Career
He has a Master of Fine Arts in directing from the American Film Institute Conservatory and a Master of Arts in Theatre from Humboldt State University. During the Gulf War, he served with Team 45, Detachment 1 of the 354th Civil Affairs Brigade. Swanstrom was an Assistant Professor of Film and Design in the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) in the American University of Sharjah from 2002 until his death in 2015.
His films have screened at over 130 film festivals worldwide, including the 60th, 64th, 65th, and 66th annual Cannes Film Festival.