Chances are if you’ve been working in and around film production locally you’ve become familiar with Ryan Stowell and Scott Free Productions work. Ryan has been a producer, co-producer, and executive producer on many esteemed dramatic features such as "Manchester by the Sea", "American Woman", "Jungleland", and "Thoroughbreds". Ryan shares his experience as a producer, and his insights from the many films he’s been part of in Massachusetts and beyond.
**Ryan Stowell** is Senior Vice President of Scott Free Productions, Ridley Scott’s film production banner, where he most recently wrapped production on Chase Palmer’s heist thriller, NAKED SINGULARITY, starring John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgård, Ed Skrein, and Tim Blake Nelson; and THE FRIEND, starring Dakota Johnson, Jason Segel, and Casey Affleck. Based on the National Magazine Award winning article, the film was written by Brad Ingelsby and directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite. In 2018, Ryan produced Max Winkler’s JUNGLELAND, starring Charlie Hunnam, Jack O’Connell, Jessica Barden, and Jonathan Majors, which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. He previously executive produced Jake Scott’s drama AMERICAN WOMAN, starring Sienna Miller, Christina Hendricks, and Aaron Paul, which was released by Roadside Attractions in June 2019. Prior to his tenure at Scott Free, Stowell co-produced the critically-acclaimed drama MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. The film was written and directed by Academy Award winner Kenneth Lonergan and stars Academy Award winner Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedges, and Kyle Chandler. MANCHESTER BY THE SEA premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, winning two Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor. Stowell executive produced the psychological thriller THOROUGHBREDS for Focus Features, along with Academy Award winners Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, Kevin Walsh, and Alex Saks. Written and directed by Cory Finley, the film stars Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, and the late Anton Yelchin.
**Professor Merzbacher** has taught film producing, directing, screenwriting and basic cinematography at the Film & Television Workshops in Rockport, Maine, and has served as Executive Vice President of Altar Rock Films, Inc. He is a highly successful filmmaker whose films have been honored at the Chicago International Film Festival, Sundance, the USA Film Festival, the Columbus International Film Festival and the National Educational Film & Video Festival. His first feature film, Jane Street, premiered at the British Film Institute in March 1997.