Press

Neon Futures and Fierce Freedom: Layne Marie Williams' "Wizdom" Electrifies FilmQuest
Oct. 18, 2025

"Layne Marie Williams’ "Wizdom" turns Chicago’s underbelly into a neon-fueled rebellion, where bionic freedom meets indie ingenuity and humanity still shines through.
Director Layne Marie Williams brings her visionary sci-fi short Wizdom to FilmQuest 2025, an immersive neon-drenched world where bionic implants blur the line between humanity and technology."

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Sci-fi pilot WIZDOM picked up by Cinestrib
Jan. 30, 2026

"International short-film distributor Cinestrib has acquired the pilot episode of WIZDOM, a neon-soaked science fiction series set in a future where survival, vision, and power are controlled by biotech corporations."

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Chicago-made sci-fi 'Wizdom' wins a Silver Telly
May 23, 2025

"Filmed in Chicago at CineCity Studios, the story takes place in a future where daylight is scarce, humans live with ocular implants in a colony called Wizdom. Wizdom is run by a biotech corp that maintains its control by issuing mandatory pharmaceutical “W strips” to the colony’s occupants, Neons, via their eye to keep their bodies from rejecting the implants..."

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Wizdom featured in Canvas Rebel
Canvas Rebel
Aug. 14, 2024

"We’ve been hard at work on a big sci-fi project called 'Wizdom' for several years now and its just about to hit market finally, finally. Wizdom first came to be in Chicago, IL and this one is particularly close to my heart because it originated from imagining what Lower East Wacker would look like all lit up in neon with the character of Eos flying through the tunnels on a holographic motorcycle..."

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SHOUTOUT LA
Meet Writer/Director/Creator LMW
Feb. 26, 2024

"I felt drawn to all the artistic mediums at different times when I was growing up and didn’t seriously pick up a videocamera again until I was in my early 20s. I think I always knew I was going to be in the arts. Telling stories is the thread thats always been there regardless of medium so thats definitely what I feel my purpose is..."

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Your First Look at Comedy Pilot ‘I Didn’t Mean to Go Mental'

Screen Magazine, Nov. 15, 2022
Almost Pi Productions has brought in a dream team with Layne Marie Williams (Zen Room, Christmas Pitch) directing the pilot. “I signed onto this project immediately,” says Williams. “This story is an opportunity to tenderly examine the significance of mental health through the perspectives of two vastly different women.” The pilot’s key crew also includes cinematographer, Gianna Aquilina (The Girl Inside, White People Money) and producers, Grace Hahn and Aimy Tien.
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Layne Marie Williams and Campbell O’Hare Seek to Shake Up the Horror Genre with ‘The Hallows’ [Exclusive]

Screen Magazine, Nov. 10, 2022

"The Hallows is this unexpected witch’s brew of Halloween nostalgia, dark Irish folklore, coming-of-age story, and our lived experiences of the loss of a parent. We’re inviting our audiences in with the warmth of that autumnal nostalgia that makes a good Halloween movie rewatchable year after year, while exploring grief within a family in a way that doesn’t shy away from the deep, dreadful, sometimes hopeful messiness of it. The film expands into fantasy and folklore in a way that stretches the bounds of the horror genre through the lens of our protagonist’s youthful passion and imagination, while still taking her seriously as an emotional, intelligent, formidable young woman."

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Chicago Tribune, April 28, 2022

“The Christmas Pitch”: Chicago-set holiday movies are typically shot in Canada, but filming of “The Christmas Pitch” is expected to continue here into early May. The rom-com from Questar Entertainment is about two Chicago marketing executives sent to Kringle Lake to “rediscover the spirit of Christmas.”

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Screen Magazine, May 11, 2022

"Attendees can watch the Premier International Screening of The Christmas Pitch (directed by Layne Marie Williams) at the 75th Cannes Film Market.

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Screen Magazine, March 29, 2022

"During trip scenes that echo Gaspar Noé’s Enter the Void, Director Layne Marie Williams taps into the shape-shifting, fractal perceptions of drug users by crafting hallucinogenic visuals with GAFFER Jon Benson and DP Dan Frantz (Super Host, Mach III, That Smile). Wizdom takes lighting on an ultraviolet rollercoaster fueled by glowing and strobing effects, reminiscent of Nicholas Winding Refn and Alex Garland’s Annihilation."

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Screen Magazine

“The world of Wizdom is truly inspired by the many, many incredible artists we were surrounded by when I was living in Chicago,” director Layne Marie Williams shared with SCREEN. “There is something about the intoxicating nature of nightlife there that made this visual world and the characters within it come to life. We are thrilled to see where it all goes.”

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Entertainment Weekly

"The Christmas Pitch" directed by Layne Marie Williams
Produced by Questar Entertainment

Premieres: Nov. 12, VUDU/Fandango (Dec. 1, on demand)
Stars: Alexa Maria Huerta, Joseph Morales

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Director/Writer /Producer Layne Marie Williams

REEL 360, Nov. 1, 2021

“We met Layne Marie a few years back and have always appreciated her unique vision and felt her industry knowledge and skillset would make a perfect fit with our clients. We are so happy to have her on our squad and can’t wait to keep growing with her on our team,” McGee told Reel 360.

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Full Cast and Crew Announced for Chicago Feature Now Filming

SCREEN MAGAZINE, April 23, 2021

“Oh, this cast and crew is absolutely stellar. We are working so, so hard and having just the best time. It’s a real treat to create Christmas in April,” said director, Layne Marie Williams (Scutly, Blanche).

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Screen Exclusive: HAMILTON Star to Lead Chicago Feature

SCREEN MAGAZINE, April 8, 2021

Bringing the story to life is Chicago, and now LA-based, up-and-coming director Layne Marie Williams (Scutly, Blanche). Layne Marie just finished production on a comedy series, Zen Room, starring Saturday Night Live alum Cheri Oteri.
“We’re creating a holiday movie I feel strongly will represent the world as it actually is and I can’t tell you how exciting that is to be a part of, especially as a young female director,” said Layne Marie Williams, Director of The Christmas Pitch.

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Reel Chicago February 23, 2021

Production of new single-cam, mockumentary style comedy series Zen Room is set to commence early March after news of Cheri Oteri (former SNL cast member, Grown Ups 2) joining the cast as lead, executive producer, and writer.

While plenty of film production has been shuttered due to Covid-19, actress and writer Ashley Joyce (Gilmore Girls, Everyone is Doing Great) forges boldly ahead with a strong female crew. Tapped to direct is Chicago, and now LA-based, up-and-coming director Layne Marie Williams (Scutly, Blanche).

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2East8th Productions January 3, 2021

Okay, so Layne Marie is one that Chicago lost to the West Coast but we couldn’t not include her in this list because of the fact that she built the foundations of her directing prowess right here in the Windy City. “I have every intention of making movies in Chicago forever. Some of my all-time favorite collaborators, rental houses, and post houses are there! It is a wonderful place to create and cultivate. It’s such a powerhouse community. ”

...So yeah, that hustle she speaks of is real and quite present in Layne Marie. You can’t help but be inspired by someone like her. She walks the walk and in so doing, has built a powerful entourage of creative women to walk along beside her. “Support one another, create opportunities to grow, and celebrate one another’s work. It’s why being an artist around other artists is so much fun.”

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SimplySxy May 30, 2020

SimplySxy has the pleasure to interview Layne Marie Williams, filmmaker and founder of Women of The Now (WoTN).

Learn about what inspires Layne Marie, how WoTN is striving to provide more opportunities for women in the entertainment industry and who she’ll love to collaborate with if given the opportunity!

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Patch.com Dec 11, 2019

Wrapped in a hot pink mini-dress with lips painted to match, director Layne Marie Williams embodied the playful, neon-pastel esthetic that's become her filmmaking calling card at a private screening of her latest project.

Williams' short film, "Scutly," bound for the indie film festival circuit, is a mystical tale of intergenerational friendship between the "Pastel Girls," a trio of quirky teenagers, and an old man they meet while volunteering at a retirement home.

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Cinema Femme May 12, 2020

Layne Marie Williams is a filmmaker and leader in the industry. A womxn of strength and tenacity. A womxn who leads a pack of queens in pastels of blues, cotton candy pinks, and purples. Ok, I added the color element, but after you see her films, you’ll understand that reference, specifically her latest, “Scutly”.

As a filmmaker, Layne oozes creativity. Her films are unlike anything else, a splendor of visual and sound. We discuss her latest film “Scutly”, which is about a quirky senior citizen and his relationship with a girl group called The Pastel Girls. The film is about to go through the festival circuit.

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Layne Marie Williams Makes a Big Name for Herself in Short Order

The Establishing Shot Feb, 2, 2020

Even if you’ve never met filmmaker Layne Marie Williams, you can feel her unbridled enthusiasm in every frame of the short films she’s made. The multi-hyphenate – writer, director, producer, actress, even voice-over – loves cinema and it shows in the passion, care, and craft she infuses into her work.

You can also tell that she has a broad appreciation for the many ways to tell stories on screen, as the short films she’s created in her career so far are vast and varied. She’s done music videos, commercials, and a handful of short films that run the gamut from musical fantasy to unsettling science fiction. I’ve been fortunate to see a number of her short films which are making a splash at film festivals throughout the nation.

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UArts Alum’s Short Film ‘Scutly’ To Take Chicago Film Circuit

University of the Arts Dec 3, 2019

“The monocled man full of insight: Scutly,” the voiceover says as bright green, whimsical text drips over a pastel background in the newly released trailer for Scutly, written and directed by Layne Marie Williams BFA ’13 (Acting). A private screening of Williams’ film took place on Thursday, Nov. 21 at Chicago’s Indie Co-lab; the proceeds from non-crew members’ contributions to the screening will go toward the film’s anticipated festival run.

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Long-awaited Chicago-made adventure tale reflects collective film community effort

Reel Chicago Nov 21, 2019

Chicago filmmaker Layne Marie Williams released the trailer for her long-awaited short film, Scutly, earlier today. Scutly tells the story of three young ladies who call themselves The Pastel Girls. Wearing complementary outfits of pink, blue, and purple, the trio accentuates their colors with astounding bursts of vocal harmony. On a summer whim, they befriend the title character, an eccentric and monocled senior citizen named Scutly.

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Stereo Embers’ TRACK OF THE DAY: Gracie Martin & The So Beautifuls’ “10%”

Stereo Embers.com Oct 30, 2019

"The lush and quirky video that comes replete with some Wes Anderson-like touches, is a perfect compliment to the number, which is a comprehensive journey through the self in the aftermath of a love gone wrong." - Stereo Embers

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Adirondack Film Festival - Part 1

No Coast Cinema Oct 21, 2019

On this edition of No Coast Cinema, Tom travels to Glens Falls, New York for the Adirondack Film Festival. Featuring filmmakers from across the country, the Adirondack Film Festival brings together some of the best in independent cinema in a community-oriented extravaganza.

“This was the short that made me feel most involved,” says Tom. “I felt [like I was] part of this and really in the world that was being displayed on screen. I was very much entranced."

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**The POST*STAR** Oct 20, 2019

Filmmaker Layne Marie Williams returned to the film festival for a second time this year with her film, “Veiled Tractate,” a short film that seductively explores sometimes dark and hidden insecurities of womanhood. This film invites viewers to unveil a mysterious void, perhaps their own, on this film journey. Through mind-blowing visuals and mesmerizing dance moves, “Veiled Tractate,” offers a release from the stereotypes and conventions of traditional societal norms.

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The Chronicle (pg. 18) Oct 17, 2019

Festival curator Jess Levandoski suggested one movie and its makers. We chat- ted via email with producer Amy E. Powell and director Layne Marie Williams about their experimental film Veiled Tractate.

Producer Amy Powell stated that "Veiled Tractate" is her first experimental film, she said. “There is something very freeing about creating a film that beats to the tune of your own drum, or in this case Layne Marie’s drum. My strategy in producing this film was to encourage Layne Marie to follow her instincts and her voice, regardless of the sense it made.”

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The Other 50%
Herstory of Hollywood Podcast
Episode 116

“Layne Marie is a Director and Filmmaker in Chicago, the Founder and Executive Director of Women of the Now,
a media and production company, and the Co-Founder and Director of Development of the Women’s Film Festival
in Philadelphia. And she’s not yet 30. This woman makes things happen.”

Listen Here

CHICAGO WOMAN MAGAZINE
Women in Arts & Entertainment Issue

CHICAGO-WOMAN.COM
Sept/Oct 2018, pg. 51

"As an award-winning filmmaker and director,
Williams in committed to sharing the stories
of those that identify as womxn and are gender non-conforming."

AFROPUNK Nov, 10, 2017

Throw all your cares to the MF wind in rock artist's whacky video: "I Hope It's Alright" directed by Layne Marie Williams.

Nigerian-American Columbus-based rocker Counterfeit Madison explains why she doesn’t have to give a sh*t in her vibrant new experimental video.

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"I was painting and writing poems in my parents' garage as a kid in the Deep South...I love monsters. I love fairy tales. I love heightened surrealistic stories with serious grounding and meaning."

--Layne Marie Williams, feat. in Reel Chicago

**The POST*STAR**

Featured while attending The Adirondack Film Festival
for feature film Rendezvous in Chicago

“Sometimes it is just “movie magic,” said Layne Marie Williams, during a Spot Coffee interview on Thursday evening as she tells the story of the final day and the final scene of shooting “Rendezvous in Chicago.”

‘Nina Ganet was throwing a Blu-Ray DVD (player) out the window, but we only had one player,” said Williams, who produced the film along with writer and director Michael Smith. We had to nail it, it was our one and only shot. It was beautiful chaos, it’s my favorite scene.”’