Roger M. Mayer is a film producer and Head of Production for Traverse Media, with a rich background in the film industry. Born in West Covina, California, he has lived in various cities, including Colorado Springs, San Francisco, Brooklyn, Chicago, and currently resides in Los Angeles.
Growing up in the 1970s, Roger's father, a truck driver and movie enthusiast, would take him to the movies instead of church. This experience had a profound impact on Roger, who after watching Apocalypse Now in 1979, declared that he wanted to make films for the rest of his life. It took him 20 years to finally start pursuing his dream.
Roger is known for his extensive knowledge of cinema history and theory, as well as his expertise in every aspect of film production, from development to distribution. He has worked for the Sundance Film Festival as a Print Traffic Coordinator and Associate Programmer from 1999 to 2012, and also served as the Festival Director and Head of Programming for the Silver Lake Film Festival in Los Angeles from 2003 to 2007 and the Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles from 2009 to 2012.
Roger co-founded Brooklyn Reptyle Productions, produced with KNR Productions, and later brought his producing partner Veronica Radaelli to Traverse Media, which was established by CEO Cole Payne. He is currently the Head of Development and Production for both Traverse Media and its horror division, Traverse Terror.
Roger's love for world cinema is matched only by his passion for world music, which includes a wide range of genres such as punk, noise, metal, jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll, and more. He is also an avid reader and has been influenced by various literary works, including "Catch-22", "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", and "Crime and Punishment".
As a producer, Roger is a "bruiser and a bleeder", a lover of cinema and the arts, and a fighter for social justice, the environment, and the disenfranchised. He enjoys an ice-cold beer and living life on the edge, always seeking out new experiences and challenges.