Lisa Curry, Writer/Director

Lisa grew up telling stories in the rural Gulf Coast town of Port St. Joe, Florida. Currently an M.F.A. candidate at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, she holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton University in English literature, Spanish literature, and theater. Her passions for writing, acting, and photography led her to venture into the world of filmmaking after college. In 2005, writer/director David Goyer (BATMAN BEGINS) and producer Marc Rosen began mentoring her on the set of CBS’ supernatural drama, THRESHOLD. Since then, Lisa has assisted Goyer and Rosen on and off in capacities ranging from casting to visual effects. She’s also explored the world of feature documentary, working as the assistant/online editor of JOIN US for two-time Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning director Ondi Timoner (WE LIVE IN PUBLIC, DIG!). Lisa’s short form directorial debut, KATE & GEORGE, played the international festival circuit in 2007. Her first music video, NEED TO DREAM by The Beds, premiered at the DGA in 2008. She approaches filmmaking as a process of discovery and strives to create spirited stories that explore the irony, mystery, and beauty of human experience. She insists she’s never tried to flush herself down anyone’s toilet, though the regulars at The Throne Room Café swear by it...

Erika Cervantes, Producer

Erika is a writer, director, and producer who was born in Canada but grew up all over the U.S., finally settling down in L.A. Erika graduated with honors from UC San Diego in 2006 with a degree in Literature/Writing and a minor in Film Studies. In 2008, Erika earned her MFA in Writing at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where she participated as a writer, director, AD, PA and everything else under the sun on many student projects. During this time, she also wrote a web series co-produced by MTV and T-Mobile called "Connected" which can be seen online. Erika has poured her heart into producing ambitious short film projects, from an award-winning comedy shot on location in Chicago called FIRST BASS which has screened at over 20 film festivals, to a 25-minute drama shot on Super16 called THE ONE WAYz, funded by a generous grant from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Somewhere in the midst of all this Erika managed to co-write a futuristic short film about teenage cyber-athletes called TURBO, as well as write and direct her experimental short "mariposa," a provocative visual piece that allowed her to combine her two great loves: film and poetry. Erika recently produced a music video for "The Walk," an original song written for THE ONE WAYz, and is currently developing several feature, short film, and TV scripts that she plans to bring to life. She hopes that OPEN MIC will be the first of many zany collaborations with Ms. Curry...

Catalina Ausin, Cinematographer

Catalina Ausin was born on the late night of September 4, 1981, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Catalina developed an eye for photography at an early age while living in Mexico as a teenager, when she spent her free time experimenting with an SLR 35mm camera and an old Fisher Price PXL 2000 toy camcorder. Her passion for creating images led her to study Cinematography at the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles, and she continued post-baccalaureate studies in Cinematography & Photography at FAMU, Film and Television School of The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic. As a cinematographer, she has shot many short films, music videos, and documentaries. Her work has screened at film festivals across the United States, including the South by Southwest Film Festival, the L.A. Shorts Film Festival, and the Atlanta Film Festival. Catalina has had the opportunity to live and grow up in different parts of Mexico and the United States, is bicultural and bilingual and wants to travel the world. For more information: www.catalinaausin.com

Jeffrey D. Simon, Production Designer

Jeff is a production designer and artist for the motion picture industry. He was educated at the Savannah College of Art and Design with a B.F.A. in Production Design. While in school he concentrated on set design for theatre, production design for film, drafting, scenic painting, rendering, concept art, and carpentry. He is also fluent in computer design with expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, AutoCAD, and web design. His set for Holy Ghosts won the South Eastern Theatre Conference Design Competition's award for best scenic design in 2008. Originally from La Grange, Illinois, he has been designing and building sets since the seventh grade. For more information: www.grayoakproductions.com/2009/

Betsy Comstock, Editor

After graduating from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Betsy has worked on various films and TV shows. As a Union Assistant Editor, her credits include Brotherhood, CSI Miami and Ghost Whisperer. As an editor she has worked on various independent shorts and behind-the-scenes specials for MacGillivray Freeman Films. For more information, feel free to visit her website www.betsycomstock.com.