Meet the Judges of the 2021 Festival
FEATURE FILM JUDGES
Mark Metcalf
Mark Metcalf has been making his living as an actor on stage, in films, and in television for fifty years come next September. He has done some radio here and there along the way. He is best remembered for his role as Douglas C. Neidermeyer in Animal House, the Maestro in Seinfeld, the Master in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the guy who yells a lot in two Twisted Sister videos. His first full time acting job was a season at the Milwaukee Rep. He is happiest on stage, anywhere, in front of a live audience.
Manolo Munguia
Manolo Munguia directed the Winner of the 2020 Twisted Dreams Film Festival Feature Film Jury Award H0us3
After studying Telecommunications Engineering in Santander (Spain), and Film Direction in Barcelona (Spain), Manuel covered the Director of Photography tasks in short films such as "Colmillos de Felpa" or "Envidia" and directed two short films with presence in International Film Festivals: "GOW" and "ROTA". "H0US3" is his debut feature film as Director.
After studying Telecommunications Engineering in Santander (Spain), and Film Direction in Barcelona (Spain), Manuel covered the Director of Photography tasks in short films such as "Colmillos de Felpa" or "Envidia" and directed two short films with presence in International Film Festivals: "GOW" and "ROTA". "H0US3" is his debut feature film as Director.
SHORT FILM JUDGES
Kevin McTurk
Kevin McTurk directed the Winner of the 2020 Twisted Dreams Film Festival Short Film Jury Award The Haunted Swordsman.
A professional creature effects artist, cinematographer, model maker, and puppeteer, Kevin McTurk has been working in the effects industry for over 20 years. In 1992 he began his career in special make-up effects at Stan Winston Studios, working on Batman Returns, Interview with a Vampire, and the Jurassic Park films. He has worked for many effects companies over the years, including the Jim Henson Creature Shop, Amalgamated Dynamics, and Spectral Motion. Kevin also worked at New Deal Studios, where he was involved on the miniature effects shots for the Martin Scorcese films The Aviator, Shutter Island, and Hugo.
In 2004, Kevin was contacted by Weta Workshop in New Zealand and moved to Wellington to work on the films King Kong,The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the gory comedy Black Sheep (in which he also played the Weresheep creature).
Kevin’s The Mill at Calder's End won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the first ever Twisted Dreams Film Festival in 2016.
A professional creature effects artist, cinematographer, model maker, and puppeteer, Kevin McTurk has been working in the effects industry for over 20 years. In 1992 he began his career in special make-up effects at Stan Winston Studios, working on Batman Returns, Interview with a Vampire, and the Jurassic Park films. He has worked for many effects companies over the years, including the Jim Henson Creature Shop, Amalgamated Dynamics, and Spectral Motion. Kevin also worked at New Deal Studios, where he was involved on the miniature effects shots for the Martin Scorcese films The Aviator, Shutter Island, and Hugo.
In 2004, Kevin was contacted by Weta Workshop in New Zealand and moved to Wellington to work on the films King Kong,The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the gory comedy Black Sheep (in which he also played the Weresheep creature).
Kevin’s The Mill at Calder's End won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the first ever Twisted Dreams Film Festival in 2016.
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.
Nate Ford
For the past 20 years Nate Ford has been hitting the stage across this great land making people laugh at his stand up comedy. The one thing you probably didn't know about him is his love for the movies and he is honored to be part of the judges on The Twisted Dream Festival.
WISCONSIN SHORT FILM JUDGES
Jason and Chris Thorton
Chris & Jay Thornton 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.