Daryl Schmidt

Daryl Schmidt is a writer and director based out of Detroit, MI. Working predominantly in short-films and commercials, Daryl is most notable for the exploitation action films Black Licorice (2015), and Black Licorice Returns (2019) as well as the 2021 horror film Strangers in the Night (2021) which received unanimous praise on the 2022 festival circuit. A lifelong fan of exploitation cinema thanks to his father, Daryl's earliest memories include attending several grindhouse features such as Spawn of the Slithis (1978) and The Last Shark (1981) which made a lasting impression on his future as an independent filmmaker.