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Identical twins, writers, directors, actors even stunt players, the Soska sisters have always loved twisted film. Even at an early age, they devoured Stephen King novels, one after another as fast as they could read - and snuck into the over 18 sections at video stores, to critique the bloody images on the backs VHS horror movies and in gore magazines.
They both entered the film industry, acting and doing background work - and were soon unsatisfied with stereotypical roles that were commonly offered to identical twins. To expand their horizons, they trained in martial arts in hopes to pick-up stunt roles and briefly attended a film school that included an intensive stunt program. For one of the school's final film projects, their prepared short film had it's funding misappropriated and their short was pulled from the program. Undeterred, they decided to go ahead with it anyway, getting a new cast and crew and paying for it out of their own pockets. The title of that project was 'Dead Hooker In A Trunk'.
'Dead Hooker In A Trunk' - their debut film, which the twins wrote, directed, produced, starred in, and performed the stunts. Using Robert Rodriguez's book, Rebel Without A Crew - a bible for how film-making could be done on a modest budget, armed only with creativity and ambition. Even following the spirit of El Mariachi, the twins' story reached the original El Mariachi, actor Carlos Gallardo - who not only gave the ladies advice, but appeared in the film - as God. The completed film - embraced by horror fans, film festivals, and critics - became an underground sensation, called "a hidden gem in indie film-making" and "a cult classic in the waiting", and won multiple awards: Pollygrind's Favorite Feature, Best Screenplay, City of Death's Best Director Award, and Cinefantasy's Audience Favorite Prize.
In 2008 the twins incorporated, Twisted Twins Productions -- to create their own label for many future projects to come, including their highly anticipated second feature, American Mary, an analogy of their own struggles in the film industry. American Mary has gone on to win numerous praise and awards. The film has gone on to become a cult classic and the various costumes of the lead character Mary Mason a Halloween and horror convention favorite for cos-players.
The Soska Sisters have gone on to be very outspoken about equal rights across the board including but not limited to gender equality and equal rights for the LGBT community. They're actively involved in promoting blood donation and create a new PSA for it every February. And they are only just getting started.
2014 was a big year with the Soska Sisters bringing a new life to See No Evil 2 where they resurrect the WWE Studios franchise with WWE Superstar Glenn "Kane" Jacobs reprising his role as Jacob Goodnight and scream queens Danielle Harris and Katharine Isabelle appear together for the first time. As well, the Twins will be one of the all star director line up for ABCs of Death 2 in a segment that will shock and be destined for cult status. Their segment, T is for Torture Porn, has since been banned in Germany.
In 2015, the twins did a genre jump, teaming again with Lionsgate and WWE Studios, with a action revenge thriller called Vendetta to star, Dean Cain, Paul 'Big Show' Wight, and Michael Eklund. The high action, ultra gory nature of the film proved that the sisters are not one trick ponies as they expand their sensibilities to this Justin Shady written, men's prison revenge flick.
Avid comic book fans, the Soska Sisters have teamed up with Daniel Way (Deadpool, Daken) to create their own very graphic novel entitled Kill-Crazy Nymphos Attack! with artist Rob Dumo & cover artist Dave Johnson which is a pitch black satire on patriarchal society and women's roles within it. The very graphic novel is set with a 2017 release date.
September 16th, 2015, also marks the release of Jen & Sylvia Soska's first collaboration with Marvel comics with their Night Nurse story line 'The Risk of Infection' featured in Secret Wars Journal #5. The Soska twins have been long time fans of Marvel Comics and been quite vocal in their interests to tackle the adaptation of one of their stories for the big screen with them at the helm as directors. In April it was announced that the twins would be teaming with Marvel again, this time writing 'The Ripley' as a Guardians of the Galaxy story featured in Guardians of Infinity #8.
The mediums that the twins take on ever expanding, the Soska Sisters are the hosts of the survival horror game-show called Hellevator that premiered October 21 2015 on GSN. The show is a creation from Blumhouse, GSN, Matador, and Lionsgate. The show just enjoyed it's second season and received even more attention when it was made available on VOD through Netflix and Hulu proving that evil twins continue to have a rich history with elevators and scaring people.
In February 2016, the directing duo of Jen and Sylvia Soska came on board to direct a remake of David Cronenberg's 1977 zombie thriller Rabid. John Vidette's Somerville House Releasing entered into a joint venture with Paul Lalonde and Michael Walker to produce a feature film and original TV series based on the 1977 Canadian horror film.
December 11, 2016 will mark the twins' company, Twisted Twins Productions' 8 year anniversary which will have them with 4 feature films, 2 graphic novels, a series of blood donation PSAs, and a television show. Not too shabby for a pair of twins from Canada who set their sites on shaking up the entertainment industry playing by their own rules and leaving a hefty cinematic body count in their wake.- Director
- Actress
- Writer
Identical twins, writers, directors, actors, and even stunt players, the Soska sisters have always loved twisted film. Even at an early age, they devoured Stephen King novels, one after another as fast as they could read - and would sneak into the over 18 sections at video stores, to critique the bloody images on the backs VHS horror movies and in gore magazines.
They both entered the film industry, acting and doing background work - and were soon unsatisfied with stereotypical roles that were commonly offered to identical twins. To expand their horizons, they trained in martial arts in hopes of picking up stunt roles and briefly attended a film school that included an intensive stunt program. For one of the school's final film projects, their prepared short film had its funding misappropriated and their short was pulled from the program. Undeterred, they decided to go ahead with it anyway, getting a new cast and crew and paying for it out of their own pockets. The title of that project was 'Dead Hooker In A Trunk'.
'Dead Hooker In A Trunk' is their debut film, which the twins wrote, directed, produced, starred in, and performed the stunts. Using Robert Rodriguez's book, Rebel Without A Crew - a bible for how film-making could be done on a modest budget, armed only with creativity and ambition. Even following the spirit of El Mariachi, the twins' story reached the original El Mariachi, actor Carlos Gallardo - who not only gave the ladies advice, but appeared in the film - as God. The completed film - embraced by horror fans, film festivals, and critics - became an underground sensation, called "a hidden gem in indie film-making" and "a cult classic in the waiting", and won multiple awards: Pollygrind's Favorite Feature, Best Screenplay, City of Death's Best Director Award, and Cinefantasy's Audience Favorite Prize.
In 2008 the twins incorporated, Twisted Twins Productions -- to create their own label for many future projects to come, including their highly anticipated second feature, American Mary, an analogy of their own struggles in the film industry. American Mary has gone on to win numerous praise and awards. The film has gone on to become a cult classic and the various costumes of the lead character Mary Mason a Halloween and horror convention favorite for cos-players.
The Soska Sisters have gone on to be very outspoken about equal rights across the board including but not limited to gender equality and equal rights for the LGBT community. They're actively involved in promoting blood donation and create a new PSA for it every February. And they are only just getting started.
2014 was a big year with the Soska Sisters bringing a new life to See No Evil 2 where they resurrect the WWE Studios franchise with WWE Superstar Glenn "Kane" Jacobs reprising his role as Jacob Goodnight and scream queens Danielle Harris and Katharine Isabelle appear together for the first time. As well, the Twins will be one of the all star director lined up for ABCs of Death 2 in a segment that will shock and be destined for cult status. Their segment, T is for Torture Porn, has since been banned in Germany.
In 2015, the twins did a genre jump, teaming again with Lionsgate and WWE Studios, with a action revenge thriller called Vendetta to star, Dean Cain, Paul 'Big Show' Wight, and Michael Eklund. The high action, ultra gory nature of the film proved that the sisters are not one trick ponies as they expand their sensibilities to this Justin Shady written, men's prison revenge flick.
Avid comic book fans, the Soska Sisters have teamed up with Daniel Way (Deadpool, Daken) to create their own very graphic novel entitled Kill-Crazy Nymphos Attack! with artist Rob Dumo & cover artist Dave Johnson which is a pitch black satire on patriarchal society and women's roles within it. The very graphic novel is set with a 2017 release date.
September 16th, 2015, also marks the release of Jen & Sylvia Soska's first collaboration with Marvel comics with their Night Nurse story line 'The Risk of Infection' featured in Secret Wars Journal #5. The Soska twins have been long time fans of Marvel Comics and been quite vocal in their interests to tackle the adaptation of one of their stories for the big screen with them at the helm as directors. In April it was announced that the twins would be teaming with Marvel again, this time writing 'The Ripley' as a Guardians of the Galaxy story featured in Guardians of Infinity #8.
The media that the twins take on ever expanding, the Soska Sisters are the hosts of the survival horror game-show called Hellevator that premiered October 21 2015 on GSN. The show is a creation from Blumhouse, GSN, Matador, and Lionsgate. The show just enjoyed its second season and received even more attention when it was made available on VOD through Netflix and Hulu proving that evil twins continue to have a rich history with elevators and scaring people.
In February 2016, the directing duo of Jen and Sylvia Soska came on board to direct a remake of David Cronenberg's 1977 zombie thriller Rabid. John Vidette's Somerville House Releasing entered into a joint venture with Paul Lalonde and Michael Walker to produce a feature film and original TV series based on the 1977 Canadian horror film.
December 11, 2016 will mark the twins' company, Twisted Twins Productions' 8 year anniversary which will have them with 4 feature films, 2 graphic novels, a series of blood donation PSAs, and a television show. Not too shabby for a pair of twins from Canada who set their sites on shaking up the entertainment industry playing by their own rules and leaving a hefty cinematic body count in their wake.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Brandon Slagle is a visionary director known for his bold and eclectic approach to filmmaking. Born in Austin, Texas, Slagle's passion for storytelling ignited at a young age, inspired by the vibrant culture and cinematic landscape of his hometown.
After honing his craft through various roles in the industry, including acting and screenwriting, Slagle made his directorial debut with the critically acclaimed indie horror film "The Black Dahlia Haunting" in 2012. This debut showcased his unique flair for blending suspense, atmosphere, and psychological depth, earning him recognition among genre aficionados and critics alike.
Since then, Slagle has continued to push the boundaries of cinema with a diverse range of projects spanning multiple genres. From gritty crime dramas to pulse-pounding action thrillers, Slagle's body of work reflects his fearless exploration of the human condition and the darker aspects of society.
One of Slagle's most notable accomplishments is his ability to assemble top-tier talent, both in front of and behind the camera. Collaborating with seasoned actors and industry professionals, he has cultivated a reputation for creating immersive and compelling narratives that resonate with audiences on a visceral level.
In addition to his directorial prowess, Slagle is also recognized for his keen eye for visual storytelling and meticulous attention to detail. Whether crafting intricate set pieces or orchestrating breathtaking action sequences, he approaches each project with a passion and dedication that sets him apart in the competitive world of filmmaking.
Beyond his work in film, Slagle is also an advocate for independent cinema and emerging talent. As a mentor and supporter of up-and-coming filmmakers, he remains committed to fostering creativity and innovation within the industry, inspiring the next generation of storytellers to pursue their dreams fearlessly.
With a bold and dynamic cinematic voice, Brandon Slagle continues to make waves in the world of filmmaking, leaving an indelible mark on audiences and critics alike. As he continues to challenge conventions and redefine the boundaries of storytelling, one thing is certain: the future of cinema is brighter with Brandon Slagle at the helm.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Born and raised in the small riverbank town of Jenny Lind in Calaveras County, California, Edward Lucky McKee grew up mostly in poverty with little access to modern forms of entertainment. When McKee was age ten, he used an old video camera to videotape his sister's birthday party which put him on a path for an interest in film making. At age 12, he and a friend made their own version of A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) which they first saw at the local cinema.
While attending the Calaveras High School, McKee and classmate 'Kevin Ford' qv) solicited a commission from the school board to videotape a documentary for their senior class. After graduation, McKee traveled to Los Angeles in 1993 and enrolled himself in a film writing program at the University of Southern California's School of Film-Television. McKee made several friends during his four years at USC, most of whom helped with the development of his directing films. After leaving USC in 1997, McKee returned to his hometown to look for work. In 1999, he collaborated with making his first feature movie, which was a very low budget horror film titled All Cheerleaders Die (2001) with the production help from former USC classmate Chris Sivertson. Shot on high definition videotape over a period of two four-day weekends, All Cheerleaders Die (2001) was a splatter comedy about the rivalry between a group of high school jocks and four cheerleaders who accidentally die and are brought back to life to seek revenge.
While attending USC as a sophomore, McKee wrote the screenplay for a short film titled 'Fraction', as well as the screenplay for the feature movie May (2002) which was inspired by 'Mary Shelley''s Frankenstein and the moodiness of Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976), as well as the lyrics to a song from Nirvana. May (2002) tells the story about a lonely and repressed young woman working as a veterinarian assistant who is slowly pushed into insanity and murder by her quest for companionship. Having recognized McKee's talent while attending USC, classmate Marius Vaysberg developed the script through his newly founded "2Loop Productions" and offered McKee a production deal to make it into a feature film. With the backing of "2Loop Productions" and a cast of independent film actors who included Texas-born Angela Bettis in the starring role, who was Kevin Ford's wife, as well as Jeremy Sisto and Anna Faris. Filming was made in late 2001 in Los Angeles, and finished just in time for the January 2002 Sundance Film Festival where it had a one-night showing where it was picked up by Lions Gate for a limited theatrical release the following year before making its mark on home video and DVD as a cult following ever since.
In 2005, McKee was offered by United Artists to direct the David Ross script The Woods (2006), another horror film shot in and around Montreal, Canada and starring some first-rate actors like Patricia Clarkson and Bruce Campbell about a haunted woods influencing the actions of a teenage girl attending an all-girls high school located in isolation within the woods. But the film ended up being shelved after United Artists was bought out by Metro Goldwyn Mayer with a release date still impending.
Also in 2005, McKee was brought on by Mick Garris as one of the many film directors to direct an episode for Masters of Horror (2005) with the episode "Sick Girl" which starred May (2002) star Angela Bettis and B-horror film star Erin Brown (aka: Erin Brown) which was written by Sean Hood. McKee describes the episode as a dark comedy-romantic version of The Fly (1986) featuring Angela and Erin as two young lovers whose romance is complicated by the arrival of a lethal insect.
McKee then stepped in front of the camera for his first acting role in the starring role of Roman (2006), a psychological drama-thriller which is based on his own script and directed by May (2002) star Angela Bettis. McKee describes Roman (2006) as a sort-of alternated version of May (2002) with him playing a lonely guy whose obsession with a woman he sees passing by his residence every day leads to things going horribly wrong.
Most recently, McKee has agreed to direct Red (2008) an adoption of a Jack Ketchum novel about a lonely war veteran who goes crazy after his pet dog is killed. McKee has also worked as a producer for Chris Sivertson for the 2006 feature film The Lost (2006) also based on a novel by Ketchum.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Vincent Grashaw was born on 30 June 1981 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a director and producer, known for What Josiah Saw (2021), Bang Bang (2024) and And Then I Go (2017).- Special Effects
- Director
- Producer
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Nate Parker was born on 18 November 1979 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Birth of a Nation (2016), Arbitrage (2012) and Non-Stop (2014). He has been married to Sarah DiSanto since 2007. They have four children.- Director
- Editor
- Writer
Steven C. Miller was born in Decatur, Ga. His love for film began early when his father bought him a VHS video camera. Miller started off small with multiple music videos and short films. In 2005 Miller attended and graduated Full Sail University.
In 2005, immediately after graduating film school at Full Sail University, Steven moved from Florida to Hollywood where he and two close friends raised the money to fund his feature film debut. "Automaton Transfusion." The no-budget cult phenomenon (which Miller also wrote and edited) was shot in 9 days and had a budget of under 30k.
In October 2007, "Automaton Transfusion" premiered at the "ScreamFest" horror festival at the Mann's Chinese Theater. It was purchased and distributed by Dimension films.
Over the next several years, Steven was attached to several studio films including MGM's remake of "Motel Hell," Paramount Vantage's "Ink" and "Area 52" that never materialized into actual films. He learned the meaning of "development hell."
In 2011, Steven decided to return to his roots, work outside of the studio system and shot two independent low budget features: "Under The Bed" and "The Aggression Scale."
The Amblin-esque "Under The Bed" premiered at the 2012 Fantasia Film Festival and played film festivals around the globe. "The Aggression Scale" premiered to rave reviews at the 2012 South By Southwest Film Festival and was described as "Home Alone" meets "Straw Dogs" and was purchased by Anchor Bay.
In April of 2012 Miller began shooting the remake of "Silent Night, Deadly Night" starring Malcolm McDowell and Jaime King. Anchor Bay is set to distribute in December 2012.
In October 2013 Miller finished his first action thriller "Submerged". The film was bought by IFC films and is being released in theaters Nov 27th 2015.
In 2015, Emmitt/Furla Films and Grindstone Entertainment hired Miller to helm two Bruce Willis films back to back, Extraction and Marauders. Extraction hits Theaters December 18th 2015.- Production Designer
- Art Director
- Director
Chris Gorak was born on 23 May 1969. He is a production designer and art director, known for Minority Report (2002), Right at Your Door (2006) and The Darkest Hour (2011).- Director
- Cinematographer
- Writer
Having photographed and directed hundreds of music videos and commercials over the last 15 years, Samuel Bayer has firmly established himself as one of the industry's most prolific and sought-after talents.
A 1987 graduate of New York City's School of Visual Arts, Bayer was a painter who saw film and video as the perfect medium to deliver his art to a greater audience. He launched his career with Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," a landmark video that MTV has consistently rated as one of the most influential music videos ever made. His decision to photograph the Nirvana video himself infused it with a distinct style and attitude that started him on a path he's blazed ever since. His hands-on approach to filmmaking so clearly imprinted on his work, Bayer chooses to light, photograph and operate the camera on all his work. On the heels of his work with Nirvana, he went on to create countless videos for artists as diverse as The Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow, John Lee Hooker, Marilyn Manson, Metallica, The Smashing Pumpkins, 'David Bowie (I)', Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz and Blink-182.
In 1995 he hit the commercial scene with the same results--one of his first spots, the revolutionary spot for Nike "If You Let Me Play", won the AICP award for Best Direction. In 1997 his Packard-Bell "Home" spot won the AICP for Cinematography, Direction, and Production Design. His work on Mountain Dew "Showstopper" collected the 2001 Clio Awards for Best Direction and Best Cinematography. His other commercial work includes campaigns for Nike, Coke, Pepsi, Nissan, Lexus and Mountain Dew and has cemented his reputation as a visual revolutionary. Bayer's commercials are showcased in the permanent film/video collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
His video for Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" swept the MTV music awards, garnering seven Moon Men including Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Rock Video as well as the coveted Viewer's Choice Award. In 2005 Bayer was the recipient of the Kodak Lifetime Achievement Award for his work and cinematography in music videos and was honored in 2006 by the Music Video Producers Association with his second Lifetime Achievement Award.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Duncan Jones was born on 30 May 1971 in Bromley, Kent, England, UK. He is a director and writer, known for Moon (2009), Source Code (2011) and Mute (2018). He has been married to Rodene Ronquillo since 6 November 2012. They have two children.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Alex Rivera was born in 1973 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a director and writer, known for Sleep Dealer (2008), The Infiltrators (2019) and Zorro 2.0. He is married to Cristina Ibarra.- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Michael has extensively been involved in writing, producing and directing and actively been involved in film projects for the last few years. At 19, Michael went on to have his first short film, Our Lost Translation, screened at the LA Shorts Fest. After completing San Diego State with a degree in film, he finished top of his class and now lives back in Los Angeles. In 2011, he directed, produced and wrote The Last Wish, which screened at a number of festivals and picked up several awards including the Sierra Nevada Award at the 2012 Mountain Film Awards. In 2013, Michael directed, produced and wrote the feature, Misogynist, where he was awarded best narrative feature at the Los Angeles Underground Film Festival. Michael has since made several other feature films including the action/thriller Chase, which was released in 2019 through Vertical Entertainment and picked up multiple awards including Best Action Film at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Pascal Laugier was born on 16 October 1971 in France. He is a director and writer, known for Incident in a Ghostland (2018), Martyrs (2008) and The Tall Man (2012).