MARY POSATKO
Assistant Professor in the Division of Television, Film and New Media, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
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EDUCATION
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University of Southern California, School of Cinematic Arts, Los Angeles, CA
MFA, Production (2007)
Brown University, Providence, RI
BA, History (1996)
University of London, Queen Mary and Westfield, London, UK (Fall 1995)
USC Center for Excellence in Teaching
Accelerated Online Teaching Class Certificate, 2020
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FILMOGRAPHY
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THE WANDERING LEPIDOPTERA (in production) Director/Producer
Trailer here.
In Collaboration with Dr. Douglas Tallamy. Shot by Marie Hinson, edited by Davon Ramos, sound by David V. Butler.
INTO THIN AIR (currently in post-production) Co-producer/Co-director
5 minutes, Stop-motion Animation
A collaboration with the Transitional-Age Youth of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
TARGET ZERO (currently in pre-production) Director/Producer
In collaboration with Dr. LaShonda Spencer (King/Drew Medical Center) and Dr. Helen Berman (USC)
IN A WINTRY SEASON (currently in post-production) Director/Producer
Feature Documentary, mixed media
TARGET ZERO (2018) Director/Producer
91 minutes, 4K, Feature Hybrid Documentary/Animation
US and International Distribution: Off the Fence; Educational Distribution: Alexander Street
Executive Produced by Dr. Helen Berman (Rutgers, Protein Data Bank) and Jed Dannenbaum (USC)
Winner, Best Educational Media award at Raw Science Film Festival 2018; official selection, APHA Global Film Festival
Awards
Raw Science Film Festival 2018 (Best Educational Media)
2018 Official Film Festival Selections
Raw Science Film Festival
2017 Official Film Festival Selections
APHA Film Festival
ALL FALL DOWN (2014) Co-Director, Co-Producer
(co-created, directed and produced with Emily Topper)
90 minutes, HD
Executive Produced by Bona Fide Productions (Crumb, Little Miss Sunshine, Nebraska, Cold Mountain, Election) and Chicken & Egg Pictures
Premiered in competition at CPH: DOX in 2014 and screened at over a dozen US and International Film Festivals and theaters.
Invited to Independent Feature Project Week: Spotlight on Documentaries NYC, 2010, Good Pitch SF 2011
Recipient of the IDA Pare Lorentz Award, a Pacific Pioneers Grant, the SFFS Herbert Family Documentary Award, and Chicken & Egg Funding
Awards
Nominee for the DOK Award, CPH:DOX, 2014
Named “Best Film of 2014” by Baltimore Magazine
2012 Official Film Festival Selections and Screenings
CPH:DOX (World Premiere, in competition)
Maryland Film Festival
Skyline Independent Film Festival
Middleburg Film Festival
Virginia Film Festival
Goteburg Film Festival (Sweden)
Durango Independent Film Festival, Colorado
Cable Car, Providence, RI
USC School of Cinematic Arts, Los Angeles
2017 Official Film Festival Selections and Screenings
NYU, New York
AIN'T IN IT FOR MY HEALTH: A FILM ABOUT LEVON HELM (2012) Producer/Post-Production Supervisor
100 minutes, HD, 16mm, Super 8
Distribution: Kino Lorber
Awards
Nashville FF 2010 (Gibson Spirit of Music Award)
Paste Magazine’s Ten Best Documentaries of 2010
Rolling Stone’s 30 Best Music Documentaries Streaming This Instant
Executive Produced by Bona Fide Productions (Crumb, Little Miss Sunshine, Cold Mountain, Election)
2013 US Theatrical Film Release (April 19, 2013)
Cinema Village (New York)
Los Angeles (Laemmle Monica Film, Laemmle NOHO, Laemmle Pasadena)
2010 Official Film Festival Selections
SXSW Film Festival (World Premiere)
Los Angeles Film Festival (US)
Nashville Film Festival (US)
IDFA (Netherlands)
CPH:DOX (Denmark)
MR. SADMAN (2009) Second Assistant Director
100 minutes, 35mm
Starring Scoot McNairy (12 Years a Slave, Argo)
THE MACABRE WORLD OF LAVENDER WILLIAMS (2009) Production Assistant
25 minutes, 35 mm
Executive produced by Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future)
Starring Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future)
ONLY HALFWAY HOME (2008) Producer
30 min, 16 mm
Directed by Jacob Hatley, starring Levon Helm (The Band, Coal Miner’s Daughter, The Last Waltz) and Danny Vinson (Walk the Line, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eastbound and Down), Executive Produced by Vanguard Records
Broadcast on VH1, CMT, RFD
PITSTOP (2007) Producer
15 minutes, 16mm
Directed by Melanie McGraw
Awards
Student Academy Award 2007
BAFTA 2007
Official Film Festival Selections
Outfest 2007
ARCHER HOUSE (2007) Producer
15 minutes, 16mm
Directed by Dina Gachman, starring Troian Bellisario (Pretty Little Liars) and Robert Buckley (One Tree Hill, Lipstick Jungle)
Official Film Festival Selections 2007
AFI Dallas (World Premiere)
Boston Film Festival
Rehoboth Beach Film Festival
UNDERPASS (2007) Producer
15 minutes, HD
Directed by Rain Breaw, animation by Andrew Huang (Pan, Bjork’s Mutual Core, Solipsist)
Official Film Festival Selections 2007
Methodfest
Newport Beach Film Festival
Sedona Film Festival
VARTAN LLP (2007) Script Supervisor
15 minutes, 35mm
Directed by Myles Price, starring Jay O. Sanders (Revolutionary Road, JFK, The Day After Tomorrow)
Shot on location in New York City
Methodfest, Tribeca Film Festival, short-listed for the Oscars
UNLICENSED (2007) First Assistant Director
10 minutes, 16mm
Directed by Donna Thorland (Salem, Cupid, The Turncoat)
LIE DETECTOR (2007) Second Assistant Director
15 minutes, 16mm
Starring Rossif Sutherland (ER)
MY FATHER'S CHINESE WIFE (2007) Art Department
18 minutes, 16mm
Based upon a story by Sandra Tsing Loh
Directed by Franklin Petersen (Mr. Robot, Safety Not Guaranteed)
MISS LONELYHEARTS (2006) Producer
3 minutes, HD
Directed by Soo Hugh (The Terror, The Whispers, Under the Dome)
Joint production of USC and Julliard to commemorate Julliard’s 100th anniversary
ROCKETBOY (2006) Art Director
12 minutes, 16mm
Starring Robert Picardo (Star Trek: Voyager, China Beach) and Bill Nye
SPACEBOY (2006) Script Supervisor
15 min, 16mm
Directed by Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children)
SHOES ON A WIRE (2005) Co-Producer with Ken Segna (Starz)
12 minutes, 16mm
CAUGHT IN PROVIDENCE (2005) Producer/Writer/Director/Editor
15 minutes, HDV
DP: Ken Segna (Starz), starring Billy Hanson
FRANNY AND ZOOEY (2005) Producer/Writer (adaptation)/Director/Editor/Sound
15 minutes, HDV
Adapted from J. D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey
Starring Joel Gourdin (Attack of the Show!)
HALLEY'S COMET (2005) Producer/Writer/Director/Sound
7 minutes, 16mm
Starring Brien Varady (The Last Seduction)
POSITIVELY NAKED (2005) Office Production Assistant
25 mins, Documentary film for Showtime
NAKED WORLD: AMERICA UNDERCOVER (2003) Office Production Assistant
60 mins, Documentary film for HBO
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AWARDS
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Best Educational Media, Raw Science Film Festival (2018)
Director, TARGET ZERO
DOX:AWARD Nominee, CPH:DOX Film Festival (2014)
Co-director, ALL FALL DOWN
Best Film, Baltimore Magazine (2014)
Co-director, ALL FALL DOWN
Spirit of Music Award, Nashville Film Festival (2012)
Producer, AIN’T IN IT FOR MY HEALTH: A FILM ABOUT LEVON HELM
BAFTA Award (2008)
Producer, PITSTOP
Student Academy Award (2008)
Producer, PITSTOP
USC Student Representative (2007)
Global Chinese University Student Film and TV Festival, Hong Kong
Nominee for the Debra Hill Fellowship (2007)
Producer’s Guild of America
Directors Guild of America Scholarship (2006)
University of Southern California
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TEACHING EXPERIENCE
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School of Theater, Television and Film, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
TTF 540 - Documentary Production
Undergraduate-level introduction to documentary production.
TTF 625 - Writing the Short Film
Graduate-level seminar on writing short screenplays and documentary film treatments.
School of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
CTPR 431 - Directing/Developing the Documentary
Advanced Undergraduate-level class open to non-Cinema majors to prepare students to pitch for a university-funded advanced documentary or a self-funded documentary.
CTPR 450 - The Production and Post-Production Assistant
Undergraduate-level core production course that provides a detailed view of the development and and craft of short film production.
CTPR 438 - Practicum in Producing
Undergraduate-level elective focusing on producing as a career and a craft.
CTPR 531 - Directing/Developing the Documentary
Advanced Graduate-level class to prepare students to pitch for a university-funded advanced documentary or a self-funded documentary.
CTPR 508 - Intermediate Production (Graduate level)
Lead Faculty/Producing
Team-taught Graduate-level core production course where students make three films, in trios, in rotating roles (writer/director, cinematographer/editor, producer/sound)
CTPR 310 - Intermediate Production (Undergraduate level)
Lead Faculty/Producing
Team-taught Undergraduate-level core production course where students make three films, in trios, in rotating roles (writer/director, cinematographer/editor, producer/sound)
CTPR 295 - Introduction to Producing
Undergraduate-level core curriculum course on ideation, development, pitching, budgeting/scheduling, networking, legal, fundraising and distribution
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Courses Taught: Graduate Production II (508), Graduate Production I (507 Acting), Planning the Advanced Production (581 Narrative Thesis Prep),
Planning the Production (531 Intermediate Documentary Prep)
Department of Film and Electronic Arts, California State University, Long Beach, CA
FEA 381 - Directing the Documentary
Intensive undergraduate-level course introducing students to the art and craft of documentary film, from ideation to screening of a short film. Instruction on professional process, ethics, camera, editing and sound.
University of California, Los Angeles Extension Entertainment Studies Program
Writing the Short Film
Core production class where students write and begin to pre-produce their final short film
City of Santa Monica, California
City Youth Employment Training Program
Program Manager (2000 – 2002)
Courses Taught: Life Skills, GED Prep, Group Counseling
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AREAS OF SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
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ART/EMIS (Spring 2020 - 2022)
Faculty Mentor for student-led organization supporting intersectional feminist creativity at USC
USC Peaks and Professors (Spring 2018 - 2022)
Trip Faculty Lead for student-led organization uniting top USC students and professors on outdoor adventures ranging from day hikes to multiple-day backpacking trips
USC First Look Producing Award Judging Committee (2017 - 2022)
USC Cinema Documentary Mixer (2015 - 2022)
Organizer and host of new ongoing event to introduce both undergraduates and Graduate students to faculty and class offerings specializing in documentary film
USC School of Cinematic Arts Mentorship Program (2010 - 2022)
Ethics Module Contributor to the Inaugural Cinematic Arts Graduate Ethics Seminar (Spring 2018)
Advanced Undergraduate Fiction Production III Script Committee (Fall 2017 - 2022)
Third Semi-Annual Young Guns of the USC Mafia Panel (Spring 2017)
Co-host and moderator
Panel of recent graduates including Marcy Patterson, Alice Mathias, Natalie Qasabian
Advanced Graduate Documentary Production III Guest Critic (Spring 2017 - 2022)
Advanced Undergraduate Fiction Production III Guest Critic (Fall 2016)
Second Semi-Annual Young Guns of the USC Mafia Panel (September 2015)
Co-host
Sold out panel of recent graduates including Jason Berman, Anna Halberg, Shyam Balse
First Annual Young Guns of the USC Mafia Panel (November 2013)
Co-host and co-creator
Sold out panel of recent graduations including Sev Ohanian, Giles Andrew, Robyn Marshall
Intermediate Graduate Production II Guest Lecturer (Spring 2010)
Reel Talk: The Real Story of Filmmaking Today, Organized by the Women of Cinematic Arts (2007)
Keynoted by Stacy Sher
Co-organizer
Panel Host for “Making Your First Feature, How the Hell Do You Do It?” with Catherine Hardwicke, Karyn Kusama, Frank Mele, Ed Parks, and Arie Posen
Women of Cinematic Arts (2006 - 2007)
Original Board Member and Student Membership Coordinator
Grew student membership over 200%
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PANELS/WORKSHOPS/Mentorship
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May Term Advisor, 2020
Edina High School, Edina, Minnesota
Fireside at Five, 2020
With Hollywood Shut Down, What Will Stream on Netflix Come January?
Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences Special Event, 2019
Screening of TARGET ZERO and panel discussion with Dr. Michael Gottlieb, Dr. Helen Berman, Dr. Eddy Arnold, Dr. Alice Stek, and Dr. Jed Dannenbaum
Raw Science Film Festival, 2018
“Target Zero: Interweaving Real Science and Real Stories”
NYU, “Let’s Go to the Movies,” 2017
Screening and discussion of ALL FALL DOWN
USC SCA Advanced Graduate Documentary Production III Class, 2016
Graduate workshop screening/discussion of ALL FALL DOWN
Maryland Film Festival, 2014
“Seeing Eye to Eye” Director/Cinematographer Collaborations panel
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PRODUCING/CREATIVE WORK - RADIO
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KCRW AND PRI'S TO THE POINT (August 2002-2004) Producer
Generate ideas, research, book, produce and direct segments for nationally-broadcast radio program hosted by award-winning journalist Warren Olney
KCRW’s GOOD FOOD (2004) Producer/Editor
Produce segments for second highest-rated local program
Edit for broadcast using ProTools system
Perform voice work
KCRW’s MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC (2002 – 2004) Production Assistant
In-studio production assistance for flagship music program hosted by Nic Harcourt
Coordinate production support and manage talent during live music performances (Coldplay, Elvis Costello, Damien Rice)
ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2002) Associate Producer
Production and script coordination for KCRW-produced radio drama
Talent coordination, including Harry Shearer, Michael York, Rhea Perlman, Elliott Gould, Malcolm McDowell
KCRW DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (2004) Producer
On-site direction of talent (Jason Alexander, Martin Short)
Editing and mixing for broadcast using ProTools system
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RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
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SECOND ASSISTANT TO JOE DRAKE, President and COO
Lionsgate Entertainment, Santa Monica CA (2007)
Mandate Pictures, Beverly Hills, CA (2007)
Script coverage, desk and calendar management, phones
ASSISTANT TO JAN ELIASBERG, Director (Parenthood, Miami Vice)
Aquinnah Films, Santa Monica, CA (2007)
Research for independent feature film project with Ryan Reynolds and Liv Tyler attached
ASSISTANT TO CAROL BAUM, Producer (The Good Girl, Father of the Bride, Fly Away Home)
Carol Baum Productions, Los Angeles, CA (2006-2007)
Script coverage, desk and calendar management, phones
ARCHIVIST/ASSISTANT TO VARTAN GREGORIAN, President
Brown University, Providence, RI (1996-1997)
Created a library for Dr. Gregorian’s (currently President of the Carnegie Corporation) papers for use in his memoirs: The Road to Home: My Life and Times
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ORGANIZATIONS
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USC Peaks and Professors, USC Women of Cinematic Arts, International Documentary Association, IFP,
Doculink, Brown University Entertainment Group, Brown Alumni Interviewers, Former Jesuit Volunteers
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PUBLISHED WORK
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Slacklust (Dec, 2011)
Editors: Stacy Elaine Dacheaux and Paris Lia
Artwork to accompany the article: "The Spirit of Giving According to Google"