Missouri-born filmmaker Martin Garner cut his teeth hot-splicing 16mm film in the basement of the University of Memphis, where he studied film production. In 1993 he relocated to Los Angeles to attend the American Film Institute. While pursuing his M.F.A. in screenwriting, he juggled feature spec writing with designing playback computer graphics for films such as Apollo 13. On Apollo, Garner spent time in Houston doing research at NASA and worked closely with director Ron Howard to obtain the authentic technical feel of Mission Control circa 1970. He has since served as graphic designer and playback engineer on films such as Sphere, Laurel Canyon, The Hulk and Solaris. Earlier this year he served as Computer Graphics Supervisor on Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

In 1998 Garner served as co-writer (story) and associate producer on AFI alumnus Julian Goldberger’s indie feature Trans. The film went on to screen at the Sundance, Toronto and Berlin film festivals, earned director Goldberger an Independent Spirit Award nomination, and made its television debut on Sundance Channel in early 2000. Garner and Goldberger are currently developing a documentary project on Dimethyltriptamine (DMT) and its scientific connection to the near death experience and other mystical states. They will co-direct the film in late 2003.

Garner also began writing, directing and voicing animated shorts for the internet in late 1999. He recently received the $10,000 Flash.Beat award, presented by Swatch and AtomFilms, for his cartoon Trying to Figure Out Internet Time. He has sold numerous other animated shorts and is currently preparing to direct a live action short commissioned by AtomFilms.com.