Screaming Frog Productions is…
Formerly a Chicago theater and improvisation company, Screaming Frog has its roots creating original comedic works for the stage and teaching improvisation classes.
Now in Los Angeles, SFP has transformed itself into a film production company.
Created by artists who believe that the best films are developed through passion and commitment, Screaming Frog surrounds itself with like-minded artists who love the art of filmmaking and understand the business side as well.
Screaming Frog values individual creativity and strives to foster innovative ideas.
Leslie McManus
Leslie McManus, originally from Chicago, started her stage acting career performing in numerous original pieces at The Second City Training Center, Improv Olympic, Annoyance Theatre and ComedySportz.
She then began working her way into commercials, print ads and voiceovers. Some of these spots include Special K, FTD, Mobil, Schultz Plant Care, Head & Shoulders, AT&T, Yoplait, Ford Motors, Pacificare, & Bud Light.
Once moving to LA in 2001 she quickly made the transition into acting in independent films.
With Screaming Frog she has starred in 5 award winning short films that have been shown in hundreds of festivals around the world.
Leslie has also been featured in 3 independent feature films, the latest of which, Joe Casey’s “Hit Parade”, is now available on DVD.
Currently in post-production, she now eagerly awaits the 2011 final cut of “The Tao of Pinochet” written and directed by Brennan Howard with Blah Cubed Productions.
For more on Leslie, visit www.lesliemcmanus.com
Jonathan Browning
Jonathan Browning was born and raised in a very small town located in Southern Illinois. He was lucky to be born at a time and place where TV had only three channels, there was no internet and the closest neighbor lived “across the field”. His imagination was being nurtured at a very young age. As he got older, he wanted to perform and entertain people before he knew this was even a career option and not just something you did in the privacy of your own home.
After graduating from Illinois State University with a degree in Theatre, he moved to Chicago where he was an active member of the Annoyance Theatre, the Midnight Circus, Comedy Sportz and a variety of other companies. He spent most of that time learning and performing Improvisation but he continued to do sketch comedy and traditional theatre as well. This inability to chose one form and “stick with it” became a permanent characteristic of his creative life. He believes that the best art comes from the weaving of different forms and types of talented people together.
In 2001 he moved to Los Angeles with his (crazy supportive) wife. In LA he continued to perform in dozens of staged pieces at such prominent venues as Upright Citizen’s Brigade and ImprovOlympic. He also performed stand up at The Improv, The Comedy Store, The Ice House and just about any bar/coffee shop/thrift store/laundry mat that had a microphone. He was able to support himself as an actor by booking a number of national commercials (Dairy Council, Progressive, Jeep, Toyota, Home Depot, etc.) and appeared on TV’s “The Office” and “How I Met Your Mother”.
Soon after moving to LA, he got the idea for his first short while driving past a group of day laborers outside a Home Depot. He wrote the idea into a very short script and called it The Job. After unsuccessfully trying to convince a number of individuals to direct it for him, his wife said, “Why don’t you just direct it yourself?” With no money, no experience and no idea how to make a film…he surrounded himself with talented and passionate people who believed in the possibility. He was then, as he is now, too naive to know that failure was even an option. That first short film has been shown at over 150 film festivals all around the world and has won over 30 international awards. Jonathan continues to write, direct and perform. He has written and directed a total of 6 short films that have all screened in film festivals. (His shorts have screened in over 200 film festivals and they have received numerous honors. Jonathan continues to believe that creativity is a team activity and is deeply thankful to every single person who has agreed to take this journey with him.
For more info www.jonathanbrowning.com