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Overview:  Stephanie is a writer/director for film and theatre currently based in Taos, NM.  She received a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Dramatic Writing (Film, Theatre, TV) from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied in Singapore, with a concentration in Screenwriting.  Stephanie has participated in masterclasses and screenwriting workshops where she wrote and developed feature screenplays under the tutelage of Oliver Stone ("Platoon"), Todd Solondz ("Happiness"), Richard Wesley ("Uptown Saturday Night"), and Sabrina Dhawan ("Monsoon Wedding").  She has been a 1st and 2nd round reader for the Austin Film Festival Screenplay competition.  An award winning filmmaker, Stephanie has written and directed over 18 short films.  Her short art film, "If I Had A Piano (I'd Play You The Blues)" has played worldwide and won Best Screenwriting from the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival; Best of Show at the Lehigh Valley Filmmakers Festival, the Jury Prize for Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking, and the “Chupacabra” Audience Award For Narrative Filmmaking from the Southern Colorado Film Festival;  and an Award of Merit:  Special Mention through the Accolade Global Film Competition.  Currently, Stephanie is in post-production of a trilogy of films, Para Todo Mal...Para Todo Bien:  The Mezcal Trilogy.  Stephanie works as a freelance writer, director and editor.

Work experience

Skills

Creator, Director, Host—The "33 and Me" Film Project—Taos, NM and worldwide,—2018 to present

Director—For His Riches (short film)—Mirazvo Productions—Harare, Zimbabwe—2019 to present

Producer, Writer, DirectorThe Mezcal Trilogy (short films)—Stephanie Gardner FIlms— PA and NM—present

Submissions Judge—Taos Shortz Film Festival 2018—Taos, NM,—present

Professor of Cinema (production, history, theory, screenwriting) —University of New Mexico—Taos, NM,—2018

Director, Editor—Red River Outdoors Series (outdoor adventure videos)—Red River, NM—2018

Filmmaker In Residence—Allentown Jazz Festival—Allentown, PA—2016

Director, Editor—Sonnet 88 (short film)—The Sonnet Project (Shakespeare Exchange)—Bronx, NY—2016

Director, Editor—Schadt String Competition 20th Anniversary Documentary—Allentown, PA—2015-2016

Director, Editor—20th Anniversary Diane Wittry Celebration Film, Allentown Symphony—Allentown, PA—2015

Reader, Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition—1st and 2nd Round Judge—Austin, TX—2015

Executive Producer, Writer, Director—If I Had A Piano (short film)—Queens, NY & Emmaus, PA—2015

Awards:  Best of Show, Lehigh Valley Filmmakers Festival; Award of Merit:  Special Mention, Accolade Global Film Competition; Best Screenwriting, Columbia Gorge International Film Festival; Jury Prize for Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking, and Audience Award, Southern Colorado Film Festival; Official Selection of:  European Film Festival (Berlin), International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema NICE and BERLIN, New York City Independent Film Festival, New York No Limits, NewFilmmakers NY, Taos Shortz Film Fest

Creative Director—PCP Media (blog and production company)—2014 

Director—Interview with Elie Wiesel—New York City—2014

Director—Joshua's Psyche—Unexpected Artistry's The Day After MLK film exhibit New York City—2014

Writer, Director—Sonnet 151 (short film)—The Sonnet Project (Shakespeare Exchange)—Brooklyn, NY—2014

Executive Producer, Writer, Director—And If I Stay (narrative short film)—Montreal, Canada—2013

Official Selection of NewFilmmakers NY, LA International Film Festival of Cinematic Arts

Quality Control—iNdemand Networks—New York, City—July 2012—November 2013

Assistant Director, Production Manager—The Dry Rain (NYFA Thesis Film)—New York City—2013

Assistant Director, Line Producer—Bullshit (NYU Thesis Film)—New York City—2013

Assistant Director—Parachute (kids music video)—Staten Island, NY—2013

Videographer, EditorYale University Astronomy Department—New Haven, CT—2012

Director, Editor—Promotional Videos for Gonzalez & Co. Insurance—North Bergen, NJ, 2012
Writer, Director, Editor—Tha Gecko Brothas Music Video, “Love Yourself”—New York City—2012

Editor—Sarajevo Philharmonic Promotional Video—2012
Producer, Writer, Director & Editor — Ten to One Films—New York City —2010 - 2011 

Wrote, directed, and edited ten short films in ten months;  screened at NYU in February 2012

Associate Producer—Josephine (NYU Graduate Thesis Film)—Barstow, CA—2011–2012

Writer, Director—Sheridan's Secret (animated TV pilot)—Tisch School—Singapore—2010
Writer,Director—Bonnie and the Crocodile (animated film)—Tisch School of the Arts—2010

Writer, Director—The Mentor (narrative short comedy)—Tisch School of the Arts—Singapore—2009
Producer—I’m Not Larry David (narrative short comedy)—Tisch School of the Arts—Singapore—2009
Producer—Infliction (narrative short drama)—Tisch School of the Arts—Singapore—2008

Film Credits.

2008 - present

PREMIERE PRO/ADOBE SUITE

FINAL CUT PRO 

iMOVIE

Microsoft Office Suite

Final Draft

Proficient at speaking Spanish

Driver's License

Piano

2010 - present

2010 - present

Theatre Credits.

2002 - present

Writer—The Man Who Invented Himself (full length play)—Allentown Public Theatre Cafe—2016

DirectorThe Day After MLK  (interactive performance art exhibit)—New York City—2014 

Instructor—Urban Stages Playwrighting Workshop—Summer Theater Camp—New York City—2014

Script Reader—NYU Tisch School of the Arts Dramatic Writing—New York City—2012
First round judge for the Goldberg Playwriting Contest at NYU 

Script Reader—Urban Stages Literary Committee—New York City 2012 

Read & critique scripts submitted in consideration for Urban Stages (Off Broadway Theatre)
Director—Millenials at Paysakh—Manhattan Repertory Theater, NYC—2012
Producer, Writer—The Man Who Invented Himself—Manhattan Repertory Theatre,NYC—2012
Producer, Writer, Director—Sexpectations—Manhattan Repertory Theatre—NYC—2012
Production Manager—Hillhouse Opera Company—New Haven, CT—2009
Production Coordinator for non profit opera company; location and talent scout; develop fundraising 

plan and community-outreach initiatives; record and document concerts
Writer—On Display—Short and Sweet International Play Festival—Singapore—2009
Stage Manager—I Was Told There’d Be Wine (night of theater)—Tisch School of the Arts—2009
Producer, Writer, Director—The Point of No Return (musical comedy)—Washington, DC—2008
Producer, Writer, Director—The Not-­‐So-­‐Average Joe (musical comedy)—Emmaus, PA 2002

Education

New York University.

   MFA DRAMATIC WRITING, Tisch School of the Arts, Asia  2008 - 2010

Curriculum: Writing Workshops and Production Labs for Television, Screen & Stage; 

Advanced Directing, Text Analysis; Aesthetics; History of Animation; Film Script Analysis

Thesis Concentration:  Screenwriting; Feature Screenplay, "Christmas In Dubai"

The George Washington University.

​    BA DRAMATIC LITERATURE, Creative Writing, Music - 2004 - 2008

Honors graduate of Dramatic Literature for completion of Senior Playwriting Thesis

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