LACHRYMOSE PRIMROSE

JD Ellenberger is an Irish-American director, screenwriter, producer, editor, actor, and author, who began his filmmaking career in 2010 under the moniker of Johnny Daggers. That same year, he released his first and only short film Samhain: Night Feast, which was not only an Official Selection but also winner of the Bastards Of Horror Short Film Fest. Immediately after the films release, JD met with the legendary director, George Romero (Night Of The Living Dead), who not only gave him advice but also his blessings for JD's first feature length attempt, Caustic Zombies. Sadly, despite the film having a sold-out premier at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont, PA (just outside of Pittsburgh) the film never saw the light of day, as internal issues and the actual film having gone missing for several years.

In 2011, JD began writing his next screenplay entitled Mo Anam Cara. The film was a dark, animated (claymation) film in which JD had procured Doug Bradley (Pinhead in the Clive Barker horror franchise Hellraiser) to do the films narration. Despite a successful crowdfunding campaign, the project ran out of funding midway through the set production process where one-third of the sets had been built, and subsequently the film came to a halt. Frustrated, JD took a break from his own projects and worked as an extra in two episodes of the A&E Television Series, Those Who Kill.

In 2014, with a two and a half year hiatus, JD came back refreshed and began working on two projects at once. The first being a screenplay for a documentary which focused on the trails and tribulations of making a film on a shoe-string budget. And the second was adapting the Mo Anam Cara screenplay into an illustrated novella, which later became known as Neverlasting. Whether it was a refreshed outlook, or the fierce determination, the comeback was a successful one. The documentary, now known as Blood On The Reel, got JD signed to his first major film distribution deal with SGL Entertainment. Blood On The Reel was an Official Selection at both the Tri-Cities International Film Festival, as well as the Virginia Indie Horror Film Festival. And his illustrated novella landed JD his first book publishing deal with Burning Bulb Publishing.

Continuing with his headstrong momentum, JD began work on his next screenplay, an homage to the early 20th Century silent films by the likes of Phantom Carriage, Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, etc. The screenplay, as well as the film would become known as Noctambulist. And in 2019, the film received world wide distribution (SGL Entertainment) and was an Official Selection at one of the longest running and most prestigious film festivals in the world, the WorldCon 75 international film festival which was held in Helsinki, Finland.

The release of Noctambulist saw JD mature, both personally, and professionally. He felt as though he had finally found his niche and sense of direction. He no longer felt like the young, punk, gorilla filmmaker that he began his career as. In October of 2019, JD began work on his next screenplay entitled Lachrymose Primrose. And this time around, JD wanted to focus on sound and color. A homage to his love of 80s films.

In the Spring of 2020, JD was having a phone conversation with his friend and fellow Indie Filmmaker CM Talkington, who wrote and directed the cult classic Love And A .45 (starring Renee Zellweger and Gil Bellows). During the conversation, JD expressed his interest in changing his name. He felt as though he had long outgrown his alias of Johnny Daggers and wanted to start going by his actual surname (Ellenberger). CM encouraged JD to take the leap and thought that it was much more suiting for him as a professional. And with that friend reaffirmation, JD made the switch from Johnny Daggers to JD Ellenberger. Now, in the Spring of 2022, Lachrymose Primrose is in post-production. And JD is looking forward to the films future release.