Dark Highways

DIRECTOR & CAST BIOGRAPHICAL INFO

CHRISTOPHER P. JACOBS (writer, producer, director, cinematographer, editor)

Christopher P. Jacobs produced and directed Dark Highways on digital video from his own script, as well as photographing and editing the production. He has been interested in all aspects of film since his junior high school days when he bought an 8mm Brownie movie camera and started collecting 8mm and 16mm prints of classic films. He later moved up to Bolex 8mm and 16mm movie cameras, making a number of short films over the years. In college he attended the NEC/Warner Brothers Summer Film Workshop, where he worked on the award-winning half-hour 16mm docudrama Attentat. The lure of film history eventually took precedence over an equal interest in filmmaking, although in graduate school he did complete a feature-length drama made on video (School Spirit), which aired on the local public television affiliate, as well as some short teleplays and films. Jacobs earned a Master's Degree in Film and Dramatic Production Criticism from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, where he now teaches “Introduction to Film” as a senior lecturer. A movie theatre manager for over nine years until his company was bought out by a larger chain, Jacobs still works as a part-time projectionist/assistant manager at the Carmike 10 Theatre. In addition he is the movies editor for The High Plains Reader, a regional weekly tabloid arts & entertainment newspaper. In 1999 he finished a reference book project for Greenwood Publishing as co-author with Donald W. McCaffrey, Guide to the Silent Years of American Cinema. Jacobs presented a paper on the history of Grand Forks movie theatres at the October 2001 Great Plains History Conference. For the past several years Jacobs has worked on and off at writing a series of full-length novels in the historical romantic-adventure genre set in Egypt during the 4^th century A.D. Other writing projects include several short stories (with publications in North Country and Family Practice Quarterly), plays, and screenplays, including an adaptation of his novel The Treasure of Isis.

When several local filmmaking opportunities suddenly happened to arise in his home town of Grand Forks during the last half of the 1990s, Jacobs was able to work briefly on the Coen brothers' Oscar-winning film, Fargo, found himself Associate Producer for a low-budget direct-to-video 16mm movie entitled Dead and Too Stupid to Know It, and was Script Supervisor on an award-winning 35mm black & white independent feature, Dead Dogs. He screen-tested and was a finalist for a part in the independent Wisconsin-made feature, Smokers, but ultimately lost the part to a SAG actor. These experiences helped motivate him to get back into active filmmaking of his own again, resulting in his production of The Threat of the Mummy in summer of 2001, Vengeance of the Sorceress is summer of 2002, and Dark Highways in summer of 2003, as well as a number of shorts, including a Sons of Poseidon music video for Dark Highways. Jacobs occasionally acts (and plays the part of “Nick” in Dark Highways), but prefers being behind the camera. While Dark Highways began making the rounds of film festivals, he began production on Miss Mystic, and has several other screenplays and story treatments in progress. Completed scripts in various stages of development and preproduction include Working Nights (half of which has already been shot) and Night Job. He also hopes to shoot a new crime thriller by Dead Dogs screenwriter Todd Bulman.

JUSTIN GUZMAN (“Wade”)

Justin Guzman is a Grand Forks native who keeps busy as a radio personality on KJ108, XL93, and 96.1 The Fox, as well as moonlighting as a bartender/disc jockey at the El Roco Nightclub. He still finds time for acting on both stage and screen, however, and has appeared in a number of Fire Hall Theatre productions, including Not Now Darling, Rumors, Run For your Wife, and The Dining Room. Dark Highways is Justin’s second movie. He also played the role of “Ted” in the film Dead and Too Stupid to Know It. Hobbies? “Who has time?”

PAUL KELLY (“Alex Montana”)

Paul Kelly has been acting since childhood, and is a professional disc jockey also known as "The Hawk" on XL-93 every weeknight.  He is also currently working on his BA in English at UND.  Dark Highways marks Paul's fourth screen appearance.  He was also cast as Dr. Casey Wallace in the movie The Threat of the Mummy, Trevor in the upcoming production Working Nights, and made a cameo as an antique dealer in the popular Ole and Lena: The Movie.  After going from a lead role to a supporting role to a cameo, Paul hopes to qualify soon for work as an extra.

NICOLE NELSON (“Tiffi/Maryjo”)

Nicole Nelson is a high school student in the small town of Lakota, ND. Although this is her first movie role, she has been active in high school drama, local art association theatre, and competitive speech. In addition to her love of acting, Nicole plays two musical instruments, sings, and is on the volleyball, basketball, and softball teams. Since Dark Highways, Nicole appeared in the related music video for Sons of Poseidon by the same director, and had a starring role in his next feature, Miss Mystic.

JEFF NICHOL (“Kevin”)

Jeff Nichol lives in Fargo, where he is an excavating contractor for his own firm. Although he is happy with his day job, on a particularly bad day in 2001 he decided to audition for the American Modeling and Talent Competition, sponsored by The Academy Agency in Fargo. To his surprise, he came home with a “best in show” trophy. Since then he’s become a veteran of Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre and regional movies. Stage appearances include Office Hours, Sacagawea, and A Few Good Men, as well as with the Fargo comedy improv group “Still in the Basement.” Besides Dark Highways, Jeff’s screen roles include the Fargo-made movies Boundless, Rubbed Out, Pros and Cons, Mean, and Looking For Lillian.

SARAH PIERSOL (“Tasha”)

Sarah Piersol is from Fargo, with over 11 years of stage experience, as well as commercial, choreography and directing experience. She has studied at Trollwood Performing Arts School, privately in singing and voice and has participating in several master dance classes in Chicago and New York. Sarah has taught group fitness for three years and is currently completing her ACSM personal training certification. In her spare time she loves to write music and dance, and has recently choreographed and performed for Minneapolis rapper J.Griff and associated artists. While she can be seen appearing in commercials (Subway, North Dakota Activities Association, American Idol, to name a few), Dark Highways is her first movie role.

CeANNE REESE (“Val”)

Grand Forks native CeAnne Reese is a trained cosmetologist but has amassed quite a variety of work experience, from traveling around the country visiting disaster areas for FEMA to painting houses to driving a forklift and doing skilled labor at a pasta-making factory. CeAnne also creates artworks in a variety of media and sings. She has appeared on stage at various nightclubs, had a leading comic role as a Vegas showgirl in the film Dead and Too Stupid to Know It, and made a cameo appearance as a barmaid in Working Nights.

SHARON REINOWSKI (“Mandi”)

Sharon Reinowski is a native of Anamoose, ND, and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1999 with a degree in Public Administration. She now works for the City of Grand Forks as an accountant in the Office of Housing and Urban Development. Sharon was active in high speech and drama clubs and now serves on the Board of Directors for the Fire Hall Theatre. She has appeared on stage in the Fire Hall’s productions of Night Watch, Ruby Lips Above the Water, and The Dining Room. Dark Highways is Sharon’s second screen appearance, and her third was a supporting role in Jacobs’ next movie, Miss Mystic. Both are a drastic departure from her movie debut, for which she played the part of “Hilda” in Ole and Lena: The Movie.

MICHAEL STROMENGER (“Dustin”)

A native of Larimore, ND, Michael Stromenger has been involved in the arts since age 8.  A mainstay of the local community stages, Michael has appeared in over 30 shows in or around the Grand Forks area, recently in Little Shop of Horrors, Godspell, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  Dark Highways is Michael's first motion picture and first taste of movie making.  Michael is a Music major at the University of North Dakota and graduates in May.  While singing and playing percussion is his primary focus, Michael also devotes time to playwriting and is in the process of converting a recently completed play into a screenplay.  Michael lives in Grand Forks with his wife, Aimee.