Todd Looby

Writer / Director / Producer / Editor / Photography

Todd Looby was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago.  He is a mostly self-taught filmmaker. In 1999 Todd began taking classes at Chicago’s iO (formerly Improv Olympic).  The following year Todd acquired at DV camera and began making films.

Todd began tackling feature film work in late 2005 while working full-time as a commercial construction manager.  His first narrative feature, THE SITE, premiered at Henry Jaglom’s Iowa Independent Film Festival in 2007 and was screened at Chicago’s Facet’s Cinemateque as part of IFP/Chicago’s “Meet the Filmmaker” series.  Also in the Spring of 2008, Todd completed a 45-minute documentary, Towering Above O’Hare about the building of the new Air-Traffic Control Tower at O’Hare Airport. 

LEFTY stars many of Todd’s friends from the neighborhood as well as accomplished comedic actors from Second City and iO.  Todd was recently in Honduras shooting a feature-length documentary, Solo Madres, about the impossible plight of impoverished mothers in a society where 70% of fathers have left the family or have immigrated to the United States.  

Janet Arvia

Assistant Director

“Funny, fresh and very enjoyable,” are words the Chicago Screenwriters Group use to describe Janet Arvia’s feature-length screenplays including MAKING ART which was adapted for the stage, making its live debut in Chicago in 2008. Her short film WOMEN & MENU garnered praise from industry expert Larry Brody who states, “This is pure indie film, pure short film. I’m very entertained.” In addition to writing, directing and producing short films, Ms. Arvia is a two-time CAAP Grant recipient and winner of Birmingham's Silver Bowl Award for her contribution to the arts. As the artistic director of Best Girl Productions, a nonprofit studio that encourages female filmmakers, Janet is currently working on a music video.

Dan Shaughnessy

Boom / Tech / B-Camera

“A Chicago native:  Artist / Musician who Graduated in 2006 from Columbia College Chicago with a film/video BA. A jack of all trades who continually strives to help where and when he can....  Currently crafting up some original songs, picking up labor jobs, doing freelance videography; finding his footing.  

Nick Maiella

Additional Camera Operator

Nick studied still photography at Columbia College Chicago and eventually migrated to video.  Nick has been working as a professional camera operator and assistant camera for the past ten years in Chicago.  Nick has credits in several television productions as well as industrial video.  Nick served as the Director of Photography on Todd Looby’s first feature film, THE SITE.