THOMAS MERCER
Writer – Director / Co-producer
Mercer holds a Masters degree from Rockefeller College in Public Affairs. He also studied film at Ithaca College while pursuing a degree in Politics. Following a 20-year career in public service, he launched a second career in independent filmmaking and screenwriting. During his career transition, he built a network of talented associates in the media arts. Mercer co-founded and led a regional chapter of the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (AIVF), which has grown to more than 150 members, the most active AIVF salon in the country. Translating his public management experience to film producing, Mercer assembled a talented cast and crew to produce Face of the Enemy, a short film extracted from his feature script Uncivil Liberties. The full feature production of Uncivil Liberties is Mercer’s directorial debut. Currently he is co-producing and is also one of the writers of American General: Benedict Arnold, a two-hour cinematic documentary slated for national television broadcast in 2008.


TONY GROCKI
Editor / Co-producer / “Sam Norton”
Grocki studied acting and drama as well as film at Hofstra University. He appears in films whenever he gets a break from his busy film/video editing schedule. He appeared in Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author as the Stage Manager and as Dinny in Dinny and the Witches by William Gibson. Tony has 18 years experience working in the editing room on many feature films for noted directors such as Jim Jarmusch, Abel Ferrara, and Paul Schrader. He has edited numerous short films and features where his role also included that of Associate Producer.


JUSTIN MAINE
Director of Photography
Maine spent his younger years building a strong foundation in art, design, and photography. The still image was not enough, and he moved on to express his art through film and video. “A cinematographer is like a painter. Light and space are my paint—it’s just that my canvas moves and changes.” At age 29, Maine and two partners formed MagicWig Productions—a company specializing in events, video and film for Fortune 500 companies. The business has grown quickly and now nets over $1.5M per year. Maine has several jobs at MagicWig including, Director, DP, and Post-Production Supervisor. Maine has worked as cinematographer on several short films and features of his own. Current projects include a feature documentary about sustainability in business as well as a short film called Cold Winter’s Rain.


PENNY PERKINS
“Cynthia Porter”
Perkins is an educator and a creative writer. Acting has been a serious avocation for her since high school and college. She now applies her stagecraft to her work as a teacher and public presenter. She worked closely with writer /director Tom Mercer in shaping and developing the character of Cynthia Porter for Uncivil Liberties. A longtime member of Upstate Independents, she served as co-president from 2000 – 2002. She holds an MA in literary theory and creative writing from the University at Albany. Currently, she teaches at Russell Sage College in Troy, NY and ITT Technical Institute in Albany.


MARK MUSTO
“William Sutton”
Musto is an accomplished actor with more than 50 film, theatrical, television, and voice-over credits including roles for TLC and HBO. In addition to his acting experience and training, he has a multitude of life experience with a look and background best suited to period, mob, police, detective, upscale, vampire, classic soap types, as well as numerous character types. Musto studied at the New York Film Academy at Universal Studios, CA in 2006.


YVONNE PERRY
“Pat Porter”
Perry portrayed Rosanna Cabot on the CBS soap As The World Turns for five years (Soap Opera Award, 1993). Her credits also include appearances on Guiding Light, Candid Camera, Silk Stalkings, and the sit-com pilot Dads. Perry holds a BFA in Acting from Adelphi University, and an MA in Theatre History from the University at Albany. She teaches acting at Union College.


KEVIN CRAIG WEST
“Eric Walker”
West is a director, producer, and professional union actor, who works in film, television, radio, and stage. Notable roles have been national commercials for Pep Boys and Adidas, roles in For Love of the Game, Autumn in New York, Law and Order, and Law and Order: SVU. West has also established his own production company, MoBetta Films. MoBetta’s first film, Project Mo(u)rning, was nominated as one of the top five submissions to the San Francisco Black Independent Film Festival.


TOM MAHON
“James Swift”
Mahon studied acting with Herbert Berghof at HB Studios and worked five years as a professional actor in New York City, gathering numerous credits on stage and TV, including day-time soaps. An entrepreneur, Mahon has also started a number of successful businesses. Mahon is currently reviving his acting career and has recently been cast in several independent films.



©Mercer Films & Digital Productions