Tony J. Perri was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona, where he first developed a passion for film at a very young age. Growing up in a hardworking and industrious household, his dreams of becoming a filmmaker had to be put on hold for a time.
After years of working for his father's highly regarded construction company, "Perri Development," building iconic Arizona landmarks, Tony attended Al Collins Graphic Design School in Tempe, Arizona, where he earned an A.A. in Graphic Design. His experience working on posters, flyers, and general entertainment concepts only fueled his desire to pursue his childhood dream, so he made the bold decision to move to Los Angeles to become the filmmaker he had always wanted to be.
Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Tony took an assistant position in the Wardrobe department on a film, where he immersed himself in the very world he had longed for. He quickly worked his way up to supervising and designing films, music videos, and commercials, collaborating with esteemed actors such as Jon Voight and Keifer Sutherland.
During his time working on films like "Gone in Sixty Seconds," Tony began to hone his focus on writing, gaining valuable on-the-job training while working on shows like "Boston Public." After years of on-set work for television and films alike, Tony made the decision to dedicate himself fully to filmmaking.
This newfound dedication led him to cross paths with Sheldon Strickland, a meeting that would prove to be a turning point in his career. Together, they wrote six screenplays, two of which are award-winning, completed a documentary, "Beauty Before Age," and an award-winning feature film, "They Would Love You In France." They also collaborated on a controversial short film, "JOB 7:10."
Tony's career is now on track and heading in directions he never could have imagined. Grateful for his past successes, he looks forward to future endeavors with his business partner and production company, "Vertical Turtle Films."
