MELANIE ASWELL writer

Melanie Aswell was born and raised in Choudrant, Louisiana. She attended the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where she first began writing. Melanie is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, and Northeastern University School of Law in Boston. Melanie now lives and works in the Boston area.

LEANNA CREEL director

Creel began her career as a teenager, working as a TV, film, commercial and voice over actress for 10 years. She appeared in a number of popular episodic TV shows during the 80’s and early 90’s and played “Tori Scott” on Saved By the Bell.

Creel earned both a BA in History and an MFA in Film and TV from UCLA. While still in film school, she produced a micro-budget feature and made a documentary about the Zapatista women in Chiapas, Mexico. She also wrote and directed a short documentary about best friends; one wins the lottery and the other gets a terminal diagnosis.

In her spare time Creel, an accomplished photographer, started a nonprofit organization called Photopiece that teaches photography to teens in neighborhoods near downtown Los Angeles.

Creel wrote and directed the award winning short film OFFSIDE, which has screened and won festivals around the world. In 1997 Creel co-founded the finance and production company Ignite Entertainment, which was acquired by Lions Gate Films in 2000. In three years, the company financed and produced nine feature films for which Creel oversaw the development, production and delivery. The features she produced or executive produced include:....But I’m a Cheerleader, Dancer TX, pop. 81, and the cult hit Six String Samurai. Creel brought three features to Sundance and worked closely with emerging talent. She has also produced a number of popular short films such as Queen for a Day, one of the most watched shorts on the internet.