Cornelia Duryée (Writer/Director)
Cornelia has had a long and prosperous career in the arts, in various incarnations, but it was her relationship with Madeleine L'Engle that led the former playwright and stage director into the world of film. L'Engle (well-known writer of works such as A Wrinkle in Time and the Austin Family series), Cornelia's Godmother and mentor, invited her to adapt several of her novels and plays for the screen.
With Madeleine's encouragement, Cornelia adapted two of Madeleine's novels: Camilla Dickinson and Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun. The latter was a finalist in the First Glance Screenplay Competition, a semi-finalist at Slamdance, and has received numerous other accolades.
In 2015 Cornelia directed West of Redemption, starring Billy Zane, Kevin Alejandro, and Mariana Klaveno; a tense, award-winning thriller, which won the Best Feature award at the Jefferson State FlixxFest, Best Dramatic Direction at Eugene FF, and Staff Pick Award at Manchester FF, among many others. It continues to make the rounds of ongoing film festivals.
In 2012 Cornelia directed Camilla Dickinson, with a cast including Adelaide Clemens, Cary Elwes, Samantha Mathis, and Gregg Sulkin. The film garnered critical success, winning, among others, the 2012 Best Narrative Feature and 2012 Best Director awards from the Women's Independent Film Festival, as well as the Best Narrative Feature award from the Eugene International Film Festival. It's available on Amazon, Youtube, and iTunes.
In 2006 Cornelia wrote and directed The Dark Horse, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival and went on to win Best Feature Drama at the International Family Film Festival, among other awards. It is available on Amazon.
Cornelia co-founded Seattle Shakespeare Company, directed there, and served as its casting director for seven years. A classically-trained actor/director, she directed stage plays for twenty years before moving behind the camera. Her enjoyment of filmmaking extends into the realm of production, where she served as Executive Producer for cult favorite JourneyQuest Season 1, a producer of JourneyQuest Season 2, and as a casting director for The Gamers: Dorkness Rising, as well as many other productions. Cornelia is in the process of writing and developing numerous projects for Kairos.
Larry Estes (Producer)
Larry began his corporate career acquiring videodisc rights for release on RCA’s SelectaVision VideoDisc system. In 1984 he became Senior Vice President of Feature Film Acquisitions at RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video. From 1987-93 he developed and operated an arm of Columbia TriStar Home Video’s acquisition program, specializing in quality independent feature film development and financing. His films at CTHV includes Steven Soderbergh’s sex, lies and videotape, Patrick Sheane Duncan’s 84 Charlie Mopic, Allison Anders’ Gas Food Lodging, Carl Franklin’s One False Move (co-starring and co-written by Billy Bob Thornton), John Sayles’ City of Hope and Passion Fish, Neal Jimenez & Michael Steinberg’s The Waterdance, Mike Binder’s Crossing The Bridge, Bob Goldthwait’s Shakes The Clown, John Turturro’s Mac, Stacy Cochran’s My New Gun, Philip Haas’ The Music of Chance, Keva Rosenfeld’s Twenty Bucks (produced by Karen Murphy) and Anthony Drazan’s Zebrahead. He was responsible for supervision of more than 60 movies during his time there.
In 1992 Larry accepted the Independent Feature Project/West "Findie" award and was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the Entertainment Business by both Entertainment Weekly and Premiere Magazines.
Before joining ShadowCatcher Entertainment in 1998, he produced Coldblooded, Santa Fe, The Mating Habits Of The Earthbound Human, and six science-fiction films for Showtime Networks. At ShadowCatcher he produced the landmark Native American film Smoke Signals and was an Executive Producer of The Book of Stars and Getting to Know You.
In 1999 in an internationally televised ceremony, he accepted The Interfaith Council’s Christopher Award for producing Smoke Signals.
In 2000, he co-founded the independent feature film distribution company Outrider Pictures, where he served as co-chairman until mid-2001. He returned to producing in 2001 with Sherman Alexie’s debut as writer-director, The Business of Fancydancing.
He served as Executive Producer of The Heart of the Game, a popular Seattle-based documentary feature that premiered at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival. He recently produced The Dark Horse, written and directed by Cornelia Duryée and Camilla Dickinson, based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle and directed by Cornelia Duryée.
Estes also served for five years as Professor of Practice/ Producer-in-Residence on the faculty of the University of Arizona’s School of Theatre, Film and Television in Tucson, Arizona.
Ben Dobyns (Editor & Co-Producer)
Ben Dobyns is a Seattle-based filmmaker. He began his career with Dead Gentlemen Productions, where he served as Director of Development for seven years. He directed two features and produced several more for the company, including the worldwide cult hit The Gamers.
A film instructor at the Tacoma School of the Arts from 2002-2004, he now works full time on motion picture production, aside from the occasional guest lecture at the Seattle Art Institute. Recent credits include editing and co-producing The Dark Horse, directing the short film November, and working as an assistant director on several critically acclaimed features, including Battle in Seattle, Zoo, and Perfect Sport.
Ben also provides consultation and workshopping services for screenwriters and has written three feature screenplays. In addition to his film work, Ben recently collaborated on the development of the Demon Hunters roleplaying game and directed its companion movie, which was published in May of 2008 by Margaret Weis Productions.
Heather Murphy (Line Producer)
Heather Murphy brings 23 years of Hollywood Film making experience to this project. She has worked as a Producer, Production Manager and Production Coordinator. Projects have included everything from Steven Spielberg’s Always, and Kennedy & Marshall’s Snow Falling on Cedars, to a myriad of Television and Commercial work.
She has done several seasons of the Emmy winning reality T.V. series The Amazing Race, as well as work on a couple of other Emmy winners Six Feet Under and Grey’s Anatomy. Heather has worked with the likes of Danny Devito, Alan Rudolph, David Lynch, Barry Levinson, Alan Parker and Cameron Crowe to name a few. Heather began her film career in the early ’80's in a fertile Seattle film making climate and has also worked in L.A. at Castle Rock and Lantana Studios.
Neil Holcomb (Director of Photograpy)
Neil Holcomb has been in the entertainment business practically his whole life. Since he was 11 years old he has been hanging lights, crawling across truss, running cable and nurturing an on-going obsession with cameras. The long list of features Neil has done includes: Year of the Dragon, Blue Velvet, Dirty Dancing, Stargate, Independence Day, Singles, Sleepless in Seattle, Robocop II, National Treasure (1 and 2), Skeleton Key, The Island, Failure to Launch and What Happens in Vegas to name just a few.
Over the past ten years, Neil has established himself as a versatile cinematographer. He began shooting industrials and infomercials for clients such as: Microsoft, Weyerhauser, Nintendo, and Envision Response and then collaborated with Seattle Writer/Director Thom Harp on three short films: Driver’s ED, 8 Minutes to Love, and Fortune Hunters. All three of these films were well received in the Film Festival circuit, with Fortune Hunters winning a Golden Space Needle Award. Most recently, Neil shot two full-length features; Corrie Duryée’s lyrical and stirring Dark Horse on Orcas Island, WA and David Russo’s bizarre dark comedy The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, shooting nights in Seattle.
Also, Neil designed and lit 9 of his kids’ school plays , well 8 (including one killer slideshow) and that should really count for something. Neil lives with his wife and three sons in Bellevue WA where he does all of the light bulb changing, house painting and the barbecuing.
Charles Armstrong (Production Design)
Born in Texas, raised in rock-n-roll bands, and educated on the sets of dozens of films (some terrific; some terrible), Charlie began his film career carrying pool tables in the snow. After twenty-five years of making movies, he’s still willing to carry pool tables, "But only if it furthers the story".
He’s worked at every position in the Art Department; set dresser, props, construction, special effects, scenic art-even food styling! Charlie is passionate about storytelling, and looks upon film making as a complex puzzle just waiting to be solved.
"Make a list, then check off each item as you complete it … then make another list …" Charlie’s resume is long (and varied): David Lynch, Gus Van Sant, Isabel Coixet, Sherman Alexie, these are but a few of the stellar directors Charlie has worked with.
Tamia Diaz (Associate Producer)
Tamia knew that she would spend her life dedicated to the visual arts when she was 13, when her father handed her his 35mm still camera. Once she had a camera in her hands, she never looked back. She spent most of her high school time in the photo lab, developing black and white film and printing it. She studied photography at the University of Colorado, where she scored a job working in the film department. She was soon in her first production course, which led to the next production course, which led to a film major. After college she took an intensive foundation film course at Vancouver Film School, where she shot a documentary and directed a short in 16mm.
She has been working in the industry now for 7 years, mostly in the camera department, but loves lighting as well. Tamia has extensive experience with editing; this coupled with camera work makes her a happy filmmaker. She has served as Director of Photography on three of Corrie’s projects so far.
Lynne Salewski (Dressage Trainer)
Lynne Salewski began her riding career at the tender age of 9, and by the time she was 12 announced to her parents that this is what she was going to do for the rest of her life. At this point her father has given up hope that she would ‘outgrow’ it.
She rejoiced when she found the sport of eventing, because it is one of the few where a 12-year-old can ride a stallion. She was long-listed at the age of 14 for the North American Junior Championships. After spending 5 years competing young horses through Preliminary level, she participated in a clinic that put her on her life’s path. Tad Coffin was the first person to make Dressage something more than that phase one had to endure to get to go cross country.
Lynne attended The Westmoreland Davis International Equestrian Institute in Leesburg, VA in 1988, where she graduated with honors. She was invited back as an Associate Instructor for the 1989-90 school year. While there, she studied under Tad Coffin, Raul deLeon, Bertalan deNemethy, Jack Le Goff, and Gunner Ostergaard. The program offered students the opportunity to immerse themselves in Classical Horsemanship under the direction of true masters.
Since that time Lynne has devoted herself to the principals of harmonious work with horses through understanding the physical language of riding. Her students enjoy her positive, can-do attitude, as do the horses she trains. She has had many competitive successes throughout her riding career. In 2005 she captured the Morgan Grand National Championship for First Level, aboard Christine Laine’s SGP Raizin Kane.
She is currently training Cobus, the talented young Friesian who will play the leading man in The Dark Horse. (Although somehow he didn’t get top billing, somebody get him an agent!)
Robert Byrne Odekirk (Wrangler)
A newcomer to the Seattle film scene, Robert has worked on 2 local films, The Inquisition, a short, and The Gamers: Dorkness Rising (Dead Gentlemen Productions), a feature. He is an avid horseman, employing multiple riding styles. Robert has studied and practices Parrelli Natural Horsemanship, and does natural horse hoof trimming with United Horsemanship. With a background and education in engineering, he has worked for several manufacturing companies in the U. S. and Europe. Robert currently works as a contract engineer and as a natural hoof groomer. He lives in the Seattle area with his wife Crystal and his son Stuart, where he rides, jousts, trims horses, and occasionally helps friends out with movies.
Sandy Parker (Script Supervisor)
Sandy’s interest in language and the narrative led her to a B.A. in German with a minor in Theatre from Indiana University. She went on to complete the extremely competitive advertising photography program at Portfolio Center, in Atlanta, Georgia. She worked for several years as an assistant to many accomplished still photographers in Atlanta, Georgia and in Portland, Oregon.
She made the transition into the film industry when she began doing craft service on commercials in 1996, and in 1997 she signed on to do continuity on an unpaid feature film project. A script supervisor was born!
Sandy recently moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where she continues to hone her craft, and enjoys lazy days off in the warm weather. Sandy sees herself as a storyteller, whether through words or images, and she is proud to be a part of the collaborative effort that brings a story to life on film.
Heather Doran (Locations Manager)
Heather Doran has made her living in the Washington State film industry for 10 years, successfully collaborating with the likes of New Line Cinema, Sony Pictures, and Disney, as well as independent filmmakers, commercial producers and still photographers. She is a founding member and officer of Northwest Location Professionals (www.nwscouts.com), and co-produced a short film, Mosca Amor, which premiered at SIFF in 2003. She continues to freelance as a producer and location scout for film, video and still photography projects. In her spare time she enjoys teaching English as a Second Language, painting and traveling with her husband, Randall.
Dawn Tunnell (Key Makeup Artist, Key Hair Stylist)
Dawn has 11 years of professional experience working in fashion, film, print, and television industries. She began her career with a focus on fashion, beauty, and commercial print work, but her need to always grow and expand as an artist evntually brought her to film. Since then, she has keyed 8 feature films, gotten very little sleep, and learned to use a walkie. Some of the people she has worked with include Val Kilmer, Oscar Award winner Chloris Leachman, Oscar and Emmy nominated Minnie Driver, Tori Spelling, Natasha Lyonne, Will Wheaton, a bunch of Hall of Famers from the NFL, a governor or two, and some other people on T.V. you might recognize from the likes of Lost, and Prison Break.
Doris Black (Costume Designer)
Doris Black has been working as a freelance costume designer in the Seattle area ever since she moved here to go to graduate school at the University of Washington in 1994. She fell in love with the area and decided to stay. Originally her focus was on working in theater but over the years she has branched out into film. She discovered that she greatly enjoys the medium and the collaborations it produces. She has designed the costumes for feature movies Dark Horse, Police Beat, Cthulhu, and It’s Not You, It’s Me and shorts Combustible Chef and Anybuddy Home. She did the costumes for Shut Eye which is part of this year’s Fly filmmaking challenge. She was the costume consultant for Zoo.