GIFF-CON Board Officers

Marvin Walters

Chairman

Marvin Walters is a retired Professional Motion Picture 2nd Unit Action Director, Stunt Coordinator, Stuntman, and Consultant.

Walters as the chair of the Galveston Island Film Festival and Conference

brings 32 years of knowledge about

the Entertainment Industry. As a 2nd Unit Action Director, Stunt Coordinator and Stuntman, with responsibilities varied from creating budgets ranging from $5,000 to as high as $1.5 million per project, as well as supervised from 1

to as many as 125 stuntmen and women

at various times on motion picture and television productions. Coordinating with 1st and 2nd Directors, Cinematographer, shooting schedules and camera angles.

Marvin is the founder of “The Black Stuntman’s Association” in 1967. This organization was formed to help open doors in the film and television industry for black stuntman to serve as stunt-doubles for the black actors.

In 1972, Along with Jade David the “Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women” was formed. By setting goals and timetables, Walters and David contribution impacted the entire motion picture industry.

In 1976 Marvin was selected by MGM Studios as an Affirmative Action Consultant to locate minority hiring employment areas.

In 1984 he graduated from “Paramount Pictures Associate Producers Program”.

In 1994 Marvin and Jade Co-founded The Alliance of Stunt Performers of Color for the Screen Actors Guild.

He was co-writer, co-creator of the first six story lines for FORTUNE DANE, A television series starring Carl Weathers in 1986 for ABC.

An author and publisher of “AWAKENING GIANT”, and the author of “SO YOU WANNA BE A STUNT PERSON”, now on Amazon.

Sherrill Hilton

Founder/Owner

A native of Galveston, Texas, lives to create and entertain. Sherrill has extensive background in the dance and musical theater community in Texas and California.

Now she is taking on the film industry with the career goal of becoming a film and television producer and director.

In a short time span Miss Hilton has received accolade as the“Woman to Watch for

In Film” award 2010 from the Women In Media – Los Angeles Film School Chapter organization, for her work as a Line Producer and Art Director on several projects.

She was also awarded the Los Angeles Web Fest 2012

“Outstanding Achievement Producing Comedy, Sketch Comedy, Translated Comedy or Mockumentary series” award as Associate Producer for the web series “Sound Advice”.

GIFF-CON Board Officers

Eugene Cook

Treasurer

A native of Galveston, Texas, Eugene Cook is a retired Senior Project Manager for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

For over 34 years, he. has managed major military projects, including aircraft integration, weapons system and navy intelligence programs.

Mr. Cook is a community volunteer, working with nonprofit organizations

to mentor and counsel young adults.

He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Broward County Urban League,

and the Washington D.C. chapter of the Coalition of 100 Black Men of America.

Eugene holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University.

Robert Stanton

Secretary

Robert was born and raised in Galveston, Texas, where he returned after the death of his father, Dr. R.H. Stanton Jr., a prominent African American dentist.

Robert Stanton is an award-winning writer/editor whose career has taken

him on the ride of his life, working for newspapers and electronic media in his career in journalism and media relations. He is a persuasive communicator with a strong background in writing, editing, photography and social media.

At every stop – The Houston Post, The Houston Chronicle, KHOU-11 News, The Galveston Daily News and international media – he thrives in the fast-paced, deadline-intensive media world.

In 2014, he won First Place in Deadline Writing by the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors. The award went to The Houston Chronicle news team for its coverage of a tragic Houston fire that killed four firefighters.

A dynamic communicator, Robert is a sought-after writer whose work appears in local, national and international media. His work has appeared in the The Daily News, Minority Business News, The Houston Chronicle, and Reuters News Agency, and others.