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Wildcat Rebellion Studios is a group of kids who love making short films, skits and sketches! Over the years, we've been improving our filmmaking skills and creating better, higher quality films. So, if you look at our first film, made when we called ourselves "Boring Pictures," and compare it to our latest film, you should be able to tell how much better we've gotten at telling a story, filming, and editing our films. While it is fun to watch the end products (our movies), it's also interesting to learn about those in front of and behind the camera! This page is dedicated to the most prominent people we've worked with, all of whom have left a lasting mark on our studio.
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MEET THE FOUNDERS
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WILLIAM
William is a co-founder of and executive producer at Wildcat Rebellion Studios. Since 2010, he has had a passion for creating films. After four years of producing his own films, he and Nora founded Wildcat Rebellion Studios to broaden their filmmaking reach. Over time, he has directed (almost) every film produced by the studio. In fall 2020, he will take his filmmaking to the next level at Emerson College, in Boston. Along with his love for film are his passions for music (Coldplay!) and biking.
FILMS STARRED IN:
1. Frozen: In 5 Minutes (2014) 2. Star Wars: Epic Battle (2014) 3. The Hungry Games: Catching Fire – Literally (2014) 4. Grindelwald's Reign (2014) 5. Duel of the Fates (2014) 6. How to Defend Your Yard Against Death Eaters (2014) 7. 10 Cheesy Movie Deaths (2014) 8. Real Life Gun Game (2014) 9. The Legend of the Haunted Basement (2014) 10. Gindelwald's Reign Part 2 (2014) 11. The Battle of the Three Armies (2015) 12. The Battle of the TV (2015) 13. Survival (2015) 14. Die 88te Dimension (2015) 15. Squid Safari (2016) 16. Disease (2016) 17. Rogue One: In 5 Minutes (2017) 18. War PAUL (2017) 19. Dude Imperfect (2018) 20. Dude Imperfect: Recycling Edition (2019) 21. Real Life Gun Game II (2019) 22. A Light In The Dark (2019) 23. Six Feet Apart (2020) |
NORA
Nora is a co-founder of and executive producer at Wildcat Rebellion Studios. Her interest in filmmaking was initially sparked by William in 2012, and, as she became more involved in projects with him, she helped found Wildcat Rebellion Studios in mid-2014. Since then, she has co-starred with other studio members and talented actors in almost every film produced by the studio. When she isn't helping out on a film shoot or in the writer's room, she spends her time biking, skiing, playing saxophone, and running track.
FILMS STARRED IN:
1. Frozen: In 5 Minutes (2014) 2. Star Wars: Epic Battle (2014) 3. The Hungry Games: Catching Fire – Literally (2014) 4. Grindelwald's Reign (2014) 5. The Disappearing Act (2014) 6. 10 Cheesy Movie Deaths (2014) 7. Real Life Gun Game (2014) 8. Survival (2015) 9. Gun It! (2015) 10. Trapped (2015) 11. Die 88te Dimension (2015) 12. What Happens When You're Bored (2016) 13. Fallout (2016) 14. An Oscar-Winning Anti-Bullying Film (2016) 15. Every Horror Movie Ever (2016) 16. Disease (2016) 17. Snippy Snappy Sniper (2016) 18. Rogue One: In 5 Minutes (2017) 19. War PAUL (2017) 20. Real Life Gun Game II (2019) 21. A Light In The Dark (2019) 22. Six Feet Apart (2020) |
ADAM
Adam is an executive producer at Wildcat Rebellion Studios. He joined William and Nora as heads of production almost immediately after the founding of the studio in 2014. Ever since, he has produced and acted in nearly every single Wildcat Rebellion film. In 2019, he wrote and directed the studio's biggest film to date, Real Life Gun Game II, which was an instant hit. Outside of filmmaking, Adam is incredibly active and spends most of his time outdoors biking, hiking, running, swimming, and skiing.
FILMS STARRED IN:
1. 10 Cheesy Movie Deaths (2014) 2. Real Life Gun Game (2014) 3. Survival (2015) 4. Gun It! (2015) 5. Trapped (2015) 6. Die 88te Dimension (2015) 7. What Happens When You're Bored (2016) 8. Squid Safari (2016) 9. Every Horror Movie Ever (2016) 10. The Video Where Nobody Dies (2016) 11. Snippy Snappy Sniper (2016) 12. Fantastic Bombs and Where to Light Them (2017) 13. Real Life Gun Game II (2019) 14. A Light In The Dark (2019) |
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STUDIO MEMBERS & CREATIVE PARTNERS
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JACOB BANAS / ACTOR & PRODUCER
A newcomer to the studio, Jacob got involved with Wildcat Rebellion as the lead in the sequel to our cult-classic film, Real Life Gun Game. Starring as Jacob Rabiez Banas, son of Will Rabiez, his amazing performance carried the film and has earned him a spot in the Wildcat Rebellion "Hall of Fame." His enthusiasm and work ethic on set certainly left a mark on us, and we look forward to working with him on the third Real Life Gun Game film. LILY BARNARD / ACTRESS
Lily has starred in several different Wildcat Rebellion films over the years, mainly because of her connection to the studio through her sister Nora. Although she mainly plays minor roles, her presence is made special by being long-time neighbors with the heads of the studio. She was most enthusiastic in her latest on-screen role as a young Jyn Erso in Rogue One: In 5 Minutes in 2017. We hope to have her back for future films. AVA BLACKWELL KINNEY / ACTRESS
Ava has been involved with some of the earliest Wildcat Rebellion films and has appeared consistently throughout the years. This owes mainly to her connection with the studio through her brother William, as well as being neighbors with the rest of the studio leaders. Her career and interest as an actress can be credited to starting here at the studio. Since then, it has successfully developed to the point where she has been landing roles across the Twin Cities. As the studio continues to create films, it is safe to say she will show up more in the future! KAMI BLACKWELL KINNEY / PRODUCER
As William's mother, Kami has technically funded every single production the studio has ever worked on. She also often caters our productions and chauffeurs various crew members and actors to and from set (most notably for Real Life Gun Game II). Furthermore, she starred in Cryptic Closet, which was produced for the Film Riot & Filmstro 1-Minute Short Film Contest. In the future, we hope to see her in more projects and thank her for her service thus far. MATTHEW BLACKWELL KINNEY / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & SOUND MIXER
Matthew is one of the executive producers of Wildcat Rebellion Studios. Being the father of William, he has, in a way, funded every single film the studio has created. Without his support, none of our films would have been possible. He has recently become more involved in filmmaking and the studio, joining in as the 1st Assistant Director on the productions of Cryptic Closet and Midnight Snack in late 2017, as well as an executive producer for Real Life Gun Game II, Time For Oatmeal, and A Light In The Dark. BILLY CANTER / ACTOR, MUSICIAN, & SINGER
From being a master at the piano to singing in the Minnesota Boy Choir to being an uncommonly-professional child actor, it seems like there isn't a thing Billy can't do! Making his Wildcat Rebellion debut in the short film A Light In The Dark, he is hands-down the most natural actor we have ever worked with. His skills continue to impress us, although he is one of the younger individuals we have collaborated with. Regardless, his killer performance stands as a shining example of what great acting can be. MIMI FEILMEYER / ACTRESS
Mimi is a long-term acquaintance of William, and they have attended the same school(s) for 12 years. In 2016, she starred in one of the studio's major films, Squid Safari, as Safari Ted's assistant. Although she had zero lines, her performance was still outstanding and amplified Ben Schneider's comedic character throughout the film. MATTHEW GALE / ACTOR & VISIONARY PRODUCER
Matthew can be credited with a couple of different things regarding Wildcat Rebellion Studios. In addition to starring in the film Casual Jackson in 2016, he was the initial creator of the 88th Dimension—arguably the best original concept the studio has ever had. If the studio decides to take the concept further, it would all be thanks to him. ARIEL "AREE" GRYMALA / ACTRESS & DIRECTOR
An emerging filmmaker herself, Aree was more than happy to star in the studio's production It's The Story That Matter in 2018. Her involvement with the project was through the youth media organization called Juice Media, based in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is currently pursuing filmmaking after creating a short film called Hi, I'm Mentally Ill, which was screened along with It's The Story That Matters at an event at FilmNorth. JACKSON HUMES / ACTOR
While Jackson is fairly new to the studio, he did manage to snag a role in the studio's biggest film to date: Real Life Gun Game II. He lent both his epic drip and dying skills to this massive production, starring in one of the funniest unscripted moments in any of our films (see Real Life Gun Game II). LIZZIE HUTCHINS / PRODUCER & MENTOR
Lizzie Hutchins was the instructor of the youth media organization called Juice Media, run by FilmNorth in St. Paul, Minnesota. Throughout the spring of 2018, she helped produce the film It's The Story That Matters. Additionally, she played several background roles in the film and helped set up the set and equipment for each shoot day. Her knowledge of the creative process and filmmaking was invaluable to the studio, helping us improve our formula for future projects. BETHANY KINNEY / ACTRESS
Being one of William's cousins, Bethany has starred in a few Wildcat Rebellion films over the years, most notably The Battle of the Three Armies. Similar to her cousin Lauren Paulson, she is a natural actress and works with her school's theater group at Northwestern University MN. Our studio is excited to see where she goes with her talent! TYLER KINNEY / ACTOR & ANIMATOR
Tyler is a talented collaborator who has worked with Wildcat Rebellion Studios on various films—lending his goofy acting skills, facial expressions, and voices to numerous projects. A cousin of William, he has a deep personal connection with the studio, with his most recent project being the skit Dude Perfect. Along with filmmaking, Tyler pursued being a stuntman for a long time. Nowadays, he is on the path to becoming an artist and animator, and is currently working on a college degree for it. In the future, we hope the studio will be able to feature his animation and artistic skill in our films! JACKSON KÖMPEL / ACTOR & PRODUCER
At this point, the name "Jackson Kömpel" is legendary within Wildcat Rebellion Studios. Beginning his career in some of the studio's earliest films, he made a name for himself not only through his unique personality but also his terrifyingly-strange acting abilities. Most notably, he is known for his roles in the 88th Dimension Anthology films, playing an inter-dimensional squid in both Die 88te Dimension and Squid Safari. Sadly, Jackson moved from the Twin Cities to California in mid-2016, marking the end of the collaborative friendship he had with the studio. His work, however, lives on in some of the best films the studio has ever produced. ELIJAH PAULSON / ACTOR
Elijah has starred in a several Wildcat Rebellion films over the years. Like a few other Wildcat Rebellion collaborators, he is cousins with William and, therefore, has a lasting connection with the studio. His work ranges from horror films (The Legend of the Haunted Basement) to obnoxious parodies (Dude Imperfect), and he is incredible in each and every role he plays. In the first years after the studio's founding, he experimented with filmmaking himself, producing a couple of different shorts. If he ever decides to dip back into the field again, a spot as assistant director is waiting for him! LAUREN PAULSON / ACTRESS
Being William's cousin, Lauren is a long-time fan of Wildcat Rebellion Studios. In 2015, she made her debut, starring in the lead role of The Battle of the Three Armies alongside the rest of her cousins. Since then, she's been involved in her school's theater productions at Northwestern University MN and we can't wait to see where her acting career takes her next! HENRY PHILLIPS / ACTOR, PRODUCER, MARKETING LEADER, & SOUND MIXER
Henry is one of the earliest creative partners of Wildcat Rebellion Studios. Before working with the studio, he made films with William, Nora, and Adam, and even produced a short film series. In 2014, starred in the cult-classic Real Life Gun Game, and it was mainly because of his relentless enthusiasm that the sequel, Real Life Gun Game II was made. Because of his high-energy personality, his presence is always known in the studio, making him an amazing marketing leader (especially if the movie in question has the words "Real" "Life" and "Gun Game" in the title). Most recently, he stole the show in the award-winning short film A Light In The Dark, playing Aaron alongside Billy Canter and Elijah Zupfer. ROCKY ROBEY / ACTOR & PRODUCER
Rocky is a long-time fan of Wildcat Rebellion films, but has only recently made his acting debut. Starring alongside the heads of the studio in the sequel to our most-viewed film, Real Life Gun Game, he made his mark as the rocket launcher-wielding action-hero Rocky Rockstar. Now a part of the studio, we hope to see him in future films! JULIA RYNKIEWICH / ACTRESS
Julia made her Wildcat Rebellion debut as an extra in the studio's biggest film of 2019, Real Life Gun Game II, playing a tribute in the film's epic opening scene. Being good friends with Nora, she returned as an extra in A Light In The Dark. However, in 2020, she upped her acting game and starred alongside Nora and William in the skit Six Feet Apart, the first Wildcat Rebellion film with more women than men! We thank her for risking her life to film Six Feet and hope to work with her again soon! BEN SCHMIDT / ACTOR
Being one of William's best friends, Ben has always been connected to Wildcat Rebellion in one way or another. During the months before the founding of the studio, he and William created a small company called MMC, along with Ian Zibble and Jackson Kömpel. Although the company didn't last, Ben's enthusiasm for filmmaking inspired William to take his passion forward. In 2015, Ben made his debut in the short film Alone—the studio's first drama. Since then, he took part in both Wildcat Rebellion film festivals, starring in The Life of Ben and Stonelock Holmes: His Last Blunt. BEN SCHNEIDER / ACTOR, WRITER, SINGER, & PRODUCER
Ben is an incredibly-talented creative partner who worked with William for the first few years after the studio's founding. Together, they co-wrote the first two 88th Dimension Anthology films. In the first, he starred as the villainous Donaldius Trumpiticus, and in the second, the good-natured Safari Ted. Currently, Ben is involved in his school theater group and regularly stars in lead roles. Additionally, he is one of the top members of the Minnesota Boy Choir and tours the world with the organization. In the future, we hope he can find time in his overwhelming schedule to shoot something with the studio. Until then, we wish him luck with wherever his skills take him. OLIVER SWANSON / ACTOR & SINGER
Known for his strength and tendency to beat people up (as well as sing in the Minnesota Boy Choir), Oliver Swanson—not related to Adam Swanson—received the honor of having an entire scene dedicated to him in the studio's sequel to Real Life Gun Game. Arguably the best action scene we've ever created, the "Oliver Fight Scene" is one of the great hallmarks of Wildcat Rebellion filmmaking. If there was ever a third film made in the Real Life Gun Game saga, Oliver would definitely be in it—no questions asked. JACKSON SHEIRE / ACTOR & PRODUCER
Jackson is one of the core studio members at Wildcat Rebellion. Working closely with William, Nora, and Adam, he made his debut in late 2014, alongside his younger brother, Zane, in the film Grindelwald's Reign — Part I. In 2016, he starred in a leading role in the short film Fallout, and quickly became a breakout star in following films. In his free time, he is an avid gamer, LEGO-builder, and enjoys biking and competitive rowing. ZANE SHEIRE / ACTOR
Zane first became involved with Wildcat Rebellion Studios after playing the title role in Grindelwald's Reign — Part I in the mid-2014. Coming back to act in Part II later that year secured his place as one of the most driven actors at the studio. More recently, he starred once again as a wand-wielding wizard in Fantastic Bombs and Where to Light Them, making him the most magical member of the Wildcat Rebellion team. With that under his belt, he enjoys soccer, video games, LEGOs, and being with his friends. SAVINA SISNEROS / ACTRESS & DIRECTOR
Primarily a filmmaker, Savina is known for short films such as A Grave Mistake, but agreed to be the lead in the studio's film It's The Story That Matters in 2018. It wasn't hard for her to step into the shoes of the main character—a hot-tempered film director with a flair for storytelling. She is currently pursuing directing as a career and we wish her luck with her future films! DEACON WARNER / PRODUCER & MENTOR
Deacon is the person to thank for Wildcat Rebellion's existence. In 2014, William and Nora took his Short Cuts class at FilmNorth (then called IFP MN) and made the film Frozen: In 5 Minutes. When making the film, Deacon challenged the two, along with actress Kailey Gibson, to come up with a group name they could associate their film with. Originally, they decided on "Boring Pictures," but soon changed it to "Wildcat Rebellion Studios." In 2015, William and Nora took another class led by Deacon, where they made the documentary Homeless Not Hopeless, which aired on local television in the Twin Cities. Once again, William collaborated with him in 2018 when working on It's The Story That Matters, and, most recently, William worked with Deacon on an initiative for local emerging filmmakers called the Young Filmmakers' Coalition. We owe him many thanks for journey he started us on and are open to working with him again! IAN ZIBBLE / ACTOR & COMPOSER
Ian is one of the studio's veteran collaborators and made his debut in Grindelwald's Reign — Part II in 2014. Being good friends with William, he has had a very personal connection with many of the studio's productions. He is best known for his contributions to the 88th Dimension Anthology series, for which he composed the main theme. Furthermore, he starred as himself in the second film in the series, Squid Safari. In the series' latest film, A Light In The Dark, his original theme was reinterpreted and given a fresh take, featured in the studio's first-ever original Official Soundtrack. ELIJAH ZUPFER / ACTOR & SINGER
Elijah is one of the studio's most-frequent and favorite collaborators. Along with being musically talented and in the Minnesota Boy Choir, Elijah already has a solid acting career throughout the Twin Cities and attends the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. He first starred in the studio's one-minute short film Midnight Snack with his parents, Jeff and Naomi Zupfer, in 2017. In 2019, he returned to star in the sort-of-sequel Time For Oatmeal, as well as play the character Nolan in the studio's award-winning short film A Light In The Dark. We'll definitely be working with him again soon! GIDEON ZUPFER / ACTOR & DIRECTOR
Gideon is a skilled actor, singer, and (recently) filmmaker who is a welcome addition to Wildcat Rebellion Studios. Part of a talented family and the Minnesota Boy Choir, he is already highly accomplished for his age. In late 2017, he put his skills to the test and starred in the lead role of Cryptic Closet, one of the studio's most decorated films. Additionally, he has begun experimenting with filmmaking himself—specifically stop-animation. If his passion for storytelling continues, he will most certainly find himself back at the studio—either in front of the camera or behind. JEFF ZUPFER / ACTOR & MUSICIAN
Jeff is one of the most experienced people to collaborate with Wildcat Rebellion Studios. With countless musical gigs and acting gigs under his belt, we were delighted when he lent his skills to screaming over a plate of chocolate chip cookies in the short film Midnight Snack. His help with the film made it be one of the best the studio has ever produced, and we hope to see him in future productions! NAOMI ZUPFER / ACTRESS
Being profoundly talented, Naomi made her Wildcat Rebellion debut in the 2017 short film Midnight Snack alongside her husband Jeff Zupfer. Although new to the studio, she is a veteran when it comes to acting, coming from a highly-creative family. As the mother of Elijah Zupfer, one of the studio's most frequent collaborators, she is one of the studio's number-one fans! We look forward to working with her again in the future. |