DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY

Rona Mark graduated with honors from Columbia University's MFA Film program where she was a directing concentrate. While at Columbia, Rona directed several films including The Final Days of the Ministry of Tea, which won the Filmmaker Magazine Audience Choice Award and the Faculty Choice for Best of the Night at the Columbia University New Works Festival of 1998. Rona’s thesis film, Finbar Lebowitz, which she wrote, directed and edited, was the recipient of the HBO Producers’ Development Award and The Polo Ralph Lauren Award for Best Comedy. Finbar was also a regional finalist in the Student Academy Awards in 2001, played widely on TV (Cinemax, HBO, SkyMovies, IFC and Sundance Channel) and was featured in numerous film festivals worldwide.

Rona finished her first feature film, Strange Girls, in 2008 which has just wrapped up its festival run after appearing in the Edinburgh International Film Festival (winner “Best of Fest”), Austin Film Festival, San Francisco Independent Film Festival, Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, Sao Paolo Terror Fantastic Fest, Seattle True Independent Film Festival (winner “Most Twisted”), Backseat Film Festival, Eerie Horror Film Festival, Woods Hole Film Festival, Three Rivers Film Festival, Hoboken International Film Festival, (winner “Best Editing” “Best Actress”), Spooky Movie Film Festival, and the NewFilmmakers’ Screening Series.

Rona currently teaches filmmaking at Sarah Lawrence College.

PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY

Craig Schober graduated from Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts with a BFA in film. In 1994, Craig began editing freelance using one of the first commercially available non-linear editing systems.

Craig wrote, directed, produced and edited his first feature film, die LUCAS die,in 1999. It is currently being self distibuted on DVD.

In 2000, Craig toured throughout Japan with the American grindcore band Discordance Axis as their videographer producing 2 commercial DVDs for the band.

In 2005, Craig, along with friends (Garner & Mark from die LUCAS die fame) formed Clef PALATE, a cooking/karaoke podcast variety show featured on iTunes. At it's height, Clef PALATE climbed up to #1 in popularity in the food/cooking category. If you like cooking, karaoke and monkeys (or any combination therof) you can see more HERE.

In 2006, Craig Schober formed Tridango, Inc., a production company founded on the premise of micro-budget feature film storytelling in the digital age.

In 2008, Craig teamed up with comedic performance artist Killer "Killy" Dwyer to provide interactive video projections for Hysteri-KILLY!, a one woman off Broadway show that went on to win Best of NYC Theater in GO magazine.

Craig is currently running a small telecommunications company in New Jersey as well as freelance writing, shooting and editing using his Red One digital cinema camera for several projects in various stages of production.

CINEMATOGRAPHER:

Gregg Conde is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker who was born in the Philippines and grew up in Northern California. In the process of studying for his BA in Photography at San Jose State University, he undertook an intensive 3-year study in the field of documentative stop-motion animation. These works culminated in three one-man art shows at SJ State.

Cinematography was a natural transition from photography for Gregg when he moved to New York after his undergraduate studies and seriously began to pursue his passion in filmmaking. As a cinematographer, Gregg has lensed over 20 short films, commercial spots and music videos. He is currently an MFA Filmmaking Candidate, with a concentration in directing, at Columbia University's School of the Arts.

The Crab is his first feature as a cinematographer.

Make-Up FX:

Jeremy Selenfriend has been bringing to life the various things which lurk in his imagination (not to mention in his shop) professionally for almost a decade, but has been thinking them up and making them for himself since he was just 9 years old and allowed to decorate his parent's house for Halloween. After freelancing in the field of Make-Up FX and meeting and working with a great many Tri-state area crews as a PA, Jeremy dove head first into the FX business by forming an LLC, and opening the doors to his shop. Since then, Jeremy and Monster in my Closet have tackled both big studio projects, and smaller independent films with equal passion for the craft.

MUSIC:

Collin Couvillion is an Astoria-based songwriter and performer. After serving 5 years as a Musical Supervisor/Singer of the long running show De La Guarda he turned his focus to songwriting and composing. Most recently, Collin worked with the creators of Blue Man Group on a children's show and photographer/filmmaker Bill Hayward, composing music for Mr. Hayward's multi-media American Memory Project. Collin is also a founding member of Tridango, Inc. The Crab is Collin's first feature film score, and he is thrilled to be a part of this film.

PRODUCTION DESIGNER:

Simone Duff graduated from Art Studio Fuji in Florence, Italy with a certificate in tailoring. She went on to earn a B.A. in Dress Studies and Costume Design from Bennington College. In 2005 she received an grant to take part in the Interdisciplinary conference of Fashion and Dress Cultures in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Simone is an artist who has worked for several years as a design assistant and costumer. Her work has been part of performances at the Lyceum Theater on Broadway (Title of Show), the Joyce Theater in SoHo, Princeton University, the CAC in Philadelphia, Concord Academy in MA, on the Blue Man Group “Mega Star” rock tour, in galleries in NYC and Chicago, and featured in Women's Wear Daily. Much like Hank Hill, she is aspiring towards the lifelong goal of becoming a "Master Craftsman."