RANDY ASTLE www.randyastle.com [email protected] 347-271-1714
CHILDREN’S SERIES
Lucky Dip August 2020; 11 min.; animated 6-10 series Role: Co-writer with show creator Remy Labaki of the bible and pilot episode “Ballad of a Thin Unicorn” Creator: Hey Daisy Moon Productions; Edinburgh, Scotland / Landslide Entertainment; Regina, Canada Five mythological creatures, considered lucky in different world cultures, share adventures and overcome bad luck in a fast-paced comedy; unproduced
Coach Kid May 2020; live-action 8-12 serialized dramedy Role: Co-creator and co-writer of the bible with Remy Labaki A fourteen-year-old boy in rural Oregon suddenly finds himself coaching the local baseball team; unproduced
Yoo-Mi USA May 2020; live-action 8-12 sitcom Role: Co-creator and co-writer of the bible with Stephen Winston A South Korean foreign exchange student in rural Illinois deals with friends, adopted family, and all the other trials of American middle school; unproduced
Kickin’ Kitchen June 2011; 8 min.; live-action tween series Role: Screenwriter of episode “Cafeteria Takeover” Creator: KidsCOOK Productions; Boston, Massachusetts A girl who dreams of becoming a world-class chef puts on her own cooking show with her two best friends; a musical comedy with a food and nutrition curriculum; aired on WNYE, Boston City TV, and in 13,000 New York City taxicabs
Suction Cup Heroes April 2011; animated preschool series Role: Script consultant on the bible Creator: Suction Cup Animation; Tampa, Florida A boy’s magical toys come to life and take him on exciting adventures; unproduced
The Great Inventors June 2010; animated preschool series Role: Screenwriter of the pilot episode “The Flying Machine” Creator: Thinxworks Pictures; Bangalore, India A duo of aspiring cavemen struggles to invent modern technology, usually to disastrous effect, with no dialogue; unproduced
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 1 Candy and Toothie June 2010; animated preschool series Role: Screenwriter of the pilot episode “At the Fair” Creator: Thinxworks Pictures; Bangalore, India A piece of candy and a tooth maintain an unlikely friendship in a fantasy candy land; unproduced
Dinosaurus ExploreUs February 2010; animated preschool series Role: Screenwriter of the bible and pilot episode “Maya One and Only” Creator: Believe Animation; Green Bay, Wisconsin A group of dinosaurs travel the world to learn about great places and civilizations, with a geography and history curriculum; unproduced
The Adventures of Wabby Wabbit October 2009; animated preschool series Role: Screenwriter of the pilot episode “The Present” Creator: Star Gazer Productions; Kansas City, Missouri A gentle rabbit goes on adventures with his friends, based on the songs of folk musician Kevin Roth; unproduced
Smartsville October 2009; animated preschool series Role: Screenwriter of the bible and pilot episode “Little Monster” Creator: Sharp Image, Karachi A group of friends from different countries live and learn to work together in a unique town, with a curriculum of diversity and problem solving; unproduced
Nicky’s Awesome Adventures October 2009; live-action nonfiction tween series Role: Script consultant on the bible and pilot episode Creator: Cardamon Assets; Dubai, United Arab Emirates An energetic globetrotting girl from the UAE visits new places and gets to know local people and customs, especially around the Middle East; unproduced
The Milkshake Show September 2009; live-action 6-12 series Role: Script consultant on the bible and pilot script Creator: Milkshake; Baltimore, Maryland The Grammy-nominated kindie rock band Milkshake works to solve problems in their community, with a diversity and creativity curriculum; unproduced
Who’s Watching Conrad Farcus? June 2009; animated 6-9 series Role: Screenwriter of the bible and pilot episode “Thanks for Choosin’ Ubergoosen” Creator: Believe Animation; Green Bay, Wisconsin A zany young vulture causes havoc for his brother and friends in a Louisiana bayou; unproduced
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 2 Jalebi June 2009; animated preschool series Role: Script consultant on the bible Creator: Kushi Productions; Boston, Massachusetts A group of jungle animals teach a curriculum about Indian languages and Indian-American culture, with live-action components; unproduced
Pip Ahoy! May 2009; animated preschool series Role: Screenwriter of the bible Creator: CHF Entertainment; Bristol, UK A young pup and his friends learn about life in a British seaside village, created by Francis Fitzpatrick, creator of the Emmy-winning Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks; the show has broadcast since 2015 on Cartoonito, Milkshake, and ITVBe in the United Kingdom
FILM AND VIDEO ntlrnc February 2016; 4:00; abstract film Role: Editor of found footage (FCP) D.W. Griffiths’ Intolerance sped up to run in four minutes, creating a new visual poem from the silent film epic
Comet February 2016; 2:09; abstract film Role: Editor of found footage (FCP) Audio of charged particles released from Comet 67P is juxtaposed with manipulated footage of stars and a boat trip through a swamp
Oelo January 2016; 3:14; abstract film Role: Editor of found footage (FCP) Found black-and-white footage of Sonny Rollins playing “Oleo” running in reverse with tinted step printing in the fashion of Norman McLaren’s Pas de Deux
Paul Newman Eyes January 2016; 7:18; abstract film Role: Editor of found footage (FCP) Static video of a still image of Paul Newman’s eyes with gradual color shifts to create a kinetic photograph
Chance Presidents January 2016; 12:26; abstract film Role: Editor of found footage (FCP) Four speeches by Presidents Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon divided into five-second clips and arranged through randomized selection in the tradition of Merce Cunningham and John Cage
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 3 Enteroctopus Dolfeini January 2016; 6:20; abstract film Role: Editor of found footage (FCP) A montage of footage of swimming octopuses with video effects and distorted music by Eric Satie
Archiculture December 2014; 25 min.; documentary Role: Assistant editor (FCP) Directors: Ian Harris & David Krantz; Brooklyn, New York A year-long profile of a group of architecture students in their last year at Pratt Institute and an examination of issues facing architecture and urban design pedagogy today
Our First Lady Is Cool March 2014; 3:11; music video Role: Camera operator Director: Arthur Sherry; New York, New York Music video for folk musicians Arthur Sherry and Carla Lynne Hall
Reclaim Anna April 2012; 11:04 total; dramatic transmedia project Roles: Director, screenwriter, editor (FCP), DP, camera operator, sound recordist A prototype for a cross-platform transmedia property using Kaltura, Twilio, Social Samba, and a live event, with 37 videos streamed via a website and app; created as part of StoryCode’s first transmedia hackathon at Lincoln Center; endorsed by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment
Math Warriors March 2012; three episodes totaling 26 min.; narrative web series Role: Editor (FCP) Director: Kristina Harris; New York, New York A comic web series about Yale’s underdog math team’s effort to win a competition against Harvard
Bread and Yoga February 2012; 5:04; documentary Roles: Director, producer, editor (FCP), camera operator, sound recordist Client: Bread & Yoga studio; New York, New York A promotional video on the children’s art and movement classes offered at a studio in upper Manhattan
Serpentine December 2011; 7:15; dance film Role: Editor of found footage (FCP) A reconstruction and manipulation through video effects of found footage of Loie Fuller and other serpentine dancers
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 4 Parents Making a Difference September—November 2011; various lengths; documentary Roles: Director, editor (FCP), DP, camera operator, sound recordist, Spanish translator Client: Parents Making a Difference nonprofit organization; New York, New York A series of videos to educate parents about the New York City public education system, including:
Newsletter, October 2011 (October 2011; 2:01) The Insider Secrets to the High School Application Process: 15 Things Every Parent Must Know (October 2011; 41:31, English and Spanish-dubbed versions) Welcome for New Parents (September 2011; 1:20) Introduction for Funders and Parents (September 2011; 3:26)
Bushed: Teaching Life in Alaska June 2011; 51 min.; documentary Role: Postproduction consultant Director: Stephen Carter; Provo, Utah A longitudinal profile of a newly married Caucasian couple from the continental U.S. teaching Inuit children in a bush school in Shishmaref, Alaska
He Said, She Said December 2010—April 2011; various lengths; documentary web series Roles: Director, editor (FCP), DP, camera operator, sound recordist Client: Betty Confidential; New York, New York Series featuring discussions on romance and dating for a women’s lifestyle website, including:
When Is Enough Casual Dating Enough? (April 2011; 3:14) What Impression Do Your Friends Give About You? (March 2011; 2:18) How Do You Know When They’re a Keeper? (March 2011; 3:12) When Are You Giving Too Much? (March 2011; 2:12) Wedding Philosophies (March 2011; 2:51) Balancing Friendships and Relationships (February 2011; 1:50) When Should I Stop Talking About my Relationship? (February 2011; 2:33) Should We Even Celebrate Valentine’s Day? (February 2011; 2:21) When Can You Date More than One Person at Once? (January 2011; 2:06) Is It Okay to Have Sex on the First Date? (January 2011; 2:50) What Counts as Cheating? (December 2010; 2:57) Why Don’t Guys Buy Girls Drinks Anymore? (December 2010; 2:10)
Post-It #1 January 2011; 30 sec.; animated abstract film Roles: Director, animator (ink on paper), editor (FCP) Short animation of abstract hand-drawn images on 3M Post-it notes
Jekyll & Hyde diptych January 2011; 2:10; abstract film Roles: Director, screenwriter, editor (FCP) Created a two-screen installation from an earlier single-screen piece
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 5 Chado Ralph Rucci Spring 2011 Line October 2010; 6:18; documentary Role: Editor (FCP) Client: Betty Confidential; New York, New York Brief exploration of the designer’s new spring clothing line
Wash October 2010; 37 min.; abstract film Roles: Director, producer, DP, camera operator, editor (FCP) A single-take video of a load of laundry washing
Jekyll & Hyde October 2010; 2:37; abstract film Roles: Director, screenwriter, editor (FCP) A split-screen exploration of insanity and dual personalities, filmed with a GoPro mounted on a helmet rig worn by and facing the actor; from an idea by Stephen Winston
Lulu Frost September 2010; 1:11; documentary Roles: Director, camera operator, editor (FCP) Client: Betty Confidential; New York, New York Documentary on a designer’s preparations for a New York Fashion Week show
British Museum June 2010; 60 min.; abstract film Roles: Director, producer, camera operator, editor (FCP) A single-take exploration through the galleries of the British Museum in London
Reserved to Fight November 2008; 76 min.; documentary Role: Assistant editor (FCP) Director: Chantelle Squires; Salt Lake City, Utah Edited interstitial material for a documentary about PTSD in Iraq War veterans
Light Traces September 2008; 5:45; dance film Role: Editor (FCP) Director: Marin Leggat; New York, New York Video of a dance piece by M.E.L.D. Danceworks in New York City
Expansive to My View September 2008; 3:39; dance film Role: Editor (FCP) Director: Marin Leggat; New York, New York Video of a dance piece by M.E.L.D. Danceworks in New York City
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 6 Bringing Godzilla Down to Size: The Art of Japanese Special Effects August 2008; 68 min; documentary Role: Assistant editor (FCP) Director: Norman England; New York, New York The first feature-length Japanese documentary on Godzilla, featuring many filmmakers and technicians and every actor who has played the monster; released by Classic Media on the two- disc DVD set of Rodan and War of the Gargantuas
Ultimate Film Junkie April 2008; 30 sec.; animated documentary Roles: Director, screenwriter, animator (ink on paper), editor (FCP), narrator Autobiographical film about my personal cinephilia; won the Ultimate Film Junkie contest at the Tribeca Film Festival
Polycarp / Kinky Killers June 2007; 85 min.; narrative Role: Assistant editor (FCP) Director: George Lekovic; New York, New York Slasher horror film about a series of supernatural killings; headlined the premiere Hoboken International Film Festival on June 1, 2007
Calling on You May 2007; 3 min.; music video Role: Assistant editor (FCP) Director: Jesse Burton; New York, New York Music video for the band Paulson on Warner Bros.’ Doghouse label
Picadilly Cowboy / Anxiously Engaged April 2007; 100 min.; narrative Role: Script consultant Director: Tyler Ford; London, England A romantic comedy about a religious American cowboy finding love in metropolitan London
Samuel the Lamanite DVD bonus features November 2006; 60 min.; documentary Role: Editor (FCP) Director: Dennis Agle; Provo, Utah Behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of a musical family film produced by Lightstone Pictures
Samuel the Lamanite November 2006; 64 min.; narrative Role: Assistant editor (FCP) Director: Dennis Agle; Provo, Utah A comedic family musical based on characters in the Book of Mormon, produced by Lightstone Pictures
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 7 Wild City March 2006; 22 min.; documentary Roles: Director, producer, screenwriter, camera operator, editor (FCP) Abstract documentary on urban wildlife in London
The Appointment July 2005; 11 min.; narrative Role: Sound recordist (Nagra V) and boom swinger Recorded studio sound for 35mm fiction film
Three’s a Crowd March 2005; 12 min.; narrative Role: Assistant editor (35mm Steenbeck) Conformed 35mm print from Avid cut
Break March 2005; 11 min.; narrative Roles: Production designer, set builder, set dresser, prop master Director: Adriana Alba; London, England Three weary London shop employees find a moment of respite in their simultaneous breaks; designed, built, and dressed six sets, including a practical moving dry-cleaning carousel; dressed interior and exterior locations, including floating walls
It Happened Like This December 2004; 10 min.; narrative Role: Camera assistant (35mm Moviecam Superamerica) Loaded, cleaned, pulled focus
The Bargain December 2004; 11 min.; narrative Roles: Editor (Avid Media Composer), sound recordist (Nagra V), set builder Director: Jason Yi; London, England Dark retelling of Hansel and Gretel myth from the mother’s point of view; also conformed the 35mm print
The Futility of Words December 2004; 11 min.; narrative Role: Grip Laid track, operated dolly, etc. for 35mm camera
Cornfield Peephole December 2004; 10 min.; narrative Role: Sound recordist (Nagra V) and boom swinger Recorded studio sound for 35mm fiction film
The Ribbon Redux July 2004; 6 min.; abstract film Roles: Director, editor (16mm Pic-Sync and flatbed Steenbeck) Re-edited footage from an earlier black and white silent project into an abstract film
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 8 From Pissed to Blissed July 2004; 12 min.; documentary Role: Editor (16mm Pic-Sync and flatbed Steenbeck) Director: Jessica Cole; London, England The son of Frankie Vaughan teaches extreme yoga to a London yuppie
Ella July 2004; 10 min.; documentary Role: Sound recordist (Nagra IV) and boom swinger Director: Ping-Huan Lai; London, England An aging London matriarch plans an elaborate birthday party for herself
By Water, and Blood, and the Spirit March 2004; 2:53; abstract film Roles: Director, producer, screenwriter, editor (16mm Pic-Sync and flatbed Steenbeck), Foley artist Abstract representation of a Mormon baptism in a shot-by-shot chiasmus
Clever Gretel March 2004; 3 min.; narrative Role: DP (16mm Arriflex SR, color) Director: Jason Yi; London, England A faithful retelling of the comic Grimm brothers’ tale about a clever servant girl
Red, Black, and Blue March 2004; 3 min.; narrative Roles: Gaffer (16mm Arriflex SR, color), Foley artist Director: Jessica Cole; London, England A psychedelic journey into London’s dark foodie underworld
Picture Perfect March 2004; 3 min.; narrative Role: Camera operator (16mm Arriflex SR) Director: Anna-Marie Lawrence; London, England A young girl probes her relationships with fantasy and with her father
1, 2, 3 March 2004; 3 min.; narrative Role: Camera assistant (16mm Arriflex SR) Director: Stuart Parkins; London, England A man becomes haunted by an uncanny prominence of things coming in threes
The Ribbon November 2003; 4 min.; narrative Roles: Director, producer, screenwriter, editor (16mm Pic-Sync and Steenbeck) Comedic modern-day retelling of “Sleeping Beauty” told in a silent black & white film
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 9 Perfect Timing November 2003; 3 min.; narrative Role: Camera assistant (16mm Arriflex ST) Director: Julia Bermingham; London, England A young man tries to find the perfect time to propose to his girlfriend
The Best Crop: A History of Orchard Farming in Orem, Utah December 2002; 55 min.; documentary Roles: Screenwriter, interviewer, production assistant, transcriptionist, assistant editor (Avid) Director: April Chabries Makgoeng; Provo, Utah Historical documentary about the legacy of orchard farming in Utah’s fastest-growing city; aired on regional PBS throughout the Mountain Time Zone
Til We Meet Again: The Story of the Danish Saints January 2002; 28 min.; documentary Roles: Director, screenwriter (both with Rocky Hansen) Historical documentary on the history of the Mormon Church in Denmark
Roots and Wings April 2002; 28 min.; narrative Role: Script supervisor (English and Spanish) Director: Christian Vuissa; Provo, Utah A Catholic Mexican immigrant man grapples with his family’s conversion to another faith
Avernus April 2002; 12 min.; narrative Role: Screenwriter Director: Andrew Black; Provo, Utah Adaptation of the Orpheus myth from the perspective of Eurydice, with no dialogue
Larzan of the Rabbits August 1999; 2 min.; narrative Roles: Director, screenwriter, camera operator, editor (linear editing system) Silent film parody of Tarzan of the Apes, with rabbits replacing gorillas
THEATER AND PLAYS
The Squall April 2020 Role: Playwright A ten-minute sequel to The Tempest about Miranda’s and Ferdinand’s breakup after they arrive in Naples; as yet unproduced, written for the Red Bull Theater 2020 Short New Play Festival
Incompleat Works October 2009 Role: Script consultant Playwright: Dennis Agle; Provo, Utah A two-act comedic play about seventeenth-century travelers journeying to Stratford-upon-Avon; premiered in Utah in June 2015
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 10 PRINT EDITING
Mormon Artist magazine no. 9 April 2010 Role: Editor Guest edited a special issue about Mormon artists in New York City
Irreantum: A Review of Mormon Literature and Film February 2006—January 2008 Role: Film and Photography Editor Oversaw all film- and photography-related articles/reviews for the literary journal of the Association for Mormon Letters
BYU Studies 46:2 (Summer 2007) July 2007 Role: Co-Editor With Gideon Burton co-edited a special award-winning film-themed issue of a peer-reviewed journal
LDS Film Forum December 2002 Role: Editor Commissioned and edited a collection of presentations at the first LDS Film Festival; this constitutes the first academic publication devoted specifically to Mormonism and cinema
NONFICTION BOOKS
Mormon Cinema: Origins to 1952 June 2018 A history of Mormonism and cinema from the 1800s to the end of the second major period of its development. Published by the Mormon Arts Center in New York; 666 pages, winner of the 2019 award for Criticism from the Association for Mormon Letters
ARTICLES IN PRINT JOURNALS, MAGAZINES, AND BOOKS
Teaching on the Horizon Line July 2018 Filmmaker magazine 26:4 (Summer 2018) A second survey about virtual reality pedagogy in universities, with an emphasis on art, animation, and community outreach
VR.edu July 2017 Filmmaker magazine 25:4 (Summer 2017) A survey of how film schools are teaching virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 11 Poly-wood! Mormon Polygamy in the Movies August 2016 Sunstone magazine #181 (Summer 2016) A historical survey of Mormon polygamy in cinema from 1905 to 2013
Fukushima Story July 2016 Filmmaker magazine 24:4 (Summer 2016) An analysis of Jake Price’s interactive documentary The Invisible Season about recovery efforts from the 2011 Japanese tsunami and nuclear accident
Downstream Color January 2015 Filmmaker magazine 22:2 (Winter 2014) A survey of two dozen online distribution platforms like Netflix, VHX, Distrify, IndieFlix, and Fandor
Charting the Course: Data Visualization in Documentary Film October 2014 Filmmaker magazine 23:1 (Fall 2014) An examination of current trends in using animated graphs, charts, and other infographics in nonfiction films
Elaine McMillion July 2013 Filmmaker magazine 21:4 (Summer 2013) A profile of filmmaker Elaine McMillion (Sheldon) for the annual “25 New Faces of Independent Film” feature
Mormons and Cinema December 2012 Mormons and Popular Culture, two volumes, Praeger A history of Mormonism and cinema from the 1890s to the present
New Media, New Cuts October 2012 Filmmaker magazine 21:1 (Fall 2012) A discussion of the postproduction for the interactive film Living Los Sures, the videogame The Walking Dead, the app The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, and the previsualization work of the Third Floor
Alternate Routes July 2012 Filmmaker magazine 20:4 (Summer 2012) An analysis of the distribution strategies of the films Unfinished Spaces, Daylight Savings, and Resurrect Dead
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 12 The Truth Will Set You Free April 2012 Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 45:1 (Spring 2012) Review of the documentary Tabloid by Errol Morris
Cutting Ahead September 2011 Filmmaker magazine 20:1 (Fall 2011) Discussion of the postproduction of the films Drive, Like Crazy, The Adventures of Tintin, La Piel que Habito, and Jeff, Who Lives at Home
Mormonism Goes Mainstream April 2011 Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 44:1 (Spring 2011) Review of the book Peculiar Portrayals: Mormons on the Page, Stage, and Screen
Glen Nelson April 2010 Mormon Artist magazine #9 (Spring 2010) An interview with Glen Nelson, author, librettist, and director of the Mormon Artists Group
Brett Helquist April 2010 Mormon Artist magazine #9 (Spring 2010) An interview with Brett Helquist, illustrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events and other children’s books
Samuel Evensen April 2010 Mormon Artist magazine #9 (Spring 2010) An interview with painter Samuel Evensen
Introduction April 2010 Mormon Artist magazine #9 (Spring 2010) A summary of the history and present state of Mormon artists in New York City
What Is Mormon Cinema? Defining the Genre October 2009 Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 42:4 (Winter 2009) An analysis of the generic characteristics of movies related to Mormonism
Flood in the Desert June 2009 Sunstone magazine #154 (May 2009) Review of the documentary Desert Bayou about Hurricane Katrina evacuees
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 13 Mormon Cinema on the Web February 2009 BYU Studies 48:1 (Spring 2009) and BYU Studies Online Reviews An analysis of online resources for and about Mormon cinema
The Eyes of Babes: A Historical Survey of LDS Children’s Media September 2007 Irreantum: A Review of Mormon Literature and Film 9:1 (2007) A history of Mormon radio, television, and film productions for and about children
A History of Mormon Cinema July 2007 BYU Studies 46:2 (Summer 2007); with Gideon Burton A 36,000-word history of Mormonism and cinema from the 1890s to the present
Vampires with Pamphlets April 2007 Irreantum: A Review of Mormon Literature and Film 8:2 (Spring 2007) Review of the 2005 remake of Trapped by the Mormons and the 2006 DVD restoration of the original 1922 British film
A Glimpse Inside the Last Wagon October 2006 Irreantum: A Review of Mormon Literature and Film 8:1 (Winter 2006); also reprinted in BYU Studies 46:2 and online at BYU Studies Reviews Review of the documentary Angie about a suburban mother dying of cancer
Propaganda and LDS Church Filmmaking: Gentle Persuasion or Ham-Fisted Handling? August 2006 Irreantum: A Review of Mormon Literature and Film 7:3 (Summer 2006); with Laraine Wilkins A history and analysis of institutional Mormon films as religious propaganda
The Ascension of a Saint: New York Doll August 2006 Irreantum: A Review of Mormon Literature and Film 7:3 (Summer 2006) Review of the documentary New York Doll, about the life of former rock star Arthur “Killer” Kane
Introduction December 2002 LDS Film Forum (December 2002) A historical overview of Mormon film criticism and an introduction to the journal’s articles
Battling Over Zion: Purity in Heart and the Modern Motion Picture February 2001 Presentation at the third Religious Education Student Symposium, Brigham Young University, February 23, 2001 A discussion of religiously influenced spectatorship of secular films
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 14 LIVE & ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Panel on the Tenth Anniversary of the book of jer3miah June 2019 Role: Panel moderator Center for Latter-day Saint Arts Festival Chaired a panel discussion with the filmmakers for the tenth anniversary of the web series and transmedia ARG the book of jer3miah
The Extraordinary History of Mormon Cinema with Randy Astle July 2018 Role: Sole interviewee Mormon Arts Center podcast
Mormon Cinema and the Mormon Image: Origins to the 1940s June 2018 Role: Author and presenter Mormon Arts Center Festival, Columbia University, New York City, June 29, 2018 A history of Mormon film’s first half century, emphasizing how Mormons’ public image was portrayed in films by themselves and others
Mormons At the Movies: A Discussion About Film, Ratings, and Adult Media Consumption February 2016 Role: Panel participant RationalFaiths.com podcast
Called to Serve August 2014 Role: Panel organizer and moderator Sunstone Symposium, Salt Lake City, Utah, August 2, 2014 A conversation about the web/TV series pilot Called to Serve, about LDS missionaries in Los Angeles, and the future of Mormon cinema online
The Faith of an Observer August 2014 Role: Panel organizer and moderator Sunstone Film Festival, Salt Lake City, Utah, August 2, 2014 A discussion about the 1985 documentary The Faith of an Observer: Conversations with Hugh Nibley with the filmmakers and Nibley’s biographer
Transmormon August 2014 Role: Panel organizer and moderator Sunstone Film Festival, Salt Lake City, Utah, August 2, 2014 A discussion about the documentary Transmormon, on transsexual Eri Hayward, with the director and subjects of the film
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 15 Movies Most Mormon: One Rated G, One Rated R July 2014 Role: Author and presenter Sunstone Symposium, Salt Lake City, Utah, July 31, 2014 A group presentation on G- and R-rated films that have influenced our devotional experience in which I discussed Babe: Pig in the City and 25th Hour
Hawaiian Punch July 2014 Role: Panel organizer and moderator Sunstone Film Festival, Salt Lake City, Utah, July 31, 2014 A discussion about Nandan Rao’s feature Hawaiian Punch and the current exodus of young Mormons from the faith
Preserving Audiovisual Mormon Media November 2010 Role: Panel organizer and moderator Mormon Media Studies Symposium, Provo, Utah, November 12, 2010 A discussion about archiving films, slides, and videos in the digital age
Digital Distribution and the Future of Mormon Film November 2010 Role: Panel organizer and moderator Mormon Media Studies Symposium, Provo, Utah, November 11, 2010 A discussion of how digital video and online media are reshaping the face of Mormon cinema
The World through a Veil: A Phenomenology of Mormon Film November 2010 Role: Author and presenter Mormon Media Studies Symposium, Provo, Utah, November 11, 2010 An analysis of ontology and film spectatorship in light of Mormon doctrine
LDS Perspectives on the Arts May 2009 Role: Panel participant Mormon Arts Festival, New York City Discussion about the interplay of faith, creativity, and professional arts careers
Gordon B. Hinckley on Film June 2006 Role: Author and presenter Organized two events at Brigham Young University June 9 and 16, 2006 On the history of the Mormon prophet’s relationship with cinema and media, including a written essay entitled “Out of Obscurity: Improving the Image of the Church”
LDS Cinema in Five Waves March 2006 Role: Author and presenter Presentation at the BYU Studies Academy meeting, March 4, 2006 An analysis of the historical patterns of Mormon film
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 16 LDS Cinema and LDS Literature: Kid Brother or Two-Ton Gorilla? February 2006 Role: Author and presenter Presentation at the 2006 Association for Mormon Letters Conference, February 25, 2006 A history and analysis of the interrelationship between Mormon film and Mormon literature
Latter-day Saint Cinema Past, Present, and Future January 2006 Role: Author and presenter Presentation at the fourth LDS Film Forum, LDS Film Festival, January 21, 2006 An overview of the history of Mormon film
The Future of LDS Cinema January 2006 Role: Panel participant Panel discussion at the fourth LDS Film Forum, LDS Film Festival, January 21, 2006 On the future of Mormon film
Latter-day Saint Cinema October 2005 Role: Author and presenter Presentation at Theatre & Media Arts Departmental Forum, Brigham Young University, October 27, 2005 An overview of the history of Mormon film
ONLINE ARTICLES
Showing the Decline of the Dead Sea through VR: Adi Lavy on the Venice Doc Once Upon a Sea September 2020 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Shining a Light on the Politics of Public Lands: David Garrett Byars on his Documentary Public Trust September 2020 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Aviva Kempner and Ben West on Fighting the Dehumanization of Native American Mascoting in Imagining the Indian June 2020 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Firelight Media’s Beyond Resilience Series: A Real-Time Resource for POC Filmmakers June 2020 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 17 Kaleidoscope and the Museum of Other Realities Step in to Help the VR Industry During the Pandemic March 2020 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“VR Can Be So Many Things”: Diversion cinema Co-founder Camille Lopato on Distributing VR February 2020 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“Each Film Speaks with its Own Voice”: An Interview with Composer Nathan Halpern February 2020 FilmmakerMagazine.com
A Film on the Arrogance of Man: Josh Murphy on Artifishal November 2019 FilmmakerMagazine.com
How Signal Space and the VR Film Afterlife Are Moving Interactive Film Forward September 2019 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“I Love Just Using a New Language”: Robert Rodriguez and STXSurreal’s Rick Rey and Andy Vick on the Virtual Reality Film The Limit February 2019 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“Our Culture is in Our Language”: Lisa Jackson on Her VR Film Biidaaban: First Light and Indigenous Futurism July 2018 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Don Hahn Talks Howard Ashman, Musical Animation, and his Documentary Howard July 2018 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2018: Michael Muller on Sharks, Fear, and Into the Now April 2018 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2018: Composer Ariel Marx on Scoring To Dust April 2018 FilmmakerMagazine.com
It’s Really About You and Your Friends: Alex Henning on Creating Social Virtual Reality and Coco VR March 2018 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 18 “A Post-Digital Art Festival”: The Artistic Director and Curators on transmediale 2018 January 2018 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Interactive Video in a Gallery Experience: Lisa Truitt on National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey December 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
My Favorite Film Screenings of 2017 December 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“Speaking to a New World”: Addison O’Dea on the Virtual Reality Series Discovery TRVLR December 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“Making VR that Matters: Johns Hopkins’ New Immersive Storytelling and Emerging Technologies Program” November 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“Five Questions with Night Night Director Guy Shelmerdine about the Future of Horror and VR” October 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Four Years of Access to Whale Hunts: Director Mike Day on The Islands and the Whales October 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Through You: Stopping and Feeling Through Dance and VR August 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“VR is Not Another Kind of Filmmaking”: Baobab Studio’s Eric Darnell on Animated VR July 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Kaleidoscope Launches New VR Marketplace July 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Five Questions with Loving Vincent Producer Sean Bobbitt June 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 19 Tribeca 2017: Five Questions with The Last Goodbye Co-director Ari Palitz May 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2017: Five Questions with No Man’s Land Director David Byars April 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2017: Five Questions with Rainbow Crow Producer Maureen Fan April 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2017: A Review of Tribeca Immersive April 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2017: Five Questions with The Last Animals Director Kate Brooks April 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2017: Five Questions with Blame Director Quinn Shephard April 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Elements of Oz: Producing Live Video and Interactive Theater February 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Five Questions with The Secret Life of Muslims Director Joshua Seftel January 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Four Lessons for Filmmakers from Julian Rosefeldt’s Manifesto January 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Will Streaming Services Gain the Right to Show Films without Licensing? January 2017 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Animation in 2016: The Year in Review December 2016 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“The Biggest Challenge was Working Amidst the Radiation”: Jake Price on The Invisible Season August 2016 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 20 Tribeca 2016: Exploring the Virtual Arcade April 2016 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2016: Making Guy Maddin’s Seances Interactive April 2016 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2016: Patrick Osborne on Winning an Oscar and his Animated VR Piece Pearl April 2016 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca 2016: Eline Jongsma and Kel O’Neill on their VR Piece The Ark April 2016 FilmmakerMagazine.com
SXSW: Five Questions with Spaceship Producer Olivier Kaempfer March 2016 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Solving Crimes by Night, Fixing Septic Tanks by Day: Scott Christopherson & Brad Barber on Peace Officer September 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Beyond London: Alastair Roberts of the Royal Opera House on Live Cinema Broadcasts April 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com
DIY Previs: Developer Dan Fearing on ShotPro April 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“What Makes a Jew a Jew?”: Five Questions for Deli Man Director Erik Greenberg Anjou February 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com transmediale 2015: Erica Scourti, Banks of Body Parts and Body Scan February 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com transmediale 2015: Nicolas Maigret, BitTorrent and The Pirate Cinema February 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“I Had to Be Initiated, Shave My Head, Be Frightened”: Teboho Edkins’ Gangster Project at transmediale 2015 February 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 21 Five Questions for Boy Meets Girl Director Eric Schaeffer February 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Director Maro Chermayeff on the Independent Lens Doc A Path Appears February 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Transmedia in Miami: Diliana Alexander on FilmGate Interactive January 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com transmediale 2015: Vicki Bennett and Citation City January 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com
What Revised U.S.-Cuba Relations Could Mean for Film January 2015 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“I See It More as a Visual Poem”: Animator Glen Keane on the Interactive Film Duet December 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
TFI Sandbox Relaunches November 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Björk’s Biophilia Available to Download November 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Shouting Loudly through Social Issue Documentary: Orlando von Einsiedel on Virunga November 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Transmedia is Still So Young: Femke Wolting and Tommy Pallotta on Last Hijack Interactive October 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Joel Bach and David Gelber on Years of Living Dangerously September 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue, and Netflix’s Push into Social Issue Documentary August 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 22 Report from Ukraine: The Odessa International Film Festival May 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
What to See from the Tribeca Film Festival Online April 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
IFP Launches New Web Series Initiative March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
The Book of Lone Peak: Distributing and Marketing the Short Film March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Robert Herrera on the App and Distribution of the Basketball Documentary The Gray Seasons March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Leah Warshawski on Connecting the Rwandan Film Industry March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
WorkingIndie.com: A New Way to Network March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Full Frame Film Festival Announces 2014 Lineup March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
How to Crowdsource a Film: Chris Jones on the Omnibus Movie, 50 Kisses March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
POV and The New York Times Launch New Documentary Film Initiative March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Director James Costa on his School Lunch Nutrition Doc, Lunch Hour March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
TFI New Media Fund Accepting Submissions March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 23 POV Hackathon Deadline Approaching March 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Loving Vincent: Animation in Oil February 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Balancing the Autobiographical Documentary: Jason DaSilva on When I Walk January 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Dance on Camera: Organizing a Dance Film Series January 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Kate Logan Discusses Religion in Documentary and Kidnapped for Christ January 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Organizing the First Sindh International Film Festival January 2014 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Kristoffer Gansing on transmediale 2014 December 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Michael Kleiman on Web, Connectivity, and Social Documentary November 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Femke Wolting on Submarine Channel and the Online Documentary Unspeak November 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Taking Horror Interactive: Neal Edelstein on Haunting Melissa October 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Matt Herron Talks Audition October 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
DIY Multiplatform Storytelling: Kal on the Tokyo Sally Film and App October 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 24 The Interactive Mic: Etienne Paquette & Alexandre Lupien on Mégaphone October 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Elaine McMillion and Jeff Soyk on Hollow September 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“Pull the Threads until it Unravels”: Advice from TFI’s Fashion in Film Event September 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
“We Treat the De-Aging Process Like Plastic Surgery”: Edson Williams on +1’s Visual Effects September 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Gabriel Gomez & Julien Melendez on Robert Black and Possessed September 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Indie Film Truly Underground: The 2013 Toronto Urban Film Festival September 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Developing Original Horror: Jeffrey Grellman on Writing Mermaid Down August 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Jake Price on Unknown Spring and Documenting the Japanese Tsunami August 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
The Essential Guide to Webfests July 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Five Questions with Man from Reno Director Dave Boyle July 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
What Does Xbox One Mean for Independent Filmmakers? May 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Canadian Web Series Creators Organize May 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 25 Crowdfunding a Transmedia Phenomenon: Director Nicolás Alcalá on The Cosmonaut” May 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Richard Dutcher on Project 23 and The Boys at the Bar May 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Beyond: Two Souls at the Tribeca Film Festival May 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
On Being a Cult Filmmaker: An Interview with Trent Harris May 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Enter Vine: Crafting the 6-Second Film April 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Tribeca Film Institute’s Interactive Conference April 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Storyscapes: Tribeca Goes Interactive April 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
POV’s Third Nonfiction Transmedia Hackathon April 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Audio Watermarks for the Second Screen April 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
The Emmys Create New Interactive Media Awards March 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
FilmAid Launches Multimedia Doc, Dadaab Stories March 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Storytelling for Social Change at Facebook March 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 26 Five Questions with Orc Wars Director Kohl Glass March 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Digital Publishing for Filmmakers: The Karada and The Silent History March 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
TFI Sandbox for Documentary Transmedia February 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Interactivity Through Biology with many worlds February 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Lydia Antonini and Josh Feldman on Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn February 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Murder in Passing: Transmedia on the Toronto Subway January 2013 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Shake-ups in Online Video November 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Bill Morrison Hands You the Remote November 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Half the Sky & Social Documentary Transmedia October 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Eduardo Lopez and Wendy Thompson-Marquez on Harvest of Empire September 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
The POV Hackathon: Advancing Web Documentary August 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Story Hack: Beta, Part 4 April 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 27 Story Hack: Beta, Part 3 April 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Story Hack: Beta, Part 2 April 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Story Hack: Beta, Part 1 April 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Kony 2012, Viral Videos, and Documentary Ethics March 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Storycode and Game of Thrones January 2012 FilmmakerMagazine.com
The Best Animated Films of 2011 December 2011 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Lightworks Revamp Just Around the Corner November 2011 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Editor Tariq Anwar on the Art of Postproduction October 2011 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Actress Sues IMDb for Revealing Her Age October 2011 FilmmakerMagazine.com
Mormons and Film March 2010 Patheos.com
Nephi’s Colored Plates September 2008 Glimpses: The Online Newsletter of the Mormon Artists Group An analysis of independent Mormon filmmaking in the 1910s
Film Junkie Reports April 2008 Tribecafilm.com A series of blog posts for the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 28 Notes of a Mormon Filmmaker September 2010—September 2012 A blog centered around Mormonism and cinema
Red Balloon June 2008—April 2013 A blog centered around children’s media
FICTION AND POETRY
All Your Fates July 2013 Wattpad.com A four-chapter arc for a serialized Wattpad novel about a lovelorn science student following the girl of his dreams—and a much more sinister force—through multiple dimensions; part of The Karada transmedia property from some of the talent behind Conspiracy for Good and Lost
Etching September 2009 Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 42:3 (Fall 2009) Poem
Fifth-Floor Walkup October 2008 BYU Studies 47:2 (Fall 2008) Poem
POLITICAL CRITICISM
The Electoral College on Trial December 2016 Unfinished-Work.com
Standing Rock, the Alt-Right, and JFK November 2016 Unfinished-Work.com
Why I’m a Mormon and Support President Obama, Part 6/6: The Environment November 2012 MormonsforObama.org
Why I’m a Mormon and Support President Obama, Part 5/6: Social Issues October 2012 MormonsforObama.org
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 29 Why I’m a Mormon and Support President Obama, Part 4/6: Economics October 2012 MormonsforObama.org
Why I’m a Mormon and Support President Obama, Part 3/6: Foreign Policy October 2012 MormonsforObama.org
Why I’m a Mormon and Support President Obama, Part 2/6: Measuring the Man September 2012 MormonsforObama.org
Why I’m a Mormon and Support President Obama, Part 1/6: The Long View September 2012 MormonsforObama.org
FILM FESTIVALS
Lingos Film Festival December 2008; New York, New York By Water, and Blood, and the Spirit,
Matsalu Nature Film Festival September 2008; Lihula, Estonia Wild City
Festival du Film Mormon May 2008; Brussels, Belgium By Water, and Blood, and the Spirit,
LDS Film Festival January 2007; Orem, Utah By Water, and Blood, and the Spirit; included in the Best of Festival program
GROUP EXHIBITIONS OF ART AND VIDEOS
Create Your Commute June 2020; online group exhibit at createyourcommute.com
Blooming Arts Festival for the Uptown Arts Stroll June 2015; Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, New York, New York
Blooming Arts Festival for the Uptown Arts Stroll June 2011; Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, New York, New York
Mormon Arts Festival April 2009; New York, New York
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 30 HONORS AND AWARDS
Award for Criticism, Association for Mormon Letters March 2019 For the book Mormon Cinema: Origins to 1952
Story Hack hackathon April 2012 Selected to be one of 28 participants (out of 150 applicants) in StoryCode’s premiere Story Hack transmedia hackathon at Lincoln Center
Top ten articles citation March 2010 The article “A History of Mormon Cinema” named by the editors of BYU Studies as one their top ten articles published since 1959 (out of more than 1,000 articles)
Ultimate Film Junkie award, Tribeca Film Festival April 2008 For an untitled thirty-second animation
Special Award in Criticism, Association for Mormon Letters March 2008 For co-editing BYU Studies issue 46:2 “Mormons and Film”
Outstanding Student Recognition Award in Theatre & Media Arts, Brigham Young University April 2002
Magna Cum Laude status, Brigham Young University April 2002
ORCA and Oscarson Discovery research grants, Brigham Young University December 2001
Second Place, Screenwriting Competition, LDS Film Festival December 2001 For the screenplay Taco Veloz
Member of Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key National Honor Society, Brigham Young University September 1999
National Merit Scholarship July 1996
Presidential Scholarship finalist, Brigham Young University July 1996 One of twenty-four finalists out of several hundred applicants
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 31 High school valedictorian, Olympus High School June 1996
Eagle Scout, two palms, Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America July 1991
EMPLOYMENT
Journalist at Filmmaker Magazine Since October 2011; Brooklyn, New York Write print and online articles about filmmaking and the film industry, emphasizing virtual reality, transmedia, new media, social issue documentaries, and animation; print circulation is over 60,000
Copy Editor and Consultant Since 2010; New York, New York Consult, edit, and copy edit academic writing such as Ph.D. dissertations, personal memoirs, and feature film screenplays; also provide layout in InDesign
Children’s Screenwriter Since May 2009; New York, New York Write screenplays and show bibles for new children’s shows, with clients in Boston, Baltimore, Costa Rica, England, Green Bay, India, Pakistan, Scotland, and UAE
Neonatal Hearing Screener at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital October 2011—August 2014; New York, New York Performed hearing tests on newborns, including in the NICU
Video Producer at Betty Confidential August 2010—March 2011; New York, New York Conceived and created videos for a fashion and women’s lifestyle website
Indexer at H.W. Wilson Company September 2007—December 2009; Bronx, New York Researched, indexed, and abstracted periodicals for the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature, a leading library database
Script Reader at Abbot Management April—September 2009; Pasadena, California Read, analyzed, and provided coverage of feature film screenplays, including quantified evaluations in nearly two dozen criteria
Museum Educator at Museum of the Moving Image April—September 2007; Queens, New York Gave tours, practical demonstrations, and historical lectures; created pedagogical material; assisted in public school outreach and office work
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 32 Mormon Media Specialist at Brigham Young University January—June 2006; Provo, Utah In coordination with the university library’s Mormon Media committee, oversaw acquisition of media by acquiring over two hundred DVDs; formed acquisition guidelines; created bibliographies and study guides; assisted with other archival material; and organized presentations, film screenings, and displays
Part-time Faculty at Brigham Young University January—April 2006; Provo, Utah Designed and taught a course on Mormon Cinema for the Department of Theatre & Media Arts
Internet Sales Agent at Strand Book Store November 2002—August 2003; New York, New York Worked in the office receiving and processing Internet book orders (including for libraries); performed customer service; managed inventory; and performed other clerical functions
Screenwriter, Researcher, & Production Assistant for April Chabries Makgoeng October 2000—August 2002; Provo, Utah Researched and wrote documentary film scripts, with subjects including Chinese art, Navajo basket weaving, and orchard farming; performed other clerical, production, and production management functions, including university administration in the creation of the BYU Animation Department
Research Assistant for Darl Larsen May—August 2002; Provo, Utah Conducted research for the books Monty Python, Shakespeare, and English Renaissance Drama, published February 2003, McFarland & Company, Inc., and Monty Python’s Flying Circus: An Utterly Complete, Thoroughly Unillustrated, Absolutely Unauthorized Guide to Possibly All the References From Arthur “Two Sheds” Jackson to Zambesi, published June 2008, Scarecrow Press
International Cinema Web Manager at Brigham Young University September 2000—December 2001; Provo, Utah Maintained the website for the longest-running university foreign-language cinema in America
VOLUNTEER POSITIONS
Mentorship Coordinator at the Children’s Media Association July 2020—March 2021; New York, New York Administered an inaugural global program for professional mentorship in the children’s television industry by assisting with communications between mentors and mentees, gathering and implementing participant feedback, managing three Facebook groups, and creating online resources to enhance mentees’ experience
Production Crew Member at the New York Film Festival from Film at Lincoln Center September—October 2018; New York, New York Assisted the production staff with audience flow and behind-the-scenes facility work at the fifty- seventh NYFF, including in the virtual reality exhibitions; since then regularly volunteer with FLC’s membership department
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 33 Director at the Sunstone Film Festival May 2014—June 2017; Salt Lake City, Utah Programmed films and panels for an annual event, part of the Sunstone Salt Lake Summer Symposium at the University of Utah
Crew Member at Independent Film Week from the Independent Filmmaker Project September 2009 and September 2010; New York, New York Helped receive industry, press, and general public; assisted with audience flow and behind-the- scenes facility work; ran video screenings for potential buyers
Film Editor at the Mormon Literature and Creative Arts Database Fall 2004—June 2006; Provo, Utah Edited online database, hosted by Brigham Young University, of movies by and about Mormons, compiling over 2,200 titles for initial entry: http://mormonarts.lib.byu.edu
Film Festival Organizer at the LDS Film Festival October 2001—December 2002; Provo, Utah Co-organized premiere festival, now an annual event; founded and organized the academic forum, LDS Film Forum; edited print version of the proceedings; organized the second year’s forum (December 2002) and judged screenplay contest
EDUCATION - DEGREES
MFA | Film Directing and Production 2006; London Film School Emphases in directing, producing, and postproduction
BA | Media Arts Studies, Magna Cum Laude 2002; Brigham Young University Emphases in screenwriting and film history/theory Minors in Business Management, English, and Religious Studies
EDUCATION - ADDITIONAL TRAINING
Children’s Media Association Mentorship Program March 2021; Children’s Media Association Nine-month course of biweekly one-on-one mentorship from children’s television industry professionals on topics related to career development in kids’ media; simultaneously served as the Mentorship Coordinator in helping administer the program
Picture Book Challenge August 2020; Storyteller Academy Five ninety-minute live online classes on the art and business of writing, illustrating, constructing, and earning a living through creating children’s picture books
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 34 Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential July 2020; McMaster University Four-week online course in personal pedagogy and techniques for acquiring new skillsets and lifelong learning and professional advancement
Converting Challenges into Opportunities July 2020; University of California San Diego Four-week online course in techniques for individuals and businesses to analyze problems, innovate in pursuing personal and corporate goals, and implement solutions in an organization
In the Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting May 2020; The Museum of Modern Art Eight-week online course on the New York School and abstract impressionists, focusing on Barnett Newman, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Agnes Martin, Ad Reinhardt, and Yayoi Kasuma
Fashion as Design May 2020; The Museum of Modern Art Seven-week online course on the history of fashion and how clothes are designed, constructed, worn, and used as items of individual and cultural expression
What Is Contemporary Art? May 2020; The Museum of Modern Art Six-week online course covering developments in painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, video, and performance art since 1980
Beginning Acting II March 2020; The Barrow Group Ten-week course in script analysis, scene study, and fundamental acting techniques
Residential Entrepreneurship Training Course October 2019; Academia para la Creación de Empresas Four-week on-campus full-time course in Mexico City on entrepreneurship and small business management
Beginning Acting II June 2017; The Barrow Group Ten-week course in script analysis, scene study, and fundamental acting techniques
Acting Workshop Intensive January 2014; The Barrow Group Three-day intensive workshop on acting principles and scene study
Beginning Acting I December 2012; The Barrow Group Ten-week course in script analysis, scene study, and fundamental acting techniques
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 35 Postproduction and Video Production Tools and Techniques April 2012; Downtown Community Television Center Individual multi-week courses in After Effects, Photoshop, advanced FCP, and DSLR cinematography
Children’s Television Writing Workshop November 2009; Little Airplane Productions Intensive weekend workshop in writing scripts for preschoolers and 6-9-year-olds
Children’s Television Production Workshop July 2008; Little Airplane Productions Multi-day course covering all aspects of creating, financing, and producing children’s media
Astle – Curriculum Vitae 36