MEET THE STAFF
In 2009 the First Annual Silk City Flick Fest (SCFF) was born in Manchester, Connecticut. We chose the name Silk City due to all the Silk manufacturing plants built in and around Manchester. It exploded onto the Festival scene screening 50 plus movies from all over the world and hosting highly regarded industry panels. Some of the movies shown our first year were picked up for distribution and many contacts were forged throughout the event.
In 2010 SCFF is moving to Hartford, our Capital City, where we hope to keep the New England vibe alive. We also hope to embrace the art and culture that Hartford has to offer, as well as the large number of great restaurants and nightlife.
The goal of SCFF is to showcase the art of the movie world and connect it to the business side in a fun and friendly New England setting and highlight it’s peak beauty, FALL!
We hope to see you there!
JUSTIN MORALES
Founder/Director
Justin , An Indie Filmmaker, was born in Manchseter, Connecticut. He has lived, worked and traveled all over the world from the Pacific to the English Channel. After getting the flimmaking bug, Justin moved to New York City where he worked on many indie films and big Studio pictures like “The Hours”. He graduated from Connecticut School of Broadcasting and opened a video production an editing house in Downtown Manchester, CT called “Cool Hand Pictures”.
JOHN VICTOR RAMAGLIA, JR.
Co-Founder/Co-Director
John is an Insurance Agent with Allstate & Co-Founder of the Silk City Flick Fest.
John Holds a blackbelt in networking.
An upcoming Indie Movie Producer. Started out with funny Commericals, and has moved on since his Public Access tv show www.thejohnrammshow.com. Now focused on our 2nd year doing the www.silkcityflickfest.com (October 2010).
The positive impact filmaking has been contagious in CT.
We are working on a show featuring Joe Young & Michael Jai White
www.diamondruffmovie.com. Pre production is already underway.. July 2010 we start shooting. Hartford, Bridgeport and Manchester are sites touted for production.
2010 is a big year for John Ramm the Movie Mann & Connecticut.
RYAN MALONEY
Co-Founder/Assistant Director
RYAN is a comedian, based in New York City, originally from Manchester, Connecticut. Ryan has been performing stand up comedy for over eleven years, is a regular performer at Hartford's Brew Ha-Ha Comedy Club, served as Brett Butler's opening act and recently co-headlined First Night Hartford at The Bushnell.
After starting his career performing in clubs throughout the Boston area, Ryan focused his efforts on making a name for himself in New York City. It wasn't long before Manhattan's comedy scene mainstay, Comic Strip Live, named Ryan "Funniest New Comedian" in November of 1999. Ryan followed this honor up by auditioning for and booking over a half dozen national commercials including spots for Bud Light, AOL, EBay, AT&T, the NFL and KFC. In 2007, the film "Magic Man" was Ryan's feature length documentary producing debut. The film won the Audience Award for Best of the Festival at the Hoboken International Film Festival. In 2008, Ryan starred in and produced a pilot for his own television show, which is currently being shopped to various outlets, under contract by a major network. Ryan has also written and produced a number of series including Comedy Central's "Crash Course in Comedy".
Ryan looks forward to many successful years of the Silk City Flick Fest and is proud to have co-founded the festival in his hometown of Manchester with Coolhand Pictures' Mike Esasky and Justin Morales.
MAGDA "MAGGI" GROVER
Administrative Director
MAGGI recently completed the CT Film Industry Training Program this Summer where she was able to work on two NBC shows. (Friday Night Lights and Celebrity Apprentice 2) as well as two Independent Films (Once More With Feeling and The Best Laid Plans). Maggi is also a graduate of Manchester Community College where she obtained her Associates in Multimedia Studies. After attending MCC she fell in love with Manchester and has been a resident ever since! Presently she is part of the Cool Hand Pictures team where she performs various duties and is very excited about the Silk City Flick Fest coming to Manchester.
JESSE GLEASON
Selection Boardman
JESSE is a graduate of Film Studies from UConn and his degree consists of dissecting technical and thematic dynamics of movies. He also graduated from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and is a Videographer and Editor for Cool Hand Pictures, LLC of Manchester. Jesse also assisted production of the documentary film, Busking the System.
ANDREW J. CONCATELLI
Selection Boardman
Andrew J. Concatelli is the Assistant Editor of ReminderNews, the Vernon-based weekly newspaper which publishes 16 local editions in eastern Connecticut. In addition to writing and editing news and feature articles, he has served as the paper's film critic for the past six years, writing weekly movie reviews of new theatrical releases. He attended the University of Connecticut, where he wrote movie reviews for the campus newspaper, and graduated with a degree in Journalism and Media Studies. Concatelli judged the Feature Film category at the inaugural Silk City Flick Fest in 2009. www.ReminderNews.com
JOSHUA A. GORDON
Lighting and Grip
Joshua A. Gordon took the CT Film Training program in 2008, for lighting and grip. Since then he has worked as a grip and gaffer on many short films. He has also directed corporate and industrial training videos; including educational videos for The Connecticut Science Center. www.gordonfilms.webs.com
GREGOR KOWALEWSKI
Nearly twenty-five years ago, a young man with a film degree in hand ventured out onto a long and winding road…and oh, what a long, strange trip it has been…and continues to be! Gregor Kowalewski is a veteran of the film, broadcast and cable industry with over twenty-five years of experience and many stories to tell. Rising up through the ranks from grip to editor to cameraman to director to producer-writer, Mr. Kowalewski continues to be amazed at the constantly changing dynamics of the film and video profession. He has recently taken on a new role as the Theater Manager at the Connecticut Science Center’s large screen digital 3D theater. Mr. Kowalewski is honored to be in involved in the Silk City Flick Fest and in celebrating the wondrous art of story telling.
DAN GUACHIONE
Boom operator/producer/director ...... not necessarily in that order.
10 years boom operator on Sesame Street with multiple Emmy awards for sound.
Feature film boom operator on such movies as Kate and Leopold, The Hunted, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and the Bourne Ultimatum. Was part of the sound department on The Bourne Ultimatum which won Oscar for sound mixing. Has worked on such television shows as Spin City, Mad Men, Hope and Faith, and White Collar plus many more Dan Guachione also has a small production company named Curve Pictures. Specializing in short industrial films with Puma as it's major client.
Credit list.
DEBBIE GAUDET
Deborah A. Gaudet has been on staff of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art since 1989, when she was named Museum Services Manager. In 1993, she was promoted into the position of Managing Director of Theater and Film; in 2004, Gaudet was named Curator of Film and Theater. During her years overseeing the Aetna Theater, Gaudet has created and managed a successful film program, administered a theater rental program, produced a series of multi-media performances, and has worked collaboratively with many arts organizations, community groups, and artists.
JEFFREY COHEN
CEO of ImageWorks, LLC Jeffrey Cohen has a distinguished career in the Computer Generated Graphics, Sales and Marketing, and Technical Support industries. Previously owning American Screen Graphics, a silkscreen and graphic design firm, Jeffrey has also worked in Information Systems for Travelers Insurance, Savage Computers, and Technical support for ITW/Promark. A graduate of the University of Bridgeport with a degree in fine arts, Cohen also holds a degree from the Computer Processing Institute. Recently recognized by the Connecticut Technology Council's Innovation Pipeline awards as one of the Connecticut Companies to watch in 2009, Jeffrey has also been quoted in Time Magazine, and has been published in Business 2.0 and WIRED. A leader in the New Media Sector, ImageWorks has been a producer of independent small business commercial films. Jeffrey is currently on the
Board of Directors for the Tolland County Chamber of Commerce, The Chair of the Economic Development Commission in the town of Vernon, and is the Host and Executive Director of the Connecticut Business Network.
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