Alabama Phoenix Festival is excited to announce the creative minds that will be speaking on their individual expertise. Headlining Guest Speakers include Adam Baldwin, Robin Shelby, C. Martin Crocker, Kevin Rubio, and Larry Hama among others. Actors, entertainers, artists, and writers will provide enlightenment to their industry and how their world turns by leading tracks and various panels.
Adam Baldwin stars as Major John Casey, a National Security Agent, in NBC’s action-comedy Chuck. Baldwin has amassed an impressive range of over 60 feature-film roles ranging from large studio projects to gritty independents including My Bodyguard, Ordinary People, Full Metal Jacket, From the Earth to the Moon and The X-Files. The latest chapter presents Baldwin the opportunity of a lifetime with the sci-fi film Serenity, where Baldwin reprises his role from the TV series Firefly.
Robin Shelby worked on the visual effects team that brought Ghostbusters 2 to life, including an appearance as the costume character portraying Slimer! Shelby has also played roles in such films as Beverly Hills Cop III, Willow and 3 Wise Women, as well as the upcoming independent film Democracy at Work. On TV, Shelby has been seen in roles on Cybill and The Home Court. She is also the creator, producer and star of the exciting new comedy web series Far from the Tree. Robin's appearance at Alabama Phoenix Festival is sponsored and presented by the Alabama Ghostbusters.
C. Martin Croker, a.k.a. Clay Croker, has been in the animation field for over 25 years working with Cartoon Network's ADULT SWIM block for much of that time. He has also provided graphics, animation, stories and voice-over work for the likes of Disney Imagineering, Cartoon Network, DC comics (Space Ghost, Scooby Doo, and CN Action Pack), NASA, the Grammy Awards, the Cable Ace Awards, and Warner Bros to name a few. Clay created the format and design for Cartoon Network's ADULT SWIM flagship show Space Ghost Coast to Coast, as well as supplying the voices of nearly 20 characters including villain-regulars Zorak and Moltar. Clay runs his own Atlanta-based animation house, Big Deal Cartoons, where his creative talents have also been used in shows such as The Brank Show, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Assy McGee, The Savage Fish, Hy Angst, and Donna the Dead.
Kevin Rubio, a California native, studied theater and photography throughout high school, making his directorial debut at the age of 17, with a stage adaptation of Robert Redford’s Ordinary People. Rubio is a graduated of Long Beach State University with a major in film, and then spent the next few years as a production assistant and assistant director. He has experience in directing, lighting, set design, writing and design, care and restoration of animated characters. Rubio has worked with Fox Children’s Network, Superman Returns, Lord of the Rings, Clone Wars, G4TV’s Attack of the Show, Warner Bros. animated series, Green Lantern, and Cartoon Network’s flagship show, Ben 10. Kevin's latest comic book, Abyss, is currently in television development and his film TROOPS can be found on the newly released Star Wars blu-ray. Many of his works have won awards and have been recognized as top sellers.
Larry Hama is a writer, cartoonist, illustrator, actor and musician who has worked in comics, television and film. He is best known as the writer of Marvel’s GI Joe and Wolverine comics in the ‘eighties and ‘nineties. More recently he has scripted SPOOKS and Barack the Barbarian for Devil’s Due Comics, GI JOE ORIGINS and GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO for IDW, as well as various animation and video game projects. Hama has written, edited or drawn for many films, including Avengers, Batman, X-Men, Spider-Man, Daredevil, and dozens more. His illustrations and cartoons have appeared in National Lampoon, Esquire, New York Times and Rolling Stone. Hama has appeared on Broadway in Stephen Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures and on the hit television shows, MASH, Saturday Night Live and Another World. Hama's appearance is presented by Kingdom Comics.
For a complete list of guests appearing at Alabama Phoenix Festival, please visit www.AlabamaPhoenixFestival.com. To line up an interview with any of the guests, please contact Maree Jones at 205-563-0283.