Ethan Powell
Founder & Producer
Ethan Powell is a driven Perth-based filmmaker, actor, and producer with over 70 screen credits across the local indie scene. After years in front of the camera, he made his directorial debut in 2024 with the psychological horror short Mirror’s End and quickly established his own production company, Nightmare Narratives, focused on bold, emotionally-driven genre storytelling. His debut feature Class of 17, a gritty, gore-drenched slasher with depth, is set for release in early 2026. Ethan’s latest project Held Within marks a deeper exploration into grief, masculinity, and mental health — solidifying his voice as an up and coming creative in the indie film space.
Dale Fry
Action Director & Producer
With over a decade of Martial Arts experience under his belt, Dale brings his skills to the screen, creating fight sequences that are both authentic and cinematic. He studies all aspects of combat, from open-hand techniques to weapons, striving for fluidity, realism, and storytelling in every movement.
Drawing inspiration from the action films of the 80s and 90s, Dale crafts choreography that evokes the thrill and nostalgia of classic cinema while serving the story. His work aims not just to excite audiences, but to reveal character and enhance narrative.
When he’s not on set, Dale explores martial arts history and experiments with new choreographed sequences, constantly pushing the boundaries of movement and storytelling.
Ryan Cesario
CFO & ACTOR
Ryan Cesario operates at the intersection of finance, governance and strategic development, bringing a commercially focused perspective to the rapidly evolving world of Nightmare Narratives. With experience within the Western Australian Department of Justice and a strong grounding in commerce and finance, Ryan has developed a reputation for approaching complex challenges with an emphasis on structure, resources and long-term commercial viability.
As a key figure behind Nightmare Narratives, Ryan provides the financial and strategic thinking that underpins the organisation’s ambitions. While the creative team focuses on stories, production and execution, Ryan is concerned with the bigger picture—budgets, commercial opportunities, resource allocation and building the foundations required to take an independent production operation to the next level.
Often described within the organisation as a future CFO, Ryan represents the business engine behind the creative ambition of Nightmare Narratives. His influence reflects a simple philosophy: think bigger, operate smarter and build for where the organisation is going—not where it is today. In an industry built on imagination, Ryan brings something equally important to the table: the numbers to make the nightmare a reality.