degree in Writing from Ramapo College of New Jersey, I moved to Philadelphia where I have produced and directed my own short comedies with a cast and crew that has quickly became family and is always growing! "Put a Pin in It" previously won audience favorite in the local short block Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festivals. Other shorts have screened throughout the Greater Philadelphia and we anticipate more screenings to come!

I am currently writing the first series from ThisJes with plans to submit the pilot to festivals this fall, gain funding, and get the first season into production in 2019! You can follow the journey of ThisJes Films on Facebook and Instagram. We love to meet new people and look forward to planning collaborations with other filmmakers at PopUp Anthology!

A South Jersey native, Kristen Lusk finds her filmmaking inspiration from the act of personal connections. Whether producing a laugh out loud comedy or an intimate documentary, she hopes those watching along with those creating the film feel a sense of connection. Kristen produces several projects with the lovely filmmaking team of ThisJes Films and recently completed her documentary short, “Surviving with Grief.”

Desmond Confoy is a founder of Raucous&Quill, a production company focused on short-form accessible art that seamlessly fits into the modern audience member’s life. R&Q has produced theatre in New York City and continues to create independent one minute short films. These 60 second Instashorts have continually been awarded film festival honors since their inception in 2017, and are solely released on their instagram @raucousandquill.

Daphne Bacon is a local filmmaker with a love for the strange and surreal. From Boston to NYC to Ireland, she has pursued a career in editing and film production, honing her personal craft and aesthetic along the way. These days she is based in New Hope, PA conspiring with fellow creative spirits and brewing up new projects.

Gulinoz Javodova was born in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and moved to New York in her early teen years. She was inspired by the culture of New York and people she has met over the year who supported her talent and passion in filmmaking. She recently graduated from Brooklyn college in Film Production B.A. and focused on making short films that would inspire individual on pursuing their dreams. Her first short film “A Shot In The Dark” (2018) speaks about how an optimistic young filmmaker is challenged when she suddenly begins to lose her sense of sight, however she ultimately decides to overcome and pursue her dream anyway. Currently, she is working on opening her new media company with her brother, Saidkamol Javadov is musician and sound designer who is an inspiration for her, and continue telling stories of people who wants to be heard.

Tyrel Hunt is a writer and director from Queens, New York. He graduated from Alcorn State University in Mississippi and is the founder of the popular platform Grittyvibes.com. Through Gritty Vibes, he's written articles for hundreds of talented artists. He is currently in post production for his first feature film "April Again".

Jon Fortenbury is an Austin/Philly-based writer, comedian, filmmaker, and recovering Nutella addict. He's written, produced, and/or directed three short films that have been praised as clever, funny, and not terrible. His most recent film, "Tattoos," was featured on Funny Or Die, and his previous film, "Alone Together," won awards at Screenings at Sonorous film festival. He's also written for The Atlantic and Playboy, and has a semi-popular web comic called "Beta Male" that he unconvincingly swears is not about him. Follow him on Twitter at @jonwrites.

Oswald Barrios started his film career at Laguardia Community College. After graduating, he then went on to study in Brooklyn College and finally graduated from Hunter College. Before becoming a filmmaker, he was a painter and sketch artist. While attending Laguardia, one of his projects came second in "The Savvy Credit Video Festival". This project then went on to premier in the Al Jazeera news network. He currently teaches public speaking by day and thinks of a million film ideas by night.

Kyle Rebar is a filmmaker, animator, musician, podcaster, noise & performance artist from Northeast Pennsylvania. He manages the videography team at Yoga International.com and travels around the country filming yoga classes and conferences. For fun, he co-hosts and produces the Can a Bitch Get A Donut!? & Jive Hive podcasts. He graduated from Marywood University in 2012.
https://kylerebar.biz/

Director Anthony Catanese is a Trenton, NJ based filmmaker. With his company and partner Sara Casey he has directed numerous music videos and short films. His first feature length feature 'Sodomaniac' is currently available world wide through Wild Eye Releasing. Since the film's release is has been honored with praise through out the horror community and has played theaters and cable VOD through out the USA. He is also part of an upcoming horror anthology entitled 'Hi-Death' which will be released world wide in 2019. Teenage Bloodsuckin' Bimbos is his second full length film currently running the festival circuit. Coal was a short film created for Trenton Art All Night 2018. It too is currently doing the festival rounds.

Gina Marie Rodriguez (Writer/Producer/Lead Actress) - Gina is an old soul desperately trying to navigate her way around the 21st Century.

A graduate of Rutgers University, Gina holds a B.A in Theater Arts and Communication.

She bides her time blogging, scriptwriting, filmmaking, acting and modeling. She's a true Renaissance woman (but don't ask her to cook or sew- it will not end well).

She has three independent films under her belt and is the Founder and Director of the Rahway International Film Festival. Learn more about Gina at www.ginamarierodriguez.com or follow her on Facebook @Gina Marie Rodriguez or Twitter @NotThatGina.

Lowell Boston is an animator, filmmaker and college professor who lives in Collingswood, N.J. Born in upstate New York, he discovered an interest in art from an early age. Pursuing a love of drawing, writing and works of the imagination upon graduating high school, he attended the University of the Arts as a double major in live-action filmmaking and animation in 1988. He earned his MFA from the California Institute of the Arts in Experimental Animation in 1991. Writing short stories and poetry in his spare time, he currently teaches Animation at the University of the Arts, the Art Institute of Philadelphia and Philadelphia University, and conducts animation and art workshops across the Delaware Valley. His personal and professional work has been shown on WYBE/MiND TV 35 Philadelphia, PhillyCAM, and nationally on ABC, Fox and ESPN.

Troy and Jennifer are NYC actors who met in 2014, when a composer friend of theirs took pity on them and let them sing a duet at his cabaret. They bonded over their shared experiences of working as Christmas elves in a mall. Together they write and produce sketch comedy and also play Mario Kart Double-Dash. Apart, Troy’s acting credits span over television, commercials, and Off-Broadway. Jennifer has performed in award winning productions both in NYC and LA and also works as a voice-over artist.

Follow Troy @mrtroyiwata & troyiwata.com

Follow Jennifer @itsraininghaining & jenniferhaining.net

Gokce was born in 1974 in Istanbul, Turkey. He has a master degree (MFA). He started photography in 1993 and his still-life photography career in 2000. Many of his commercial works have received prestigious awards in major international advertising competitions such as Epica, Golden Drum, Cannes Lions, NY Fest, Gourmand Paris, Pinklady food photographer of the year London. He also has been chosen to be on the grand jury of several advertising competitions. His works were published in several books.

As a Fine Art Photographer, Gokce he joined many international
exhibitions in cities like Paris and New York City. His last solo exhibition was in New York City in November, 2017. Gokce started directing commercials in 2013. Most of his work aired on national and international television. He directed his first short film “Limbo” as a apart of his photography project in 2017. He is a member of American photographic artists association. He lives in New York City.

Khorvash Khayati, known as Coline were born in Tehran, Iran, in 1988. She expressed her talent in animation when she was 5 years old, and wrote and drew her own graphic novels. She studied Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Painting during her high school and BFA degree in Tehran, since there were no animation schools in country. Therefore, she moved to Rochester, NY, USA in 2013, and continued her education in Masters of Fine Arts in Film and Animation at Rochester Institute of Technology.

In 2014 she started working with Bill Plympton professionally in New York City. Besides of making her independent films and working as a fashion model and fashion design, some of the professional projects that she has worked on are included: The
Simpsons, Revengeance and The Last Fiction.

Her work is nominated for Annie Awards in 2017 in Hollywood, and awards wining in Annecy Animation Festival in 2013 and 2016 in France. In addition, her film was selected for Asifa East’s screening 2017 in NYC.

Jenavieve Coulon is an artist, animator, digital sculptor, and filmmaker based outside of Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Jenavieve received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Computer Animation from Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. For her BFA, her senior thesis project was an animated short film titled, Wig-Less. Her film takes place in a French garden, where two 18th century lovers break the façade of their unusually large powdered wigs. In October of 2017, her film received “Best Animation Ultrashort Regional” at the Atlantic City Cinefest.

Prior to making a short film, in May of 2014 she was featured in a three-part Youtube series on the AwesomenessTV channel, where they filmed on location at DreamWorks Animation in
Glendale, California.

Her online portfolio can be viewed on her website here:
http://jenavievecoulon.wixsite.com/2017. “Like” Wig-Less on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WigLess2017. Follow her on Instagram @theartofvieve.

Haley Monson is a Philadelphia based animator recently graduated from University of the Arts. She is passionate about learning, storytelling, and mixed media approaches.

Monson’s work is eclectic ranging from character driven pieces focusing on friendship and community to experimental background animations for musicals.

To stay connected on new projects, you can follow Haley on her Instagram: haleymonsoon.art or her website haleymonson.com.

Josh Perrin is an artist based out of Philadelphia. Originally a songwriter, he is driven to produce in other artistic mediums such as filmmaking, animation, and visual art. His first short animation, "Smoking and You" (2017) gained him credibility toward the versatile artist title he strives to achieve. He is currently working on a full-length album for music project, Basilysk, while experimenting in various forms of paint and multi-media projects that will be released as album art. Other than that, he has future ambitions in both animation and feature length films.

Oona Taper is a multimedia artist and experimental animator. She grew up in Bozeman MT before attending school at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts University. Her work addressees the ways culture, technology, interpersonal interaction and physical space shape subjective experiences of self, body and intimacy. Treating animation as a form of fine art, she is more interested in moving images as visual poetry, metaphor and composition than as narrative. Currently living in Philadelphia, Taper is excited to be working on both her own projects and collaborations with musicians and other artists.

Rebecca Shapass is a filmmaker and multimedia artist born, raised, and based in New York City. She graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a degree in Film & Television and Art History. Rebecca’s art and image-making practice revolve around an undying love for fleeting moments. She translates these moments into found footage and diaristic films, digital text collages, and various animations.

Katrina Medoff is an actor, writer and producer in New York City. Her recent projects include the festival-bound feature "Ask for Jane" (actor) and short films "Lovestuck" (actor/writer/producer), "Home Invasion for the Holidays" (actor), "Ms. Connections" (actor/writer) and "Dark Blue" (producer).

Art School Dropouts is an east coast based digital media group that creates original narrative-driven content.

With our skill sets on action filmmaking and comedic acting, we aim to entertain through martial arts and comedic action much like Jackie Chan or Charlie Chaplan; all the while incorporating fresh, new ideas from cultural trends of inspirations to modern day media, from comic books to anime.

The blend is a refreshing look at nostalgic action for new and old fans of the action genre.

Jennaffer Walker is a South Jersey native who found her passion for storytelling at 10 years old. She’s worked with an array of talented writers, directors, producers, actors, and other filmmakers of various skill sets, all while spending the last three years learning the craft and business of film making and screenwriting.

My Natural Life was highly inspired by other talented and dedicated women, along with Jennaffer’s own experiences, which is all the more reason she chose to share the journey of Jessuka Mason, the protagonist in this series.

It weaves together the lives of young ladies with the same depth and emotion Jennaffer felt in her grade school years.

Jennaffer hopes to share her stories with young girls of color and provide representation in an industry that should see girls and women like her as people who deserve love, respect, and adoration. It only starts with one.

Kerrin Keiser is a 3D Animator from Atlantic Highlands, NJ. While she specializes in 3D Animation, she has experience with directing, producing, 3D modeling, texturing, and illustration. She is a recent SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design) graduate with a Fine Arts degree in Animation. She has worked on fellow colleague's short films and video games in addition to her own projects, including Vows, Eat, Eat, Eat, and Deep Blue Bugaloo. Ursa Major is her first animated short film. Having recently graduated she's looking forward to finding work and making creative ideas a reality.

Award winning filmmaker & photographer Jeff Stewart is a true child of the 80s. He was raised just as much by television and movies as he was by his parents. Given his first camera when he was two years old, he hasn't been seen without one since.

His love of photography and gift for storytelling propelled him to attend New York and Temple Universities to pursue degrees in filmmaking, screenwriting, and photography.

In his travels through life he has been a comic book writer, professional photographer, radio show host, on top of writing and directing projects for Amazon Studios, YouTube, & Drafthouse Films.

Currently he is directing two feature films back to back; “When Everything’s Gone” starring Gabriel Rush (Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel) and “King of Nowhere” starring Kirk Ponton (Bad Frank, The City Is Mine). As well as showrunning his two successful web series “Paranormal Adventure Hunters Supreme” and “Velocity”.

In his “spare time” Jeff is the president of Artworks Trenton, a non-profit that seeks to connect community through culture and the arts.

Shawn Cortel left his Midwest roots in Iowa to attend college at Pepperdine University, where he graduated with a B.A. in Theatre Arts. He has performed on stage and screen from NYC to California and has a strong love for self expression through all artistic mediums. This is his directorial debut.

Chris has been in the industry for a very long time, getting his start as a PA with Kevin Smith and crew on an indie film called Vulgar in 1997. In 2010 he wrote, directed and starred in his first short film A Changed Life. Chris is a SAG-AFTRA actor, and has acted in many films but has now moved onto producing feature films. His passion is writing and directing and The Cursed Road is his 6th short. Chris teaches film and tv production class at Middletown North High School in Middletown, NJ.

Stephanie Yuhas is a writer and producer at Cinevore Studios. She is most well known for her work on the series Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return (Netflix) and her multimedia project, American Goulash. Stephanie is the co-creator of series Moot, a part of the Emmy-Award-Winning Articulate: With Jim Cotter (WHYY-TV). She is the co-founder of Project Twenty1, a 501(c)3 non-profit that runs film and animation programs for emerging media artists. She has a BFA in animation from The University of the Arts, Philadelphia.

Jamie DiNicola is an activist, writer, filmmaker, editor, and law student, hoping to utilize his skills to tell the stories that must be told. As a queer transgender man, Jamie has made storytelling the cornerstone of his queer & trans activist work. Before directing Spot, Jamie directed and produced the film, "What's in a Name", and also served as editor for the documentary, "I am Isak", a story about a Norwegian transgender man. Jamie is currently finishing the script for an upcoming webseries he is set to produce next year, "Queer and Down", which follows the lives of young queer folks navigating a not-so- queer world. Website: JamieDiNicola.com Instagram: JamieDiNicola

Karl Ryan Erikson, owner of Lucky Elephant Films, is an award winning writer/director from New Jersey. He is a graduate from Montclair State University with a B.F.A in filmmaking where he received the award for Excellence in Filmmaking. As a filmmaker, Karl has a broad range when its comes to tackling a genre or subject matter. His films run the gamut from dramatic pieces, quirky comedies, a social awareness teen flick, to his recently completed period piece Addle Strife. In addition to Addle Strife, Karl currently has a feature screenplay that has been accepted into various film festivals and which has been nominated for Best Comedy Feature Screenplay.

http://www.luckyelephantfilms.com/

Joe Blute is the director, writer, executive producer, and supporting actor in the film, Mr. Reilly. This is his second short film and his directorial debut. From New York, Joe has studied at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. After a long process to get this film made, he is ecstatic to share it with the world. To learn more, please visit www.joeblute.com OR www.reillyfilm.com

Cornelius Broderick is a writer and director known for the films The Checkout Line (2017) and Wrong Train (2014). He is a graduate of the New York Film Academy 2014 and co-founder at Nightbreed Films. Mr. Broderick is also a member IATSE local 536. Currently he is in development along with Cup of Joe Film, Inc. on his debut feature film Cemetery Hill, a sci-fi horror which screenplay was a finalist for Sci-Fi at the 2016 Oaxaca FilmFest as well as nominee for best original concept and also a 2016 Screamfest Semi-Finalist.

Kristian Comer is an award-winning actress/writer/director from Rockland, NY. She graduated from Rockland Community College with two Associate degrees, one in performing arts and one in liberal arts and science. She went on to get her BA from Empire State College and is gearing up for graduate school.

She is an avid fan of Shakespeare, metal music, comic books, anime, hockey and traveling. Kristian has been lucky enough to have traveled to London UK, Stratford-upon-Avon UK, Wolverhampton UK, Welwyn Garden City UK, Birmingham UK, Edinburgh Scotland, Paris France, Tokyo Japan, Sanbonmatsu Japan, Chiba Japan, Hiroshima Japan, Beijing China, Shanghai China, and Montreal Quebec Canada. She looks forward to many more travels in the future.

Kristian has performed theater throughout NY, NJ, and across the pound in UK. She currently moved her focus to film and is in post-production of her second short film July 15th and pre-production of her next two shorts, The Test and Next, which Next will be her first time shooting internationally in Montreal Quebec Canada. Kristian would like to take this time and thank all of those who have supported her and all of those who have inspired her to become the artist she is today.

Sam Block is a writer, director, producer, and sound mixer living in New York City. She earned a BFA with honors from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Kanbar Institute of Film & Television. During her time at NYU, Sam was involved in over 50 projects, including web series, short and feature films, music videos, and audio dramas, some of which were award-winning. She was also a member of NYU's Varsity softball team, minored in psychology, and interned at the hilarious 'Full Frontal with Samantha Bee'.She is very proud to present her debut short, JACK MAGIC! Currently, Sam is re-recording mixer for a short, producing a short to shoot at the end of May 2017, and is putting the finishing touches on an original pilot. Sam has always had a passion for making people laugh, and she intends to keep doing so through the screen for as long as possible.

Derya Celikkol is a Turkish actor, director, production designer based in New York. She worked with many directors, including Richard Foreman and Pascal Rambert, while studying at the Experimental Theatre Wing of the Tisch School of the Arts. Her second feature film in which she plays a principal role is coming out to theaters in Turkey in late May. Alongside acting, she brings out her visual artistry through production design and cinematography, with works that have travelled many film festivals. She is currently working on the pre-production of her latest film, “The Journey” based on Jodorowsky’s Holy Mountain.

KAHLIL MASKATI (SCREENWRITER) is a half-Indian, half-Puerto Rican 24-year-old from Central Jersey who loves movies, cartoons, superheroes, and basketball. That's him in a nutshell, except he's allergic to nuts. Maskati is grateful to have had his work over the past few years earn selections to several film festivals and—as a 2015 NYU-Tisch grad, win a handful of NYU Awards. Most notable are the successes of his screenplays. Just this past year, Maskati was Grand Prize Winner at the New York Screenplay contest, a Finalist at CineStory, a Quarter-Finalist at Big Break, a Quarter-Finalist at the prestigious Academy Nicholl Fellowship, and a participant in NBC’s Diversity Pitch Fest. He is currently seeking representation.

My grandmother used to tell me I was born to be a Princess. She was right about a lot of things.

If you can't figure out where you know me from, chances are you've got a picture of me in your home as Princess Catalina at Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.  You may also have seen me in the critically acclaimed web series "CASTERS" (remastered and slated for re-release online in 2016), which introduced me to a creative team with whom I have collaborated on several projects.

As a friend, I am frequently found with a glass of wine in my hand and lots of advice to dispense.  I'm a lover of all things Disney, a proud cat-mommy, and have recently discovered my passion for pirate metal music.  (It's a thing, and it's awesome.)

Self-producing has become a source of tremendous creative fulfillment for me.  I produced my first short film, Daydreamer, in 2015 and I've got two web series in the works for 2016, including "TRENDING", which starts crowdfunding on February 29th!  Busy times ahead!

I pride myself on my professionalism.  When you see my name on the call sheet, you know you're going to have an easy day.

Rosalie Tenseth, founder of BOY WITH STICK PRODUCTIONS LLC has produced 4 short films the last of which, FAILURE GROUPIES, is in festival circuit and won many awards. (www.failuregroupies.com) The feature is in development.  She is currently directing the comedy series she wrote: TRENDING: What are you willing the pay to start over? (Twitter: @trendingaseries) As an actress she just shot the role of Evelyn on the new CBS hit show LIMITLESS and in 2016 can be seen in the Lifetime Movie Network Series I LOVE YOU BUT I LIED as Claire. (www.rosalietenseth.com)

twitter: @failuregroupies @BoyWithStickLLC @rosalietenseth

Tyreese has always been ambitious about life. Born in SanDiego, California and grew up in two other cities, Columbia, South Carolina and North Philadelphia. Traveling a lot as a kid into his teenage years has opened his eyes to how beautiful the world is and gave him imagination about the endless opportunities the world had in-store. Early on this gave him a love for traveling.

Tyreese was discovered in 2004 by Stylist/Fashion Guru & present wardrobe stylist for Wendy Williams, his good and longtime friend, Memsor Kamarake. Soon after meeting, Tyreese was in New York on a journey to live out his dreams. Though freshly new to the modeling world, Tyreese wanted to peruse more so he enrolled in acting classes. Since then Tyreese has been featured and starred in various Short Films, Television Series, Commercials, Fashion and Entertainment Publications, Runway Shows, Music Videos, Editorials and Commercial Print.

Living a healthy and fit lifestyle is something Tyreese enjoys. Not only to help impact his modeling and acting career, it's a lifestyle for him. Tyreese is driven to excel in everything he does in life. If he could do anything to impact others in this Industry and or in their everyday life, it would be to give them just as much hope and drive as he has. He believes anyone can do what they love alls you have to do is want it. With eleven years experience Tyreese continues to grow as a talent in this Industry. He inspires to be not only a great actor and model but also to be a mentor and role model. His ambition to succeed always keep him ready for the next challenge.

Born in Brooklyn, Jason Cusato infuses a trademark style into his works, which incorporates Brooklyn flavor and skilled filmmaking. Jason’s experiences from being born and raised in Brooklyn is a major influence on his work and has shaped his career as an award-winning independent filmmaker.

In 2015 Cusato continued to exhibit his passion for not only filmmaking but his love for Brooklyn with his award winning short “A Box Came to Brooklyn”. The Box has been an Official Selection to 23 film festivals since 2015. Most notably Manhattan Film Festival, Chain NYC Film Festival, Bronx International Film Festival, New Filmmakers- Fall Series, RIIFF Flickers' Roving Eye and Cape Cod Film Festival. The Box has won 6 awards including Best Ensemble in a Short at the 2015 Chain NYC Film Festival, Best Comedic Short at the 2015 Manhattan Film Festival, Audience Choice Award at the 2015 Princeton International Film Festival and Best Short Comedy at the 2015 Atlantic City CineFest. “A Box Came to Brooklyn” has also screened in all 5 boroughs of New York City.

Cusato is also Festival Director of the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival; an international film festival to showcase films and filmmakers that all have a meaningful connection to Brooklyn. AoBFF is the first to showcase emerging filmmakers who are Brooklyn-born, Brooklyn-based and/or Brooklyn-centric.

Cast member Swann Gruen is a graduate of the William Esper Studio and proud member of The Collective Ensemble. Film: Turtleface, Rocket Sex, Organs of Opportunity, Diwal'oween, Blink: The Observer, A Long Road. TV: Inside Amy Schumer. Theater: 360, Warning: May Contain Nuts, Turtleface, Schadenfreude, May First Twenty Eleven, Criminally Dumb, Watertown, Mass., In Wake of Yesterday.

A NYC based Award Winning Film, Television, and Theatre Actor; who has been performing on stage since the age of five. Lacy moved to NYC to study with the acclaimed Bill Esper after finishing her first lead role in a feature film -- SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP -- for which she won BEST LEAD ACTRESS four times with other awards at various film festivals throughout the nation.

Upon graduation from The William Esper Studio's Two Year Meisner Based Training Program, Lacy has completed two more feature films as the lead: SECOND CHANCE (2x4 Productions, 2016) and JOKERS POLTERGEIST (JFA Productions, 2016). She has a Recurring Role on Comedy Central's INSIDE AMY SCHUMER/Seasons Three & Four). Further, Lacy is now a lifetime Permanent Ensemble Member of The Collective, a NYC based Theatre and Film Production Company.

Catalina is a global Southern Latina writer and director of films and plays. She grew up in New York City and rural Tennessee to a Colombian mother and US American father. She went to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied acting at the Experimental Theater Wing. She met shamans in the Himalayas through the Naropa Institute in 2004 and tried to think about how what they do relates to theater and performance. In 2005 and 2006 Alvarez lived in a feminist house project in Berlin and wrote and performed theatrical vignettes as the character “Cowgirl Annie” at festivals and bars. From 2008 to 2011 she directed (and sometimes wrote) several short videos through the self-organized film school, FilmArche, in Berlin. In 2012 she played a Colombian performance artist in Hanna Bergfors’s and Kornelia Kugler’s film “Performance”. In 2013, for an elementary school in Tennessee, Alvarez adapted a play from a 1931 novel by local author May Justus. Later that year she shot short videos inspired by locations on the South Cumberland Plateau.

She is currently in pre-production of her debut feature length film, starring her brother. Samples of her work are available at www.deliciosovideos.weebly.com

Amy Frear is a filmmaker and theatre artist based out of Philadelphia, PA. Her work explores subtle science fiction and fantasy through journey, connection, getting lost, time travel, and the occasional historic figure or marine mammal. Her films include Another Time and Selkie and have been screened at the Philadelphia Film Society, Trenton Film Festival, Garden State Film Festival, Cache Cache NYC, among many others. As a theatre artist she has worked with Found Theater Company, Theatre Exile, Seattle Repertory Theater and has upcoming productions with New Paradise Laboratories and Inis Nua. She holds her MFA from the University of Washington.

www.amyfrear.com

Elysia Rosalind is a filmmaker, poet, programmer, and part-time oak tree. Her work celebrates ambiguity, fluidity, and antinomy. It is their goal to express complex emotions by experimenting with the boundaries of design, interactivity, and narrative. Her work has been shown in local galleries and auditoriums around Philadelphia and Wilmington, as well as special screenings abroad.

Bill Crossland is a writer, director, and actor with Muscular Dystrophy. Bill studied film at Temple University in Philadelphia, where he wrote and directed several short films and worked as an editor on independent productions including the Neil Patrick Harris comedy "The Best and the Brightest" and on pieces for NBC Sports Network. In 2013, he wrote, directed, and starred in Catching Up, a short film based on his semi-autobiographical screenplay about a physically disabled man who falls in love with an able-bodied woman. 

To date, the film has screened at festivals across the country including FirstGlance Philadelphia, New Jersey, Breckenridge, and Las Vegas, and most recently, has been selected for Sundance 2016! 

A member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and BMI collectively for 15 years, Rihki Kennebrew has written, arranged, and produced over 20 solo independent releases. An award winning film composer, The Diary of A Bad Man won the 2015 Jamaica Film Festival. The film marked his second collaboration with Deniran Films. His first film score project with Deniran Films is from the motion picture Reserve Notes.

He serves as executive music producer, and multi-media director for Eat Kool Productions. Eat Kool is a theatrical production company whose primary purpose is educating children, parents, and teachers about child sedentary life.

In the years since graduating from Adelphi University with a B.A. in Communication Arts, Erik has garnered experience in a number of professions from the creative to the technical.  From the graphic arts and 3D modeling, to writing and producing music for shows such as NBC’s TODAY, DATELINE, ABC’s 20/20, Primetime Live, The Discovery Channel and more. 

Presently, while working at Pure Motion Pictures as a producer, director of photography, lighting director and audio consultant, Erik also shares time at WABC local TV in New York City as a broadcast engineer.

Search for Erik Paulsen or Government Yule on iTunes to find samples of some of his diverse music productions, “Joni’s Love” written for his wife, his favorite still.

A lifelong actor, Drue has preformed in theaters all over the world, from New York to Norway. A graduate of NYU Tisch, Drue uses his dramatic background to bring many characters to life on screen. Drue combines his passion for film, story and acting every time he steps on set.

After establishing a career in theater, Drue turned his attention to a lifelong passion: film. Drue started his own company shooting commercials and promotional brand videos. Years later, Drue found himself working for different companies in the NYC area. It was one of these companies where Drue and Edwin met, and after working together extensively, decided to found Pure Motion Pictures.

Adrian Colón is a NJ based comic, writer, producer and filmmaker. Apart from being a stand up comic, Adrian has written and produced an award winning short film and commercial. Adrian produced and starred in the award-winning short, The Joke's On You. He is currently writing and producing a television series pilot.

Katherine Elisabeth Clark (writer/director) is a filmmaker who resides in Philadelphia, PA. Her work explores the internal journeys of characters, and touches the boundaries between fantasy, myth, imagination, and reality.

Her short film BETA PERSEI was awarded the Directorial Discovery Award at the Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, Best Sci-Fi/Horror Short at Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival, and nominated Best Short at Toronto's Female Eye Film Festival. Katherine has also participated in Creative Lab Hawaii's Writer's Immersive Lab, a year-long development and mentorship program, with her feature screenplay POLOLIA.

Katherine is active in the Philadelphia region as an arts supporter and promoter. She is the co-founder of PopUp Anthology, a Trenton, NJ-based organization dedicated to supporting the voices of local, independent filmmakers. In addition to her work to support local filmmakers with PopUp Anthology, she has twice served as a judge at the Westfield International Film Festival, and has led panels on Social Issue Filmmaking at Trenton Film Festival.

Since 2017, she has worked with Theatre Philadelphia, a marketing and leadership organization supporting theatre across the Philadelphia region. With Theatre Philadelphia, she organizes the annual Philly Theatre Week, highlighting over 80 theatre companies and artists and 250 performances in a 10-day period, as well as the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre Ceremony and Celebration, re-granting over $100,000 to individual artists and companies.

Katherine earned her M.F.A. in Film Directing from Columbia College Chicago, and her B.A. from UNC Asheville.

Her latest short film, Ways to Look at the Moon, was completed in November 2018.

www.filmfreeway.com/KatherineClark

Annie Bradford is a proud Michigander. She attended Interlochen Arts Academy, where she majored in creative writing. In 2012, she received her BFA in Theatre Acting from the Hartt School, and was a Fulbright Finalist (designated alternate) to the Philippines. In 2013, her first play premiered in NYC at the Cabrini Rep Theatre, which she also directed. Her first short film is The White Slippers, and will premiere at the 2016 Sedona International Film Festival.  She was was a 2013 Sundance Screenwriter's Lab finalist, and a 2012/2013 Sundance/Sloan Commissioning and Fellowship Grant Finalist. This fall her project, Stepsisters, was selected as a finalist for the Sundance/YouTube New Voices Lab. She's currently on the panel of writers for the Atlantic Film Festival Screenplay Competition, and is in pre-production for her next two short films, Chop and Sugar.  You can view her production company website, along with her current projects at, www.aretestandardfilms.com. 

26-year-old Adam Cardenas was born in the Philippines. He moved to the United States at age 9. In 2005, he became a paraplegic due to CLOVES Syndrome. Nevertheless, he continues to enjoy life and pursue his dream to become a successful filmmaker.

Edwin is a cinematographer turned director. He began his career as a photographer and graphic designer, but quickly moved into art direction and cinematography. A graduate of Kenyon College, Edwin is deeply immersed in the fundamentals of writing and storytelling.

Edwin has provided creatives services for dozens of name brands while working as an art director, cinematographer, and post production supervisor for a variety of NYC area firms. Combining his knack for the visual with his talent for business, development and writing, Edwin founded Pure Motion Pictures with Drue Pennella in 2012. Together they have grown the company and built a successful filmmaking business, winning multiple awards for short narrative work, music video, and feature documentary projects.

A Jersey native and a comedic force, JEN PONTON is co-creator of '80s puppet sitcom "The Weirdos Next Door." Primarily an actress, Jen is most commonly recognized for her work on "30 Rock," "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," "Deadbeat" and "Orange is the New Black". She's also guest-starred as someone who cries a lot on "Blue Bloods," "Boardwalk Empire," "Law & Order: SVU," "The Slap," and "The Good Wife." Her films have played at Sundance, SXSW & Tribeca.

Jen graduated with a BA in Theatre from Ramapo College of New Jersey and is a proud member of the Television Academy. Like most good New Jerseyans, Jen has never left. Raised as an only child in ultra-rural Warren County amongst corn, cows, and little else, she considers herself a country girl at heart. Jen married her college sweetheart and lives in the woods of NJ with him and their very excited dog.

KAY KOCH is co-creator, head writer and primary character/puppet designer for The Weirdos Next Door. Although professionally trained in musical theater, Kay has always had a nostalgic passion for the works of Jim Henson. so when the chance to work on a Muppets-inspired series came up, she absolutely leapt at it!

Kay performs three primary characters for the series, each containing a part of her own personality: Ket T. Cat (the peppy little whirling dervish she used to be), Wellington P. Sheep (the uber-nerd she was never quite brave enough to be) and Troubadour (the English rock & roll guitar god she wishes she could be!).

Director/Cinematographer/Editor

Byron's films have screened and won awards at over 70 film festivals, including: the 2013 Dallas International Film Festival, the 10th Annual Sarasota Film Festival, the 25th annual Denver International Film Festival and the 2008 Maryland Film Festival. The Exchange (2005), 4021 Parkside Ave. (2007) and SBC (2008) were programmed for public broadcasting. He’s received grants from Philadelphia’s Independent Film and Video Association, Temple University and the University of the Arts. As a freelance filmmaker, he’s been commissioned by Microsoft Corporation to make a documentary about its School of the Future and worked on several project supported by the Knight Foundation. Byron received an MFA from Temple University’s Film Program on a University Fellowship and a Master’s of Public Policy from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He teaches at the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia.

Erik O. Mayer is an actor and filmmaker with Arthrogryposis. As a student at Villanova University, Erik primarily studied mathematics and education, but he also took classes in acting, film analysis, and creative writing.

During this time, Erik helped write and produce a variety of amateur films. These include two short films made as part of the Project Twenty1 21-Day Filmmaking Competition in Philadelphia: The Last Request in 2009, and The Time Machine in 2010.

In 2013, Erik played the co-lead in Catching Up, a short film about a physically disabled man who falls in love with an able-bodied woman. The film has been featured in festivals across the country, including Sundance Film Festival 2016.

 Temilolu Tokosi is a Nigerian filmmaker hailing from Roselle,NJ. His main focus is to make drama films with a message that have an ability to change people's outlooks on life and their thinking. In May 2015 Temi won the "Best Director" award at the "We Made it in Cannes" short film competition at the Cannes film festival.

Jasmine L. Callis is a recent graduate of Temple University with a B.A in Film & Media Arts. Over the past year she has found many ways to define herself as a director, producer and writer by participating in various film projects including music videos, short-films and documentaries. Having great amount of work to show her talent and skill, Jasmine has become well known for her ambitious take on film either in Philadelphia, New Jersey or New York. 

Writing, directing, and producing her first short-film, which has won “Best Long-Form Screenplay” at the Diamond Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Katra Film Festival, the production of Take 5, has taught Ms. Callis the true beauty in the process of filmmaking. Her goal now is to continue to succeed in film as a power player. 

Mel Edelman is an artist who works in a variety of media. He has been making short videos (and films) since the early 1960s. He received his MFA from Cal Arts.

Chelsea Catalanotto is a writer and director currently living in Philadelphia PA. She studied film and comedy at Sarah Lawrence College and has worked as creative assistant at Nomoneyfun Films, as well as a Production Assistant and Writer's Assistant for Saturday Night Live. She co-founded, wrote, and directed for sketch groups Sextape Comedy and LOSERBAR Films, and her sketches have appeared on Splitsider, Collegehumor, Nerve, My Damn Channel and Serial Optimist. She is currently writing a dark comedy feature length thriller. Follow her on twitter and Instagram @pizzatimeplz