The 50 Hour Slam is an annual film competition and festival open to all filmmakers in the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene area. It’s creators and organizers- Adam Boyd, Adam Harum, Dr. Amanda Cantrell, Brandon Smith, and Tom Dineen - designed the festival as a way to encourage new and emerging independent artists as well as to challenge the more established filmmakers of the region. The filmmakers will have exactly 50 hours to complete a 3 to 6 minute movie; starting from the writing and development process all the way to the final editing stage. The competitors will be encouraged to experiment and push their talents to create a unique and entertaining piece for their entry.
Meet the Organizers
Airam Gessner
Airam is a founding member of Vexing Media and its Creative Director. Born and raised in Spokane, he has been a graphic artist working in the area for over 25 years. Although he’s not a filmmaker, writer, actor or producer, he has been involved with the 50 Hour Slam for many years assisting with design and print coordination as needed. When not pushing pixels he can be found chilling with his kids, listening to records, meditating, lost in the woods or curdled up with his kitties. Airam is excited to help drive this new era of the Slam and looks forward to the future!
Dr. Amanda Cantrell
Dr. Amanda Cantrell brings over 20 years experience in communications for the nonprofit, government, and NGO sector, with a dabbling in the private sector. She is motivated by improving her community, increasing representation, and encouraging engagement for self-advocacy, thus a sector which gives back is really the only for her. She has been lucky to work with some amazing people, leveraging a visionary leadership style, and excited to join the 50 Hour Slam.
Dave Kotlan
Dave Kotlan has written and directed dozens of narrative films, including the award-winning shorts “The Package” and “Angel and the Bear,” the television pilot “TOAST,” the web series “CastAside,” and the viral marketing video "Grizzly Milk." Spanning multiple genres, from comedies to sci-fi dramas and musicals, Dave’s distinctive style knits an intimate, moral narrative into the fabric of all his stories, regardless of the genre.
After receiving a B.A. in Film in 2012, Dave went to work for a film production company. By 2015, he opened the media production company, Boson Films, where he currently writes and directs both commercial projects and films.
Davin Perry
Davin Perry’s creative foundation is rooted in film production, where he has spent more than two decades developing stories across short films, documentaries, commercials, and live broadcasts. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation Management and a minor in Electronic Media & Film from Eastern Washington University, graduating magna cum laude, alongside a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering—a rare combination that informs both the artistic and technical precision of his work.
Perry is a two-time 50 Hour Slam Film Festival winner, earning Judges’ Choice and Audience Choice honors, as well as Best Cinematography—credentials that underscore his ability to lead creative teams, execute under extreme deadlines, and deliver polished, compelling films. His festival work, including Opportunities Lost, The Watcher, and Lockhart, F.D., highlights strengths in cinematography, editing, and visual storytelling.
Professionally, Perry has worked extensively as a freelance videographer and editor, producing wedding films, short-form narrative projects, and commercial content. He also played a key role in collegiate athletics media at Eastern Washington University, where he helped pioneer Big Sky TV, managing multi-camera broadcasts, directing live events, and supervising production staff.
In parallel with his production career, Perry is an experienced educator, currently serving as a Business & Digital Arts teacher. He teaches multimedia production, digital design, and entrepreneurship, translating real-world film and media experience into hands-on instruction. His background also includes engineering, marketing, and public service, adding depth to his creative leadership.
John Stanson
John is a freelance photographer/videographer and a member of the Studio Mechanics of the Pacific Northwest (IATSE local 488); having worked on many film & commercial sets as a Set Decorator / On-set Dresser. John volunteers with the Filmmakers of Eastern Washington (We F.E.W.) production training group and has participated in the 50 Hour Slam as a director of photography. As a 50 Hour Slam board member, John desires to help grow the film community in the Inland Northwest and facilitate opportunities for new filmmakers and storytellers.
Tom Dineen
Tom is a founding member of Vexing Media and Director of Interactive Experience. Tom got his start in feature films on set as a PA and worked his way up to the production office on such projects as Z Nation for the SyFy network and most recently True Detective for HBO. In conjunction with his professional film and TV work, between projects he assists with community projects and has spent many years designing and managing their social media campaigns to help raise awareness and in the case of the Spokane International Film Festival, the Spokane Film Project and of course the 50 Hour Slam short film competition, as well as provide video technical services for the presentations of their programs. With experience from the production office to post, he understands how a production works from inside out and applies that knowledge to meet his clients’ needs.
