Mara Tasker- Writer / Director

Mara Tasker is an independent writer/director who studied film around the world before moving to Los Angeles to work in Independent Film Finance at WME Talent Agency. Mara received her BFA in Film Production at CU Boulder in addition to studying producing at Oxford Media School in Oxford, England as well as a specialty in Italian Neo Realist filmmaking at John Cabot University in Rome. Before graduating from Boulder, Mara created and produced the avant-garde dance short PLASTIC BALLAD with dancer Esmeralda Kundanis- Grow with whom she formed an artist collective. After working at WME Talent agency for two years, Mara wrote and directed the short film LATENT which earned her an invitation to speak at the Valsele Film Festival in Italy. In 2012, she worked in development with Tobey Maguire before moving on to write for screenwriter Drew Pearce. Aside from her work in the industry, Mara continues to write and produce independently and is currently working on a slate of features as well as launching an independent film festival in Tennessee under her banner, Navona Films.



Laine Rettmer- Actress, Sheila

Laine Rettmer is an actress and director, known for Five Minarets in New York (2010), Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006), and Love Magical (2012). Since graduating from the Experimental Theatre Wing at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, she has also appeared on television in Boardwalk Empire (HBO), Blue Bloods (CBS), and Suits (USA). Laine most recently directed the critically-acclaimed production of La Boheme for LoftOpera, an exciting new company redefining opera for a new generation in the industrial space of Brooklyn.

Crew:

Jane Cottrell- 1st AD

Jane Cottrell is an independent filmmaker and producer whose passion for studying and creating films has led her all over the world. She spent her freshman year of college living in Paris, France studying European film, art, and photography, and her short "Pizza and Pigeons in the Plaza" was selected as the opening piece at the 2007 California Student Film and Video Festival. She continued making 16mm short films while a student at the New York Film Academy in New York City, and earned her B.A. in Film and Media studies from the University of California Berkeley in 2011.While an undergraduate at UC Berkeley Jane started working in production for numerous award winning directors and cinematographers such as Paul Thomas Anderson, Christopher Nolan, and Wally Pfister, ASC. After graduating Jane started working in film and non scripted television development for producers Christine Peters and Ken Mayer at CFP Entertainment, and then in distribution at Sierra/Affinity during the 2013 European Film Market. Since then Jane has split her time between assistant directing and producing a number of independent short films, music videos, web series, commercials and photography campaigns.



Emmy Haskett – Production Designer

Emmy Haskett is a Los Angeles based production designer and writer. After completing her BA in anthropology and social theory from the University of Melbourne, she moved to LA to pursue a career in film. She currently resides in Echo Park and spends time writing pilots at Stories on Sunset when she isn't working on set.



Lowell Meyer- Director of Photography

Cinematography is one part visual creativity, one part technical wizardry. As such, Lowell A. Meyer acts as both a painter and scientist when crafting his visuals. Utilizing precise camera movements, expressive color palettes, and rich photographic tonality, he matches his unique eye and artistic sensibilities with technical precision, dexterity, and pragmatism - always in service of the story. Lowell studied cinematography and photography at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, and now lives and works as a freelance cinematographer in Los Angeles, California. He has shot a diverse range of projects, including the award-winning short film "Elko" (dir. Alexander Yan), the MTV-released music video "Stars Align" by Jon Sandler (dir. Nicolas Heller), and his first feature film Project Bigfoot (dir. Ricardo Herrara) set to premiere this year. Lowell is always in search of projects that will further his exploration as a visual storyteller and provide him with more opportunities to work alongside other talented filmmakers.

Lowell’s reel: http://lowellameyer.com/reel/



Producing team:

Riel Roch Decter- Producer

Canadian born filmmaker Riel Roch Decter is currently the Director of Production for the LA based independent feature film company Olympus Pictures. While working at Olympus, Riel has helped the company produce numerous award winning feature films including Stuart Blumberg's debut feature THANKS FOR SHARING starring Mark Ruffalo ,Gwyneth Paltrow, and Tim Robbins, Andrew Adamson's film MR. PIP starring Hugh Laurie, Julian Farino's THE ORANGES starring Hugh Laurie, Leighton Meester, and Catherine Keener, John Cameron Mitchell's RABBIT HOLE starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart, for which Kidman was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress, and Mike Mills' BEGINNERS starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer, for which Plummer won the 2012 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2012, Riel produced two feature length films for Olympus: BOTTLED UP written and directed by New York filmmaker Enid Zentelis, starring Oscar winning actress Melissa Leo, Marin Ireland, and Josh Hamilton which premiered at the 2103 Tribeca Film Festival, and THE WAIT written and directed by New York filmmaker M Blash, starring Jena Malone and Chloe Sevigny, which had its world premiere at the 2103 SXSW Film Festival. Riel has also produced numerous award winning short films including THROAT SONG, written and directed by Canadian filmmmaker Miranda de Pencier. The short won the 2013 Canadian Screen Award for best live action short film, Canada's highest film and TV honor, and has also been short listed, one of ten, for a 2013 Academy Award nomination in the short film category.



Jess Engel- Producer

Jess Engel began her entertainment career in June 2011, working for Lynette Howell at Silverwood Films. When Lynette teamed with Jamie Patricof to launch Electric City Entertainment in January 2012, Jess stayed on and is now their Creative Executive where her focus is on finding exciting new material and cultivating relationships with writers and directors to help expand Electric City's slate. While at Electric City, Jess has worked on such films as Tim Burton's BIG EYES, starring Amy Adams & Christoph Waltz, and Derek Cianfrance's THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES, starring Ryan Gosling & Bradley Cooper. Electric City is currently in production on Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden's MISSISSIPPI GRIND, starring Ryan Reynolds & Ben Mendelsohn.



Pip Ngo- Producer

San Francisco native Pip Ngo is the Manager of Scripted Development for Sierra/Engine Television, where he’s responsible for shepherding projects from their conception through the finance and development process. Sierra/Engine, which utilizes an independent television model to finance straight-to-series network orders, brought to audiences worldwide NBC’s SIBERIA in its first year. It’s currently in production for ABC’S THE BLACK BOX, created by Amy Holden Jones (INDECENT PROPOSAL) and Ilene Chaiken (THE L WORD), and starring Kelly Reilly and Vanessa Redgrave. Sierra/Engine is also distributing for NBC worldwide the currently-in-production CROSSBONES, created by Neil Cross (LUTHER), and starring John Malkovich. Pip formerly worked for CAA’s Film Finance Group as well as sales, distribution, and production outfit Sierra/Affinity, where he was involved in number of titles from Sierra/Affinity’s prolific slate, including Derek Cianfrance’s THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES, Gavin Hood’s ENDER’S GAME, Taylor Hackford’s PARKER, and Nicolas Winding Refn’s DRIVE. Prior to joining the independent TV and film worlds, Pip worked on Broadway for Carole Shorenstein Hays, the legendary and prolific producer of multiple Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning productions. With Carole he helped bring to the stage the Tony Award-winning revival of August Wilson’s FENCES, starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, as well as Martin McDonagh’s A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE, starring Christopher Walken and Sam Rockwell.





Sev Ohanian- Producer

Sev Ohanian is a 26-year-old filmmaker native to Los Angeles. At the age of 20, he produced and self-distributed MY BIG FAT ARMENIAN FAMILY, a no-budget indie feature-film that became extremely popular with Armenian audiences around the world. Shortly after, he attended the USC School of Cinematic Arts MFA program - using the profits from his film to pay for tuition. While at film school, he focused on producing several ambitious short films in collaboration with fellow students. Since graduating, he was the Co-Producer on FRUITVALE STATION, a feature film written & directed by Ryan Coogler, starring Michael B. Jordan & Octavia Spencer. FRUITVALE STATION premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. The film was acquired by The Weinstein Company and was released in theaters everywhere in July 2013. Also in 2013, Sev was a Producer on THE LABYRINTH, MEMORIA, and YOSEMITE, three feature films for James Franco’s Rabbit Bandini Productions. He was awarded the 2013 Breakthrough Filmmaker Award by the Arpa International Film Festival. He recently finished producing PRODUCE, a feature film shot entirely in Louisville, Kentucky.