DIRECTOR, MAXINE W. DAVIS
MAXINE W. DAVIS is a storyteller who has been making video biographies for 10 years (www.tellyourhistory.com). She has worked the film industry in Minnesota for 33 years as a production manager and location scout for hundreds of TV commercials, films, made-for-TV movies, rock videos and photo shoots. She was the production coordinator for Prince’s movie “Purple Rain.” Maxine moved into documentary filmmaking in 2005 and won awards (Silver Telly, Bronze Telly) for her short films such as “In the Shadow of the Acropolis” that have shown in film festivals and on public television. This is her feature-length documentary debut as a director.
PRODUCER/WRITER, MELODY GILBERT
MELODY GILBERT (www.frozenfeetfilms.com) is an Emmy award-winning independent documentary filmmaker who has directed, produced, shot (and sometimes edited) 5 independent feature-length documentaries since 2002.
Her film topics range from children who can’t feel pain (www.alifewithoutpain.com) to people who want to become an amputee (www.whole-documentary.com) to the former vice president of the United States (www.mondalefilm.org). All of her films have screened at prestigious film festivals (SXSW, Thessaloniki, Hot Docs), been picked up for international distribution for broadcast TV(PBS, Sundance Channel, RTL, TVF, YLE, etc.) and VOD (iTunes and Netflix). Most recently, she has been the producer of The Starfish Throwers (2014) and executive producer for American Heart (2015/PBS) and she is currently directing a new film “The Summer Help” (www.thesummerhelp.com) that is in post-production (expected to premiere in late 2016). The Documentary Channel has called Melody “one of the most fearless filmmakers in contemporary documentary cinema.” In 2011, Melody packed her bags and moved to Bulgaria to teach at the American University in Bulgaria (www.aubg.bg) where she is training a new generation of documentary filmmakers (watch some of their docs here: www.ourshortfilms.wordpress.com). Trailers for all of Melody’s films here: www.frozenfeetfilms.com.
EDITOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER, NICK CLAUSEN
NICK CLAUSEN is a Digital Filmmaker with over twenty years of experience in film and television. After working in television news for many years, Nick decided to tell longer stories through documentary work. His work has aired on the Travel Channel, History, and Twin Cities Public Television. Nick is also exploring the art of public projections in public spaces.