Ahmed Sultan – Co-Director
One half of the Gray Area directing duo, Ahmed is from East Chicago, Indiana. He came to Chicago with his twin brother to attend film school and learn everything he can.
After school, Ahmed and his brother hope to keep directing. Their goal is to someday direct a DC Comics movie, or a show similar to The Office. He is excited for the future, and to continue working with his brother.
Armaan Sultan – Co-Director
The other half of the co-director team, Armaan has always loved telling stories, and likes to find new ways to resonate with the viewer.
Once he has graduated from school, Armaan plans to continue co-directing films with his brother. He says they would be content with anything from a DC Comics move to indie films, as long as they’re able to work together.
Nicholas “Sihl” Gritsenko – Producer
Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Sihl is a first generation American who is focused on the collaborative effort of filmmaking. He likes that in film it’s all about the team, not about one singular person.
Recently, Sihl has also produced a short called James and his Monster, which was accepted in several film festivals. When he is done with film school, he plans to help talented people get opportunities and exposure.
Gregory Guillen – Director of Photography
Gregory hails from Romeoville, which is part of the southern suburbs of Chicago. He came to school to connect with others who share his love of film.
To date, Gregory’s biggest achievement in film is witnessing a live audience react to a film he made. Beyond school, he would love to shoot his own indie films in the hopes of having a company like A24 be interested and want to help distribute.
Sylvia Badea – Lead Editor
Sylvia is Chicago born, Indiana raised, and is an award-winning editor. Her background is in short films, music videos, and travel documentaries, and she is currently trying to make a name for herself with a unique editing style.
After graduation, Sylvia plans to start a production company to celebrate women of color throughout all aspects of the film industry.
Joseph Henry – Assistant Director
Carolyn Kaiser – Writer
Born and raised in Chicago, Carolyn earned her BA in Theater at Indiana University. While studying abroad in London, she had a job at a film production company, where she realized film was the career she wanted to pursue. After freelancing in Vegas, she decided to enroll in film school to learn as much as possible and be the best filmmaker she could be.
Carolyn loves film because it’s an extremely versatile platform in which anyone can tell their story. She feels that there are stories waiting to be told and I wants to tell human stories that haven’t been told before. Her goal is to bring a voice to the voiceless on a platform that is widely accessible to all.
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