ABOUT US
- Clarence MoyeClarence Moye is a proud co-founder of The Contending where he writes about film, television, and occasionally Taylor Swift. Yes, you're allowed to make fun of him for that. He does not care. Under his 10-year run at Awards Daily, Clarence covered the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, the Telluride Film Festival, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, the Middleburg Film Festival, and much more. Clarence is a member of the Critics Choice Association.
- Joey MoserJoey is a co-founder of The Contending currently living in Columbus, OH. He is a proud member of GALECA and Critics Choice. Since he is short himself, Joey has a natural draw towards short film filmmaking. He is a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic, and he has also appeared in Xtra Magazine. If you would like to talk to Joey about cheese, corgis, or Julianne Moore, follow him on Twitter or Instagram.
- Megan McLachlanMegan McLachlan is a co-founder of The Contending who lives in Pittsburgh, PA. Her work has appeared in Buzzfeed, Cosmopolitan, The Cut, Paste, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Thrillist, and The Washington Post.
Ryan AdamsRyan Adams is a moviegoer, movie lover, and movie writer. He's a proud member of GALECA, the Mickey Mouse Club (lapsed), and he represents the Lollipop Guild. His critics score is higher than his audience score.
Ben MorrisAfter seeing Gangs of New York in college, I decided to see the other Best Picture contenders that year because I had never done that before. I have been addicted to Oscar watching and film ever since. Over time, it led to discovering the Emmys and believing that television is just as good if not better than film. From there, I started following anime year-round and even looking into critically acclaimed video games and to a lesser extent music. I love writing about and immersing myself in so many creative fields and seeing how much there is out there to discover.
David PhillipsDavid Phillips has been a Senior Writer for The Contending from its inception on 8/26/2024. He is a writer for film and TV and creator of the Reframe series, devoted to looking at films from the past through a modern lens. Before coming to The Contending, David wrote for Awards Daily in the same capacity from August 2018 to August 2024. He has covered the Oscars in person (2024), as well as the Virginia Film Festival, and served as a juror for both the short and the full-length narrative film categories for the Heartland Film Festival(2024) He is a proud member of GALECA and the IFJA.- Frank J. AvellaFrank J. Avella is a proud member of The Contending and Edge Media Network. He serves as the GALECA Industry Liaison (Home of the Dorian Awards for Film, TV & Theater) and is a Member of the New York Film Critics Online. As screenwriter/director, his award-winning short film, FIG JAM, has shown in Festivals worldwide (figjamfilm.com) and won numerous awards, as has many of his screenplays. Recently produced stage plays include LURED & VATICAN FALLS, both O'Neill semifinalists. He is currently working on a highly personal project, FROCI, about the queer Italian-American experience. Frank is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild.
- Mark JohnsonMark Johnson has been a prominent voice in film coverage and the Oscar race since 2009. He launched his career with his own website, Award Contenders, before joining forces with Clayton Davis at Awards Circuit from 2011 to 2020. After continuing his insightful work at Awards Daily from 2020 to 2024, Mark now contributes to both The Contending and AwardsWatch. A member of the Critics Choice Association, Mark regularly attends major film festivals, including Telluride, Nantucket, and Middleburg, offering in-depth analysis and predictions throughout awards season.
© 2024 The Contending