Kris Kristensen has been haunted by film-making since his first childhood memory; watching the 1933 classic KING-KONG on television. At age ten he was entertaining his friends with his own short films. Before graduating from high school, he had won his first award for a 30 minute film titled DEALING.

While attending the California Institute of the Arts, Kris directed SELF-PORTRAIT. This student film was one of the first ever to receive a camera package donation from Panavision's Young Filmmaker's Program. SELF-PORTRAIT has aired on KCTS (Seattle's PBS affiliate) and is available at Seattle's Scarecrow Video.

Kris spent seven years working in Hollywood as everything from camera assistant to film editor. During these years he wrote several screenplays, all of which finished in the top 10% of the Nicholl's Fellowship.

After moving to Seattle, Kris set out to make a demo tape, LIFE & HOW TO LIVE IT, to exhibit his directing skills. This sample reel won him the silver medal at the 1998 Emerald City Awards for Best Music Video. Made for less than $2,000, several producers have guessed that it cost closer to $50,000 to produce.

In 1998, Kris joined forces with some of Seattle's strongest up and coming directors to co-found The Focus Ring. They are a small group of filmmakers who meet on a weekly basis to focus on the craft of directing actors. Their reputation for quality has spread throughout the community, and now Seattle's acting elite volunteer their talents to be part of this exciting new circle.

In late 1999, Kris was a semifinalist in the Austin Heart of Film Festival for his script MRS. BAKER. The script was co-authored by Brian McDonald who is currently involved in co-producing the film with Kris. The script finished in the top 1.5% out of 3100 submissions.

That same year, Kris shot his first feature film. He was the director of photography on THE GOOD EGG, the feature film directorial debut of screenwriter Mark (NELL) Handley. With a limited crew, budget and schedule, it was a project that challenged his abilities not only as a visualist, but also as a pragmatist. Despite the constraints, it reinforced what he's known since high school; "The day I make movies for a living I'll consider myself retired, because this is what I love to do."

Most recently, Kris co-produced, edited and shot the short film WHITE FACE for writer/director Brian McDonald. Described as a serious comedy about racism, WHITE FACE won the audience award for best short at the prestigious Slamdance Film Festival.

Kris is currently in post-production on his feature length directorial debut; ELIXIRS & REMEDIES, a concert film starring musicians Robyn Hitchcock and Grant Lee Phillips.