Marjorie Conrad

Conrad was born in Marseille to French parents Didier Conrad, a graphic novel artist of Swiss origin, and Sophie Commenge, a graphic novel scenarist of partial Italian ancestry. When she was eight years old, the family left France and relocated to Los Angeles, California after her father began working on the film The Road to El Dorado (2000) with DreamWorks Studio. Conrad and her brother did not learn English until beginning public schooling in California.

Conrad attended school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and began pursuing filmmaking as a middle schooler. She then attended Cleveland High School and San Francisco State University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in film production in 2011.

In 2008, Conrad was scouted at the San Francisco State University campus bookstore for the eleventh cycle of America's Next Top Model.

After being the fourth (after Sheena Sakai, Lio Tipton and Nikeysha Clarke) girl selected as a cast member, Conrad was never placed below seventh.{{Cite web|url=http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/AmericasNextTopModelCycleEleven|title=TV Tropes/ Characters/America's Next Top Model Cycle Eleven}} Her portfolio frequently garnered much praise from the judges. Conrad received two first call-outs which were both shot by photographer Mike Rosenthal (i.e. portraying the political issue of immigration during the voting-themed photoshoot in week one and embodying an award show mishap inspired by Tyra's Fiercee Awards in a dramatic photoshoot in week six).

She also won two challenges (i.e. her high-fashion take on the "Hunchback from Notre-Dame" impressed Tyra Banks during the Signature Pose Challenge, winning her diamonds at Rafinity Jewelry valued at 12k in week six and the commercial shoot challenge with model Mark Vanderloo judged by Paulina Porizkova where she was rewarded with a 10k shopping spree at G-Star Raw in week ten). Conrad during both her challenge wins chose to split and share the prize evenly with her friend and fellow contestant Tipton)

In week seven, challenge winner Elina Ivanova chose Conrad and Tipton to feature in a Seventeen Magazine holiday photoshoot.

Conrad survived her first-ever bottom two appearance over Ivanova who was eliminated in her third consecutive bottom two appearance in week nine. The judges eliminated Conrad eleventh in Amsterdam during her second consecutive bottom two appearance which Samantha Potter had survived for the second time.

Post-Top Model, Conrad resumed her studies at San Francisco State University and signed with Look Model Agency from 2009–2011.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lookmodelagency.com/details.asp?gid=&spid=138&subid=3874&from=&modelid=425554|title=LOOK Model Agency|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314074108/http://lookmodelagency.com/details.asp?from=&gid=&modelid=425554&spid=138&subid=3874|archive-date=2016-03-14|url-status=dead|access-date=July 29, 2017}} Modeling credits included a cover and spreads in Fantasticsmag, opening a Marciano runway show, walking for the Parc 55 Hotel opening show, closing and a video shoot for the San Francisco Art Institute graduation show, several shoots and shows for diPietro Todd Salon, multiple shoots for Edo Salon, a shoot for Atelier Emmanuel, a trade show with Gina Khan Salon, in-store modeling for Neiman Marcus, and a video shoot for Macy's West and MAC Cosmetics. She has worked with San Francisco photographers Aubrey Trinnaman, Hideki Owa, Billy Winters, Tara Chumpelik, Christian Pollock, Tara Arrowood, Cody Rasmussen, RC Rivera, Jean-Baptiste Petispas, and Brittany McCall.{{Cite web|url=http://all-antm.net/index.php?cat=167|title=All ANTM/Cycle 11/Marjorie Conrad|website=All ANTM}}

Her 2011 graduate thesis film Limehouse won the Audience Award at the Juried Previews for the SFSU 51st Film Finals,{{Cite web|url=https://sfsufilmfinals.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/congratulations-2011-award-winners/|title=SFSU Film Finals: Congratulations 2011 Award Winners|date=18 May 2011}} was selected to close the Film Finals screening, won Best Narrative at the Excelsior Short Film Festival,{{Cite web|url=http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=5861|title=The Bay Area Reporter: Memorial for Vicki Marlane Sunday}} and was praised by Sundance Feature Film Program Manager Cullen Conly. The short narrative film focused on San Francisco and featured legendary transgender pioneer Vicki Marlane in a rare and classic rendition of Lisa Kirk's Limehouse Blues.

After graduating with honors in 2011, Conrad moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles and set out to write her first feature script while working as a receptionist at World of Wonder Productions. It was there that she met her future cast members, including the late Ian Coster (son of Days of Our Lives actor Nicolas Coster, also performing in the film), Michael Lucid, Deven Green, David Keeps, and Stephen Saban, co-founder of Details. She fully funded the film using her earnings from World of Wonder, teaming up with SFSU alums Barret Hacia (Producer) and Mackenzie Mathis (Cinematographer). Marjorie wore many hats for the project: writer, director, lead actor, executive producer, and editor.

Her surreal debut feature, titled [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3406296 Chemical Cut], world premiered at the top-tier 2016 Slamdance Film Festival as an Official Selection in the Narrative Competition.{{Cite web|url=http://slamdance.com/SLAMDANCE-ANNOUNCES-2016-FEATURE-FILM-COMPETITION-WITH-INCREASED|title=SLAMDANCE ANNOUNCES 2016 FEATURE FILM COMPETITION WITH INCREASED... – Slamdance|website=slamdance.com|access-date=2017-07-30}} Marjorie was one of only two female directors accepted in the 2016 Narrative Feature lineup. In her dark comedy, "Irene, a 23-year-old artistic misfit, pursues a modeling career to escape her dead-end retail job but is quickly disillusioned by the cutthroat nature of the Los Angeles fashion world. Searching for identity and a kindred spirit while surrounded by competition, absurdity, and so many nude bras, Irene flounders until a mysterious woman's performance ignites her imagination."{{Cite web|url=http://slamdance.com/SLAMDANCE-ANNOUNCES-2016-FEATURE-FILM-COMPETITION-WITH-INCREASED|title=SLAMDANCE ANNOUNCES 2016 FEATURE FILM COMPETITION WITH INCREASED GLOBAL REACH AND DIVERSITY}} Programmer Marie Jamora explained, "Writer/Director/Editor/Lead Actress Marjorie Conrad developed the story from her own experience as a former model, and she shows us a world where mannequins are treated better than real women, verbal molestation is palpable, and the scariest predators of pretty girls are the other pretty girls.”{{Cite web|url=http://www.amfm-magazine.com/slamdance-2016-10-cant-miss-picks/|title=amfm magazine slamdance 2016 10 can't miss picks|work=AM FM Studios Magazine |date=20 January 2016 }} Chemical Cut had a positive critical reception, including the following favorable reviews from Hammer To Nail,{{Cite web|url=http://www.hammertonail.com/film-festivals/chemical-cut-movie-review/|title=Hammer To Nail Festival Review: Chemical Cut|website=Hammer To Nail|date=26 January 2016}} Film Colossus,{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmcolossus.com/single-post/2016/10/20/CHEMICAL-CUT-FIGHT-CLUB-GROUNDHOG-DAY-THE-NATURAL-and-the-secret-of-dealing-with-life-when-it%E2%80%99s-overwhelming-and-you-feel-stuck|title=Film Colossus Festival Review: Chemical Cut|work=Colossus |date=5 October 2018 }} Beyond Chron,{{Cite web|url=http://www.beyondchron.org/31290-2/|title=Beyond Chron Festival Review: Chemical Cut|website=Beyond Chron|date=February 2016}} The Film Stage,{{Cite web|url=https://thefilmstage.com/reviews/slamdance-review-chemical-cut/|title=The Film Stage Slamdance Review: Chemical Cut|website=The Film Stage|date=28 January 2016}} Eat Drink Films,{{Cite web|url=https://eatdrinkfilms.com/2016/01/28/slamdance/|title=Eat Drink Films Slamdance Review: Chemical Cut|website=Eat Drink Films|date=28 January 2016}} and Slug Magazine.{{Cite web|url=http://www.slugmag.com/film-reviews/chemical-cut/|title=Slug Mag Film Review: Chemical Cut|website=Slug Mag|date=23 January 2016}} The following interviews with the cast and crew were conducted by Twitch Film,{{Cite web|url=http://twitchfilm.com/2016/01/slamdance-2016-meet-the-filmmakers-part-2-gallery.html#4|title=Slamdance 2016 Meet the Filmmakers Part 2|website=Twitch Film|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123010126/http://twitchfilm.com/2016/01/slamdance-2016-meet-the-filmmakers-part-2-gallery.html#4|archive-date=2016-01-23|url-status=dead}} World of Wonder{{Cite web|url=http://worldofwonder.net/wowexclusive-jsj-interviews-marjorie-conrad-on-her-new-film-chemical-cut/|title=Wow Exclusive JSJ Interviews Marjorie Conrad On Her New Film Chemical Cut|date=18 January 2016}} hosted by James St. James, Film Colossus,{{Cite web|url=http://www.filmcolossus.com/chemical-cut/interviews/writer-director-actor-marjorie-conrad|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805142339/https://filmcolossus.com/chemical-cut/interviews/writer-director-actor-marjorie-conrad|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 5, 2020|title=Chemical Cut: Interviews: Writer-Director-Actor Marjorie Conrad|date=31 December 2017}} The Park Record,{{Cite web|url=http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_29420514/conrads-chemical-cut-inspired-by-her-modeling-experiences|title=Conrad's Chemical Cut Inspired By Her Modeling Experiences|website=The Park Record|date=23 January 2016 }} The Art of Monteque,{{Cite web|url=http://theartofmonteque.com/2016/02/02/a-conversation-with-filmmaker-marjorie-conrad-of-the-2016-slamdance-film-chemical-cut/|title=A Conversation with Fiilmmaker Marjorie Conrad of the 2016 Slamdance Film Chemical Cut|work=The Art Of Monteque |date=2 February 2016}} Screen Prism,{{Cite web|url=http://screenprism.com/insights/article/ask-the-director-americas-next-top-model-alum-marjorie-conrad-talks-about-h|title=Ask The Director: America's Next Top Model Alum Marjorie Conrad Talks About Her Film Chemical Cut|website=Screen Prism}} Serving Cinema,{{Cite web|url=http://servingcinema.com/2016/01/marjorie-conrad-antm-interview/|title=Marjorie Conrad ANTM Interview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316223624/http://servingcinema.com/2016/01/marjorie-conrad-antm-interview/|archive-date=2016-03-16|url-status=dead}} Filmmaker Magazine,{{Cite web|url=http://filmmakermagazine.com/97100-dp-mackenzie-mathis-on-slamdance-world-premiere-chemical-cut/#.VqpX4zaJmlI|title=DP Mackenzie Mathis on Slamdance World Premiere Chemical Cut|date=28 January 2016}} and MovieMaker Magazine.{{Cite web|url=http://www.moviemaker.com/archives/festivals/slamdance-2016-preview/|title=MovieMaker Magazine Slamdance 2016 Preview|work=MovieMaker Magazine |date=26 January 2023 }} Other local radio and television interviews were conducted by Entertainment Journal, Park City Television, KPCW Radio, KXRK 96 Radio, Attention Deficit, UNLV Rebel Yell, P3 Update, International Screenwriting Association, and Examiner. The film was singled out as a festival highlight by AMFM Magazine,{{Cite web|url=http://www.amfm-magazine.com/slamdance-2016-10-cant-miss-picks/|title=AMFM Magazine Slamdance 2016 10 Can't Miss Picks|work=AM FM Studios Magazine |date=20 January 2016 }} Variety,{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/slamdance-continues-to-challenge-indie-film-orthodoxy-1201684660/|title=Variety 2016 Film Festival Slamdance Continues to Challenge Indie Film Orthodoxy|date=21 January 2016}} Twitch Film,{{Cite web|url=http://twitchfilm.com/2016/01/slamdance-2016-preview-twitchfilms-top-picks-gallery.html#3|title=Twitch Film's Top Picks Slamdance 2016 Preview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122164409/http://twitchfilm.com/2016/01/slamdance-2016-preview-twitchfilms-top-picks-gallery.html#3|archive-date=2016-01-22|url-status=dead}} Hammer To Nail,{{Cite web|url=http://www.hammertonail.com/reviews/2016-slamdance-film-festival-preview/|title=Hammer to Nail 2016 Slamdance Film Festival Preview|date=21 January 2016 }} and The Davis Clipper,{{Cite web|url=http://davisclipper.com/view/full_story/27062313/article-Tom-s-Tomes--Launching-pads-of-Sundance-and-Slamdance?instance=lead_story_left_column|title=Davis Clipper Launching Pads of Sundance and Slamdance|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817035856/http://davisclipper.com/view/full_story/27062313/article-Tom-s-Tomes--Launching-pads-of-Sundance-and-Slamdance?instance=lead_story_left_column|archive-date=2017-08-17|url-status=dead}} and the festival trailer was initially released on Indiewire.{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/watch-exclusive-chemical-cut-trailer-slices-deep-into-the-modeling-world-20160119|title=Watch: Exclusive Chemical Cut Trailer Slices Deep Into the Modeling World|website=Indiewire|date=19 January 2016}} Filmmaker Magazine called the film "beguiling" and "intriguing," Slug Magazine described it as "a beautifully wrought film of the often fraught search for identity" and argued "the film manages to deftly explore questions of identity and creativity—perhaps drawing from Conrad’s own experiences—through opulent shots, outrageous characters and an exquisite backdrop of heightened reality."{{Cite web|url=https://thefilmstage.com/reviews/slamdance-review-chemical-cut//film-reviews/chemical-cut/|title=Slamdance Film Review: Chemical Cut}}{{dead link|date=January 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} While at the festival, Recreation Media secured the film's international rights. It screened at the ArcLight Hollywood on May 10, 2016 and the ArcLight Chicago on May 18, 2016 as part of the Slamdance Cinema Club.{{Cite web|url=http://slamdance.com/ArcLight-Cinemas-and-Slamdance-Takes-Cinema-Club-Program-Across-the|title=ArcLight Cinema and Slamdance Takes Cinema Club Program Across the Country|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624190334/http://slamdance.com/ArcLight-Cinemas-and-Slamdance-Takes-Cinema-Club-Program-Across-the|archive-date=2017-06-24|url-status=dead}} The film was nominated for the Indie Spirit Award and won the Female Eye Filmmaking Award at The New Hope Film Festival.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2016/08/new_hope_film_festival_announces_awards.html|title=2016 New Hope Film Festival Announces Awards|date=August 2016}} It was an Official Selection at the 2016 Buffalo International Film Festival in the Domestic and ArtHouse Feature category.{{Cite web|url=http://buffalointernationalfilmfestival.com/lineup/|title=2016 Buffalo International Film Festival Lineup}} Marjorie was interviewed for BIFFX by actress Tilke Hill as part of a Women in Film panel with feature directors Stavroula Toska (Beneath The Olive Tree) and Victoria Negri (Gold Star).{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv-h6CaNkIs|title=The New Hotness – BIFFX – Women In Film Panel discussion|website=YouTube |date=3 March 2017 }} Chemical Cut was released on Amazon Prime Video {{Cite web |title=Watch Chemical Cut (Director's Cut) {{!}} Prime Video |url=https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Cut-Directors-Marjorie-Conrad/dp/B07D253L4X |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=www.amazon.com}} and Marjorie Conrad's [https://www.youtube.com/@mconrad YouTube Channel].{{Citation |title=Chemical Cut (Festival Version) - Full Feature Film | date=11 June 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enu-1UHEVd8 |access-date=2023-10-20 |language=en}}

Conrad's second feature film, [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12998774 Desire Path], premiered at the 2020 Mammoth Lakes Film Festival and won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. Notable cast include Otto von Schirach and Amy Deanna.{{Citation|last=Conrad|first=Marjorie|title=Desire Path|date=2020-09-18|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12998774/|type=Horror|others=Amy Deanna, Otto von Schirach, Andrew Banewicz|access-date=2020-09-17}} Film critic, curator, and artist [https://ngbooart.blogspot.com/ Nikola Gocić] cited Desire Path as one of his cinematic favorites of 2020, an "uncompromising sophomore feature–a deliberately paced, relentlessly elliptical and formally adventurous de(con)struction of the vampire subgenre."{{Cite web |last=Gocić |first=Nikola |date=2020-11-01 |title=NGboo Art: Cinematic Favorites 10/20 |url=https://ngbooart.blogspot.com/2020/11/cinematic-favorites-1020.html |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=NGboo Art}}{{Cite web |last=Gocić |first=Nikola |date=2020-12-29 |title=NGboo Art: Top 60 (Recent) Films of 2020 |url=https://ngbooart.blogspot.com/2020/12/top-60-recent-films-of-2020.html |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=NGboo Art}} Gocić subsequently praised the 2021 version of the film: "Marjorie Conrad’s grimly sensual mood piece–one of the finest experimental features I saw last year–gets a condensed, yet even more daring version which emphasizes the film’s ‘tactility’. And when I say ‘tactility’, I don’t refer to it only in its literal sense, but also as in ‘a half-remembered dream that gently touches your psyche before veiling it in uncanny ethereality'..."{{Cite web |last=Gocić |first=Nikola |date=February 14, 2021 |title=www.facebook.com/nikola.gocic.3 |website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/nikola.gocic.3/posts/10225268613048311?ref=embed_post |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231020190442/https://www.facebook.com/nikola.gocic.3/posts/10225268613048311?ref=embed_post |archive-date=October 20, 2023}} The 2021 version of Desire Path was released on Amazon Prime Video;{{Cite web |title=Watch Desire Path (Final Cut) {{!}} Prime Video |url=https://www.amazon.com/Desire-Path-Final-Cut-Deanna/dp/B08M9NJSSD |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=www.amazon.com}} both the 2020{{Citation |title=Desire Path (Festival Cut) - Full Feature Film - Amy Deanna, Otto von Schirach | date=31 October 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlKCgdtTnew |access-date=2023-10-20 |language=en}} and 2021{{Citation |title=Desire Path (Final Cut) - Full Feature Film - Amy Deanna, Otto von Schirach | date=26 January 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q55m7RqStcI |access-date=2023-10-20 |language=en}} versions were released on Marjorie Conrad's [https://www.youtube.com/@mconrad YouTube channel].

Conrad's formally daring third feature, [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29519815 Body Issues], makes innovative use of body cam footage, a lack of visible human faces,{{Cite web |title=Body Issues {{!}} Body Issues – Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 5PM! {{!}} New Jersey Film Festival Spring 2024 |url=https://watch.eventive.org/newjerseyfilmfestivalspring2024/play/65248fd99e249a004af860f0 |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=watch.eventive.org |language=en}} and "an unreliable narrator as the only guide."{{Cite web |last=Gocić |first=Nikola |date=2023-10-20 |title=NGboo Art: Body Issues (Marjorie Conrad, 2023) |url=https://ngbooart.blogspot.com/2023/10/body-issues-marjorie-conrad-2023.html |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=NGboo Art}} It debuted at the 2023 Cine-Excess Film Festival in the UK, exploring "physical and familial alienation" central to the festival's theme.{{Cite web |title=Body Issues (2023) - Cine-Excess |url=https://www.cine-excess.co.uk/body-issues-2023.html |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=www.cine-excess.co.uk}} In his review, Nikola Gocić commends the film's bold, raw, and essayistic experimentation that "constantly keeps you guessing," describing the film as "a heavy dream in which you’re enveloped in darkness, and lost in a place you can’t recognize," its nightmarish atmosphere reminiscent of "Philippe Grandrieux and David Lynch (in the Inland Empire element)." The film was also programmed at the 2023 Bridge Film and Video Festival,{{Cite web |title=Bridge |url=https://www.bridge-chicago.org/news/bridge-filmvideofest-lineup2023 |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=Bridge |language=en-US}} the 2023 BizarroLand Film Festival,{{Cite web |title=Schedule – BizarroLand Film Festival |url=https://bizarrolandfilm.com/schedule/ |access-date=2023-10-20 |language=en-US}} and the 2024 New Jersey Film Festival.

{{reflist}}

{{America's Next Top Model}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conrad, Marjorie}}

Category:1988 births

Category:American people of Italian descent

Category:American people of Swiss descent

Category:American women film directors

Category:Filmmakers from California

Category:Film directors from Los Angeles

Category:French emigrants to the United States

Category:French female models

Category:Living people

Category:Female models from Los Angeles

Category:San Francisco State University alumni

Category:21st-century American women