Frank Merle
| Frank Merle | |
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| Born | Frank Merle |
| Alma mater | The Theatre School at DePaul University |
| Known for | writing, producing, and directing The Employer |
Frank Merle is an American screenwriter, director and producer and a former theatrical producer and director. Merle trained at The Theatre School at DePaul University, previously known as the Goodman School of Drama, founded in 1925.
After graduating from The Theatre School, Merle co-founded Keyhole Theatre Company in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL. He served as Artistic Director of Keyhole Theatre Company for seven years, during which time he directed and produced over thirty professional stage productions, both at Keyhole Theatre and at several other Chicago area theater companies. His first short film, What Joan Knows, earned him an Award for Excellence at the Geneva Film Festival, and his second project, Morgan's Last Call, won Best Short Film at the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. He then made a trilogy of horror shorts, Gnaw, Art Room, and Carnage on Graves Farm, all of which won awards on the festival circuit. These films were then anthologized on home video in 2010 as Carnage, Chaos & Creeps.
Merle's first feature film was the 2013 psychological thriller The Employer, starring Malcolm McDowell and Billy Zane. The film won Best Thriller feature at the Illinois International Film Festival and Best First Feature at the Geneva Film Festival. It was an Opening Night selection at the Shriekfest Film Festival, and was selected for a Special Invitation screening at the Big Bear Horro-Fi Film Festival. The film also won eight awards at the 2013 Los Angeles Movie Awards, including Best Narrative Feature and Best Director.
On June 30, 2016, it was announced on Dread Central that Merle would write and direct From Jennifer, the third installment in the To Jennifer found-footage series originated by James Cullen Bressack.
Merle lives in Los Angeles and has several feature films in development, including Vicious, Criminality, and Rural.
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