The Vermont Screenplay Incubator

Supporting local filmmakers in writing Vermont-based screenplays.

Winter 2025 Screenwriting Cohort

ALEXIS VAIL

Alexis Vail is a Writer, Director, and Creative Producer.

Currently, Alexis is in postproduction on her second narrative short film called LAMBING, which she wrote, directed, and produced, and writing a workplace comedy series.

Her first short film as a Writer/Director, AS SHADOWS, premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) as part of the New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT) block called “Women Calling the Shots”. AS SHADOWS also won 1st place for Best Producer and 2nd place for Best Suspense/Drama at the NYWIFT 2020 Online Short Festival.

After getting her start as a Production Assistant on big-budget shows, she quickly fell in love with independent filmmaking and worked her way up to the role of 2nd Assistant Director mainly through low-budget indie features. When not on set, she is writing and developing her own slate of projects which are in various stages.

Additionally, she covets her three years (and counting) as a Crew Chief at the Sundance Directors Lab, and two years as a Programmer for Slamdance, experiences that have deeply influenced her creative approach.

BRYAN SANTIAGO

Bryan Santiago fell in love with Vermont and moved here after 24 years living in New York City and Los Angeles. He has a background in dance, theater and multi-media performances in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego and abroad. Recently completely his first short film titled Grafton shot in the surrounding areas of Grafton Vermont, he is now in development for the feature version of that project looking toward a Summer 2025 production.

CLAIRE McKEY BERKMAN

Claire McKey Berkman is a film and theatre creative that experiments with collaborative and site-specific methods. After four years of freelance production in Los Angeles, Claire moved to London for her graduate work in contemporary theatre development (MFA Advanced Theatre Practice at RCSSD), during which she wrote and produced an immersive musical. Now living in Vermont, Claire continues her freelance work while holding multiple roles: Co-Director of the Vermont Film Festival; Vice President of the Board for Okemo Valley TV; and Co-Founder of Taproot Creatives. She wrote and edited Taproot’s most recent short film, Therapy Won’t Kill You, which has been enjoyed by audiences at multiple screenings including the Big Apple Film Festival. Claire is currently in pre-production for the proof of concept short of her imaginative feature, Silent Cal, about the life of President Calvin Coolidge.

DILLON TANNER

Born from the loins of a southern vigilante landlord contractor and timid Contel employee, Dillon grew up in Atlanta, Georgia as a ball of emotional sensitivities. He was complimented once by his high school broadcast teacher for a video project. The prospect of external validation was planted in Dillon’s brain. Many years have passed, and Dillon continues to survive off of the occasional compliments he receives for his work with digital media while also running a monthly film fest!

MARIANNE DiMASCIO

Marianne DiMascio (she/her) is a co-founder and the writer for Stealing from Work, a Vermont based sketch comedy troupe. She has also written for The Assembly Theatre (Toronto), Middlebury Actors Company (Flash Forward), and Vermont Stage (Winter Tales). She is thrilled to be participating in the Incubator again.

Screenwriting Coach

With years of experience as a professional actor in her birthplace Denmark and the USA, Jeanine has nurtured her desire to craft authentic stories and characters, leading to being awarded the Sloan Foundation Production Grant, winning Best Cinematography for her thesis from The Amrican FIlm Institute and being invited to join the Stowe Narrative Story Labs with her latest feature screenplay.

This award winning creator of films such as NO MORE and MORS DAG (Mother’s Day), skillfully brings together a creative team to support the development of universally resonant narratives grounded in the fearless truth of her personal journey.

When this AFI Directing Fellow is not writing or directing, you can find her downhill skiing, cooking or belting Brandi Carlile ballads with her daughter.