meet the crew of SUBMERGENT

Jon M. Wilson

DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, STORY BY

Jon M. Wilson is a British filmmaker currently residing in the US. I have a BEng in manufacturing Engineering and a MA in filmmaking. I have made several short films over the years and have also worked for a TV station making adverts. He also teaches filmmaking. Jon got into filmmaking To tell great stories and at the same time merge the logical and creative sides of his brain.

For SUBMERGENT, the story revolves around a cyclical central story of a mother trying to find her daughter and the daughter is trying to find her mother but even though they want to find each other they are separated by her mother's illness.

Cas Taylor

PRODUCER, PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Hi, my name is Cas Taylor (she/her, they/them) and I am an award-winning indigenous, LGBTQ+ creator. I have ties to the Iñupiat people of the Alaskan north slope and familial ties to the Nisqually Valley. I am passionate about telling stories that amplify historically marginalized voices.

I am the producer and production designer for SUBMERGENT.

I grew up in Olympia, WA, where long soggy weekends meant days spent inside watching old films on a small television that only received three channels. This meant I quickly acquired an appreciation and interest for movies, especially foreign films and obscure 70s films which were on near-constant rotation. As I came to understand my own story through those I experienced on the page and onscreen, I developed a passion for LGBTQI+ stories. It became my goal to empower and amplify character-driven narratives and independent creators whose stories seemed few and far between.

I was drawn to the themes of Post Traumatic Stress and intergenerational trauma presented in SUBMERGENT because they mirrored some of my own. I feel Jon and screenwriter, Allan B. Hill, have tapped into something truly special that, while complex and difficult to confront, has the potential to heal and begin significant conversations.

My only true vice is fair trade coffee. And pie. And getting lost on back roads, exploring local coffee shops across the US, and discovering gazebos of historical significance. When I’m not creating, I do my level best to chase mindfulness. I enjoy giving back to my community, running 5ks for charity, trawling vintage stores for props, and (more frequently than I’d care to admit) fall asleep in savasana pose.




Jake Norris

CINEMATOGRAPHER

Hi, my name is Jake Norris and I am the Cinematographer for SUBMERGENT! I am excited to be a part of this amazing project with such an incredible group of people.

Before beginning my career in the film industry, I got my bachelor’s degree in the closely related field of applied mathematics (which comes in handy on set more often than you’d think). While at university, I realized that my true passion was being behind the camera. I started by shooting weddings and events, which grew into music videos and narrative films. When I graduated, I decided that I was going to go all in on filmmaking. I started my production company and was ready to work on my craft. Then, just as things were starting to pick up, the world shut down. Productions were postponed or canceled, job inquiries dried up, and I had to take on a construction job while I waited for work to reappear. This was difficult, as it was for everyone, but gave me the time to reflect on what I truly wanted to do.

I knew I was in love with cinematography - the camera, the lighting, the compositions, the entire process. I also knew that the best way to learn is from people who are far more talented than myself. Knowing this, as productions started back up I started working as an AC for talented DPs in between my own cinematography work. Every time I was on set I would pay close attention to the techniques and tools that those cinematographers were using and I would apply those to my own work. Now I have the pleasure of working as both a Cinematographer and an AC on commercials, music videos, and short films with amazing crews, production companies, and brands.



Allan B. Hill

STORY BY, SCREENPLAY BY

Allan B. Hill is an Aussie vagabond who is, in the meantime, paying rent in Liverpool in the UK.

In 2010, his 26th birthday present to himself was a one-way ticket from SYD to LAX and for more than a decade he has been living out of a backpack, traveling around from place to place experiencing the world, its diverse geography, its unique cultures and its interesting characters.

In March 2011, whilst chilling in Birmingham, Allan was bored and felt the need to be more creative and productive with his leisure time. He decided to teach himself screenwriting online. Since that moment Allan has been reading scripts, studying materials, writing at every opportune moment to practise the craft.

Allan has written 4 feature specs, over 20 short film scripts and a few TV show concepts and pilots. He has collaborated with other talented creatives in the UK, Italy, USA, Canada and Australia. Allan is a produced screenwriter with further projects in development both in the UK and America.

An award-winning screenwriter, Allan prefers to write in a word-efficient, modernist, and highly visual style. His inspirations come from his global travels and life experiences. He aims to tell stories that are thought-provoking, emotionally engaging and entertaining. His goal is that his audience can't help but talk about the story once they've experienced it.

Allan's favourite thing about screenwriting is collaborating with creatives and experiencing the evolution of a story from the laptop screen to the big screen.



Michael B. Judkins

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Michael B. Judkins, is a local creative residing in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. He holds an Associate in Science in Journalism, Bachelor of Science in Human Services, and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling with over 20 years in the field of Human Services.

Michael self-published his first poetry collection titled, "Introduction to Sentimental Me". After the release of this collection, Michael was signed to Aois 21 Media publishing house which published his second poetry collection released title, "Interlude to Sentimental Me." In addition, to the "I Stand- Podcast" and "Interlude to Sentimental Book Tour (Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C, Bethlehem Pa, and Allentown, PA) which also included a virtual book tour (blog sites).

During this time, Michael started his independent film career in 2016, as a script supervisor on a short film produced in the Lehigh Valley area of PA. This project opened the door for Michael in the local film industry in the Lehigh Valley. After this, Michael worked on several film projects throughout the next few years as production manager, production assistant, Key Grip, and Producer. Michael also has written, produced, and directed his first stage play titled, "Interlude to Sentimental Me Stage Play."



Christopher Moncrieffe

COMPOSER

I was born and reared in the Portland, Oregon area. My excellent parents gave me caring feelings for the earth and all her inhabitants. I’m deeply empathetic toward others. These feelings have led me to become a long time moral vegan. I abstain from all stimulants and intoxicants excluding tea.


As a child, I was athletic, on the swim and track/cross country teams, and studied Karate. I was fascinated by all artistic forms. At thirteen I put the drawing pencil down and picked up the guitar. Music theory was my main focus in my teen years and in my adult life. I even slept with a metronome clicking away next to my head. As an adult, I sold my car in 2000 and purchased a bicycle. I went everywhere and did everything using my bike; shopping, commuting to work and to the gym. I felt good about having a very small carbon footprint for 14 years. Sadly, after my fourth bike wreck, my doctor insisted that I stop riding. My body agreed. so I purchased a car.


I’ve performed in many bands over the years. I’ve released three full-length, self- produced albums and a few singles with others. My last band was invited to perform at several International Pop Overthrows including shows in Europe. My band at the time performed several shows for an IPO tour in 2004 in California. For the past few years I’ve been writing custom music for a local advertising agency. This has been extremely gratifying and has led me to be interested in composing for films. I’ve owned and operated a project audio recording studio since 2008.



Garrett Jenkin

SOUND DESIGNER

My name is Garrett Jenkin, and I’m an audio engineer, musician, and sound designer from Annapolis, Maryland. My obsession with audio began at a very young age. It all started one Christmas morning, when I discovered a small Yamaha electric keyboard waiting for me under the tree. It was in that moment that my head promptly disappeared down the rabbit hole of audio and home recording forever - never to be seen again. I became absolutely fascinated by sound, something that is invisible, yet such an important and integral part of our everyday lives. I’m sure my parents never saw what was coming when they bought that little keyboard – what started as a simple way to learn basic piano quickly transformed into an ever-growing home recording studio, and it wasn’t long before audio became my life’s dream. I had been playing instruments and loving music since the third grade, but throughout high school, my passion shifted into the technical side of sound. In an ever-growing world of video and audio content, I decided I wanted to become a part of this group of creative minds.

In 2017, I graduated high school and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career in the recording industry. Over the past several years, I have worked on various musical projects, and it was during this time that I developed a strong interest in sound for picture as well. I am currently completing my second internship in a commercial music recording studio and taking classes in advanced sound for picture techniques. In May 2021, I will be graduating with a degree in Audio Production from Middle Tennessee State University and hope to turn my side freelance audio career into a full-time gig – doing music production, sound design, and audio engineering.

I was invited to work on this project by the DP, who is actually a longtime childhood friend of mine. For years, Jake and I have shared our appreciation for both video and audio production, respectively, and have collaborated together on several amateur projects in the past. We’ve always talked of how great it would be to one day work together professionally, and this project already means a lot to me because I’m seeing one of my early goals slowly start to take shape.

I am excited to begin working with the rest of the crew on what will be my first official short film project. Over the past four years, my interest in film and sound design has grown tremendously. This is a project that I feel like I can contribute to significantly, as well as gain a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience from. I look forward to bringing creative sound design ideas and solutions to the film, and using my audio skills to fully maximize the emotional impact of this great script. I see a lot of potential for the sound in this film to create and carry the mood, and I can’t wait to start working on this project and with this incredibly talented team.