Thomas Russell

Tom Russell is currently a teaching professor of media arts at Brigham Young University.

Tom Russell began working in the advertising industry as a copywriter and director. After working as a senior copywriter and creative director at McAtee & Associates in California, he became a managing partner of CMJ.

His work as a director and writer has been recognized by festivals including the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, the Sundance Film Festival, the Slamdance Film Festival, the Heartland Film Festival, the New York Film and Television Festival, the Maryland Film Festival, CineVegas, the Mendocino Film Festival, the Omaha Film Festival, the Sonoma Film Festival, the American Screenwriters’ Association, the Westfield Prize, and the Chesterfield Fellowship. His feature film and media work includes Mental, mr. dungbeetle, Diantha’s Crossing, For Robbing the Dead, Beyond, and Escape from Planet Death.

He and his wife Courtney conduct the BYU Writer’s Conference which has attracted guests including Paul Schrader, Michael Schur, Margaret Edson, Carroll Ballard, Ken Dario, Cinco Paul, Bryan Woods, Jonathan Krisel, Mike Scully, and Julie Thacker.