Director: Michelle Tomlinson
A 2020 recipient of the bronze Best Director & Best Web/TV Pilot Award for the Palm City Film Festival for her Directing work in the comedy Deeply Superficial, Michelle Tomlinson has proven to be a versatile filmmaker.
Tomlinson’s additional directing credits include the hard hitting emotional drama film Redemption, the groundbreaking narrative podcast Porque, and the documentary Edge, that is centered around the race to conserve Native American languages.
Writer: Tish Miller
Portales Screen Writer Tish Miller is a writer, director, producer, actor, and an artist who draws on her extensive creative experiences to write and put her visions on the screen.
A savvy businesswoman with many years of professional management experience, Tish brings a wealth of knowledge to the film industry.
Tish started her career path registering brands at a cattle auction and demonstrating milk. The two positions were not related. She went to work at the cattle auction to “meet the cute cowboys” but ended up in the office. In the mid. 20th Century, demonstrating milk was, in her opinion, better than flipping burgers.
Producer: Michael Miller
Michael Miller is an multi-award winning film producer, director, writer and photographer. He’s made over 30 short films, 2 narrative feature films and 1 feature length documentary, Justice Denied, which acquired Worldwide distribution. Michael is also a successful actor having worked with some of the industries A-listers. He’s worked with Amy Adams, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, and Neil Patrick Harris
among a number of others.
He has an extensive background in sales and management from intangibles to large ticket items. He spent his early career in Radio and Television, Theatre Management and 18 years in auto sales, starting on the sales floor and moving up to general management. He’s been involved in the New Mexico Film industry for over 20 years.
Co-Producer: Jon Barr
Co-Producer Jon Barr is a filmmaker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and holds an MFA in Film and Media Arts from Temple University. Jon’s films encompass conventional narrative, experimental documentary and animation. Regardless of form, Jon’s work often explores themes of power, mentor-ship, and tradition. Jon believes in film’s ability to share stories and create emotional impact. Jon is the Chair of the Department of Theatre and Digital Filmmaking at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, where he is privileged to teach screenwriting, directing, and editing to the Land of Enchantment’s future storytellers.
Line Producer: Terry Futschik
Officially joining the film industry in 2015, Terry retired from a 30+ year career in accounting. Following her passion for film, she obtained representation with Texas Models and Talent. In 2017, her niche for producing was realized when she had her first opportunity as producer in the proof of concept, The Web of Eve, starring Anthony Ray Parker and Eddie McClintock. She also joined forces as a partner in The Natural Act which provided acting classed throughout New Mexico and Texas.
Relocating to New Mexico in 2018 where it was evident filming was exploding, Terry signed with The O’Agency. Booking a few local commercials, she also began her fierce dedication to producing by wrapping on an episode of a New Mexico indie web series.
In 2020, Terry joined the New Mexico Film Foundation as Board Member and later that same year was voted in as Executive Director. As a confirmation of her commitment to film, Terry incorporated a production company, Velvet Yard Productions, LLC. and was Executive Producer, for the made for television pilot, Behind the Yellow House, which completed production in 2021. Her efforts were recognized later that same year when she continued to produce with accomplished actor Brendan Fehr as co-executive producer in the feature film Baron and Toluca.
Her dream is a reality, as hard work and persistence is truly paying off.
Cinematographer: Alex Simon
Alex Simon is an experienced Cinematographer based in Los Angeles who has shot hundreds of award-winning feature films, documentaries, television shows, short films, commercials, and music videos. Alex believes that film has the power not only to entertain, but also to truly affect people in deeply emotional and meaningful ways.
His feature credits include the documentary Out of Print (winner of the Programmer’s Award at Sidewalk Film Festival), Monsoon (nom. for Best Cinematography at FirstGlance Film Fest L.A.), Brain Dead (Audience Award winner at San Francisco IndieFest), Axe Giant (winner of the Audience Award at Shockfest), and the soon-to-be-released films The Last Possession, and The Whisperers.