The Crew
Meet the crew of Armen! Click on any crew member's photo for details.
Director/Writer/Producer: Sherry Festekjian
Sherry Festekjian
Shaghig "Sherry" Toukhmanian Festekjian was born and raised in Abu-Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and is of Armenian descent. Growing up, Sherry was interested in writing, piano, debates, and acting in stage plays. In her senior year of high school she even directed a play called Saving Peace.
Screenwriter: Shaun Ediger
Shaun Ediger
Born in Canoga Park, CA, Shaun has lived on the West Coast all his life. A the age of 17, he returned to L.A. and graduated in Spring 2007 with a Bachelors in Screenwriting. His previous writings include (but are not limited to): The Desert, Mr. Jolly, Violet, and an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.
Producer: Michael Lyons
Michael Lyons
Michael J. Lyons has been an avid filmmaker since he was twelve years old. While attending Carmel High School he became an active member of the school's television program. During these years he directed a broadcast control room, filmed local events, produced news packages, and created the video yearbook for his senior class.
Producer: Fernanda Bretas
Fernanda Bretas
Fernanda was born and raised in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. While spending a summer in California to learn English, she observed a film project in process and found her calling. She returned to the U.S. to study film couple of years latter by herself, and proceeds with her studies today at California State University at Northridge.
Associate Producer: JoAnne McGrath
JoAnne McGrath
JoAnne McGrath was born in Washington D.C. and has lived in New Jersey, Maryland, Texas, Arizona, Tennessee, and Nevada. She moved to California in 1998 and started working in film and television as an actress. She was involved in several projects ranging from student and independent films to local and national commercials and infomercials.
Assistant Producer: Maggie Perez
Maggie Perez
Margarita "Maggie" Perez was born in Los Angeles, California but has lived in the San Fernando Valley her entire life. Growing up she became fascinated in the process of filmmaking and knew that it was going to be a part of her future.
Assistant Producer: Lorena Acevedo
Lorena Acevedo
Lorena Acevedo was born and raised in Oxnard California. Growing up Lorena has always been interested in the film industry. It was when she stepped foot into television production classes in her community college were she discovered she loved being behind the camera.
1st Assistant Director: Thomas Boucher
Thomas Boucher
Thomas Boucher, 21, is an aspiring writer/editor for both television and film. Feeding is love for film from an early age, Thomas really got his start at age 15 with his involvement in his high school media program.
Line Producer/Unit Production Manager: Mandi Reno
Mandi Reno
Mandi Reno is the middle child of three children and the daughter to two wonderfully supportive parents. Storytelling has been a part of her life since the first play she directed and wrote at the age of eight in her garage with neighborhood friends. Since then, a now adult Mandi loves to multi-task being a part of anything industry related that gives her new experience.
Production Designer: Nader Elnaka
Nader Elnaka
Nader, 22, began making his first films in high school. Though he has directed, written, and shot many low budget films and music videos, he also enjoys acting. While attending CSUN, he wrote and produced a film titled Through A Lens Darkly, which is widely recognized as one of the best short films of his semester.
Director of Photography: Jimmy Browning
Jimmy Browning
Jimmy Browning's interest in cinematography is well known among his peers. His bookshelf is lined with titles on cinematography, cameras, lighting, and photographic theory. His experience includes working in both camera and electrical departments on numerous student films at CSUN, including both 35mm ARRI Grant projects, Braceros: Unsung Heroes and Barrio Thief...
1st Assistant Camera: Michael Tien
Michael Tien
Michael began making his first films while attending high school. He wrote, directed, shot, edited and had a small part in a short film that was considered the best in his class. While attending CSUN, Michael worked as Director of Photography on the widely recognized short film Through a Lens Darkly.
2nd Assistant Camera: Dorian Soracco
Dorian Soracco
Dorian Soracco is currently in his second semester in the cinematography emphasis of the film production option at CSUN. During his career at CSUN, he has worked on a number of shorts. Hair and Nails, a CTVA 250 project, on which he was the cinematographer and co-writer, was an official selection at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival.
Film Loader: Jared White
Jared White
Jared White has long dreamed of being a filmmaker, ever since he made little movies as a child with the family camcorder about killing sprees and the like. Jared is now a junior at California State University, Northridge majoring in Cinema/Television Arts in the Cinematography option. Over the summer, he held an internship at Whitewater Films...
Gaffer: Frank DiPaola
Frank DiPaola
A look at Frank DiPaola's bookshelf is sure to raise a few eyebrows. Upon shelves and shelves of books on film theory and technique lays one shelf dedicated to advanced college level mathematics.
Key Grip: Mario Contini
Mario Contini
To imagine it all began with Lego's, a simple shark attack or space battle, and a thumb thirsty for stop-motion animation. Now a decade later, at 21 years, Mario feeds his right brain through Canon optics, 24/96audio, keyframe interpolation, 100A bates cable, even lollipops on combos.
Composer: Ryan Johnson
Ryan Johnson
Ryan Johnson (born 1986) is a senior Media Composition student at Cal State Northridge...
Sound Mixer: Mark Coger
Mark Coger
Mark Coger was born Florida and raised in a military background. As a kid growing up he moved around different places. A majority of his time was spent overseas in Japan, which was when he first got involved with video production. In 12th grade he was in charge of filming the school's events, pep rally's, sporting events, and special functions.
Sound Mixer: Eric Capella
Eric Capella
Eric Capella, 23, is a semi-professional Sound Designer for motion pictures and Television. He has worked on many short films and some Television programs. He has worked in production sound in various capacities as early as the age of seven.
Sound Designer: Allan Giron
Allan Giron
Allan Giron was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala and came to the United States at the early age of 3 years old. Growing up, he always had an interest in music, being shaped by the culture of the late 80's and early 90's. In school, he immersed himself in art and great works of literature.
Still Photographer: Greg Grudt
Greg Grudt
Greg Grudt was born and raised here locally in Southern California. At the age of 3 he began his career in acting. He acted all the way until he was 17. At the age of 17 Greg realized that acting was not really for him anymore and going behind the camera seemed much more interesting.
Videographer: Eric Longden
Eric Longden
Eric Longden is an experienced cinematographer and editor. For the past ten years, he has produced numerous independent skateboard films which document professional skateboarders throughout Southern California. He owns his own editing studio, along with his own video and lighting equipment.
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