About Us

Dark Spark Films specializes in crafting high-quality stories for film, television, and the
internet.  Our goal is to develop emotionally-driven projects which capture the imagination of audiences and generate profitable returns for our investors.

Dark Spark Films strives to be the gold standard in the entertainment industry by
collaborating with top tier talent and strategic production partners to bring the best
production to our audience.  We provide our clients with experience and passion across a variety of services including screenwriting, script consultation, project development, production services and investor relations.  Our award-winning filmmakers have over fifteen years experience writing, directing and producing films, television, and webisodes for clients including ABC, Lifetime, Comedy Central, MTV and Showtime!

WRITER / DIRECTOR / PRODUCER: IAN KESSNER
Ian Kessner is a Canadian born filmmaker who grew up in Montreal. After receiving a
Bachelor of Arts degree in film from the University of Wester Ontario, Ian did his first
practical training at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts before moving to LA, where he
graduated from the prestigious American Film Institute with a masters in directing. In
over a decade in the entertainment business, Ian has created original content for
Showtime! MTV, Comedy Central, E! and USA Networks. Ian was instrumental in
launching the career of super-illusionist David Blaine, and his ABC special Street Magic.
Ian’s short film “The Puzzle” won the H.P. Lovecraft Award before being featured on Sy-Fy
Channel’s Exposure series for new directors. His award-winning AFI thesis film “Pack Of
Dogs” was picked up by Doug Liman’s Hypnotic Films for worldwide distribution. Ian
then co-wrote and co-executive produced the supernatural thriller Hush Little Baby,
Lifetime TV’s highest rated Halloween broadcast. In 2010 Ian formed Dark Spark Films
with writing partner Bo Ransdell. The 80’s retro teen slasherLost After Dark is the
first of their collaborations to make it to the big screen. The film will be released by
Raven Banner in 2014. Dark Spark Films currently has multiple Film & TV projects in
development, and has recently branched out into indie gaming and self-publishing.

WRITER / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER : BO RANSDELL
Bo Ransdell is a Nashville-born screenwriter whose first produced feature film was the
family friendly Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale, which won the Audience Award for Best
Family Film at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival before securing worldwide
distribution. The success of that film lead Bo to write the superhero action film Jake
Stevens: The Last Protector for the same directors. The script subsequently secured a
15 million dollar budget and is currently in production. In 2011 Bo formed Dark Spark
Films with independent filmmaker Ian Kessner. In addition to House on the Hill 2, the
Dark Spark team set up the historical drama series Gilded with Emmy award winning
producer Ben Silverman’s Electus. Dark Spark is also developing Bo’s pilot script for
Lazarus, a supernatural series, with Daniel Schnider of Dr. Dre’s Crucial Films. Bo is a
member of both the Writers Guild of America and Writers Guild Canada.