ESQ. MANAGEMENT
Biographies

 

                         CHRIS CONLEE   

                                              Editor - Director

                                         Chris Conlee

Award Winning Feature Film Editor and Director CHRIS CONLEE learned the value of hard work “down on the farm”. And, where Chris Conlee is concerned, that’s not just an expression;
he literally grew up on a farm
. But agriculture was not Conlee’s career of choice. Like many budding filmmakers, it wasn’t long before he appropriated his parents’ Super-8 Camera and began piecing together amateur films.  And, although Chris studied for and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Systems Engineering and Business from the Oregon Institute of Technology; and subsequently, even enlisted in and served for five years in the U.S. Army, Film remained Chris’
one true and abiding passion. 

Chris eventually enrolled in the Film School at Columbia College, Hollywood.  And, before graduating from Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television, he discovered that he had a special knack for Film Editing.  Conlee also discovered that the intuitive feel which he had for the Art of  Film Editing was perfectly complemented by his background in information technology since that background allowed him to master new editing technologies and new editing software as soon as they became available.

Conlee’s professional career as an Editor began rather humbly when he and an old Army buddy set up shop and eventually began to barely eke out a living editing Actors’ Demo Reels. And, although the old Army buddy eventually got married and ‘moved on’, Chris kept telling himself - and others - that he knew he could edit Feature Films. And finally, one of Conlee’s Demo Reel clients gave him the opportunity to prove that he really could cut Feature Films when the Demo Reel client hired Chris to edit the Feature Extreme Honor”.  Once Chris completed his work on Extreme Honor”, he was able to announce with confidence, “I am a Feature Film Editor”.

Conlee’s love of Horror Films fueled his career, driving him to take on fun, creatively satisfying projects like two of his personal favorites, Boo and Abominable”. But, Chris did not want to limit himself to just one genre; and, his amazing range and talent have enabled him to work in and excel in virtually every Feature Film genre imaginable,  as well as in Television and Music Videos.

Chris’ work has garnered critical acclaim – with his editing on Director VLADIMIR ALENIKOV’S thriller, The Gun”, being awarded the coveted Best Editing Award from the Strasburg International Film Festival. And, more importantly, Chris has earned the respect of his colleagues and is frequently engaged to work with directors like RICHARD DAY of Girls Will Be Girls fame; and, Veteran Director WILLIAM DEAR, on second and third engagements.

 

 As of late, Conlee has lent his talents to Family Features such as 20th Century Fox’s The Sandlot – Heading Home” and Mandalay and Prelude Pictures’ The Perfect Game, both of which were directed by William (Bill) Dear. To date, Chris Conlee has edited more than twenty Feature Films all of which have been distributed either Theatrically, via Cable Television, and / or, on DVD.

And, Chris’ small town upbringing, plus, his five years spent as a military service man, continue to influence his big city work here in Hollywood, enabling him to deliver honest assessments of a film’s potential with tact; and, motivating him to put in the long hours and hard work necessary to bring to fruition each and every director’s artistic vision and to cause each film to reach its maximum potential.

In addition to making available his Editing Talent and Services, with some help from long-time Office Partner and Fellow Editor, Christopher Roth; and, long-time Agent, Patricia Lee, as well as reliance upon his own business background and training, Conlee maintains and makes available his own editing studio and office in the Burbank-Glendale area. Conlee’s facility features AVID ADRENALINE, AVID XPRESS PRO with AVID MOJO, FINAL CUT PRO 5.0, DV PRO DECK, BETA-SP Deck, and, Sound  Effects and Music Libraries which can service and accommodate Film and Video-based Feature Film  and Television projects, with the capability of handling both Standard Definition and High Definition.

True to his upbringing, Conlee is nothing if not ambitious and hardworking:

As though award-winning editing work and running his own editing studio weren’t challenging enough, Conlee has recently followed his biggest dreams and taken a seat in the Director’s Chair. Chris came to Hollywood with an idea in the back of his mind: “Someday, I’m going to be a Director”.  And today, he is a DIRECTOR. When one of the producers who Chris had edited for on the Feature Film, “Boo”, BRIAN O’TOOLE, called Conlee up one day and asked him if he was interested in directing O’Toole’s latest project, Evilution”, Conlee jumped at the chance to return to his Horror Film roots for his Directorial Debut!   With an Editing Studio of his own; an impressive Editing Résumé; and now, a Director’s Credit to his name, Conlee is certainly one of the Film Industry’s Rising Stars!

 

 

CHRISTOPHER ROTH
Editor

From a very early age, Avid Horror and Sci-Fi Film Fan CHRISTOPHER ROTH knew that he wanted to go to Hollywood and work in the Movies. Fortunately, Chris’ parents, both heavily involved in local musical theater in their hometown of Syracuse, New York, were supportive of their son’s goals. And, as a result, when Chris was in the seventh grade, his parents made two major additions to the Roth household: A Darkroom and a Movie Camera, both of which Chris promptly put to good use.


Shortly after commandeering the family darkroom and the family movie camera, Chris became fascinated with and inspired by the magazine, FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, as well as by its legendary Creator – Editor – Publisher, FORREST J. ACKERMAN. As Chris himself says about “Uncle Forrie” and Uncle Forrie’s magazine, “they changed my life”.

Another early and formative influence was Director D.W. GRIFFITH and Griffith’s Feature Film, “INTOLERANCE”, a film which the future Film Editor borrowed time and time again from the local public library in order to frame by frame watch, study, and learn Film Editing Technique.

Immediately upon graduation from high school, Chris Roth enrolled in the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Professional Photography and Motion Picture Production Program, which, for a self-taught young man like Roth, was ideal: Class sizes were small and the programs of study were not rigidly structured, thus allowing students the freedom to tailor their coursework to their long-term career goals. While at R.I.T., Roth made the most of this self-directed approach to college studies. And, while doing so, he became acquainted with fellow R.I.T. student / future Director, STEPHEN CHIODO.


After graduating from R.I.T., Roth got a job as a Television News Film Editor in Washington D. C. And, before long, Roth’s job as a Television News Film Editor in D.C., led to a job as a Television News Film Editor at KABC in Los Angeles (Hollywood) California!


While Editing Television News Footage was not Roth’s ultimate career goal, doing so enabled Roth to develop a ‘fast eye’, since in TV News Film Editing Roth found it necessary to edit the raw footage in his head while viewing it for the first time; and to then, immediately translate that vision to the raw footage, with the result being that, in just a short time, a complete and finished product was suitable for airing. After Roth had spent a few years honing his ‘fast eye’; winning a couple of Golden Mike Awards; and, editing the news at KABC, he was given a golden opportunity to utilize his ‘fast eye’ in editing a totally different type of Film project, i.e. in editing a project which was much more in keeping with his original purpose and his original desire in moving to Hollywood: Roth was given the opportunity to edit a Feature-length Science Fiction Film entitled, “KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE”, a Feature Film which was being directed by Roth’s former R.I.T. classmate, STEPHEN CHIODO.


Upon completion, “KILLER KLOWNS” quickly went on to become a Cult Classic; and, to eventually be picked up by MGM for distribution. Following his work on “KILLER KLOWNS”, Chris Roth worked with Stephen Chiodo – and Stephen’s brothers Charles and Edward -- on several other projects: “VINCENT” (Walt Disney Pictures), directed by Tim Burton; “THE MOUSE AND THE MOTORCYCLE” (ABC Television) directed by Ron Underwood; “COUSIN KEVIN” (ABC Television) directed by Stephen Chiodo; and, “ROBOCOP” (Orion ) directed by Paul Verhoeven and produced by Jon Davision.


With his reputation now established as a top-notch Editor of Sci-Fi and Horror Feature Films, Roth began to branch out and edit Feature Films written, produced, and directed by additional top tier ‘Genre’ Feature Filmmakers:


Roth cut the trendsetting Horror Feature which launched JENNIFER ANISTON as a leading lady, “LEPRECHAUN”, for Writer - Director MARK JONES. “LEPRECHAUN” went on to be released Theatrically across the U.S.; and, to become Trimark Pictures' most profitable original Theatrical Release of all times!   And, to date, “LEPRECHAUN” has spawned no less than five sequels!  Soon after the successful release of “LEPRECHAUN”, Roth developed a long-running association with famed ‘B-movie’ Producer - Director BRIAN YUZNA, for whom Roth edited several very well-regarded Horror Features, including: “RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD III”, “NECRONOMICON”, “THE DENTIST”, and, “THE DENTIST II”. But, the most successful of Roth’s collaborations with Yuzna was the acclaimed Action Feature, “CRYING FREEMAN”.  On the fairly high-budget “CRYING FREEMAN”, Roth spent nine months working in Vancouver, Canada, where he was entrusted with the dual responsibilities of Co-Editing and Post-Production Supervision. The resulting Action – Adventure Feature was Distributed Worldwide by WARNER BROS.PICTURES; and, it led directly to its Director -- CHRISTOPHE GANS -- being given the opportunity to direct the highly successful Horror Feature, “Brotherhood of the Wolf”.


In the years since Christopher Roth has secured his reputation as a top tier Sci-Fi / Horror Feature Film Editor, with the help of his Agent, PATRICIA E. LEE, Esq., Roth has also expanded his horizons to include many Comedies, such as, Director BARRY BOWLES’ Urban Comedies, “MALIBOOTY!”, “WIFEY”, and “SHOW STOPPERS”; and, Director STEPHEN WALLIS’ Family Relations Comedy, “A CHRISTMAS TOO MANY”; plus, Roth has had the opportunity to work on two high-budget Union Family Features, 20th Century Fox’s “THE SANDLOT – HEADING HOME” and Prelude Pictures’ / Mandalay Integrated Media’s “THE PERFECT GAME”, both of which were directed by Veteran Director WILLIAM (BILL) DEAR and edited by fellow Esq. Management Talent Agency Client, Chris Conlee, with Roth working as Conlee's Assistant Editor.


Simultaneously with his expansion into the Comedy and Family Genres, Feature Film Editor, CHRISTOPHER ROTH, continues to be in high demand as a Sci-Fi and Horror Feature Film Editor:

As this Bio is being written, Roth has just finished editing, is currently editing; and, is engaged to
edit several Sci-Fi and Horror Feature Films which will premiere on the Sci-Fi Channel. The first such film, Director Anthony C. Ferrante’s “HEADLESS HORSEMAN”,
produced by Kenneth M. Badish under his Active Entertainment banner, is slated to premiere on the Sci-Fi Channel on Saturday, October 27, 2007 (the Saturday before Halloween).  And, prior to the premiere of the first of the Sci-Fi Channel Movies, the much anticipated and Film Festival Award Winning Horror Feature, “HATCHET”, is slated to open THEATRICALLY, NATIONWIDE, on Friday, September 7, 2007.


Although Chris Roth’s primary area of specialization is Feature Film Editing, Roth also functions
as a Post-Production Supervisor, Visual Effects Editor, Trailer Editor, and, Film Doctor. Roth’s Editing Studio and Office are located just over the Burbank City Line in Glendale, conveniently located near the intersection of the 5 and the 134 Freeways on Western Avenue, near several media neighbors such as Sunset Digital, Monkeyland Audio, Mercury Studios, and, Westwind Media. Roth’s facilities feature Avid Xpress Pro with Avid Mojo, Final Cut Pro 5.0, an extensive Sound Effects Library and Music Library, plus, the capability of handling projects which are Standard Def-based, High Def-based, and / or 16mm or 35mm Film-based.


For additional information call PATRICIA E. LEE, ESQ. at 310.252.9879
© Copyright 2007 Patricia E. Lee