We'll be having our festival premiere event in
Los Angeles at Solotech Studios.
THE EASTMAN KODAK BUILDING
6700 Santa Monica Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90038
SATURDAY, MARCH 28th, 2026
Doors Open @ 5:30P / Red Carpet @ 6:00P
Tickets available now on Eventbright!
JOIN US!
WRITERS PANEL
HOSTED BY
HILLIARD GUESS
Hilliard is an accomplished, veteran writer/producer with an impressive portfolio that spans across both television and digital platforms. With credits on esteemed shows like The Russo Bros SYFY series DEADLY CLASS and as EP/Showrunner of the acclaimed digital series TICKER (won Best Series at the 2021 World International Film Festival), Hilliard has solidified his reputation as a creative force in the industry. Currently, he serves as the Executive Producer on Amazon’s upcoming, highly anticipated CROSS bonus series: CROSS: AFTER HOURS and Producer on the coming-of-age feature film MERMAID!
CHRISTOPHER DERRICK
Christopher wrote on Star Trek: Picard’s second season and its Saturn Award-winning third season, on CBS’s The Equalizer, and currently a writer/producer on Netflix’s Magic: The Gathering. Christopher has sold feature films to 20th Century Fox and a TV series to Fox Television Studios. He developed features with Janet Yang, Mace Neufeld, and Oscar-winner Wendy Finerman. He recently directed the short film, Moral Dirt, a meditation on terrorism wrapped in the cloak of a mob film.
SAEED CRUMPLER
A fellow in the 2021 Nickelodeon Writing Program. Most recently signed a first-look deal with SONY TV; he’s been staffed on FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS for Showtime. He consulted on BLINDSPOTTING for Lionsgate, working witH Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs. Saeed Also completed a feature rewrite on MTV's HIP-HOP FAMILY CHRISTMAS for Jamie Foxx, as well as a biopic about legendary underground hip-hop artist Mac Dre for Double Down Pictures.
TASH GRAY
TASH works proficiently in both comedy and drama. Her comedy credits include serving as a Consultant Producer on Harlem (Amazon). Her drama work as a Writer/Producer features collaborations with her mentor and friend, the late John Singleton, on Snowfall (FX/Hulu), as well as credits on P. Valley (Starz), Raising Kanan, and Reasonable Doubt (Hulu). She is currently serving as Co- EP on an upcoming Netflix series. TASH is also an accomplished director, with her project Daddy’s Home currently streaming.
THE TV WRITERS’ HUSTLE: ROOMS, PITCHES & STAFFING
Breaking into television isn’t just about writing a great script — it’s about understanding the hustle behind the scenes. In this candid panel, working TV/Film writers (Hilliard Guess, Tash Gray, Saeed Crumpler and Chris Derrick) pull back the curtain on how the business really works: from developing and pitching shows, to navigating the writers’ room and landing that coveted staff job. Expect real talk, practical advice, and insider gems on how today’s writers break in, level up, and survive the ever-changing world of television. Whether you’re an emerging writer or a veteran on the grind, this conversation will give you the game you need to move your career forward!
LIVE PERFORMANCE BY:
STARTING @ 9P
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2026 FESTIVAL SPONSORS & AFFILIATES
WHAT MAKES AN ANTHOLOGY IO FILM?
We're creating a platform for filmmakers who refuse to conform—where bold vision matters more than connections, and where stories are judged solely on their artistic merit. This isn't just another festival; it's a curated showcase for work that challenges, provokes, and stays with audiences long after the credits roll.​​
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Studio IO is working to showcase filmmakers that take creative freedom to pursue their unique visions. We prioritize artistic expression over commercial formulas, urging directors to take risks and explore unconventional narrative. We are looking for films driven by a strong directorial voice. To provide a likeminded cultivated community of up-and-coming directors, helping to create a culture and collection of unique artists and works and collaborate together to create films that reflect their personal style and storytelling preferences.
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Genre Blurring Films:
We aim for filmmakers to blend genres or defy genre conventions, that offer a fresh perspective. (ie: they might combine elements of horror, drama, and dark comedy within a single narrative.)
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Narrative Risk Taking:
Unconventional narratives that challenge viewers, such as non-linear storytelling, complex character studies, or ambiguous endings.
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Cinematic Quality:
We place a strong emphasis on the visual and technical quality of films. Focusing on projects that feature striking cinematography, distinctive production design, and innovative use of sound and music.
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Diverse Storytelling:
We aim to showcase stories from diverse perspectives, including those of marginalized communities. Films that explore a wide range of cultural, racial, and social issues, often highlighting voices that are underrepresented in mainstream cinema.​
Complex Characters and Themes:
Films featured with us generally have characters that are often deeply complex, grappling with personal, societal, and existential challenges. These films tend to explore themes of identity, trauma, mental health, and the human condition in a nuanced way.
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Cultural Impact & Critical Acclaim:
We aim to ensure the film collection holds significant cultural impacts, so its artists/works are elevated together in holding a collective audience that translates into a fanbase for them.
We're Seeking Films That Demonstrate
Authentic Vision
Your perspective, unfiltered and steadfast.
Narrative Impact
Stories that elicit genuine emotion and leave a lasting impression.
Visual Distinction
A strong, deliberate aesthetic that elevates your storytelling.
Cultural Relevance
Work that engages with the world as it is, not as studios wish it to be.
Resourceful Execution
Diverse Perspectives
Voices & stories that expand our understanding of cinemaand the human condition.
Proof that creativity thrives within constraints/limitations.
Festival Director’s Statement:​
I’ve worked in the film and television industry for over a decade — pitching projects, getting films into festivals, collaborating with networks big and small. And yet, time and time again, I’ve seen a familiar pattern: a filmmaker pours everything into a short film, takes it through the festival circuit, and at the end of the road… it ends up on a quiet YouTube page or buried on a hard drive, collecting digital dust.That’s where the idea for Anthology IO came from.Every year, thousands of short films are made. Film schools graduate passionate new filmmakers. And yet, around 85% of these projects never earn a single cent — leaving the creators not only unrewarded, but often in the red. This platform isn’t about dangling vague promises of "Hollywood connections." It’s not about a one-night screening and then silence. Anthology IO was built to be a living, breathing collection — a home for expressive films, diverse stories, and fresh perspectives.
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We’re not chasing algorithms or approval from an industry that too often sidelines creative integrity in favor of profit margins. Instead, we’re focused on giving filmmakers a return on their investment in themselves.​ Every film accepted into our festival becomes part of something bigger: a curated streaming library, designed to grow viewership and generate real ad-share revenue. Participation in the streaming arm is optional — but exclusive to selected projects. It’s our way of creating continuity beyond the festival stage, giving these works the life they deserve.
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In the long term, our vision is bold: within five years, we aim to launch a standalone streaming app dedicated to short films — a destination for audiences who crave originality, and a space where creators can thrive outside the traditional studio system.
Let’s stop waiting for permission. Let’s stop sanding down our voices to fit someone else's mold. Let’s be unapologetically ourselves — and make something sustainable while we’re at it.
We welcome films from any year, and creators with as many projects as they want to share. This is about community. It’s about showing up for one another, and building something that lasts.​ Thank you for considering Anthology IO. I hope to see your work as part of the collective.
Jordan Burbank, Festival Director
Empower Growth
We offer a 60% profit share of our ad revenue from your films, releasing payments bi-annually to filmmakers.
Payments are issued based on our viewership model, aiming to make sure that all members of our collection are awarded a piece of the profits, while also rewarding our artists whom have garnered strong viewership and attention for their works.