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THE TEAM

Sara Ross-Samko 

Director/Cinematographer/Producer

www.sararosssamko.com

Sara is a cinematographer, filmmaker, and still photographer based in Los Angeles, CA. Informed by a multi-disciplinary background in music, theater, and animation and a passion for exploration and adventure, she loves experimenting with the film medium to create emotionally-driven imagery and evoke unique worlds. An alumna of the AFI Conservatory with a degree in Cinematography, she has been a recipient of a Women in Film Scholarship for Directing, the Bridges/Larson Scholarship for Socially Responsible Filmmaking, the KODAK/Kickstarter grant, the Deluxe Lab Grant, Panavision's New Filmmaker Grant, and was recently accepted into the 2018 Berlinale Talent Summit. REFUSING TO GHOST is Sara’s first feature as Director/Cinematographer, independently produced with her husband, Chris Dennis, and shot on "Titan," her beloved Arri SR3 Super 16mm camera

Christopher Dennis  

Writer/Producer

 

 Born in Manchester, United Kingdom, Chris received his Master’s in English Literature and Art History from Edinburgh University, and a post graduate in Screenwriting from Screen Academy Scotland. After working for the Edinburgh Film Festival and the experimental music and film festivals Kill Your Timid Notion and Instal, Chris moved to London to work in film marketing and sales. He began at Salt, where he worked on the documentary BIG RIVER MAN, then CinemaNX/Pinewood, where he spearheaded the award winning campaign for the Isle of Man documentary TT3D: CLOSER TO THE EDGE. As the Digital Marketing Strategist at Entertainment One UK, he worked on theatrical distribution campaigns for films such as 12 YEARS A SLAVE, the TWILIGHT series, and THE SEVEN FIVE. Chris is currently based in Los Angeles, CA.

Cyndi Trissel

Editor 
 

Cyndi graduated from the American Film Institute Conservatory, with a Masters Degree in editing. Her thesis film, WAY IN RYE,  was nominated for a student Academy Award for best narrative short, and was selected for the prestigious Camerimage Film Festival. Her second thesis film, DIRTY LAUNDRY, received the ASC Linwood Dunn Heritage Award 2014 as well as the DGA Achievement in Filmmaking Award 2014. Prior to AFI, Cyndi enjoyed a successful career producing and editing TV spots, documentaries and narrative films. She recently edited IN THE DARK, a feature documentary about coal miners in Serbia, which she also co-produced.

Joe Bourdet

Sound Recordist

Joe Bourdet was born and raised in Nevada City, CA and currently resides in Los Angeles CA. Working recently as a sound recordist on feature films produced by the Duplass Brothers, Joe has also co-produced two full length albums with the band Whispering Pines and composed the musical soundtracks for the films PATAGONIA TRIPS and FISHING FOR UNICORNS. Additionally, music has appeared in the TV series DUSK TILL DAWN, DAMAGES, FRANKLIN AND BASH, the documentary THE PIONEER PALACE. Personal themes involve the pastoral, often betraying a love for the Sierra Nevadas. Joe approaches music and sound from the point of view of a seeker, reaching for something that can't be fully articulated or understood, and that’s OK. 

Guitar Dave Bagley

   Music 

"Guitar Dave" Bagley was a cowboy, gold prospector, musician, mountain man, poet, and a beloved friend in the Little Town community. A kind-hearted and romantic man with an adventurous spirit, Guitar Dave passed away on April 2nd, 2016. He leaves behind his children, his music, and his memory. On his birthday, the Washington Hotel Saloon saves his customary seat and leaves a glass of whiskey on the bar. Refusing to Ghost is  dedicated to Guitar Dave; our version of a whisky toast.

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