DIRECTOR – Nathan Ruegger
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| Nathan Ruegger fell in love with filmmaking as a young voice actor on the Emmy Award-winning show, Animaniacs. He graduated Dartmouth College with high honors in Film Studies, the Dartmouth Film Award, and acceptance into USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. While at USC, he produced the documentary Carry Me Home and the Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmaker finalist film Moonlight Theater. Nathan recently graduated from USC with honors and wrote an action feature Furious Angels. He is currently developing a feature version of Another Life. |
PRODUCER – Elizabeth Manashil
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| Photo courtesy of Isaiah Rhodes Inderrieden |
| Born and raised in San Rafael, CA, Elizabeth Manashil knew she wanted to be a filmmaker at age 16 while watching Truffaut's Stolen Kisses in a class on Auteur Filmmakers taught by Sandy Handsher. In 2002, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, where she founded and lead a film production and appreciation society SPLICE for two and a half years. In the past few years, she has worked closely with John Morrison of the California Film Institute, Michael Shamberg of Double Feature Films and Adam Goodman of Paramount Film Group. Elizabeth is a recent graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts M.F.A. program, with a concentration in Film and Television production. She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. |
PRODUCER – Mitsuyo Miyazaki
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| Growing up in Osaka, Japan, Mitsuyo developed a rich experience working as an actress and a photographer. Her many acting credits include Memoirs of a Geisha and You are Here (Cannes 2004) and her photography credits include LA Weekly and The Source magazines. In 2006, she was a translator and a P.A. for Nanking, a documentary feature that won Best Editing at Sundance. At USC, Mitsuyo has written, directed, and produced over fourteen short films, including the finalist film in the Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmaker competition, Moonlight Theater. Mitsuyo is currently directing her thesis film, Tsuyako. |
PRODUCER – Min Zhang
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Min was born and raised in Shanghai, China. She graduated from Dartmouth College, where she studied computer science and economics, met Nathan, and shared with him their common passion for film. Min went on to work in New York and L.A.’s finance industries, only to find herself collecting friends’ screenplays and building contacts in the film industry. Min is currently studying at Stanford University’s Business School and spreading advance buzz for Another Life.
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CINEMATOGRAPHER – Jay Visit
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Jay is an award-winning cinematographer who shoots narratives, music videos and commercial projects. His recent credits include Our Neck of the Woods,an official selection at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival Jay and Seth vs. the Apocalypse starring Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel, and the Make Me Over music video for Lifehouse.Jay holds a Masters Degree in Film Production from the University of Southern California and currently resides in Los Angeles.
www.jayvisit.com
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PRODUCTION DESIGNER – Jill Blackledge
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| Jill Blackledge is a recent M.A. graduate in the Critical Studies program at USC. Her research interests included popular American cinema, the Hollywood musical, fashion culture, and production and costume design. She received her B.A. in English literary studies from Iowa State University in 2007. Jill has designed many USC films, such as the 546 film Sammara, as well as intermediate and advanced directing projects and music videos. She also assisted in art and costume departments on a Heineken music video and a Coca-Cola finalist film. |
1ST A.D. – Kaveh Taherian
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| Photo courtesy of Isaiah Rhodes Inderrieden |
| Kaveh Taherian is a jack of all trades who has worked jobs across the board of the creative arts, including film director, illustrator and graphic artist. Some notable credits include working on HBO's Entourage and The Simpsons. He received his B.A. in illustration/design which gave him the skills to found his own creative services business, Digi Socks Design. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Kaveh was born to Iranian immigrants who encouraged him to pursue a career in the visual arts. This brought him to Los Angeles in 2008. In his spare time he enjoys playing blues guitar and tending to his small collection of succulents and vegetable plants. |
EDITOR – Beth Moody
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| Beth is a recent graduate from the M.F.A. Film Production program at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. A Missouri native, Beth fell in love with filmmaking when she took an elective media course in college. While at USC, she found her niche in editing, enjoying the collaborative role the editor has in weaving the story together and creating the emotional journey for the audience. Beth has since edited numerous shorts including two other USC thesis films, 11 Weeks and Molly Goes West, photographed in India and Utah respectively. Beth is currently editing two feature documentaries. |
LEAD SOUND DESIGNER - Chris Whetstone
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Chris is a recent graduate from the M.F.A. Film Production program at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Born and raised in Texas, Chris fell in love with filmmaking at Southern Methodist Univeristy where he received his B.A. in Film Studies. While at USC, Chris found his niche as a sound designer with an extensive background in both production and post-production sound. Chris has since sound designed the USC thesis film Before I Wake and directed the viral internet sensation Ocean Shark.
www.johnjenningsboyd.com |
COMPOSER - John Jennings Boyd
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| John is a rising voice within today's generation of young composers. Finding his focus right after college, John scored feature and short films that have garnered major awards and attention at Sundance, SXSW, and GenArt film festivals including Cary Fukunaga’s Victoria Para Chino and Moon Molson’s Pop Foul. Since his move to Los Angeles, John has contributed his music and score production skills to many major motion pictures including the critically acclaimed What Doesn't Kill You (starring Ethan Hawke and Mark Ruffalo) and the smash hit Four Christmases (starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon). He currently resides on the Westside with his cat Utuqi and his beloved collection of instruments from all over the world. |
CASTING DIRECTOR – Cheryl Faye
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| Cheryl Faye started out in the entertainment industry as a young teen, dancing and singing for Stage, Film, Music Videos and TV. Branched into casting on the Feature Film ,Fatal Beauty. Went on to cast Principle Actors and Background in many major Feature Films and Televison Shows including Reservoir Dogs, Nightmare on Elm Street, Lawnmower Man, Heathers ,Dark Man and the TV Series, Tales From the Crypt. Just wrapped casting on Zombo,” a Zombie Musical. Some of her Choreography and Dance Casting Credits are, The Fabulous Thunderbirds Video for the Movie Cocktail, Tap with Gregory Hines, Lambada ,The Forbidden Dance and Basic Values for HBO. Cheryl is currently in Pre Production on a SAG Indie Action/Parody Feature. |
MAKEUP – Mara Rouse
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Mara Rouse - started six years ago with a background doing theatrical makeup design. During that time she also worked in cosmetics, in which she's worked for MAC, Origins, and Chanel Cosmetics.
She's worked and interned at Special FX shops with Schell Sculpture Studio (studio’s credits include: conceptual creature designer for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, AVPR: Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem, etc), Barney Burman's Proteus FX (Star Trek, Valkyrie) and Chiodo Bros. Productions (Team America, Killer Klowns from Outer Space). Her skills range from beauty makeup to prosthetics. |
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