Rob Asaro
Rob Asaro is a multi-hyphenate artist working as an actor, writer, comedian, director, and producer in New York City and Los Angeles. He recently produced, starred in, and directed the ambitious short film My Heart Beats in Neon, following his earlier film Lost Again. Prior to his film work, Rob produced several of his plays at The Tank Theater in Manhattan and spent years performing in and producing comedy shows in New York and Los Angeles, as well as touring nationally. He also produced two web series, Yellow Brick Hell and Serious Business, and was a member of the comedy trio Captains of Industry. A graduate of Emerson College, Rob has studied extensively with UCB Theater, Second City and others. Although he comes from a strong comedy background, Rob teaches work that is grounded, personal, and dramatic in nature.
Craig Baldo
Craig Baldo has 20 years of stand-up under his belt. TV appearances include Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, NBC’s Late Friday and Last Comic Standing (finalist season 1) and many VH1 talking head shows. His seven seasons as house warm-up act for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has earned him several (paper) Emmys. He’s written for both the New York Times and New Yorker, with 15+ cartoons published. He lives in Montclair with his wife and two boys, writing ad copy to cover his insanely high property taxes.
Daryn Davidson
Daryn Davidson is a dynamic individual with a passion for filmmaking. Armed with a Bachelor’s Degree in Film Editing, Daryn embarked on a journey in the art of film. Formerly a distinguished teacher at the NJ Film School, Daryn imparted her extensive knowledge of screenwriting, filmmaking techniques, and editing to aspiring filmmakers of all ages. Daryn co-founded Bold Media Films, a premier full-service production company based in New Jersey, alongside her partner William Wilusz. At Bold Media Films, Daryn serves as a co-owner and brings her keen eye for detail and her knack for storytelling to every project.
Evan Dickerson
Evan Dickerson is an educator, writer, and filmmaker with over ten years of experience in film education and curriculum development. He previously served as Curriculum Coordinator and instructor at Montclair Film, where he helped design and expand the organization’s education programming.
Evan currently teaches Video Production, Film Analysis, and Creative Writing at Nutley High School, where he emphasizes storytelling and creativity beyond the walls of the classroom. In 2023, he wrote The Pharm Fatale, an interactive forensic murder mystery meant to serve as an educational simulation for criminal justice students. His writing students have gone on to publish pieces with Bottlecap Features and The Red Wheelbarrow Poet Society. He also runs the school’s literary magazine, which continues to garner accolades across Essex County. His professional film experience includes writing and story editing (Split Ends, Disarray Days), production management (Good Friday), script supervision (Canned), and acting (Marijuana Minutes). He holds a degree in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University and degrees in Filmmaking, English, and Teaching from Montclair State University, where he also received the 2014 Award for Excellence in Screenwriting.
Alex Forstenhausler
Alex Forstenhausler graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he majored in film and television with a minor in producing. Since then, he has written and directed a slew of short films and web series, featuring the talents of Amar’e Stoudemire, Richard Kind, Len Cariou, Kurt Braunohler, and Vincent Pastore. His work has appeared in festivals all over the world—garnering awards such as Best Director, Best Narrative Short, and Best Actor—as well as on the websites Funny or Die and the Huffington Post. Alex has taught at New York Film Academy’s summer film program in addition to working as a freelance director and writer of digital content for companies like VaynerMedia, Digital Workshop, and SideSwipe Media. He was a quarterfinalist for the Nicholl Fellowship, a three-time finalist for the New York Television Festival’s pilot competition, and winner of WeTV’s pilot competition. As a comedian, he’s written and performed for several Friars Club events, including the roasts of Padma Lakshmi, Ricky Schroder, and Dennis Rodman.
Jason R.A. Foster
Jason R.A. Foster is an award-winning filmmaker from Kingston, Jamaica, now based in New Jersey, with deep creative roots in the American South. He has written, directed, and produced over 30 documentaries, narrative shorts, and music videos. A recipient of multiple grants for his work documenting Louisiana artists, Jason made his feature debut with Many Fires This Time: We the 100 Million, which earned multiple awards in 2020. His short film In Search Of…Pregame received a Special Jury Recognition Award at the New Orleans Film Festival in 2022. He is currently completing his MFA in Film at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
David Gaynes
David Gaynes is an award-winning documentary filmmaker with three critically-praised features in distribution. His work focuses on ordinary people amid extraordinary circumstances and attempts to do so with earnestness and reverence. Next Year Jerusalem (2014, Netflix / First Run Features) follows a group of frail elderly seniors on the last trip of their lives. Saving Hubble (2012, Hulu / Cinema Purgatorio) is the story of the Hubble Space Telescope’s surprise rebirth. Keeper of the Kohn (2005, Hulu / SnagFilms) examines the relationship between an older, autistic man and his terminally ill friend. David is also a working cinematographer and editor, having collaborated on dozens of doc projects large, not-so-large and so-not-large for over 15 years. dgfilmworks.com
Wilhelm Kuhn
Wilhelm Kuhn is a French filmmaker and educator who was born and raised in Paris. He is a graduate of the London Film School where he made his thesis film, “The Porter Brothers”, a western acquired by Amazon Prime. His latest film “Julius” tells the story of a war orphan at the end of the American Civil War and was shot in New Jersey. As a producer, he runs the production company Sunhour Films between Paris and NY, and is also the host and creator of the in-person lecture series “Ten Films That Changed America”. He has extensive experience teaching at Montclair Film, including the High School Director’s Lab and Narrative Filmmaking for Adults.
Steven Lew
Steven is a teacher, editor, videographer and graphic designer with a Masters Degree in Computer Graphics/Film from the New York Institute of Technology. He has worked behind the scenes within the manufacturing industry bringing tradeshows to life and in many facets of film within the art and sound departments of short films and feature length projects. As much as he enjoys working on his own scripts and storyboarding ideas for short films, he loves teaching film and editing to students at Montclair Film while seeing them navigate their own creative journey of becoming storytellers and filmmakers and expanding on their inner creativity.
Duncan Miller
Duncan Miller is a teacher and improviser who has performed and trained with The Second City and Improv Olympic (IO) in Chicago. He is a graduate of the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and received his B.A. in Drama from Ithaca College. He performed at various theaters and festivals in New York City, Chicago, and Baltimore prior to earning his master’s degree in education. Currently, he serves as Academic Dean and history teacher at North Star Academy in Newark, NJ where he works with the next generation of storytellers.
Ryan D. Moore
Along with being Montclair Film’s Director of Film Academy and Curriculum, Ryan D. Moore is a screenwriter, professor, and filmmaker based out of NJ. His short screenplays have been produced and screened around the world— including the Cannes Film Festival in France. His feature film picked up international distribution after a successful festival run- and his second feature film will be hitting the festival circuit in fall of 2026! He teaches Screenwriting and Producing at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Kayleigh Nardella
Kayleigh Nardella is a filmmaking teacher from South Africa with a Masters degree in Film & Television Studies from the University of Johannesburg. She has always had a passion for filmmaking and teaching film while lecturing at the University of Johannesburg for four years. She has worked on music videos, student news networks, and a reality tv show called Temptation Island South Africa. She loves working with children and introducing them to the wonderful world of film. She works at Montclair Film as the Education Program Coordinator.
Axel Ortiz
Axel Ortiz is an award winning filmmaker & artist from Chile with a BFA in filmmaking from Montclair State University. His work has screened internationally, and he has worked on short narratives, documentaries, commercial films, and most recently, an experimental film residency. His personal work explores the effect of the rapid expansion of technology on people & relationships. He works with Montclair Film as the Operations Manager, Special Projects, Education.
Anthony Perez
Anthony Perez is a film instructor with 9 years of experience, assisting students in achieving numerous awards and film festival selections. A graduate of Montclair State University, he has been working professionally for over 12 years under various roles for films and television programs ranging from “Billions” to “Marvel’s Daredevil.”
Marie Rodriguez
Marie Spiegeland is a certified film and media educator with more than a decade of experience teaching film and television production. Before entering education, Mrs. Spiegeland spent ten years working in the entertainment industry, including feature film development at New Regency Productions and production work on films for The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Focus Features, as well as commercials and music videos in Los Angeles, New York, and internationally. Mrs. Spiegeland’s students’ films have been recognized and selected for screenings at a range of film festivals and competitions. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Montclair State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Video from Columbia College Chicago.
John Rotondo
John Rotondo is a screenwriter, novelist, producer, and educator. His debut novel, Paul Is Dead, is set to hit bookstores in 2027. He co-wrote the feature film The Garden Left Behind, directed by Flavio Alves, which premiered at SXSW in 2019, won the Audience Award, and went on to receive over 20 festival awards worldwide, including Best Screenplay at the 2019 Sunscreen Film Festival. Developed through the IFP Narrative Lab and supported by organizations including GLAAD, PFLAG, and the New York Foundation for the Arts, the film was released on VOD in 2020. Rotondo is currently in pre-production on Bonita, his second collaboration with Alves. His previous work includes the screenplays Resemblance and Mockingbird (a Nicholl Fellowship Quarterfinalist and Screencraft Semi-Finalist), an acting role in the award-winning NYTVF pilot Dead John, and the internationally produced play Love (Awkwardly), published by YouthPLAYS. He is a graduate of NYU Tisch’s Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing and teaches dramatic and creative writing.
Abby Sher
Abby Sher is an award-winning writer of memoir, fiction, and overly-dramatic emails. As an actor, Abby has performed with The Second City, HBO and NPR, and she is a co-producer of Scratch ‘N Sniff Productions. To learn more, go to Abby-Sher.com.
Chris Stetson
With over two decades of editing experience in Final Cut, AVID and Premiere, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom. After starting as an assistant editor with National Geographic Channel in DC, Chris has produced and edited everything from short-form web content, to narrative film. One constant has been a dedication to quality, creativity and demystifying the finer points of the post production process. When he’s not sitting in front of a computer, Chris enjoys reading, going to concerts and spending time with his wife and two young children.
Juani Tantillo
Juani Tantillo started working in radio when she was 18 because she fell in love with the power of the medium. Decades later, she’s had a wonderful career featured nationally and internationally on-camera and as a voice over artist. Her VO work encompasses everything from commercials, promos, long form narrations, audio books and more. 770 WABC Radio in New York (WPLJ, ESPN Radio, Disney Radio) was Juani’s professional home for two decades where she was featured as the female voice and female production director. Juani is the Host and Executive Producer of the Award Winning podcast “Should Have Listened To My Mother.” She enjoys being on both sides of the microphone and is excited to introduce others to the magic and the power of using one’s voice to tell a story.
Luke Ward
Writer/Performer Luke Ward has written, performed and produced shows at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, The Peoples Improv Theater and the Magnet Theater in New York. He’s also created and produced original content for companies like College Humor, Hershey’s and Toyota, and shorts featuring SNL’s Bobby Moynihan and Donald Glover. When he’s not creating content, he’s making custom furniture with his company Overall Builds.
William Wilusz
William Wilusz is a seasoned filmmaker with a remarkable journey through the independent world of cinema. With over 30 years of experience, he has established himself as a versatile and self-taught talent, proficient in various aspects of filmmaking. William honed his skills in cinematography, writing, and producing, among other roles essential to the filmmaking process. His diverse skill set allows him to seamlessly transition between different facets of production, showcasing his versatility and dedication to the craft. Beyond his technical prowess, William is also an accomplished fight choreographer, adding another layer of depth to his creative repertoire. His ability to choreograph compelling and dynamic fight sequences elevates the quality of his productions and captivates audiences. Among his many achievements, William has written and self-produced a feature film called “Demon Hunters: Fear The Silence.” He has also co-founded Bold Media Films, premier full-service production company based in New Jersey, alongside his partner Daryn Davidson.