Rob McKinnon, a Renaissance man, earned the title before directing his debut feature film, _Mr. Hell (2004)_. A Boston native and cum laude graduate of Boston University with a degree in film and broadcasting, McKinnon is a multi-talented individual who has won a silver Telly award for his work as a writer, director, and composer.
After graduating from Boston University, McKinnon was offered a fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin to continue his communication studies in a graduate program. However, he chose to pursue real-world experience and was hired by KTBC-TV in Austin. As head writer, he worked directly for the station's owner, President Lyndon Baines Johnson, and soon became the head of the Creative Department, directing and producing various projects.
Throughout his career, McKinnon has primarily worked as a film director, although he has also written scripts, shot and edited several dramatic projects for Texas television, and composed scores for many of these films. To enhance his directing skills, he was a member of SAG and acted in several major made-for-television movies, including _Without Warning: The James Brady Story (1991)_ and _A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story (1991)_.
In the mid-1990s, McKinnon hosted and co-produced a 3-hour morning drive time talk show on Houston's AM-1070 KENR radio with Jolene McMaster. This partnership led to the formation of Pure Horror Films, Inc., where they focus on producing psychological horror films in Texas with budgets not exceeding five million.
In the summer of 2004, McKinnon directed the horror/thriller _Mr. Hell (2004)_, starring Tracy Scoggins, for 'Jack Rhodes Productions'. The film was a passion project for McKinnon, who has been drawn to the horror genre since boyhood.
After years of preparation, McKinnon is now ready to bring his own script, 'Creek County', to life under the Pure Horror Films banner.
