Theodore Barrett Burgin is an award-winning writer, director, and producer from Southern Appalachia. He is best known for writing and directing several award-winning short films, including The Next Door (2016), The Angel (2024) and A Scout is Kind (2024), and Java Jive (2025), as well as selling his student feature film CRYO (2022) to Saban Films. Noted for his special interests in religious identity, myth, and cultural representation, his films often incorporate elements of his Mormon upbringing. His work is studied in collegiate courses.