Julianne Fox is a filmmaker, production designer, and comedian—usually not all at the same. A recent graduate of USC’s film theory program, her love for film began with criticism, and then expanded into production during her time at the school. She made use of her free time to explore filmmaking, and found a passion for writing and directing. In addition to making short films, she sought out a variety of experiences, from showrunning a comedy news show to directing ads for a student marketing organization to performing stand-up comedy. She has also spent many weekends on set working as a production designer and/or costume designer, where her favorite projects to work on are 1970’s period pieces. She is interested in stories that blend drama with humor, and looks to narratively express her own experiences living with Cystic Fibrosis through her work. She also likes long walks on the beach, long drives at night, and really anything that lasts a while because she has too much free time on her hands lately.
Never Better is a dramedy following a young woman caught in the pseudo-time loop of quarantine. As she fights her boredom with substances and roommate drama, she ignores her daily routines to maintain her Cystic Fibrosis. A casual and honest portrayal of chronic illness in the midst of a pandemic, CF is only one piece to the larger puzzle of this character’s life, in an effort to normalize the conversation surrounding disease.
Learn more about Julianne’s mentor, Nzingha Stewart.
My name is Tyler Burke and I was born in Los Angeles on one of the few cloudy days of 1995. My parents came here to work in the entertainment industry and I grew up visiting more sets than offices, which really killed the movie magic for a large part of my life.
I shied away from that world, went off to UPenn with an interest in engineering, but kept falling in love with cinema. It was the imagination of filmmakers like Terry Gilliam that pulled me back, and the honesty of directors like the Maysles Brothers that made me rethink what I knew about film.
When I finally committed to pursuing film, my interest was in documentary filmmaking. I freelanced as a videographer while learning about the industry through an internship at Tremolo Productions and an associate producer gig for a Spotify documentary series. I then moved to New Zealand where I spent over a year freelancing as a cinematographer, shooting documentary content for short films, events, and one of Wellington’s biggest art galleries. I returned back to LA at the end of 2018, and have since directed music videos, worked as a grip, PA, gaffer, producer and cinematographer. I am also developing a couple documentary projects as director and editor.
In my free time, I am an avid hiker and camper, play music both solo and with friends, love to explore new parts of the city, and take photos on my grandfather’s old Nikon camera.
25 Cents Per Minute is a dramedy anthology film in which six characters experience triumph, defeat, love, and loss through unique experiences all involving payphones. It is a film about the connections we have with others, and there has never been a better time to make the world feel connected. On one level, it is about the ability to make deep connections remotely, something we have all had to do during this pandemic. Second, it is a reminder to not forget about our neighbors, to understand others as full and complex human beings. Producing this film provides a reminder that every passing stranger has a story and is not just a statistic.
