Who I am.
PokerGeek is me. My name is Chris, a 24 year old aspiring filmmaker currently living in Westwood, California. Having a love for the age of Rennaissance, I've made it my goal to learn and experience as many different things as possible. In this pursuit, I've spent time studying or earning a living in mathematics, writing, graphic design, visual effects, acting, radio, voice work, film, trivia, web development, and most importantly, poker.

I'm a two-time college dropout, first leaving Luther College after one semester in 1999 to pursue film, and attending Mount Mercy College for only 3 weeks before accepting a large scholarship at a renowned visual effects trade school. After spending one year learning 3d animation and acquiring key filmmaking knowledge, I departed for Los Angeles to try his hand at the next big thing.

Between college stints, I co-wrote and co-directed my first film, The Formula, about four Star Wars geeks attempting to make their own cinematic addition to the Star Wars universe. Made for 2,500 dollars, the film has been celebrated at multiple film festivals and conventions, and has been downloaded online (for free!) over 2 million times, thus making it more viewed than Gigli.

From late 2002 to mid-2004 I kept another blog which was entitled "Chicks Dig Pale Scrawny Guys" until it was hacked and deleted. Taking it as a sign to shake things up, I abandoned the site and began anew with "Chicks Dig Poker Geeks".

I currently work full time for a software development company that licenses their wares to Full Tilt Poker. My job title is one of secrecy. It resides in a think tank buried hundreds of feet beneath the streets of Los Angeles, where servicemen with Uzis guard our treasured poker secrets. Many theories have been cast, and I will not confirm or deny any such fallacies except one: We are not building another Jennifer Harman clone (though it couldn't hurt).

I also spend my evenings on the fanfilm Return of Pink Five as co-writer and Visual Effects Supervisor, slated for release sometime in the next year online.

I have a portfolio website currently under construction, but you can see the beginnings of it at http://chrishanel.deviantart.com.

I enjoy stupid trivia, movie quotes, comedy improv, fencing, and being the ninth caller.
- posted by Chris Hanel @ 11:57 AM 5 comments