The Virtual End: Depression (episode 5 of 7)

Shannon Phipps is a writer/director who loves to tell funny stories. She completed her first feature speculative script, Lost Luggage, in 2015 and has since written four additional feature scripts including Santa’s Boots, a co-write, which sold to Lifetime and premiered on the network in December 2018. She has also written two MOW treatments, three MOW pitches, a crime-drama pilot with teaser, and three web series. In 2017, she directed the pilot episode of the sitcom she wrote, Corporately Challenged, which was completed in April 2019. She has since produced three web series, directing sixteen total episodes. Her favorite thing about directing is helping actors hit the emotional and hysterical points of the story.

Amy Motta is an actor/director/producer who loves exploring the world through different characters and experiences in film. She began her formal film journey at Arizona State University where she earned a degree in theatre. She has studied with some of the most prestigious coaches in Los Angeles, including Larry Moss and Howard Fine. Her directorial debut was in September 2019 when she directed an episode of the comedy short series, Difficult Conversations. Her favorite things about directing are working with actors, finding the psychology of the characters, and fleshing out the story.

A native of Austin, Texas, Blake Stowe had an appreciation of film from a young age leading him to study at the University of Texas at Austin. After university, he began working in the industry, honing his skills and practicing techniques in shooting and editing. His initial directing opportunities were for commercial work, and he has steadily moved toward the narrative sector of film. His short film, Catcha Cat, won Best Pur-Formance and a Best Editing award in 2019. Blake has held many different positions on a variety of projects which has helped him understand the importance of the director role. What he loves about directing is the magic that happens when creative minds are firing on all cylinders in unison, resulting in on-screen emotional identifiers to which viewers can relate. Hitting the emotional target through performances and editing, regardless of genre, results in success for a director. He likens film to books in a library saying, “you can quench your thirst for knowledge, entertainment, and well-being with films…”