Sheryl Benko grew up in southern Colorado, graduating from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs with a B.A. in Communication, with emphasis in film and television. While a student at UCCS, Sheryl wrote, directed and produced a Public Service Announcement that won third place in the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ 1991 Film / Video College Competition for the Campaign Against Substance Abuse. Sheryl’s PSA was shown in nationally syndicated markets throughout the United States, including repeated appearances on WGN-Chicago during the height of the Chicago Bulls’ 1991-1992 winning seasons.
Following graduation, Sheryl got her first job in the film industry as a Production Assistant on the acclaimed 1993 Western, “TOMBSTONE.” Since that time, she has worked on over thirty films, stemming from some of the most prestigious Directors in the motion picture industry. Amongst the titles in which Sheryl is credited are the Academy Award-winning blockbuster, “TITANIC,” Quentin Tarantino’s “INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS,” Kenneth Branagh’s “THOR,” for Marvel Films, Oliver Stone’s “SAVAGES,” and the Jon Favreau hit, “CHEF.”
Other credits include the Warner Bros thriller, “UNFORGETTABLE,” the Lionsgate comedy, “UNCLE DREW,” and the pending Netflix release, “BETWEEN TWO FERNS: THE MOVIE.”
Sheryl is currently working on dual projects, serving as the Post Production Supervisor for renowned Writer / Director Alan Ball on his upcoming feature, “UNCLE FRANK,” and also on the Catherine Hardwicke project, “DON’T LOOK DEEPER,” one of the inaugural series for the innovative new streaming platform, QUIBI.
Her love of movies is also expressed through writing screenplays, and producing and directing short films. Becoming an author seemed a natural progression, considering that the long hours, self-inflicted neurosis and frequent night sweats aren’t much different from her work in the film industry.
Sheryl currently resides in Los Angeles. The Last of Will is her debut novel.
