Meet the Judges of the 2022 Festival
FEATURE FILM JUDGES
Jason Thornton
Jason (along with his brother Chris) are writers and filmmakers currently working across several mediums. They recently released their hard-hitting found footage horror film directorial debut Cactus Jack and have several film and TV projects in development as screenwriters, to include their original show The Revenger (previously optioned by The Weinstein Company with V for Vendetta’s James McTeigue attached to direct) and The Incorruptibles with Euro-producers ZDFE. They’ve sold pitches, written for movie stars, broken story with international directors abroad, penned the dark fantasy novels series Reapers, and adapted legendary writers such as Robert E. Howard for the screen. Look for their podcast Hard Out, where they interview industry guests on their favorite movies and the biz. Members of the Writers Guild of America, West. Represented by United Talent Agency and Rosa Entertainment.
Rafael De Leon
Rafael De Leon is an award-winning writer, director and editor born and raised in New York City. At the age of four, he broke his father's Beta cassette player due to watching "Masters of the Universe" repeatedly. Since graduating from Fordham University, his short films have screened at festivals around the world including South by Southwest, the Fantasia International Film Festival, Nightmares Film Festival and Panic Fest. His short horror film "Mamma, Don't Go" won the Jury Award for Best Short Film at last years Twisted Dreams Film Festival. His newest film "Caregiver" is screening at this years festival.
R. Michael Gull
R. Michael Gull is an actor who has done 13 indie films, and has been a nationally touring stand up comic for nearly two decades. He has written and produced two films. Michael also has an obsession with all things Batman, and believes the world became a little less awesome when Starsky & Hutch went off the air.
SHORT FILM JUDGES
Scott Paulson
Scott Paulson Is a man of many talents. With over 20 + Years Experience in directing ,producing ,cinematography ,advertisements ,sound mixing ,management ,editing ,acting etc. He is best known for his stunt work in the popular violent Japanese deathmatch wrestling matches on the documentary "The Backyard" as seen on Netflix as well as the best of backyard wrestling DVDs 1,2,3,4,5, as well the backyard wrestling video game don't try this at home featuring the insane clown posse as his wrestling persona "Karnage". Scott is also well known around the world for his TV Channel "Chop Block TV" as well his horror show on Roku and Amazon Fire TV "The Dead Vault Horror Show" as his horror host persona "Keymaster Slasher Poe". Scott Paulson is the owner of the Advertisements/Production/Editing/Management/Distribution Company "Haxx Studios LLC".
Audwin Short
Audwin Short has experience as an actor in Film, Television and Theatre. He has been an Actor in Film & TV, produced 3 theatre shows (A RAISIN IN THE SUN, A PIECE OF MY HEART and THE ODD COUPLE), and signed up to co-produce a theatre company, Lemonade Theatre Productions.
Brian Klewin
Brian is an award winning filmmaker hailing from Milwaukee, WI. Brian works as a writer, director, editor and producer of narrative films, music videos and commercials. In the fall of 2021 Brian wrote, directed, edited and produced his first feature length horror/fantasy film “Undead and The Grimoire” (post production). Brian is constantly learning how to tell compelling stories paired with stunning visuals. Brian also wrote and directed “The Box Fort” (premiered at HorrorHound 2021, Best Director Twisted Dreams Film Festival 2021) & “Deer Lights”, multi-award winning short film (including Best Director Short at the 2019 Twisted Dreams Film Festival) that have screened at festivals around the country. Brian directed the 2019 Milwaukee Film Festival’s Best Music Video Jury Award winner “Rabbit Hole” (Music by Saebra & Carlyle).
WISCONSIN SHORT FILM JUDGES
Tea Krulos
Tea Krulos is a Milwaukee journalist, author, event organizer, documentary producer, and co-host of the Tea's Weird Week podcast. You can find more info on his work at: teakrulos.com
Earl Martin
Earl started to pursue filmmaking in 2011. He entered 9 Crash the Super Bowl Dorito ads before directing his first 14 minute short. He has since written and directed 8 short films. A number of the films have been selected ino the Milwaukee Twisted Dreams Film.
Heidi Erickson
Heidi Erickson is a mostly fictional character from Milwaukee. She enjoys old houses with dark secrets, ravenous beasts that lurk along the treeline, the tortured souls that inhabit basements and bad dreams, and chocolate cake. She is a collector of stories of the weird, wild, and barely credible. Half of the Tea's Weird Week news team and host of Ghost Story Happy Hour.