Stefan Avalos
Encyclopedia
Stefan Avalos is an America
n musician
and filmmaker.
Avalos was trained as a classical violinist. As a violinist, he won major competitions and was a soloist with, among others, the Philadelphia Orchestra
. He was touted as a child prodigy but by early high school, Avalos realized his true love was film. Amateur movies in high school were followed by a college education in filmmaking. He won numerous awards with his student short films before moving into a professional film career. He worked in many aspects of the film business producing and directing commercials for foreign television as well as working for numerous clients as varied as Rescue 911
, Frontline
and MTV
. In 1993, he wrote, produced and directed his first feature film, 'The Game' (also known as The Money Game).
In 1997, Avalos partnered with Lance Weiler
to write, direct, produce and co-star in The Last Broadcast
. The film received international attention as the first desktop-based feature film and was shown at film festivals, winning Best Feature Film Silver Prize at the Chicago Underground Film Festival.
Later, partnering with Esther Robinson and David Beard, Avalos created Wavelength Releasing . In October 1998, Wavelength Releasing made cinematic history with the first fully digital national theatrical release of a feature film via satellite.
In 1999, The Last Broadcast became the first feature motion picture to screen digitally at the Cannes Film Festival
.
Through theatrical, cable, video, and foreign sales, The Last Broadcast has become, based on a budget-to-profit ratio, one of the most profitable movies in history.
Stefan Avalos has been recognized as "one of the twenty five people helping to reinvent entertainment" by Wired
magazine. Stories about The Last Broadcast and Avalos have appeared in many major publications including Time
, People
and The Wall Street Journal
. He has lectured in Europe, the United States, South America, Japan and Canada about digital filmmaking as well as written for numerous publications about the experience.
In 2004, Avalos took the next generation of "homegrown" digital films to a new level with the supernatural thriller, The Ghosts of Edendale
. Described as Rosemary's Baby
meets The Player
, it is distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Warner Bros.
It can also be seen worldwide through various distributors such as Anchor Bay UK and Japan's New Select.
His other work includes animation for Lost in La Mancha
, the documentary about the spectactular demise of a Terry Gilliam
movie, directed by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and filmmaker.
Avalos was trained as a classical violinist. As a violinist, he won major competitions and was a soloist with, among others, the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
. He was touted as a child prodigy but by early high school, Avalos realized his true love was film. Amateur movies in high school were followed by a college education in filmmaking. He won numerous awards with his student short films before moving into a professional film career. He worked in many aspects of the film business producing and directing commercials for foreign television as well as working for numerous clients as varied as Rescue 911
Rescue 911
Rescue 911 is an informational reality-based television series, hosted by William Shatner. Originally intended to be only a set of three TV specials, Rescue 911 was picked up by CBS for the 1989 fall season after two specials aired on April 18, 1989 and May 9, 1989...
, Frontline
Frontline (TV series)
FRONTLINE is a public affairs television program that produces and broadcasts in-depth documentaries about various subjects. Produced at WGBH-TV in Boston, Massachusetts and distributed through the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States, the program has been critically acclaimed and...
and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. In 1993, he wrote, produced and directed his first feature film, 'The Game' (also known as The Money Game).
In 1997, Avalos partnered with Lance Weiler
Lance Weiler
LANCE WEILER'S RÉSUMÉLance Weiler is an American film-maker and writer from Pennsylvania. Initially working as an assistant cameraman and camera operator on large commercial shoots, in Pennsylvania and later New York City, he then co-directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and co-starred in The Last...
to write, direct, produce and co-star in The Last Broadcast
The Last Broadcast (film)
The Last Broadcast is a 1998 American horror film made by Stefan Avalos and Lance Weiler. The film was produced digitally using inexpensive PC-based hardware and software.-Synopsis:...
. The film received international attention as the first desktop-based feature film and was shown at film festivals, winning Best Feature Film Silver Prize at the Chicago Underground Film Festival.
Later, partnering with Esther Robinson and David Beard, Avalos created Wavelength Releasing . In October 1998, Wavelength Releasing made cinematic history with the first fully digital national theatrical release of a feature film via satellite.
In 1999, The Last Broadcast became the first feature motion picture to screen digitally at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
.
Through theatrical, cable, video, and foreign sales, The Last Broadcast has become, based on a budget-to-profit ratio, one of the most profitable movies in history.
Stefan Avalos has been recognized as "one of the twenty five people helping to reinvent entertainment" by Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
magazine. Stories about The Last Broadcast and Avalos have appeared in many major publications including Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
and The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
. He has lectured in Europe, the United States, South America, Japan and Canada about digital filmmaking as well as written for numerous publications about the experience.
In 2004, Avalos took the next generation of "homegrown" digital films to a new level with the supernatural thriller, The Ghosts of Edendale
The Ghosts of Edendale
The Ghosts of Edendale is a 2003 low budget supernatural thriller film written and directed by Stefan Avalos. It is distributed by Warner Brothers. The film was shot in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California and was shot entirely on video.-Plot:...
. Described as Rosemary's Baby
Rosemary's Baby (film)
Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 American horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on the bestselling 1967 novel Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin...
meets The Player
The Player
The Player is a 1992 American satirical film directed by Robert Altman from a screenplay by Michael Tolkin based on his own 1988 novel of the same name....
, it is distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
It can also be seen worldwide through various distributors such as Anchor Bay UK and Japan's New Select.
His other work includes animation for Lost in La Mancha
Lost in La Mancha
Lost in La Mancha is a documentary film narrated by Jeff Bridges about Terry Gilliam's failed first attempt to make The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, a film adaptation of the novel Don Quixote...
, the documentary about the spectactular demise of a Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
movie, directed by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe.