H.P. MENDOZA | Director/Editor/Composer is a Filipino-American filmmaker and artist best known for his work as screenwriter, composer, and lyricist on Colma: The Musical (2007) released theatrically by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions, as well as his art- house directorial effort, I Am a Ghost (2014.)
David Lamble of the San Francisco Bay Area Reporter dubbed Mendoza “San Francisco’s queer cinema poet.” In 2012, Mendoza was inducted into Essential SF by the San Francisco Film Society which supported his third directorial effort Bitter Melon (2018) placing on over a dozen Top 10 lists after its theatrical run in December of 2018 and was dubbed one of the “20 Best Bay Area Films of the Decade” by the Mercury News.
Along with his feature films, Mendoza is also known for his music and art installations including the touring screening of his experimental visual album, Attack, Decay, Release commissioned by The Svane Family Foundation.
GRANT ROSENMEYER | “Ben Grady” / Producer – His career began when he was 8 on Broadway in Macbeth opposite Kelsey Grammer and Ty Burrell, and in the long-running musical phenomenon Les Miserables before making his film debut in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums.
He led the cast of Fox’s 2003-2004 comedy series Oliver Beene, from producer Steve Levitan. Rosenmeyer appeared with George Clooney and Julia Roberts in Jodie Foster’s thriller Money Monster, and led indie Temps with Lindsey Shaw, as well as 2018 heist comedy Chasing the Blues with Jon Lovitz. Rosenmeyer produces via his banner Florida Hill Entertainment.
In 2019, he produced and starred in The Black List’s first feature Come As You Are (SxSW 2019), a road trip dramedy based on the real-life experience of Asta Philpot, with Gabourey Sidibe, Hayden Szeto, Ravi Patel, and Janeane Garofalo. The Secret Art of Human Flight is Florida Hill’s second feature. Rosenmeyer is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, earning a BFA in Film and TV Production.
TINA CARBONE | Producer is an award-winning independent producer & filmmaker, who has worn just about every hat when it comes to production. She has produced feature films, shorts, and branded content with such companies as Vanishing Angle, Crypt TV, and Smudge Films. Tina has used her enthusiasm and creativity to grow a successful career elevating productions with smaller budgets into high quality films. Tina is also active in the female filmmaker community as an advocate for women on set and continues to mentor in all aspects of production. Past film credits include See You Then; My Fiona; The Park (Topic Studios) and Lone Wolf.
BENJAMIN WIESSNER | Producer is a producer and VP of Sales & Distribution at Vanishing Angle. He was named to Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Indie Film in 2012 as part of Ornana Films, where he began producing and distributing shorts and features with partners across the world. He has produced short films in both hand-drawn animation and live action, with awards at festivals including SXSW and Sundance.
He has also worked on numerous features with premieres at Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW, Cannes, and Tribeca, including producing and self-distributing Thunder Road (SXSW 2018 Grand Jury Prize). He consults, mentors, and consoles numerous early career filmmakers.
Raised by educators, he frequently speaks about filmmaking, distribution, and film marketing at film schools, festivals, and conferences from Cannes to Kazakhstan. In 2018, he co-founded the Short to Feature Filmmaking Lab and in 2020 he helped launch the Vanishing Angle Post Grant for short filmmakers.
JESSE ORENSHEIN | Screenwriter graduated from Cal State Northridge with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts, and a focus on screenwriting.
Jesse sold his first screenplay, The Secret Art of Human Flight, when he was 24. The film features some of the children’s books that he published in real life, prior to writing the script. His publishing brand, Grandpa Herbie’s Stories has published 14 books to date.
Jesse started working in the industry when he was 16, as an intern for writer, director, and producer Jeremy Garelick (The Hangover, The Break-Up, The Wedding Ringer). Jesse started doing script coverage during the formative years of Jeremy’s pioneer, Upstate New York studio, American High. Jesse ran American High’s Development Team while the studio produced a slate of Hulu originals like Big Time Adolescence (Pete Davidson, Griffin Gluck), The Binge (Vince Vaughn, Skyler Gisondo), The Ultimate Playlist of Noise (Keean Johnson, Madeline Brewer), and Plan B (Kuhoo Verma, Victoria Moroles).
Eventually, Jesse became Jeremy’s personal assistant until he decided to devote his time entirely to Grandpa Herbie’s Stories, at the encouragement and advice of Jeremy himself. Grandpa Herbie’s Stories is the by-product of Jesse’s whimsical imagination and 10+ years of experience in childcare and education. Jesse invested his life’s savings into the company during his final year at CSUN and in the year following his graduation.
It began as a collaboration between CSUN’s most talented and ambitious art students, but soon flourished into an international network of illustrators that have added their creative sparks to 14 entirely unique literary worlds of adventure, rhyme, and moral lessons.
Jesse’s goal is to publish 40 books by the time he turns 40. Jesse also got an entirely separate introduction to the film industry through his experiences on American Ninja Warrior. Jesse first competed on the hit reality show during his senior year of college, making it to the Season 10, Los Angeles City Finals, and placing just three spots away from the National Finals in Las Vegas. Jesse returned as a competitor on seasons 11 and 13. None of this would have been possible without the love, support, encouragement, and creative input of Jesse’s incredible wife and best friend, Eliza.
MARKUS MENTZER | Cinematographer has been lensing projects for over twenty years including Netflix’s I Think You Should Leave, and the Sundance nominated Clara’s Ghost. His films have premiered at Sundance, BAMcinemafest, AFI Fest, Fantastic Fest, Deauville, Rotterdam, Outfest, and the Maryland Film Festival. Markus studied under cinematographers Barry Ackroyd, Brandon Trost, and Tak Fujimoto on features such as The Big Short (Paramount), Diary of A Teenage Girl (Sony Classics), and Detroit (Annapurna).
Taking advantage of low light levels inspired by practical lighting, he employs a naturalist approach to cinematography. Guided by story, his handheld style provides actors with the freedom to improvise and his choices in cameras and lenses emphasize the atmospherics of each project.
CHARLIE TEXTOR | Production Designer is responsible for the visual concepts of many films including Scrambled (Lionsgate); Spoonful of Sugar (Shudder, Vanishing Angle); The Wolf of Snow Hollow (Orion); The Block Island Sound; Beast Beast and Thunder Road.
LO JACKSON | Costume Designer is a New Orleans native whose previous costume design experience include The Park (Topic Studios)
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