Person Biography:
Born in Portland, Oregon, Roth was the son of Judge Phillip Roth, a renowned jurist with over 35 years on the bench. He started writing short stories at the age of 10 and got his first taste of filmmaking at 14, working at the Wilson High School cable channel. Roth graduated from Lewis and Clark College in 1982 and later attended law school and worked for an international manufacturing company before returning to his childhood love of filmmaking.
Roth moved to Los Angeles in 1989 and founded UFO, a production and distribution company, with his partner Jeffery Beach. Since its foundation, they have produced, written, and directed over 120 feature films and series, which have been distributed by major studios and international distributors.
Roth is also an innovator in digital special effects, using PC hardware and software solutions to create digital special effects for feature films. He opened up the use of PC workstations in features with his sci-fi films Prototype X29 and APEX, which received a theatrical release despite having a low budget.
In the 1990s, Roth continued to write, produce, and direct films, and in 1999, UFO partnered with a German company to set up operations in Sofia, Bulgaria, to take advantage of a highly skilled workforce at reduced budgets. This move helped the company grow and establish its own studio.
Roth has become an expert in the Bulgarian film market, making it his business model to attract producers and directors from around the world. He has built one of the largest studios and back lots in Bulgaria, known as UFO Film and Television Studios, and has established a special effects house, CinedigitalFX.com.
Roth lives in Sofia with his wife, Ekaterina, and their four children, Natasha, Aaron, Elayah, and Roxanne. In addition to his work, he is an avid ski racer, training and racing with the Bulgarian National Ski Team, and is recognized as the number 1 ranked Master Wake Surfer in Bulgaria.
