Rik Swartzwelder was born in Ohio, USA.

M.F.A. in Motion Picture Production from The Florida State University. B.S. from Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland. A huge fan of track & field and a long-distance runner himself, he qualified for the NAIA nationals in cross country. As of June 2007, his films have screened at over 145 film festivals worldwide and won over 50 major awards. He served as a teaching assistant for William Froug's screen writing class at The Florida State University. His mother is an artist and helped raise her four children by teaching art classes in a converted garage; she currently specializes in murals (2006). Inspired by watching the PBS show ZOOM, he began making super-8mm shorts with a hand-me-down camera that once belonged to his late grandfather. Turned down the role of "Kevin" in Route 4 (1998). Invited by the Heartland Film Festival to lead the very first filmmaking workshop offered ("The Craft of Film Directing") as part of their newly launched Heartland Truly Moving Pictures Institute (March 2008).