International
Indie Filmmakers
Hall of Fame

Class of 2024 Ray Szuch is a distinguished producer and stunt coordinator with three Emmy wins and four nominations. He has been active in the film industry since the 1960s, contributing to numerous projects. Szuch founded World Entertainment Online and The Indie Gathering International Film Festival, co-founded The International Horror Hotel Film Festival, and created the show Horror Hotel. Known for his networking skills, he continues to inspire and connect filmmakers and actors.

Class of 2024 Scott T. Morrison, a 1983 Florida Tech graduate, holds degrees in Management Science, Marketing, and Computer Science. He founded Discovery Photo in 1991, specializing in portrait, architectural, and fine art photography. His work has been featured in numerous publications and galleries, including The Cleveland Museum of Art. With over 80 IMDB credits, he excels in cinematography and gaffing. Outside of work, he enjoys being with family.

Class of 2024 My wife encouraged me to find a hobby, suggesting I try acting. I took her advice and discovered a passion for the craft, performing in various plays and earning my Equity card. A role as an extra in Welcome to Collinwood sparked my love for film, where collaboration among cast and crew fascinated me. I cherished the relationships built on set, leading to over 100 projects. Thanks to the support and guidance of others, acting and filmmaking became my greatest joy.

Class of 2024 Amy Leigh McCorkle is a prominent figure in the film industry as co-founder of Healing Hands Entertainment and author of the international bestseller Letters to Daniel. She has achieved 13 Amazon Bestseller titles, published 36 works, and written over 40 screenplays. Her film Letters to Daniel has garnered over 100 awards, including Best Original Song at the Indie Series Awards. McCorkle also hosts the Recovery Unplugged Live Podcast and has four feature films in development.

Class of 2024 James “Gappy” Burney, who dreamed of acting since childhood, overcame his fears at 42 with support from his wife, Dawn. He began as an extra in a local horror film, leading to over 60 film appearances, including 50 shorts and 8 features. Burney has won 3 Best Actor awards and several Best Supporting Actor accolades. He emphasizes that passion for acting transcends age and experience, urging others to pursue their dreams to avoid future regrets.

Our 2019 inductee is JoAnn Hess. JoAnn is a multi-award-winning Master screenwriter, filmmaker, and voice-over artist. Named as one of the industry’s Most Recommended Writers, JoAnn’s stories revolve around the socially-disenfranchised, those whom society has forgotten, who struggle to find a place in the world. JoAnn is highly sought out as her work has been optioned and contracted for-hire by several producers in both the US and UK. She mentors other writers through seminars and panels.

Bob Messinger, a 2018 inductee for screenwriting, studied filmmaking and screenwriting under some of the brightest professionals in both New York and Los Angeles. His scripts have placed in screenwriting competitions such as Francis Ford Coppela's American Zoetrope Contest (Semi-Finalist), ENDAS International Screenwriting Expo (Best Script), Garden State Film Festival (Top 5 Finalist), and several of his scripts have been winners in The Indie Gathering International screenwriting competition.

Erik William was inducted in 2018 for his work as a TV Host. He is the host of both "Saturday Fright Theater" and "Indie Films Backstage". Previously, he was co-host of "The Phil and Erik Show", and he also currently works as a field producer and interviewer on "Horror Hotel". In addition to his work in hosting, Erik is also an award-winning filmmaker and an actor.

Jason Tostevin is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, film festival director, and founder of Hands Off Productions, a boutique studio with a worldwide reputation for its short genre films. Jason has directed and produced a string of festival-hit short genre films. In 2016, he co-founded Nightmares Film Festival, a celebration of "Better Horror." Jason has become a leader in independent film, speaking at festivals and presenting film circuit insight in his "#BetterFesting" live broadcasts.

Saba studied acting in Cannes and performed in France for many years before moving to the United States in 1996. After presenting his own productions with Saba Dance Theater for five seasons, he decided to pursue his dream and passion as an actor. Since 2006, Saba has appeared in many indie movies, tv shows, and major productions. In 2010, he started Cloudy Sky Films, a film production company based in NYC, to create roles for himself and other actors by writing, directing and producing films.

Bruno Tatalovic, inducted for his work in teaching, is an independent film producer, screen actor, and professor of creative arts at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, OH.

Michael Gibrall, President of One of Each Productions LLC, is a two-time Emmy Award winner. Michael has been writing screenplays since 2010, in which he has received dozens of awards and nominations from the film festival circuit. He is listed in the Del Weston book, "Top 50 Indie Writers In The World." Currently, he is a screenwriting judge for the Eerie Horror Fest, listed as a "Top 13 Film Festival To 'Die' For" by MovieMaker Magazine.