Gregory Lamberson has been an independent filmmaker for 40 years. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America and International Thriller Writers, the author of 15 books, and has been a film festival director for 15 years. He has raised over one million dollars to produce his microbudget movies, and FANGORIA called him “the busiest man in horror.” 

Gregory has lived in New York State his entire life. He grew up in Fredonia and studied film production at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.  At the age of 19 he worked as the production manager on the horror comedy I Was a Teenage Zombie, and two years later wrote, directed and produced his first feature, Slime City, which played as a midnight movie in 1988 and became an international cult classic.

During his two decades in NYC, Gregory worked as an assistant director on Plutonium Baby, Frank Henenlotter’s Brain Damage, and the crime drama West New York (featuring cast members from The Sopranos) before directing Undying Love and Naked Fear. Between film assignments, he worked as a manager for such NYC institutions as the Angelika Film Center, Kim’s Video, Archive Films, the Paris Theatre and Two Boots Video (as founding manager).

Gregory and his wife Tamar moved to Buffalo in 2003 and Gregory launched a second career as a novelist, authoring 12 critically acclaimed horror novels, two novellas, and an instructional filmmaking book, Cheap Scares: Low Budget Horror Filmmakers Share Their Secrets.  In 2009, he returned to filmmaking with a sequel, Slime City Massacre, which helped form Buffalo’ s then fledgling film community. Soon after, he co-founded Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival, the Facebook filmmaking group Buffalo Niagara Film Professionals, Buffalo Film Expo, and Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival.

Gregory continued to write, direct and produce independent features in Buffalo, including Dry Bones, Killer Rack (written by Paul McGinnis), Johnny Gruesome, Widow’s Point and Guns of Eden; he produced or co-produced Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast, Model Hunger, The Legend of Six Fingers and Unbillievable!, and worked as First Assistant Director on Battledogs and Assault on VA-33. He is an advocate for filmmaking in Western New York and has championed the New York State Film Production Tax Credit.

In 2016, NCCC Film and Animation Fest named him its first Filmmaker of the Year, and in 2019, Shawna Shea Film Festival presented him with its William C. Gerrity Award, named in honor of the legendary Hollywood assistant director and producer. In 2023, he began teaching Screenwriting at University at Buffalo and launched Amazing Fantasy Fest as a solo venture. His most recent film, Frenzy Moon,will be released this fall, and his website is GregoryLambersonFilm.com.

Award-winning composer and filmmaker Sabrina Peña Young’s works have screened internationally at the Beijing Conservatory, New York City's Opera America, NPR Morning Edition, Miramax’s Project Greenlight, New Music Miami Festival, the New York International Independent Film Festival, Art Basil Miami, Turkey’s Cinema for Peace, Art Miami, and Pulsefield International Exhibition of Sound Art, the Holland Animation Film Festival, Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, and countless venues worldwide. She's a Cintas Foundation Composer Fellow and winner of the Buffalo Dreams Lois Webber Award for women in filmmaking. 

In 2013, Young's vision materialized in the form of Libertaria: The Virtual Opera, a sci-fi opera produced entirely online. This groundbreaking work, featuring an international cast of singers and innovative animation, established Young as a pioneer in virtual opera.

In December 2019, Young started Bandwidth Media & Film in Buffalo. With the Covid pandemic the Buffalo film industry was on pause. Young worked in various roles such as Director of Candidate Recruitment for a national political organization and Communication Director for a political non-profit. Young also helps international clients excel in social media by providing omniplatform content. She shares her expertise through workshops and talks, including her TEDx Talk on Libertaria.

Recently, Young has written film scores for the local films Little Green People, Nickel City Tinseltown and Slasher Days of Summer. After a pandemic hiatus, she had her short film Resurrection Day premiere at the inaugural Valkyrie International Film Festival. She incorporates the latest technology and her penchant for sci-fi and all things dystopian for new creative projects like her recent film DoorSlash, co-written with her daughter Eva Rose. Young is dedicated to making art accessible to all through online platforms and free performances. 

Terry Kimmel is a devoted supporter and member of the Buffalo-Niagara film community. Terry was born in the Netherlands but grew up in Buffalo, where he’s lived most of his life except for when he attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Terry's filmmaking aspirations are informed by his mutual love for other art forms, including theater and comics. In the 80s and 90s he was regularly active with the small professional theater community in Buffalo.

Terry has acted in such films as Banshee, Prison of the Psychotic Damned, Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast, Ombis: Alien Invasion, Lonely Bananas and Ragdoll Assassin, and he co-produced the indie features Killer Rack and Message in a Bottle.

For four years, Terry served as the president of Buffalo Movie Video Makers, one of the nation’s oldest movie clubs (now known as Buffalo Film Academy).  Terry is not only a champion of local independent film productions, but of local film festivals as well, and is recognized by filmmakers from around the world who have traveled to Western New York to share their work.

Armand John Petri is a music professional who teaches at SUNY Fredonia. With expertise in artist management, live sound and recording production, Armand has experience in almost every facet of the music industry. His career spans over 30 years, including working with such artists as the Goo Goo Dolls, 10,000 Maniacs, and Sixpence None the Richer.

He has created or co-created soundtracks for the motion pictures Killer Rack, Special Needs Revolt, Johnny Gruesome, 7 Kills, 3 Songs & a Banana, Widow’s Point, Guns of Eden and Frenzy Moon. He has also executive produced several of those films plus Dick Johnson & Tommygun vs.The Cannibal Cop.

From the valuable business lessons Armand has learned, students gain insight into the complex obstacles faced in the music industry. Armand was also the recipient of a Gospel Music Association Dove Award.

Armand's generous support made Cinema Arts Collaborative, Inc. possible.