The Reenactress Team
Photo Credit: JOHN ROGERS, PBS UTAH
J.R. Hardman, Director
J.R. Hardman is a filmmaker, documentarian, educator, and Civil War reenactress. In 2021, she joined PBS Utah as Associate Producer for local shows This is Utah and Utah Insight.
Hardman previously served as Operations Manager for Sundance Institute Artist Programs in Park City, Utah; as Senior Tour Manager for Campus Movie Fest (CMF), the world's largest student film festival; and as Technical Director for Camp Flix, a filmmaking summer camp for kids.
Her first feature-length documentary as Director, Reenactress, is currently in production. Reenactress tells the story of the women in American Civil War reenactment who cross-dress to portray soldiers, commemorating the real women who fought in the Civil War disguised as men. Hardman is also a Producer on the documentary Snowland, which chronicles the life of Cora Lee Witt, a woman who created a fantasy realm to escape her dark past as a child bride in a secretive polygamous sect.
Hardman has produced several short documentaries and fiction films including "Muslims in Love," which premiered at the 2009 Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, "The Coach," which screened as part of the 2011 Arnold Sports Film Festival, and “Touching,” which was featured in several festivals including the 25th Anniversary Outfest. She graduated from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles with a B.A. in Cinema/Television Production and Spanish.
You can check out her IMDB page here.
Photo Credit: Amy Reyolds Reed
Amy Reynolds Reed, Editor
Amy earned her MFA in Cinema-Television Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2009 with an emphasis in editing and sound design. She’s taken on the roles of editor, sound editor, and re-recording mixer on various projects and was the Assistant Manager of the USC School of Cinematic Arts Sound Department from 2010 - 2016.
Amy grew up immersed in art, science, gymnastics, and military history. Her father was a Commander in the U.S. Navy and is currently a pediatric oncologist at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center. Her mother was a medical illustrator and is currently teaching art at Luther Burbank Middle School. From 6 years of age through 11th grade, she and her sister trained at Gymnastics Olympica U.S.A.
Amy enjoys spending time with her husband and son, going to museums and concerts, cycling, knitting, gardening, and target practice at the shooting range.
Photo Credit: O.K. Keyes
O.K. Keyes, Cinematographer
O.K. Keyes recently graduated with a Masters of Arts in Media Arts with a focus in cinematography from the University of South Carolina. He has served as the director of photography for a variety of short and feature-length films, many of which focus on queer identity and range in topics from cross-dressing Civil War reenactors (Reenactress) to Buddhist-lesbian-superheroes (American Kensho, 2013). His work has also diverged into more experimental methods, exploring the materiality of the objects he captures and the objects he uses to capture. Keyes's Masters thesis project, “Phantomythography: A Young Ghost Comes of Age,” a multi-projection installation piece, which leads the audience on a “ghost tour” through his experiences growing up as a queer woman in the South, was featured as part of the Indie Grits Festival in Columbia, SC. His research interests stem mostly from production culture studies, seeking to explore how oppositional cinemas, such as DIY movies, produce fluidity in ranks and deconstruct the often hierarchal (read: patriarchal) approach to filmmaking. He suggests that these small, local communities not only create new stories but also craft new ways of storytelling. His work has screened at venues, such as the International CMF Hollywood Week, Indie Grits and Conundrum Music Hall.
His website can be viewed here.
His demo reel can be viewed here.
Jane Beckman, Executive Producer
Jane Beckman grew up playing with the boys and obsessed with the American Civil War. She was fortunate enough to be both an experienced reenactress and researcher with respected allies, when she fought her way into California Civil War reenacting in 1983. Mentored by a Korean-War-era Howitzer instructor and cannon collector, she was eventually able to indulge her own fascination with the Big Guns, has been an artillery reenactor for over 30 years, and has owned several cannons. Her research has turned up a number of women in artillery, both Union and Confederate, including Jane Perkins, who wore her long braid of hair coiled under her Confederate artillery kepi when captured by the Union. Being one of a long line of unconventional women and being one herself, Jane is passionate about making sure the stories of women outside the norm are not forgotten.
Married to Andrew Crockett, the two of them are passionate about both history and each other. They have been on several TV programs, and their unconventional love story will be part of an upcoming book.
Andrew M. Crockett, Executive Producer
Andrew’s love of history was ignited by his unforgettable high school history teacher, Ms. Therese Strutner. She taught him that history is the greatest story never fully told – for no matter how much you learn, there is always more left to explore. This awareness has made him an eager student in the search for the omitted pieces of history that deserve new focus. Reenactress is such a history, bringing to light the long-omitted tales of women soldiers of the American Civil War and the stories of the living history enthusiasts who bring that history to life. Andrew is deeply honored to support this worthy and timely project.
Andrew has been performing at interactive Public History events since 2008, when he was introduced to the activity by his then-girlfriend, now-wife, Jane Beckman, to whom he has been happily married for over 10 years.
Peter Podgursky, Producer
A native of southeastern, Idaho, Peter graduated from Idaho State University with a degree in Theatre and went on to earn an MFA in film production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Peter has answered JJ Abrams’ phones, produced web content for various companies, and been a writer for reality television (yes, that’s a thing). The director of several award-winning short films, his project, The Night Caller, aired on WNET Channel 13 and was featured on Ain’t It Cool News. He lives in Los Angeles.
PHOTO CREDIT: JACOB BRUMFIELD
Jacob Brumfield, Producer
A native of southeastern, Idaho, Jacob has been a professional cowboy, a construction foreman, and a marketing director for a tech startup. His first feature film as a producer, Craters of the Moon, won the Sun Valley Film Festival Gem State Award and a RNCI Red Nations award for outstanding actor in a leading role. Jacob is currently the Supervising Producer for Jump Creative, an entertainment marketing and production company. He lives in Los Angeles.
PHOTO CREDIT: RACHEL DE URIOSTE
Rachel De Urioste, Graphic Designer
Rachel De Urioste is an artist/ fabricator/ designer who works in a variety of mediums including wood, oil, resin, watercolor, felted wool, and digital illustration. She collaborates with individuals and organizations to help bring form to their creative visions. Her personal work is both playful and grotesque, exploring an imagined world of kind monsters, cynical cupcakes, and oysters with teeth. Rachel received her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and now lives and works in Atlanta.
You can find out about upcoming shows and read more about Rachel’s art and process at www.goldfishunderwater.com.
