CREW
Kyle Arpke (director):
Kyle Arpke works as a professional freelance filmmaker since graduating from UW-Milwaukee’s Film/Video bachelor’s program. Arpke has directed numerous films, music videos, and social media content for a broad client-base. His narrative feature debut, the neo-realist drama CATALYST, played in film festivals across North America garnering accolades for Arpke’s writing and direction.
As a filmmaker Kyle strives to tell hard hitting human stories using down-to-earth filmmaking techniques that challenge traditional story structure.
Jessica Knap (producer):
Jessica Knap is a Freelance Producer and Production Manager for both Narrative and Documentary platforms. Former Production Manager for Give Me Liberty, which premiered at Sundance and received the 2020 John Cassavetes Independent Spirit Award. She works on network television series based in Chicago and is currently in post-production on a documentary short titled Never Home, following a Sexual Assault Advocate and the challenges they face in Hmong Culture.
Dan Didier (Producer):
Dan Didier serves as Producer and Editorial Supervisor at September Club, a post-editorial house with locations in Los Angeles and Milwaukee.
Dan has overseen post production on a variety of hit documentaries over the years, including Raiders!: The Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (Netflix), Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (Netflix) and Whirlybird (Sundance Premiere 2020). He recently produced Don't Break Down, the story of the seminal rock band Jawbreaker.
If you’ve ever heard songs by influential indie band The Promise Ring or his current acclaimed band Maritime, you’ve heard Dan’s music — he was a founding member and drummer for both bands.
Micahel Vollmann (Editor):
Michael Vollmann is best known for co-editing (with Jeff Gilbert) the 2020 Sundance Grand Prize-winning documentary Boys State for directors Jessie Moss and Amanda McBaine. A staple of the midwest's documentary film scene, Vollmann’s other credits include SXSW 2017’s The Blood is at The Doorstep, and the HULU original Red, White and Wasted that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019.
His short film The 414s: The Original Teenage Hackers, was picked up by CNN Films at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Michael also won the 2013 Cream City Cinema award at the Milwaukee Film Festival for his short film Before You.
Quinn Hester (Cinematographer):
With a diverse portfolio ranging from documentaries, narrative features and music videos Quinn Hester is a driven collaborator who is drawn to thought provoking images and stories. His latest work, 2018’s Back at the Staircase, is currently undergoing a film festival run after debuting at the Slamdance Film Festival. A lover of adventure and the outdoors, Hester’s work as a cinematographer has taken him across the globe, with a few of his favorite places being Iceland, Italy and The Dominican Republic.
His work has been featured by Adweek, Indiewire, The Playlist, The New York Times and No Film School as well as festivals including SXSW, Hot Docs and Slamdance.
Dana Shihadah (Cinematographer):
Dana Shihadah is a filmmaker and emerging cinematographer whose work includes documentaries, narrative films, music videos, and commercials. Her personal work has landed her awards from Best Director to Jury Best Short and has screened across the globe. Her most recent cinematography undertaking has been partnering with director Carol Brandt for the feature film Pet Names which premiered at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival.
Having been born in the American Midwest and spending childhood in the Middle East has offered Dana an unconventional upbringing while lending a unique lens for her shooting style; graceful, attentive, courageously human.
Jessica Farrell (Co-Producer):
Jessica is a freelance producer with over ten years of experience in film, commercial, and photography. She has produced narrative and documentary feature films including Markie in Milwaukee (2019 Slamdance Film Premiere), Back at the Staircase (2018 Slamdance Film Premiere), and 30 Seconds Away (2015 Milwaukee Film Premiere). For five years, she was a Senior Broadcast Producer at a Top 25 independent marketing and advertising agencies in the U.S., whereshe produced international commercial campaigns.
She is currently in-production on several feature films and short films. Her work has been featured in Indiewire, NPR, The Playlist, Adweek, Mashable, and Communication Arts.
Timm Gable (Executive Producer):
Timm is a rare mix of production, creative and business savvy. Regardless of budget, Timm works tirelessly to bring creative visions to life. His feature length documentaries It's Happiness (2006) and Sign Painters (2014) have screened across the country.
After a decade-long run in the agency world Gable opened his own production company: Allies & Co. He’s produced award winning work for brands like Sea Doo, Can Am, Rain X, Case IH, and Toyota (among many others). Timm is a halfway decent guy to hang out with, too.
Andrew Gorzalski (Associate Producer):
A mentor to many up and coming Milwaukee filmmakers Andrew Gorzalski has contributed to the creative teams of the city’s most prolific film work. He has acted as a producer and consultant to The CNN Films release of The 414s:The original teenage hackers (2015, Official selection of the Sundance Film Festival), 2012’s The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (SXSW Festival Debut), 2009’s Modus Operandi (AFI Festival) and Collapse (Special Jury Prize Winner, Sundance Film Festival), and MECCA: The Floor That Made Milwaukee Famous, an ESPN 30 for 30 short.
Andy is currently in development on a new documentary profiling "The Nat" a late 1970's disco supper club in Milwaukee that featured a live dolphin show inside the restaurant.
Barry Poltermann (Story Consultant):
Barry is a producer, director, story supervisor and editor, primarily working in documentary. He has edited several acclaimed feature films, including American Movie (Sundance Grand Prize Winner, 1999), The Pool (Sundance Jury Prize Winner, 2007), and I Am Not Alone (Toronto, 2019 Audience Award for documentary at TIFF, DocNYC & AFI Fest); and was the Story Supervisor on Whirlybird (Sundance, 2020).
Barry was the director of 2006's The Life of Riley, which follows the story of actor/comedian Charles Nelson Reilly.
