Russell Streiner

Russell Streiner, honestly, is one of those guys you can’t sum up in a sentence. Born and bred in Pittsburgh—yeah, the same city that gave us Heinz ketchup and endless cloudy days—Russ never really left his roots. He’s still calling Pittsburgh home, which is kind of rare in the film world, right? Most folks run to LA or New York the second they get a whiff of success. But not this guy. He’s got three kids living close by, so you can tell family means a lot to him. Not the type to disappear after a big break. Now, everyone always brings up Night of the Living Dead when talking about Russ. That film’s basically legendary at this point, and sure, it’s his calling card. But the thing is, that’s just one part of his story. He’s been grinding in the industry for decades, wearing all kinds of hats—producer, director, teacher, you name it. These days, you’ll probably catch him at John A. Russo’s Movie Academy in Pittsburgh, schmoozing with up-and-coming filmmakers and showing them the ropes. He’s not just about zombies and cult classics. Russ has had his hands in all sorts of projects. Short films, indie features, stuff you probably haven’t even heard of but that keeps the indie film scene alive in Pittsburgh. He’s proof that you don’t need Hollywood zip codes to make a mark. Still hustling, still creating, and yeah, still rooting for the underdog in his own hometown. That’s Russ Streiner for you.