ELIZABETH E. SCHUCH

Award-winning director, filmmaker, designer, and storyboard artist creating specialist visuals for film, TV, and media internationally. 

 
 

STORYBOARDS

FEATURE FILMS, ACTION, COMMERCIALS, TV, FACTUAL, VFX, VR, PROJECTION & MORE

SPECIALTIES: Storyboards for VFX, actual storyboards, science storyboards, history storyboards, sci-fi storyboards, space, genre. Experienced in 3D, 4D, VR and specialist projection. Styles: ink and paint, watercolour, digital, photoreal/photobashing.

DIRECTING

THE BOOK OF BIRDIE

Director, FEATURE - 91min

Award-winning debut feature film, now out in the US, CANADA, SWEDEN and TAIWAN. Premiered at GOTEBORG FILM FESTIVAL, screened at SITGES, FANTASPOA, BROOKLYN HORROR (Best Cinematography), and STRANGER WITH MY FACE (Winner - Best Film).

 

GOD'S SOLDIERS

Director, TV SERIES - 2x52min / 1x91min

In the mid-16th Century, a long-running conflict between two of the most powerful world religions is building up to a climactic battle in the Mediterranean for the very soul of Europe. Facing each other are two highly trained forces. The knights of the Order of St. John, a small but formidable Christian military Order and the Muslim Janissaries, the fearsome crack troops of the Sultan. The drama-led documentary is supported by historic re-enactment on original locations and a full-size replica galleon.

Shot on Location in Malta, 2020. Co-produced by Urban Canyons and Parker Films.

THE MELIES FILM

Director, Animation

This short film is a tribute to Georges Méliès, the great French pioneer of fantasy filmmaking and special effects. Inspired by the creative visuals and scenic backgrounds of Méliès, the animation recreates many famous motifs from his work. The music pays homage to Claude Debussy, a contemporary of Méliès, using the melody of his dreamy, fantastical piece "Arabesque No. 1.” With a pipe organ arrangement set into flickering film, the animation seeks to conjure the early cinematic experience of the silent movie era.

 

SPECIALIST ART

GFX/GRAPHICS, TITLES, CONCEPT, MATTE PAINTING, ILLUSTRATION, POSTERS & PITCHES

SPECIALTIES: Historical recreation, science illustration, period style illustration, classical artwork recreation, Shakespeare, opera, art nouveau, silhouette animation art. Also, experience in matte painting/concept art, pitch art and poster design.

 

PRODUCTION DESIGN | ART DIRECTION

 

CLIENTS

 
 
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PROJECTS FOR

 
 
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With experience on over a hundred projects (including TV, Films, Adverts, Pitches, Live Events and Stage productions), Elizabeth can jump into a range of creative roles with ease. She works in London, Toronto and remotely all over the world.

“For me, it’s all connected - whether storyboarding for VFX, designing a stage, or directing a scene: it’s creative problem solving, communication, and visual storytelling. With each - you analyze the brief, research for inspiration, and then set about making it come to life. ”

CREDITS INCLUDE: Storyboards for WONDER WOMAN, production design for TED TALKS, and original illustrations for the BBC. Featured in the book 1000 Women in Horror by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, and the database Cut-Throat Women.

 

WORKSHOPS & PUBLIC APPEARANCES

Elizabeth has conducted workshops on Storyboarding and Visual Storytelling in Berlin (Final Girls Film Festival), Brazil (Fantaspoa Film Festival), Bruges (Razor Reel Film Festival), and was a keynote speaker in Utrecht (The Nederlands Film Festival, Writer’s Week) on Visual Filmmaking. She’s also been a guest Skills Workshop lecturer on Storyboarding/Visual Storytelling for the Raindance MA filmmaking course.

In addition to visuals, Elizabeth is passionate about the role of women and underrepresented filmmakers, and created the Starlight Filmmaker Programme featuring a writers residency in Bruges and GFX/art prizes for the Blackstar Film Festival.

She has appeared as a panellist discussing women in film at The Final Girls Film Festival and discussing approaches to religion in filmmaking at the Goteborg International Film Festival.

Elizabeth is available for online and in-person workshops, podcasts, and talks.

Elizabeth is the acting Artistic Director of the FANTASPOA INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL OF PORTO ALEGRE

 

AWARDS, ETC

BEST HORROR FILM - THE BOOK OF BIRDIE - PORT OF FEAR FILM FESTIVAL

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD - THE BOOK OF BIRDIE - PORT OF FEAR FILM FESTIVAL

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - THE BOOK OF BIRDIE - BROOKLYN HORROR FESTIVAL

BEST FILM - THE BOOK OF BIRDIE - STRANGER WITH MY FACE

BEST FX - THE BOOK OF BIRDIE - FKM FESTIVAL DE CINEMA FANTASTICO DA CORUNA

BEST FILM - THE FEAR OF LOOKING UP (PRODUCER) - HELL DE JANIERO

BEST EDITING THRILLER - MINORE (PRODUCER + CO-EDITOR) - MIAMI SCI-FI

BEST CREATURE FX - MINORE (PRODUCER) - MIAMI SCI-FI

BEST HORROR FEATURE - MINORE (PRODUCER) - MIAMI SCI-FI

BEST SUPERNATURAL THRILLER - THE FEAR OF LOOKING UP (PRODUCER) - MIAMI SCI-FI

BEST ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - THE FEAR OF LOOKING UP (PRODUCER)- MIAMI SCI-FI

BEST SCENIC DESIGN - JOURNEY’S END - JOSEPH JEFFERSON AWARD

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - THE WINTER (PRODUCER) - BRIDGES FILM FESTIVAL

NOSTIMON IMAR AWARD - THE WINTER (PRODUCER) - BRIDGES FILM FESTIVAL

NOMINEE - BEST SET DESIGN - THE WINTER - GREEK ACADEMY AWARDS

NOMINEE - VISUAL & SPECIAL FX - MINORE - GREEK ACADEMY AWARDS

NOMINEE - MAKEUP FX - MINORE - GREEK ACADEMY AWARDS

NOMINEE - BEST DEATH - MINORE - FRIGHT FEST UK

NOMINEE - BEST MONSTER - MINORE - FRIGHT FEST UK

NOMINEE - BEST WOMEN’S FEATURE - THE BOOK OF BIRDIE - PORT OF FEAR FILM FESTIVAL

NOMINEE - BEST WISCONSIN FEATURE - THE BOOK OF BIRDIE - PORT OF FEAR FILM FESTIVAL

NOMINEE - BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR - MINORE (PRODUCER) - LUSCA FILM FESTIVAL

NOMINEE - MÉLIÈS D’ARGENT - THE WINTER (PRODUCER) - IMAGINE FILM FESTIVAL

NOMINEE - GOLDEN APHRODITE - THE WINTER (PRODUCER) - CYPRUS INT’L FILM FESTIVAL

MEMBER - EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY

JURY - 2018 RAZOR REEL FILM FESTIVAL - BRUGES, YOUNG BLOOD COMPETITION

INDIE FILMMAKER/PRODUCER

Elizabeth is the acting in-house producer and company director for MELANCHOLY STAR, creating VFX and ART for all media, as well as producing features.

FEATURES: THE WINTER, THE BOOK OF BIRDIE, THE FEAR OF LOOKING UP, MINORE

 
 

BACKGROUND

BERLINALE TALENT CAMPUS - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

MPHIL - 2D/3D ANIMATION - THE GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART

BFA - SCENIC DESIGN - THE THEATRE SCHOOL AT DEPAUL UNIVERSITY

CGMA: Perspective for Entertainment Design, Environmental Sketching

RAINDANCE: PRODUCER’S COURSE

UK/USA NATIONALITY, EU WORKING RIGHTS, CANADA PR WORKING RIGHTS