WHO WE ARE
Matt Smollon | Founder/Director
Aside from being Founder and Director of the SOMA Film Festival, Matt is a veteran writer of film, television and many other creative endeavors. He has written over 20 original screenplays including Second City’s BuzzKill (Indican 2012), as well as Rooters and Figs of Newton with writer/director Steven Kampmann (Back To School, Stealing Home). He has written for hire for independent producers on such projects as Boardwalk, Mob Mentality, The Grape (TV), Checkered and Takeoff, as well as many others. Matt has had three screenplays optioned by Miramax Films and was employed as a full time development executive/writer at Shooting Gallery Films (Sling Blade, You Can Count On Me, Croupier). He worked with the writer Bruce Graham (Anastasia, Steal This Movie) on a story pitch based on his own idea titled Fruits vs. Vegetables. Matt has written and produced webisodes for Sports Illustrated, for SI.com.
He is the creator/producer of the documentary series Life in the D about a behind the scenes look at the daily grind of life in minor league basketball. In his former position at Wiley Publishing, he wrote, directed and edited long and short form content for web promotion. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon.
Thomas Hanna | Co-Founder & Co-Director
Thomas, an attorney in New York, has a wide range of legal experiences including litigation, real estate and entertainment. Most recently he has produced the independent feature films entitled Second City’s BuzzKill (Indican 2012), with Darrell Hammond and Krysten Ritter, winner, Best Feature Film at the 2008 New Jersey Film Festival at Cape May and Best Feature Comedy and Best Director at the 2009 Big Easy Film Festival and, A Novel Romance (Entertainment One/New Films International 2012), with Steve Guttenberg and Shannon Elizabeth.
He has also produced the highly successful Off-Broadway shows, Pieces (of ass) through his production company, New Scenario Entertainment, and Off-Broadway’s Voyage of the Carcass. Recently, he has also worked producing/developing several television projects for Steven Van Zandt’s company, Renegade Nation. Thomas was also the producer of the highly successful Shooting Gallery Film Series for Shooting Gallery Entertainment, where he oversaw all aspects of the series.
He has served as legal counsel and co-producer on the short film Death Of The Monkey, by David Goldsmith; and has worked on numerous feature films, where he gained invaluable experience and insight into the independent film world over the years, including Hamlet, by Michael Almereyda with Ethan Hawke, Bill Murray, Julia Stiles, Liev Schreiber and Sam Shepard; Better Living, by Max Mayer with Olympia Dukakis, Roy Scheider and Ed Hermann; Dummy, by Gregory Pritikin with Adrien Brody; Perfume, by Michael Rymer with Jeff Goldbum, Michelle Williams, Omar Epps, Carmen Electra, Coolio, Paul Sorvino and Rita Wilson; Maze, by Rob Morrow with Laura Linney; and Heartbreak Hospital, by Ruedi Gerber with John Shea, Patricia Clarkson and Diane Venora.
Linda Beck | Exective Program Director & Kids Program Curator
Linda Beck has served as an animation juror at the Woodstock, Indie Memphis, and Dusty Film Festivals, and the RiverRun Film Festival where she is also on the Advisory Board. Additionally, she has moderated animation panels at The Ottawa International Animation Festival and Atlanta Film Festival. When she is not watching films or series, she works closely with development teams as Visual and Artist Development Director to find new artists and to help land the perfect looks for new properties and rebrands. Her current Visual Development clients include Sesame Workshop and Hello Sunshine. Linda also created the initial curriculum for the innovative Sesame Workshop Writer’s Room, which focuses on providing intense training and opportunity for under-represented voices within the tv industry.
Prior to her niche in Visual Development, she produced content for both children (Nick Jr., Disney) and grown ups (History Channel, A&E, PBS) in a creative capacity and also as a Line Producer. Linda is a SAG-AFTRA voiceover artist, occasionally playing teachers, young mothers, cows, and other characters on well known kids’ shows. She also teaches Professional Studio for Animation and Gaming at Maine College of Art.
She strongly values local, civic engagement and serves as Chairman of the South Orange Environmental Commission, is Co-Founder of the Meadowland Park Conservancy, is a trustee with the Slave-Free Community Project, and an Advocate for the South Orange Public Library.
Susan Greeley | Program Director
Susan has over 25 years experience in the entertainment industry with an expertise in worldwide film distribution, acquisitions, programming, and business development. Currently, Susan is the Associate Short Film Programmer for the Tribeca Film Festival and Tribeca Enterprises’ United In-flight Program.
Previously, Susan was the VP of Global Distribution and Business Development at Shorts International where she was responsible for licensing films across all channels worldwide. She initiated the Oscar Nominated Shorts theatrical release and negotiated theatrical, television, and VOD deals. Prior to Shorts International, Susan was VP of Worldwide Distribution and Acquisitions at Doug Liman’s HYPNOTIC where she created distribution strategies for ground-breaking branded entertainment programs including Reebok’s Terry Tate: Office Linebacker, and the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival. Throughout the ownership changes her responsibilities increased and she became responsible for the worldwide sales department at Wellspring Media, managing the distribution of over 1000 hours of programming and over 300 feature films, including leading the sales team for the critically acclaimed and Award-winning Feature Documentary film, TARNATION at the Cannes Film Festival.
Susan has been a Jury Member/Panelist for numerous festivals including the Student Academy Awards, AFI Film Festival, CFC Worldwide Film Festival, Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, GEN-ART Film Festival, Calgary Film Festival, NYU First Run, Columbia University.
William R. Pace | SETON HALL UNIVERSITY PROGRAM Curator
William became a filmmaker because he was so moved & captivated by the ability to tell compelling stories in a medium that not only included moving images, but also utilized the power of sounds and music -- it was the one arena where all his passions and interests combined to make something bigger and more powerful than their individual parts.
He became a teacher because he was so moved & captivated by the ability to share this knowledge and empower others to create in this medium and have it only deepen and strengthen his own love for it.
Graphic Design: John Clifford
Website Design: Jennifer McClory
Event Design: Elana Nanscawen and Lauren Chapman
Technical Director: Paul Libassi
Intern: Sam Innamorato
Site Photos: Cindy Price (Mostly Maplewood), Allyson Murphy, and Linda Beck