Chris Opper – Festival Director
Owner/Operator Nostalgic Productions LLC, Director, Video Editor
In 1995, Chris Opper was working as a Video Editor at Fox 11 News in Green Bay. After a few years on the job, his love for editing prompted him to attend Watkins Film School in Nashville, TN with a major in Film Editing. Since film school, he has edited 6 feature films (4 that he directed) and many, many short films. Now, living in Door County, He and his wife are the curators of The Red Putter Mini-Golf course. Chris has also combined his love for video production and music by shooting and editing videos for local musicians.
Antonio Polk – Content Coordinator
Ceo/Polk Motion Pictures LLC.. Award winning Actor…. Executive Producer/ Producer/Director/Writer
Antonio Polk is a multifaceted producer, director, and actor based in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. As an active contributor to the local arts and filmmaking community, Antonio serves on the panel of the Door County Film Festival as a content coordinator and panelist. He has a passion for viewing films and discovering intriguing stories, often drawing inspiration from fellow actors and producers. Antonio is drawn to clean, meaningful projects suitable for family viewing, with originality being a key driver in his choices.
Antonio has been a member of the, “SAG-AFTRA” Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artist, and “AGMA” American Guild of Musical Artist, for over 30 years. Antonio has established a notable career in film and television. His credits include appearances in numerous films and television shows, such as “Joseph Oliver Brown,” “The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain,” “Halfway,” “Chicago Med,” “Chicago PD,” “Empire,” “Mind Games,” “Barbershop 2: Back in Business,” “Stir of Echoes,” and “Arrest & Trial” TV series, among others. Additionally, Antonio has a deep appreciation for theater, having appeared in a popular off-Broadway production tour of “Beauty Shop Part 3” for two years, as well as various operas at the Civic Lyric Opera House in Chicago, including “Carmen,” “La Boheme,” and “Turandot.” The majority of his acting work has been based in Chicago, facilitated through his agent at Shirley Hamilton Talent Agency. Furthermore, he currently has two feature films in post-production, specifically “Better Off Dead” and “Angels In The Rye,” as well as being featured in the forthcoming edition of UMOJA Urban League/NAACP magazine, all of which are slated for imminent release.
Antonio’s guiding philosophy is, “You have to work hard and keep going, never give up.” He emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself, staying committed to one’s passions, and striving for excellence, as “the sky truly is the limit.”
Kurt Krauss – Content Coordinator
Director, Actor, Model
Kurt Krauss grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan where at a young age he developed a love for swimming, sailing, and mariner’s lore. Krauss’ love of movies sprung from classic films that his father brought home. His mother, a musician, played in the pit orchestra for many of the high school shows, and as a family they’d watch musicals and cinema classics together. Around 5th grade Krauss had his first audition for Oscar Meyer on their national talent tour, but it wasn’t until high school, first as a stage actor, where he fell in love with acting.
Krauss put his videography skills to use in San Marcos, Nicaragua where he filmed an appeals video for Guadalupe Gardens’ fresh well water project. That began many lifelong friendships, and ongoing humanitarian projects in the country for Krauss and friends including medical missions, building projects and teaching CPR/First Aid.
Back on the acting/modeling scene, Krauss caught the eye of viewers in the CW14 Star competition (Top 5) as well as talent agents Paul Evenson, Heather Arendt, Lori Lins, Brandis Ohlsson, and Susan Wehmann. Krauss can be seen in TV commercials and print ads. It also re-opened doors for dramatic acting in independent film where Krauss starred in short films such as “Rose of Sharon”, “Bury Me”, “Ascension” and “Rotary Redemption” and feature film “Through Eyes of Grace” (post-production).
Behind the camera, Krauss began working for Creative Edge Productions as a production coordinator and art director in 2015 helping create dynamic TV commercials and industrial/corporate videos. Returning to independent film, Krauss’ most recent work as art director can be seen in Chandler Wild’s “The Dancing Monkey” (2023). Krauss produced feature “From the Furnace” (2019), 2nd unit producer on “Mr. Thursday” (2018), and continued re-editing “Confessions of a Sailor”. Ten years and seven cuts later, “Confessions of a Sailor” was finally first seen by audiences at the Door County Film Festival in February 2023! Now officially on its film festival tour, “Confessions of a Sailor” was recently nominated for an MLC Award for “Best Midwest-Made Feature”.
Looking ahead, Krauss will begin preproduction on the feature film “Amphibious”.