With a Masters of Fine Arts in screenwriting and directing from Columbia University, Fortenbacher has built a portfolio of 14 short films that are rich with stories about characters that battle their internal and external difficulties. Fortenbachers graduate thesis film, Moths, received awards from several festivals and was a semi-finalist in the 2015 Student Academy Awards. His comedy/horror short film, Melon Head, screened at over thirty-five film festivals worldwide and received awards for best film, best comedy, and audience choice. Fortenbacher believes that exceptional work is the culmination of strong collaboration. As a result, he relies on his team to bring his vision to life, so that he can meticulously focus on the details to achieve polished results on each project. Fortenbacher is a member of the International Cinematographers Guild and has a high level of training in camera and lighting technique. He also has an extensive background in post-production editing and sound