CAST & CREW

Justin Stone, CO-DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER/CO-PRODUCER/“READY”

Justin Stone was born and raised in the area of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. He attended the University of Southern California School of Cinema–Television as a Trustee Scholar, where he befriended longtime collaborator Zach Passero. He has written numerous screenplays and acted in such movies as The Lost and Wicked Lake. In addition, Stone has written numerous unpublished collections of prose, poetry and fiction. His interest is folk storytelling and the language of people. Stone likes to try to play guitar, sing and write songs. He avidly collects and listens to music, reads books and takes long walks.

Zach Passero, CO-DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER/CO-PRODUCER/“LEE”

Zach Passero was born and raised in the west Texas desert town of El Paso.From a young age he knew he wanted to make visual stories—an inkling fueled mainly by influences of The Muppets and Jim Henson. Following the typical story of aspiring film types, Zach made home movies throughout his childhood, enlisting his sisters and neighborhood kids. Later, Zach attended USC Cinema School, where he met collaborator and fellow goof Justin Stone. Together, they found solace away from the film school curriculum through independent films of the 1960’s and 70’s. These counterculture influences would later stew into what would become part of the driving creativity of Motel, Glimpse.

Upon leaving school, Zach decided to pull all of his influences and interests into his first 35mm feature film, The Big Weird Normal. What resulted was a modern-day fairy tale that fused his love of 70’s road movies and classic Universal monster movies. He utilized live action, animation, and storybook elements to weave the narrative. In the end it proved to be a true schooling in filmmaking, with many lessons learned to put toward the next.
Passero has directed and animated numerous music videos for bands such as Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Jim White, Preston School of Industry and Sparta. His animation sequences have been featured in “Sick Girl”, Lucky McKee’s contribution to Showtime’s Masters of Horror, and in Angela Bettis’ directorial debut Roman. As an actor, Zach played Vic Dario in Chris Sivertson and Lucky McKee’s first feature film All Cheerleaders Die as well as designing and doing make up for the film’s zombie cheerleaders. In 2008, Passero’s own horror feature film Wicked Lake was released. A horror film with a true gonzo rock ‘n' roll spirit, Wicked Lake hearkens back to the grindhouse films of the 70’s.

Lindsay Stone, “GWEN”

Lindsay Stone is a native of mid-Missouri. After graduation from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, she moved to western Massachusetts to continue her education at Mount Holyoke College. In 2005, she was awarded her BA with a concentration in Theatre Arts and Psychology. Stone has performed in several stage productions in New York, Massachusetts and Missouri. She currently resides in Los Angeles, where she actively pursues acting while writing and producing for Associated Television International. Stone has studied acting with legendary greats Roxana Stuart, Roger Babb, Eric Morris, and Diana Castle.

Melissa Atwell, “DEANNA”

Melissa Atwell was born on November 4, 1980, in a small town in Pennsylvania, but she was raised as a southern belle in Alabama. She graduated from high school there, then attended Snead State Community College as a theater major. Theater and the arts has always been a passion for her with many shows added to her resume including Into the Woods, Play It Again Sam, Little Shop of Horrors and Taming of the Shrew. Atwell now lives in Missouri with her husband and little girl, where she sings in her church's worship team and teaches theatrical movement to the youth.

Patric Carroll, “STUZE”

Patric Carroll is a central Missouri native who now resides in Dallas, Texas, where he works in the art department for television commercials and film. He found the stage early on in life and has continued to explore the world of acting as well as writing and directing. Carroll’s real passion in life is working with creative people who put their hearts and souls into a project they believe in. While not working on a commercial or independent film project, Carroll loves playing music with his band Soylent Blue to keep things interesting. He would like to thank Justin and Zach for letting him be a part of the incredible journey filled with heart called Motel, Glimpse.

Kathy Tennison, “MOM”

Kathy Tennison is beloved mother to Justin and Lindsay Stone. She resides in Rocky Mount, Missouri. She loves to go down to the creek and hunt for arrowheads. She also loves to listen to classic rock n’ roll with the windows of her car rolled down. She was drafted into the cast of Motel, Glimpse almost against her will, but gave it her all, as she has always given everything.

Jim Ward, COMPOSER/MUSIC SUPERVISOR

Jim Ward is a proud native and lifelong resident of El Paso, Texas. He taught himself to play guitar and as a teenager co-founded the seminal 90’s band At the Drive-In.

Over seven years with At the Drive-In, Ward played rhythm guitar, piano and keyboards as well as singing backup vocals. Using the money from his college savings, he released the band’s first two EPs, Hell Paso and Alfaro Vive, Carajo! The band went on to be credited for launching the proto-punk, post-hardcore movement, amassing devoted fans all over the world and garnering television appearances on the likes of “Later with Jools Holland”, “Late Night with Conan O'Brien” and “The Late Show With David Letterman”.

In 2002, Ward founded Sparta along with At the Drive-In mates Tony Hajjar and Paul Hinojos. Sparta toured worldwide and solidified a strong following through albums Wiretap Scars, Porcelain and Threes, recorded with renowned producers Jerry Finn, Mike Major and Dave Bassett, respectively. Hinojos and Ward also co-founded the record label Restart to provide an outlet for other El Paso musicians. Along with Sparta’s debut EP Austere, Restart released albums by Universal Recovered, Airplanes Are Better, Siva and more.

In 2006, Ward collaborated with noted poet and fellow El Pasoan Bobby Byrd for How Will We Know When We’re Dead, which featured original compositions performed by Ward with recordings of Byrd reciting his poetry. The album was released on Ward’s Civil Defense League label.

Ward released his first solo EP Quiet in 2007. He then launched alt-country outfit Sleepercar in spring of 2008 with the album West Texas. The band headlined tours throughout North America, also joining good friends Coldplay for a leg of their North American tour in late 2008. Motel, Glimpse marks the first time Ward has composed an original score for a feature film.

Lisa Y. Garibay, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

Garibay was born and raised in El Paso, attended Amherst College in Massachusetts, and worked in film for more than 14 years in Los Angeles. She has produced award-winning movies including "Robbing Peter", which premiered at the 2004 Los Angeles Film Festival and was nominated for four 2005 Independent Spirit Awards; "Bomb It" by acclaimed experimental filmmaker Jon Reiss; and Anayansi Prado's "Children in No Man's Land". In 2002, Garibay created LARGetc. to provide effective grassroots marketing and publicity for independent artists. She launched the LARGep division in 2008 to focus on helping El Paso artists and organizations achieve their potential.

Garibay's nonprofit experience includes community outreach with the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and marketing management for NATPE (National Association of Television Program Executives). Her decade of work with Film Independent spans corporate marketing, fundraising, Los Angeles Film Festival programming, Spirit Awards publicity, and managing the Project:Involve minority mentorship program. As a journalist, Garibay writes for Back Stage, El Paso Magazine, Filmmaker Magazine, Newspaper Tree, The San Francisco Bay Guardian and others. Garibay is also founder of ThenItMustBeTrue.com, an alternative outlet for artists to discuss their work, which was awarded a fellowship with the prestigious Sundance Institute's Arts Writing Program.