Founded by actor, writer and producer Tom Malloy, Trick Candle Productions is known for its quality independent films that span a variety of genres. Trick Candle has most recently produced FAIR HAVEN, starring Tom Wopat and Michael Grant, as well as the teen drama ASHLEY, starring Nicole Fox, Michael Madsen and Jennifer Taylor, written by Domenic Migliore, and directed by Dean Ronalds. The film was in theaters in 2013 and is now on VOD everywhere.
In 2011, the company produced THE INNER WEIGH, a self-help documentary that has been described as “The Secret” meets weight loss.
The roster of films written and produced by Malloy over the years include LOVE N’ DANCING, which was directed by Rob Iscove (She’s All That), and stars Amy Smart, Malloy, Billy Zane, Rachel Dratch, and Betty White; the psychological thriller THE ALPHABET KILLER, directed by Rob Schmidt (Wrong Turn, Crime & Punishment in Suburbia) and stars Eliza Dushku, Cary Elwes, Malloy, Timothy Hutton, Michael Ironside, and Oscar Winner Melissa Leo; and a thriller directed by Mary Lambert (Pet Sematary) called THE ATTIC, starring John Savage, Malloy, and Elisabeth Moss.
Malloy also produced The World Championships of Country Dance (with Robert Royston) for GAC television. This was the first time a country dancing competition was ever broadcast on television.
Recent television projects for the company include the TV pilot THE FUZZ, which was directed by Art Wolff (who also directed the pilot for Seinfeld) and starred Malloy, Peter Jason and Gregory Harrison.
Malloy’s unique ability to both write projects and raise the funding for them has been a primary factor in the success of the company. In fact, Malloy shares his expertise on the subject in his best-selling book about independent film financing, BANKROLL, which is now in its 2nd edition and is considered the “gold standard” of indie film financing.
Mike Boas has been making movies in Rochester, NY, since 1998. His background is in art and animation, but also works as live action editor and producer.
Through his company, Mad Dog Movies, he has produced 2D cartoon animation and motion graphics for Animatus Studio, END Films, Red Shirt Productions, Wood Entertainment, and many others. His animation work has appeared in features, short films, advertisements, DVD/Blu-ray featurettes, industrial films, and at trade shows and film festivals.
Feature credits include AMERICAN GRINDHOUSE, THAT GUY DICK MILLER (each SXSW premieres) and QUENTIN TARANTINO: THE FIRST EIGHT. He animated the intro to the Rondo Award winning MEDIEVAL TIMES: THE MAKING OF ARMY OF DARKNESS. His short film H.P. LOVECRAFT’S THE OTHER GODS has played in festivals on four continents. Boas designed and animated the Apex Award winning HELP MIKEY MAKE IT OUT, a fire safety game for kids, produced by Animatus Studio for the Prevention 1st nonprofit.
In the world of live action, Boas acted as editor and first assistant director on the experimental feature 3.14, which involved shooting in California’s Death Valley. For the drama HERO OF THE UNDERWORLD, Boas was producer, co-editor, and first A.D.
Boas teaches students of all ages at Animatus Studio’s Animation Workshop. He is also an adjunct professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, teaching animation with Adobe After Effects. Boas is on the executive committee for the Rochester Association for Film Arts and Sciences and is co-runner of the Rochester Writers Workshop.
Jason Torres has been working in film in Rochester, NY for most of his career. His unit production manager credits include IRREFUTABLE PROOF, FAIR HAVEN, and #SCREAMERS. Additional crew credits include WE ARE STILL HEAR, THE SHELLS, and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2.
Jason also worked with Tom Molloy producing the comedy web series MIDTOWN, now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Jason acted as unit production manager and co-producer for HERO OF THE UNDERWORLD, keeping the production machine moving at a rapid clip for its tight 12-day schedule.
John began his film career at the age of eight years old. Starting off with an 8mm camera handed down to him from his grandfather, John animated small clay figures moving across his bedroom floor. John continued to make small films and study the art of filmmaking through his high school and college years. John’s first screen credit appears on the low budget horror film The REFRIGERATOR as part of the special effects crew. Since then, he has worked on roughly a dozen feature films and countless commercials and industrial films.
In 1991, John moved from the east coast to Los Angeles and began working for David Allen Productions. David Allen was the creator of miniature and stop-motion animation effects. There John worked on low budget horror and science fiction movies like FREAKED (a cult favorite), and Full Moon productions such as ROBOT WARS, DOCTOR MORDRID, and PREHYSTERIA.
Following his stint in California, John moved back to his home town of Rochester and founded Philrose Productions. He has since headed up art departments on productions in the upstate New York area. John was the effects supervisor AFTER IMAGE, starring John Mellencamp and Louise Fletcher, and Tommy Hilfiger Entertainment’s PROUD, starring Ossie Davis. John also served as Art Director on PROUD and Producer/Director of Photography on the feature film 3.14.
In addition to producing, John was director and cinematographer on HERO OF THE UNDERWORLD.
Christopher J Wilmot is a film producer and actor. He is known for his role as Producer and Executive Producer of the award-winning film LUCKY (South Africa – 2011) and Executive Producer of REVENGE FOR JOLLY! (2012) Atlas Entertainment – Sony Pictures. In 2016, Wilmot appeared in the feature SHOWING ROOTS, starring Maggie Grace.
In addition to being one of the first producers on board for the HERO OF THE UNDERWORLD, Wilmot also performed the role of Davis. In real life, he’s a much nicer guy!
