presents
At the tender age of 19, he started one of the first screen printing shops in the NYC metro area. In 1986, he created Shopasaurus and Partyasaurus, followed by hundreds of other Saurus characters that became a worldwide licensing phenomenon. In 1996, Cliff launched Crucial Comics and the first issue of Rat Bastard, which was optioned by Ron Howard’s Imagine Television in 1999 for a groundbreaking TV series that never aired. In 2004, he returned from Los Angeles to New Jersey and launched a small comic event in Asbury Park in a punk rock club. The Asbury Park Comicon grew into a large show at the legendary Asbury Park Convention Hall. During the lockdown, Cliff wrote his first novel — a sci-fi space opera entitled Jagged Worlds — to be released in 2025.
Kevin Altieri is an American television director of animated cartoons. Altieri’s directorial works include episodes of C.O.P.S., Batman: The Animated Series, and Stripperella.
Altieri directed the music video for Pearl Jam’s “Do the Evolution”.
He also directed the five-minute pilot for Rat Bastard, a cartoon based on the Crucial Comics series of the same name; the short was produced by Imagine Entertainment and pitched to UPN in 2000. Since then, he has worked on Scooby Doo, Avengers, Spider-Man, and many other animated shows.
Moderated by: Cliff Galbraith
The cast and creators of McConadilla in discussion with Cliff Galbraith.
Actor/director Layton Matthews and collaborators discuss their recent success at film festivals across America with their puppet-turned-slasher film McComadilla. Learn how they came together to overcome insurmountable odds to complete and promote their unique film and see it gain praise and momentum. A must-see for all aspiring filmmakers or anyone who loves a good laugh.
Advising filmmakers on how to avoid making serious mistakes when it comes to the use of music in their works.
Les Scott is a veteran of the music industry whose publishing company Source Q Boutique specializes in music placement in film and television and currently represents over 400 writers/artists. A few of SQB placements include; 9-1-1 (fox), Shameless (show),
Pivoting (fox), Chicago P.D. (nbc), American Idol (fox), Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (abc), and House (fox).
Stage manager (television), director and cameraman for more
than 400+ PSA’s, talk shows and newscasts over a four-year period with KVOA-TV 4 (Tucson, AZ) and KOLD-TV 13 (Tucson, AZ). A United States Air Force veteran, novelist (Simon and Schuster), magazine/newspaper articles, greeting cards and screenwriter for more than 20 years, Mark Crockett has also lectured/held seminars about Writing/Publishing (as an adjunct professor) throughout the Southwest at a plethora of book conferences, colleges and universities. CEO and writer/producer for Paddlefoot Productions, LLC
(www.paddlefootproductions.com) out of Mesa, Arizona.
Workshop Presenter Bio Jerry Horton Filmmaker | Workshop Leader | Advocate for Accessible Storytelling
Jerry Horton is a passionate filmmaker and educator dedicated to empowering new voices in film—especially those facing the barriers of limited resources and overwhelming creative obstacles. With 25 years of experience behind and in front of the camera, he knows firsthand the challenges of starting out without a budget or industry connections. As the creator and instructor of “Start Filmmaking Now—No Budget, No Problem,” BK Blaq draws from a wealth of hands-on experience transforming everyday tools, free resources, and community networks into compelling cinematic work.
Kelly Sallaway is an Emmy-winning Executive Producer and documentary filmmaker with deep experience in funding and distributing unscripted content. She has successfully brought numerous documentaries to life through commissioning, co-production, and strategic partnerships, and is passionate about helping filmmakers navigate the complex landscape of
financing and distribution.
Her recent 3-part docuseries Prisoner of the Prophet was commissioned as a Discovery+ Original and is now streaming on HBO Max. Her latest feature documentary, Prairie Prophecy, premiered in 2025 and is slated for national broadcast on Public Television in 2026.