MaryAnn Skweres

MARY ANN SKWERES – Producer, Writer, Director, Editor

Mary Ann has written and directed over a dozen short films and documentaries. Her writing/directing debut, "The Rib" (35mm 1999), premiered at the Academy, won the Award for Artistic Achievement from the International Cinematographers Guild and received screenings at the Cannes Film Festival. Her short film/music video, "Arlington: We Will Not Forget You," has garnered over a million views on YouTube. As writer/director for the Internet series, "Aliendog," Mary Ann directed the Pixie-Award nominated "Going the Distance."

With writer/director Aloura Charles, she edited two comedy series for web TV: "Un-Natural Selection" and "Positive Placement People," for which Mary Ann, as a WGA member, also wrote 6 episodes.

Mary Ann's diverse experience includes editing over thirty feature and documentary films; hosting, producing and editing both a music cable series and radio interview show; and writing songs, producing videos and singing with the multimedia band "Hollywood Winged Rats." She worked with Oscar-nominated filmmakers, Suzanne Bauman and Jim Burroughs, editing the epic documentary feature, "Shadow of Afghanistan," filmed over 20 years.

Her work in regional theater includes a stint doing improvisation at Chicago’s Second City Players’ Workshop; touring nationally and internationally to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with the Arts-Educational Repertory Company Earth Theatre; and performances at London’s Queen’s Rep Theatre.

As a freelance journalist, specializing in the art and craft of filmmaking, Mary Ann has been regularly published in entertainment industry magazines. Her extensive interviews include Oscar-winners and nominees Alejandro Inarritu ("Birdman"), Ava DuVernay ("Selma"), Alfonso Cuaron ("Gravity"), MortenTyldum ("The Imitation Game"), Tommy Lee Jones ("The Homesman"), and Alexander Payne ("Sideways").

A directing/acting graduate of the University of Illinois Theatre Department, Mary Ann studied screenwriting with UCLA Writer’s Program, completed Writers’ Bootcamp and Think Tank and received a writing fellowship to work with an industry producer through Writers’ Bootcamp Professional Track.

Along with her partner, Oscar-nominated filmmaker, Suzanne Bauman, Mary Ann actively developed several screenplays and television shows through their company, DreamStar Film and Music.

For additional information, contact Mary Ann at mas4reel@.