Karl Starkweather’s passion for filmmaking began at a young age with hand-drawn animation and claymation. At 17, he founded The SW Group, a Philadelphia-based community organization that provided free filmmaking instruction and showcased local individuals’ work in monthly sold-out shows and annual film festivals. From 2007 to 2014, The SW Group helped hundreds of people create and exhibit short and feature films.
While running The SW Group, Karl pursued a BA double majoring in Cultural Anthropology and Film & Media Production at Temple University. On a break from his studies, he worked in Hollywood for A Bande Apart, the production company of Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction) and Lawrence Bender (An Inconvenient Truth). After his time in Hollywood, Karl finished his degree at Temple and spent a decade traveling the country freelancing for major television networks and thousands of commercial and non-profit clients.
Karl’s lifelong interest in media with a social impact started over 15 years ago with his community film group and continues today at Quell. He feels fortunate to have discovered The Quell Foundation and now works with their team to effectively transmit their message.