MAD CRAB PRODUCTIONS

Corbin Rowell is an award-winning indie filmmaker based in Richmond, VA, with expertise in directing, screenwriting, producing, and editing. Known for his innovative storytelling and meticulous craft, Rowell has earned recognition for creating atmospheric, thought-provoking horror films that captivate audiences.

Rowell’s journey as a filmmaker began in 2019 with The Collector’s Chest, a horror short crafted for the Richmond 48 Hour Horror Film Project. The film swept the competition, earning five awards, including 2nd Place Best Film, Audience Choice, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound Design.

In 2022, Rowell’s short film Sutherland, shot at a 200-year-old Civil War-era farmhouse, received the Best Virginia Film award at the Magic of Horror Film Festival. It also became a finalist for Best Cinematographer at the Montreal Independent Film Festival and won five awards at the Hollywood Blood Horror Fest, including Best Mystery, Best Director, Best Acting Duo, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Design.

Rowell recently completed his ambitious period horror film A Raven’s Call, which follows two Cherokee friends confronting the sinister Raven Mocker, an evil spirit from Cherokee mythology. Following a successful crowdfunding campaign that raised over $15,000, A Raven’s Call completed production in mid-November 2023 and wrapped post-production in June 2025. The film had a sold out Richmond, VA premiere on September 13 followed by another successful premiere to +200 people in Cherokee, NC for the district’s Qualla-ween fall event. A Raven’s Call was then released publicly on YouTube on October 30, 2025.

Blending horror and comedy with a focus on tension and atmosphere, Rowell’s work avoids cheap scares, opting instead for stories that linger with the audience. Off set, he is a devoted cat dad, husband to his high school sweetheart, and a passionate movie buff and gamer, always drawing inspiration from the stories he loves.