Meet the Judges of the 2018 Festival
FEATURE FILM JUDGES
Lloyd Kaufman
A man who needs little introduction.
Producer, director, Founder of Troma’s and creator of the Toxic Avenger Lloyd is a legend in the film business.
Producer, director, Founder of Troma’s and creator of the Toxic Avenger Lloyd is a legend in the film business.
Joe Randazzo
Joe Randazzo is an independent screenwriter and producer. His screenplays have won over 20 awards since 2006. His most celebrated work, "Ripper," won seven awards on the festival circuit. Joe is also the co-writer on two comedy shorts with Dave Campfield: "Caesar & Otto meet Dracula's Lawyer," featuring horror favorites Lloyd Kaufman and Debbie Rochon, and "The Perfect Candidate" starring Joe Estevez, Robert Z'Dar, and Maria Olsen. Randazzo also produced and co-wrote "Deadly XMas," a parody of the 1980s "Santa Slasher" sub-genre featuring CKY front man Deron Miller, Lloyd Kaufman, and Linnea Quigley, amongst others. "Deadly Xmas" has been well received both critically and on the festival circuit, garnering several screenwriting awards, as well as nominations for Best Feature at several festivals. The film was widely praised by Ain't It Cool News, HorrorHound magazine, MJ Simpson, and many others, receiving stellar reviews leading up to it's release on DVD, VOD, and OnDemand Pay-Per-View in the November of 2013. The follow-up, "Paranormal Halloween" films in 2014 for a national DVD and VOD release in the fall of 2015.
Randazzo most recently wrote screenplay "Out of the Box," which was a finalist at the 2014 Beverly Hills Film Festival and winner at the 2015 Indie Gathering Film Festival, and the short screenplay "Threshold" with Michigan based writer Kari Gremore, a semi finalist at the 2016 Shriekfest Film Festival in Los Angeles and the winner at the 2016 Eerie Horror Film Festival in Erie, PA. It is currently in pre-production.
Randazzo most recently wrote screenplay "Out of the Box," which was a finalist at the 2014 Beverly Hills Film Festival and winner at the 2015 Indie Gathering Film Festival, and the short screenplay "Threshold" with Michigan based writer Kari Gremore, a semi finalist at the 2016 Shriekfest Film Festival in Los Angeles and the winner at the 2016 Eerie Horror Film Festival in Erie, PA. It is currently in pre-production.
Theda de Sade
Theda de Sade is a dancer, model, actress, and playwright. She graduated magna cum laude from UW Milwaukee in 2012, majoring in playwrighting/dramaturgy, and made her debut as a burlesque performer the following year. She quickly became known for her horror themed acts and earned the tagline “The Sadistic Showgirl.” This led to her screen debut in the neo-grindhouse film Tough Cookie in 2014, which was featured in the 2016 Twisted Dreams Film Festival. (Would you believe she played the stripper?)
In 2017, Theda founded Glamour Junkies, a neo-burlesque troupe whose performances take influence from rock, metal, and horror. Later that year she won the title “Master of Assels” (booty tassels) at Wisconsin Burlypicks 2017 on a broken foot! She also served as hostess of the Twisted Dreams Masquerade Ball this past October.
In 2017, Theda founded Glamour Junkies, a neo-burlesque troupe whose performances take influence from rock, metal, and horror. Later that year she won the title “Master of Assels” (booty tassels) at Wisconsin Burlypicks 2017 on a broken foot! She also served as hostess of the Twisted Dreams Masquerade Ball this past October.
SHORT FILM JUDGES
Jean-Claude LeBlanco
Jean-Claude has been working in the film industry since 2005 in many different positions from Production assistant to Cinematographer. He did a lot of grip and gaffer work, camera and editing. Cauchemar Capitonné, was his directorial debut. The film is still doing very well in the festival run and as now screened in more than 80 festivals and won 30 awards. And the amazing monster in the beer trophy is my favorite!
Mack Bates
At the ripe age of 12, award-winning writer and aspiring filmmaker Mack Bates announced that he wanted to be “the black Peter Jennings.” This followed his earlier desire to be an astronaut and a cowboy. He’s sat through SpaceCamp, more times than he cares to share, and thanks to his tenure as a boy scout, has lassoed a steer or two. Journalism indeed beckoned, and Mack has written for a variety of publications and outlets since high school, including JUMP, the Leader, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, ReelTalk Movie Reviews and Milwaukee Magazine.
Mack has won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club in both the collegiate and professional divisions dating back to 1999. In 2013, he became the first writer to win the press club’s “best critical review” award in both competitive divisions. Also in 2013, Mack was among a group of adult mentors and teens who took part in the 2012 Milwaukee Summer Entertainment Camp to be honored by the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (the group behind the Emmy Awards) with a Crystal Pillar Award for excellence in high school television production.
Rex Sikes
Rex Sikes, radio and TV host is a professional union actor from Los
Angeles, a producer (executive, creative & line producer), a Unit
Production Manager (UPM) a director, 1st Assistant Director, a
seminar leader & keynote presenter, a professional coach for speakers
& actors and a consultant for film productions. He looks to add value
& contribute to productions in front of & behind camera. Sikes speaks
to the film community on producing, directing & acting. His topics
included what to do and what not to do to get your film, TV or web
project made on time and under budget. He addresses how producers,
directors, cast & crew need to work and interact in order to have the
smoothest shoot possible. His is founder is Rex Sikes Entertainment,
LLC.
Rex Sikes' Movie Beat "Conversations with Filmmakers" is a master
class in filmmaking! You can listen in as Rex talks with celebrities,
professional filmmakers and friends on the "how to" of making movies
and TV. His guests share their goals, challenges, surprises, advice,
tips and secrets to help filmmakers get their projects made faster,
more easily, less expensively and to advance their own careers. The
official website is rexsikes.com - listen in to these fabulous
interviews today!
Angeles, a producer (executive, creative & line producer), a Unit
Production Manager (UPM) a director, 1st Assistant Director, a
seminar leader & keynote presenter, a professional coach for speakers
& actors and a consultant for film productions. He looks to add value
& contribute to productions in front of & behind camera. Sikes speaks
to the film community on producing, directing & acting. His topics
included what to do and what not to do to get your film, TV or web
project made on time and under budget. He addresses how producers,
directors, cast & crew need to work and interact in order to have the
smoothest shoot possible. His is founder is Rex Sikes Entertainment,
LLC.
Rex Sikes' Movie Beat "Conversations with Filmmakers" is a master
class in filmmaking! You can listen in as Rex talks with celebrities,
professional filmmakers and friends on the "how to" of making movies
and TV. His guests share their goals, challenges, surprises, advice,
tips and secrets to help filmmakers get their projects made faster,
more easily, less expensively and to advance their own careers. The
official website is rexsikes.com - listen in to these fabulous
interviews today!
Michael (Gravy) Graeve
Gravy is a paranormal investigator and an author. Only recently has the paranormal world become an interest of his. Having never had a self-acknowledged paranormal experience, he have been condemned to be only a skeptic. Common sense being his greatest defense against the paranormal, he remains open-minded to the possibilities while, at the same time, approaching every situation with a scientific method.
WISCONSIN SHORT FILM JUDGES
Adam Krause
Adam Krause graduated with a film degree from The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2007 and has been making short films ever since. In 2016, he released Gags (the short film), which won Best Wisconsin Short at the TDFF 2017. He also won Best Director at the Madtown Horror
Film Festival (Madison, WI) and the Above and Beyond Award at the Green Bay Film Festival. In May of 2017, he directed a feature-length version of Gags starring Lauren Ashley Carter (Jug Face, Darling, The Mind's Eye). Gags (the feature film) is expected to be released in 2018
Film Festival (Madison, WI) and the Above and Beyond Award at the Green Bay Film Festival. In May of 2017, he directed a feature-length version of Gags starring Lauren Ashley Carter (Jug Face, Darling, The Mind's Eye). Gags (the feature film) is expected to be released in 2018
John Adler
Jon Adler wakes up Milwaukee with his upbeat, fast-paced style. He has spent nearly twenty years in radio and TV.
Adler has been on the air at FM 102/1 since 2006 and regularly talks to some of the biggest names in music and entertainment, like members of the Foo Fighters, Cage The Elephant, Bob Odenkirk (of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul), Bruce Campbell and Henry Rollins.
Hailing from (now infamous) Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Adler graduated from UW-Whitewater and lived in Madison before calling Milwaukee home. Once he's done with his show in the morning he heads home to his wife and young son (technically, he takes a nap before they return home).
An integral part of the team that won WLUM-FM the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA) “Station of the Year – Large Market/Music Radio” award in both 2011 and 2012, Adler has also won WBA awards for Best Morning Show, Best Original Feature and Best Artist Interview.
Adler has been on the air at FM 102/1 since 2006 and regularly talks to some of the biggest names in music and entertainment, like members of the Foo Fighters, Cage The Elephant, Bob Odenkirk (of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul), Bruce Campbell and Henry Rollins.
Hailing from (now infamous) Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Adler graduated from UW-Whitewater and lived in Madison before calling Milwaukee home. Once he's done with his show in the morning he heads home to his wife and young son (technically, he takes a nap before they return home).
An integral part of the team that won WLUM-FM the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA) “Station of the Year – Large Market/Music Radio” award in both 2011 and 2012, Adler has also won WBA awards for Best Morning Show, Best Original Feature and Best Artist Interview.
Angela Catalano
Angela Catalano is the co-founder and programmer at Shotgun Cinema, a New Orleans-based nonprofit film exhibitor. Angela moonlights as a projectionist at festivals across the U.S., and produces events at the True/False Film Festival. In a former life, she was the Programming Manager for the Milwaukee Film Festival where she started Cinema Hooligante, a late-night cult film program. She received her Master of Arts in Cinema, Media, and Digital Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2011, and currently teaches at the University of New Orleans.