The Crew
George C. Romero
Chief Executive Officer
George Romero is a producer, film director, comic writer and contributor to the futureverse of Heavy Metal Magazine. He is one half of Romero Pictures with Rebecca Romero. The two also founded The Veterans’ Compound, a non-profit organization designed to help veterans process their experiences through the visual arts of filmmaking and deliver the career training necessary for veterans to find a new home in the film industry.
With almost two dozen films and hundreds of commercial campaigns under his belt, George’s most recent releases are the “Cold Dead War” and “The Rise” comics through Heavy Metal Magazine. Both inaugural issues went to second printings almost immediately after release.
He has written, produced and/or directed and arranged financing for more than 35 film, television and streaming projects and serves as a business consultant and mentor for young and new filmmakers, content creators and entrepreneurs to help them navigate the turbulence of the entertainment industry.
Romero also works as a set/production designer for small, independent short films and feature length projects; overseeing and executing the design and construction of sets, props and design pieces with his son.
George received a B.A. in English Literature and attended the film production program at the Valencia school of film in Orlando, FL. What sets him apart from other producer/directors is the fact that he spent his early life coming up hard in the film industry working in almost every department on small and large film productions from his father’s “The Dark Half” to “The Crucible” and “Roadhouse,” to name a few.
This early and comprehensive exposure to the film industry and the process of filmmaking offered Romero the opportunity to learn the intimate details of production at a granular level while nurturing his own creative endeavors which has led Romero to his current career stage and afforded him the experience necessary to provide a steady and guiding hand to those he works with and mentors.
Rebecca Romero
Chief Financial Officer
Rebecca’s background in startup finance makes her the perfect partner in Romero Pictures, The Veterans’ Compound and George’s life.
A managing partner in Romero Pictures, Rebecca’s understanding of film finance for the independent filmmaker comes from her days in mortgage finance and from her time helming startup finance departments in the real estate and tech industries.
An accomplished print editor, Rebecca’s most recent work editing “Beyond Kuiper” for Heavy Metal Magazine CEO, Matt Medney, her understanding of the creative arts is the perfect compliment to her work in finance.
With an understanding for the finance needs of the creative world, Rebecca works closely with Romero Pictures’ filmmakers and project leads to make sure the macro and the micro of project budgets are addressed from the early stages of fundraising to the day-to-day management of budgets through the final steps of every project.
The child of a military family, The Veterans’ Compound also strikes close to home with Rebecca which led her to become the organization’s Director of Partnerships.
Richard Grieco
Partner/Development Executive
Three decades after a young, intense actor caught the attention of Hollywood and audiences, Richard Grieco continues to bring his signature passion to projects – not only as an actor, but as a producer, writer, show creator, director, musician and painter. A cultural icon best known for his breakout role as tough-talking, leather-clad cop Dennis Booker on Fox’s “21 Jump Street” and its spin-off “Booker,” Grieco has proved as multi-dimensional as any of the memorable characters he’s created.
Last year he produced and starred in two independent movies, the comedy They Want Dick Dickster and the horror film Minutes To Midnight. He also served as producer and narrator of the documentary The Green Fairy, chronicling the history of absinthe from 1730 to 1915, with two sequels currently in production. This summer, Grieco will step behind the camera to direct Clinton Road as well as the Country Singer , as well as I’m Offended.
Remaining a force in television, Grieco created and executive produces “Gigolos,” a hit reality program offering a provocative and uncensored look at the life of Las Vegas gigolos, now in its sixth season on Showtime. He is also producing “Mormon Exposure,” an R-rated TV series in active development about Mormon strippers in Utah, currently being shopped to networks. Should this not be enough to stay busy, Grieco also continues to reap success as a painter, his abstract creations drawing comparisons to Jackson Pollack and selling to collectors worldwide.
The Romero Pictures Indie Brigade™
Terry Jarrell
Executive Producer, Drone Cav
Having been a lifelong indie film fan, it was only natural for my years of practical work in technology to intersect with my passion for indie film production with the introduction and rapid growth of drones. I have been a tech instructor and writer for more than 15 years for national news and education platforms, specializing on drones and aerial cinematography most recently as the industry grows and evolves.
I live and work from home-base here in the Orlando, Florida area as owner of Black Dog Drone Operations where I am a FAA 14 CFR Part 107 Remote Pilot. I also work with the FAA Safety Team as Drone Pro, providing support, education and guidance to drone operators of all levels.
I am also a Film Florida member and I provide aerial cinematography for indie productions such as film and music videos. My passion for aerial cinematography and the opportunity to work with indie filmmakers is a perfect mix that I enjoy sharing with filmmakers everywhere.
I am thrilled to bring all of my experience and resources to Romero Pictures Indie Brigade Drone Cav! This is going to be a great place to share tons of great info on the rapidly growing and evolving world of drones. We will be having lots of discussions about different models and cameras, flying tips and tricks, learning the software, digging into camera settings, safety, FAA and regulations and a bunch more cool and interesting stuff! All this to help you learn to fly like an aerial filmmaker with the unique platforms aerial cinematography can offer to raise production value while lowering the budget.
You’re gonna love the Drone Cav and there will always be plenty of new stuff to explore so saddle up and come join the Cav
Lance & sam wagner
Executive Producers, The Wagner Wiles
Lance & Sam have been married since 2013, and their blended family consists of humans, cats, dogs and reptiles that keep them on their toes.
Lance is a Conductor/Switchman for the railroad and Sam is an Inside Sales person for Industrial Electrical Supply material. Together though… they are a couple of fans!
Lance’s interest in the Independent Films started in 2017 when he took a guys trip to Bastrop, Texas to see the different sights from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre movies. While sitting down eating some BBQ at the original Gas Station, Edward Neal walked up and started chatting with the guys. Lance was hooked.
Now with each other and their varying opinions on the projects in the indie community and among fans in general, Lance and Sam have joined the Indie Brigade with their own featured show designed to educate and entertain.
The Wagner Wiles with Lance and Samantha Wagner is the first episodic opinion and interview series in the Indie Brigade slate of upcoming projects. Film fans everywhere watch movies entirely differently from one another and when two fans exist in the same space, especially a marriage, those views can be at opposite ends of the spectrum or they can be in line with each other. This is the foundation of The Wagner Wiles as Lance and Samantha Wagner take viewers on a trip into their lives as a husband and wife fan duo who watch movies together, go to the movies together, attend cons and fan events together and work hard to respect and appreciate each other’s POVs of their individual fandom.
Dean Fernando
Executive Producer, Cinefiles
Born and raised in Steinbeck Country – (Salinas, California) enriched and inspired with the artistic history of all the artists that worked and passed through, including Ansel Adams, Henry Miller, Salvador Dali, Jack Kerouac, James Dean and Clint Eastwood. Dean’s own artistic path started with his film study at New York University in the early 90’s where he was part of the late Thierry Pathe’s then exclusive film studies program at NYU. Dean’s filmmaking career has been eclectic collaborating with the likes of DJ SHADOW, CHEECH & CHONG, and the BRUCE LEE Foundation / Enterprises. In between creative projects in the early 2000’s Dean worked as a Motion Picture Market Research Executive for OTX (ONLINE TESTING EXCHANGE) where he supervised and conducted hundreds of audience research screenings working for with studios: FOX, UNIVERSAL, NEW LINE CINEMA, WARNER BROTHERS, AND PARAMOUNT PICTURES from 2004 to 2008. It was in those years where Dean gained a deep knowledge of how studio motion pictures are marketed and what determined the kind of films succeed in the market. In 2010 Dean left OTX to work and serve as the manager of the world famous CINEFILE VIDEO in Los Angeles. Where he met, spoke, advised, and forged friendships with some of the biggest executive and talents in the entertainment industry. Dean attributes this part of his journey as the foundation of the eclectic taste and confidence that lead Dean back to a position as a Distribution, Acquisition, and Development Executive for TriCoast Worldwide, and art house label Rock Salt Releasing starting in late 2015 to 2018, where he represented, acquired, and helped distribute titles like Kazuhiro Soda’s INLAND SEA (MUBI’s 2019 streaming film of the year), and Numa Perrier’s SXSW favorite and buzz film JEZEBEL distributed theatrically and digitally by ARRAY / NETFLIX. Dean brings his overall comprehension and solid base of contacts in the film business ranging from development to distribution to Romero Pictures with the passion of finding, curating, developing, and bringing to the world the latest and greatest horror and elevated genre content he can find, with the sole intent of placing and distributing them on every platform possible and to have the content seen by as many people as possible.
Ian Styer
EVP, Graphics
Ian Styer is a lifelong Puget Sound resident and artist. An avid antisocial creative, he has spent most of his life isolated on his small farm in Everson, WA with his beautiful wife and son. He is fortunate enough to have found a career that crosses his personal interests in graphic design and illustration. He is also quite fond of animals (mostly horses, dogs, and werewolves) and working in various aspects of independent film. And bourbon. Follow him on facebook and Instagram but not too close, as he has no idea what to do once he gets there himself.