Cast and Crew Bios

Descriptions of current cast members and key crew of Venus Rises.

J. G. Birdsall (Creator/Executive Producer)

Jason Birdsall brought the "Venus Rises" franchise to life and has been the driving force since its inception. While a love of science-fiction has driven this latest project, his deeper love of the craft of film making has driven his life. Starting in middle school the combination of his love of this genre and the art of film making led him to seek further education from Full Sail located in Central Florida. While working in the field of editing, he sought to further his experience and find a voice for his dream. This led him into more and more freelance work, eventually driving him to start his own production house. Now, free to craft his work in the direction he saw fit, he sought out others who shared his love of quality work and started production of "Venus Rises." Jason would like to thank those who have enjoyed his work and more importantly those who helped bring this image from his mind’s eye to the masses. Please enjoy "Venus Rises" and know that if you persist long enough you can share your dream with others if you feel alone atop your mountain.

S. J. Gilbert (CG Technical Director/3D Modeler/3D Animator)

Steve Gilbert (aka 'cresshead') has been a science-fiction fan since the 1960's. Having personally witnessed man's first steps on the moon, his fascination with space exploration was only intensified by entering into the realm of 3d modeling. In 2003, he started teaching 3D computer graphics and special effects (compositing) at colleges in the Nottingham/Melton Mowbray locale. Fluent with software programs such as Zbrush, 3DSmax, Lightwave, and Combustion; Steve is an accomplished animator, evidenced by his past projects with Purina, Blackberry, NASA, and the Totally Rad Show. "Cresshead" can be found frequenting 3DBuzz.com and Lightwave message boards, mentoring a new generation of self-taught 3D artists.

Craig Encer (3D Modeler/3D Animator)

Craig Encer is a professional freelance web designer with a background in 3D modeling. He's taken his hobbies of landscape photography and modeling to the next level by joining the Venus Rises project. Craig's forte is using programs like Vue to create photo-realistic landscapes both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial. Architecture is another strong interest of his as evidenced by his latest 3D modeling work using Lightwave. Craig's biggest contributions to Venus Rises are his artfully detailed cityscapes, landscapes, and interior structures.

Arnand Kularajah (3D Modeler)

Arnand Kularajah is a jack-of-many-trades who ultimately became an artist. He's had many roles including violinist, television studio tech, engineering physicist, historian, sound editor, and historical re-enactor. A graduate from Stevens Institute of Technology with a Bachelors Degree in Engineering Physics, and recent graduate of Vancouver Film School, he joined the Venus Rises project in 2004. "Arn" is a prolific futurist, dedicating countless hours hashing out conceptual technologies for the show. He has collaborated closely with J. G. Birdsall on the science behind, design and modeling for spacecraft such as the Mars Corporate Warship, X-38 Reentry Vehicle, and the I.S.S. which inhabit the near-future universe of Venus Rises.

Eddie Kane (Musician)

Eddie Kane (EK) has been President and artistic director of Grind Records Inc. since its inception in 2006. Keenan has spent the last several years playing in bands, honing his stage presence, and sharpening his vocal and guitar skills. His sound follows the metal groove well established by Black Sabbath, Metallica, and Pantera; with melodies reminiscent of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. EK’s music ranges from industrial (ie: Nine Inch Nails) to minimal acoustic soundscapes.

Robert Bennett (Storyboard Artist)

Robert R. Bennett is a design and animation graduate living in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. He has a design degree from Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta, and animation degrees with the Emily Carr Institute and Capilano College in Vancouver, BC. Robert has a passion for storytelling and love for science fiction adventures. Recently he's done storyboards for the sci-fi series Flash Gordon and assists with storyboards, set concept design, and character illustrations for Venus Rises. He is currently pursuing a career in storyboards, scriptwriting, and comic art.