About the Filmmaker
Born in New York City and raised in New Jersey, Wendy Schneider has been working in media production since she was 17. The creative force behind a range of projects including an audio documentary on the Civil Rights Movement, an award-winning CD compilation of songs protesting the Iraq War, audio soundscapes for children, and the ground-breaking documentary, CUT: Teens and Self Injury, winner of the “Best Wisconsin Film” award at the Beloit International Film Festival. A long-time community activist, her work is dedicated to bringing creativity into contact with the needs of everyday life.
While she was still in high school, Schneider got a job as a messenger for a multimedia production company in New York City and within eight years had become the company’s creative director of audio, producing and scoring for major corporate clients that included the National Geographic Society and the International Center for Photography. In 1989, Wendy completed her first audio documentary for People For The American Way; a retrospective commemorating the 25th anniversary of slain civil rights activists, Andrew Goodman, Mickey Schwerner and James Chaney. Recognizing that her true vocation lay in creative work rather than corporate life, she, relocated to the Midwest to attend the University of Wisconsin, where she concentrated her studies on community issues and multicultural literature and music.
In 1994 Schneider opened her own multi-track recording facility and started the production company, Coney Island Studios, creating and collaborating on projects for major record labels and independent artists in the Midwest. The facility was home to hundreds of projects and provided an environment for Schneider to expand her catalog of personal work.
In 2001, Schneider produced No Camouflage, a multi-genre CD in protest to our involvement in the Iraq war. The project raised funds for local peace organizations and received the award for “Best Compilation” from the Wisconsin Area Music Awards (WAMI).
Creating media with outreach and educational components remains central to Schneider’s work. After learning of a friend’s struggle with cutting in 2006, she became aware of how little information was available about self-injury. Her response was to purchase a used video camera and begin production on her first documentary, CUT: Teens and Self Injury. The film premiered at the Wisconsin Film Festival in 2007 and she is currently booking awareness/education screenings at schools and conferences around the country and Canada. Previously, she founded and served as creative director for Sparkle Dog®, a fledgling company using audio-based literature as a learning tool in local elementary schools – encouraging literacy in young listeners while they listen, learn and create.
Schneider’s community outreach work in Madison began in 1990, partnering with students and local residents to open a multi-cultural library and drop-in center for youth. The project’s goal was to bridge the gap between the university and the residents with limited access to education, resources and community services. Her community work continued in the late 90s, training an NYC’s Harm Reduction Coalition, then working 3 years as a needle exchange specialist for the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin. She is also trained in “gate keeper” suicide prevention and works closely with experts, trainers and researchers in the US who are committed to sharing and collecting information about self-injurious behavior.
A well-known figure in Madison’s rock music scene with a loyal regional following, she has released two albums, “Bugatti Type 35” and “Traction”.
