Who we are
DJ Remark - Creative Director
DJ Remark is the blood-starved brain behind the Jacksonville Horror Film Festival, serving as its Creative Director with a twisted grin and a flair for the grotesque. An award-winning filmmaker and founder of Bloodscribe Creations, DJ blends grindhouse grit with cinematic ambition, curating a festival that celebrates the weird, the wild, and the wickedly original. Crowned the 2025 Small Business Leader of the Year by the Downtown Council of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce (yes, they knew what they were getting into), he’s on a mission to make Jacksonville the next horror capital—one scream at a time.
Samantha Spaniak - Executive Director
Samantha Spaniak is a licensed Florida architect by day and the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Horror Film Festival by... well, also by day (and night, and whatever cursed hour deadlines demand). Known for designing spaces that bring people together, she somehow found herself neck-deep in horror after one fateful encounter with DJ Remark—blame him. Though not always a horror buff, Samantha’s love for film and storytelling quickly spiraled into building movie sets and dreaming up immersive experiences where architecture meets the macabre. A powerhouse planner with a sharp eye and a flair for the dramatic, she brings order to the chaos with style. Named one of Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2024 and now serving as Secretary on the AIA Jacksonville Board for 2025, she proves that you can be both terrifyingly talented and terrifyingly organized.
