AS A DIRECTOR:

AJ's directorial film debut was StarWars 2.5 The Pitch Wars (a 17 minute animated short film completed in 2003) which he also co-wrote with Mark Reilly and Chris Orf.

The Pitch Wars has won the "Bronze Remi Award for animation/mixed media" at the WorldFest in Houston, the "Audience Choice Award" at the Friday Night Shortsfest in Los Angeles (sponsored by the LA film school) and it received a "Freight Favorite" recognition at the Freight Film Salon in New York City. The film went on to screen in at the Mill Valley Film Festival in California, New York's New Filmmakers Series in New York City most recently on KTEH's: Video i (an independent film program which covered the 2003 Mill Valley Film Festival) on June 28th. The film has also recently finished the IFCT International Festival of Cinema and Technology tour (a travelling Digital Film Festival) which originated in Orlando, Florida before moving to Toronto and Sydney. On the tour the film received an "Honorable Mention" in the "Best Animated Short" category and was also nominated for "Best Comedic Short."

AJ has been a director of theatre for over ten years. Productions include the UK Premiere of Arthur Kopit's Because He Can; the European premiere of the Lucasfilm-sanctioned stage production of The Star Wars Trilogy in 30 Minutes; and a three-act fable, The Jewel in the Lotus, which AJ freely adapted from Herman Hesse's classic Siddhartha.

AS A WRITER:

AJ studied playwriting at USC and was a script reader during his senior year for Factory Filmworks, a subsidiary of Davis Entertainment at Twentieth Century Fox.

As a screenwriter, AJ co-wrote No Place for a Superhero with longtime collaborator Mark Reilly (story by Mark Reilly, Craig Bilsky and AJ Towne.) The screenplay was a finalist in two national writing competitions (Austin/Scriptapalooza.) AJ also co-wrote One Man's Heaven with Ira Israel.

AJ has been writing theatre for over ten years. In 1998, AJ was commissioned to write and direct the Jewel in the Lotus, for his college mentor, John Blankenchip. Jewel is a three-act fable that AJ freely adapted from Herman Hesse's Siddhartha. The play ran for two weeks at the "then newly opened" SceneDock theatre on the USC campus in Los Angeles.

AJ's one act plays have been seen in New York (Triad), in North Hollywood (American Renegade Theatre) and in Santa Fe, New Mexico (Crossroads Theatre.)

AJ most recently wrote Father to Son, a full-length original play, which had a reading at the Manhattan Theatre Source in Manhattan in June.

Todd Hickey, East Coast born and raised, brings his unique view of life to people through his work. After earning a degree in Radio-Television-Film form Temple University in Philadelphia, he moved to Los Angeles with a backpack, enthusiasm, some raw talent, but no contacts. Calling on what some would call resilience, and what others call destiny, one week later Todd met Director Spike Jonze. Impressed with his short films, Jonze hired Todd as his Assistant It was in the shadows, quietly watching and learning that he developed into a skilled and resourceful storyteller.

Todd has considerable experience as a Director of Photography. He recently finished shooting his fourth narrative feature, and and third Documentary feature,Sonny Boy, directed by Soliel Moon Frye. A road trip film with her father, who is suffering from alzheimers and was a civil rights activist and a legendary acting coach.

Todd just finishing a promotional tour for his feature length documentary directing debut Street Legends, which explores the art and experience of the underground Hip Hop group, Living Legends. Todd was also cinematographer, co-producer and creative consultant for the award winning documentary Freestyle, The Art of Rhyme.

He is also a celebrated music video director/cameraman, his work has appeared on MTV, MTV2, VH1, Fuse, Much Music & MTV Europe. He has also has written and directed several short films and is one of the founders/organizers of the Hip Hop Film Festival and Resilient Releasing. Currently, Todd is developing a feature scripts that he has written and a couple of documentary projects.

ERICKA O'BENAR
LINE PRODUCER, SEE HOW THEY RUN

Raised in the family environment of Chicago's production scene, Ericka honed her skill working with prominent producers and directors on both feature films (Soul Survivors, Chicago Cab) and television commercials (Abby Dix Productions, Backyard Productions, Freeman Pictures, Crossroads Productions.)

As a producer, Mrs. O'Benar is one of the best in her field and over the past five years has continuously created high quality, award winning pieces from productions that have had little to no budgets (2000 Telly Award for best PSA, 2001 Telly Award for best PSA). Ericka is also no stranger to big named clients and has worked with such companies and people as; The Chicago Bulls, Popeyes Chicken, KCI and JOJO, Leo Burnett, McDonald's, Poi Dog Pondering, John Cusak and Julianne Moore.

JENNIFER LANSKY
CASTING DIRECTOR, SEE HOW THEY RUN

At 16, Jen knew that she wanted to be in casting. Eight years later she moved to LA and got her start at Slater-Brooksbank casting. Under Mary-Jo Slater and Steve Brooksbank, Jen worked on MTV's Undressed and several other television and feature projects. From there, Jen worked with Risa Bramon Garcia and her partner, Brennan du Fresne, on the features, A Guy Thing, Like Mike, Garfield, and the pilot MDs, before settling with Lori Sugar and Strong Medicine.

Jen has also been casting independent films and shorts for friends and colleagues including the short film Menage a Zombie for Dan Strange and an indie feature Road Picture for Patrick Thompson. Jen also cast Long Distance and Things She Did to Change Me (part of a series of 3 shorts called Love in Three Movements) by writer/director Joe Lamattina which were both included in the last LA Short Film Festival.

ZACK RYAN
COMPOSER, SEE HOW THEY RUN

Zack Ryan studied composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Since moving back home to Los Angeles, he has written music for many projects, including the short films Star Wars 2.5: The Pitch Wars, Fight Ballet and Chocolate Girls as well as the independent feature Bettie Page: Dark Angel. His music also appears on a DVD bonus feature of the Alexander Payne film About Schmidt.

In addition to his composing credits, he has orchestrated cues for the CBS movie of the week Gleason and the feature film The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting. He also plays drums and writes horn arrangements for the LA-based band The FallWater Project.