Film Bios

Please use the Menu links on your left to return to your registration page.

Sasha Mervyn Mini-Bio:  Sasha Mervyn is the Director of Development at Columbia Pictures-based Laura Ziskin Productions (Spider-Man 1,2,3, As Good As It Gets, To Die For, 79th Annual Academy Awards). Originally from British Columbia, Sasha graduated with honors from Harvard University and spent three in Washington DC and New York City working as a management consultant for KPMG. While in New York she was also the Literary Manager for the Genesius Guild, an Off Broadway theatre company dedicated to finding and developing new playwrights. Having realized her passion lay in the arts, she moved to Los Angeles, earning her MFA in the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California, where she received the Sinatra Endowment Fund Scholarship. During the WGA strike, she and some friends started up www.filmindustrybloggers.com a resource for the film and television industry that aims to have a blogger from every job in the business. She is currently working on features including: How I Paid for College, How to Be Good, Spellman Files and TV series including: Riders, Shifter, The Skin I’m In and Citizen Girl. At the moment, she is in pre-production on a biopic about Katharine Graham for HBO. Seeking:  Character-driven films including drama, action adventure, children’s, family, romantic comedy, smart thriller, dramedy. No horror or gruesome thriller.

Swanna McNair Mini-Bio:  Swanna McNair is with Misher Films. In 2001, Kevin Misher left his post as President of Production at Universal Pictures to form his own production company, Misher Films, which now has a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures. His first project as producer was the hit follow up to THE MUMMY franchise, THE SCORPION KING. His subsequent production for Universal was THE RUNDOWN, starring The Rock, Seann William Scott and Christopher Walken.  Next, Misher Films produced (in association with Working Title Films) THE INTERPRETER, directed by Academy Award winner Sydney Pollack, and starring Academy Award winners Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. The political thriller was released by Universal Pictures in April 2005. Misher Films is currently awaiting release on Paramount’s CASE 39, starring Renee Zelwegger; in post-production on FIGHTING, directed by Dito Montiel; and in production on PUBLIC ENEMIES, directed by Michael Mann and starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Seeking:  Misher Films is currently looking for: action, thriller, supernatural, historical.

Ali Bell Mini-Bio:  Ali Bell is the Vice President of Production/Development for Ivan Reitman's production banner, The Montecito Picture Company. The company most recently produced the film Disturbia and is in pre/post-production with a slate of films that include such talent as Atom Egoyan, Jason Jones, Michael Keaton, Carol Burnett, Elizabeth Banks, Jason Sudeikus, and Rainn Wilson. Ali has also been the Director of Development for David Heyman's production banner Heyday Films (Harry Potter, UK Film & TV), and an executive at Nickelodeon Movies a production company based at Paramount Pictures (Lemony Snickett, Nacho Libre, Mighty Mouse). She also did marketing for Nickelodeon. Seeking:  Comedy

Jeremy Bell Mini-Bio:  Jeremy is a Partner in Foursight Entertainment, which reps writers and directors for film and TV. Client’s credits include Sony’s The Messengers, The King, HBO’s Entourage, FX’s The Shield and UPN’s All of US. Foursight was Exec Producer on Haven starring Orlando Bloom and is now producing films at Paramount and Sony. Seeking:  Seeking: Horror, Comedy, Thriller and Action.

Jay Burns Mini-Bio:  After working his way through the Hollywood development system, including work as a script consultant for A-list stars, story editor at a lit management company, and head of a large development team at Platinum Studios, Jay Burns founded Jaywalk Films in 2006. A well-known story consultant, Jay loves working with writers to find the core of their piece. Seeking:  Film projects of all genres and both scripted and unscripted television.

Kerry David (Ms) Mini-Bio:  A seasoned Producer, who got her start at Paramount, Kerry started Lucky Crow Films in 2002. She optioned and Exec Produced Agent Cody Banks and Cody Banks 2 for MGM, produced the award-winning doc, My Date With Drew, and worked on Practical Magic, The Blue Room, Mission Impossible 2 and Eyes Wide Shut. She is now working on projects with Jessica Lange and Willam H. Macy. URL:  www.IndieProducer.net  Projects:  Portrait of a Lady, Peacemaker, Practical Magic, The Blue Room, Without Limits, Mission Impossible 2 and Eyes Wide Shut.   Seeking:  Seeking: Children, Comedy, Drama, Holiday and Biopic (with story rights).

Neal Flaherty Mini-Bio:  A Producer at Benderspink, Neal’s work includes A History of Violence, Monster In Law, American Wedding, and he is now in post production on Lion’s Gate horror/thriller Killers, a project he developed with a first time writer. Seeking:  Horror, Thriller, R-rated Comedy, Action, Adventure, Teen Comedy and Rom-Com.

Alexis Garcia Mini-Bio:  Alexis Garcia is an agent at Endeavor in the independent group. Previously he was an associate in the Entertainment & Media Group in the law firm Sheppard Mullin, where he counseled entertainment industry clients in the development, production, financing and distribution of motion picture and television content. He represented entertainment/media clients targeting U.S. Latino audiences and/or involved in film production in Latin America, whether focusing on English or Spanish content. Mr. Garcia earned his J.D. in 2002 from UCLA School of Law, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Entertainment Law Review, Business Editor of the UCLA Law Review, and Coordinating Editor of the Chicano-Latino Law Review. Mr. Garcia is also a board member of the East L.A. Classic Theatre, a non-profit aimed at providing comprehensive literacy training and engaging, relevant theatre experiences to disadvantaged youth and minority communities in the promotion of cultural inclusion and academic excellence. Alexis is member of NALIP - Natl Assn of Latino Independent Producers. Seeking:  Will hear any genre.

Karen Glasser Mini-Bio:  Karen has over 20 years experience in the film industry ranging from small independent features to overseeing production for major studio films. After 10 years at the William Morris Agency as Head of the Story Department, Karen left to serve as President of Feature Films for Icon Productions. Karen left Icon to form Ten Chimneys Entertainment to develop projects for all media. In 2003 she produced The Rundown for Universal Studios. At the same time Ten Chimneys began producing programming for children, starting with Animal Atlas and later Safari Tracks, two television series now in their 3rd and 4th years of national syndication. In 2007 Karen produced the animated feature The Ten Commandments and is in pre-production on the thriller Phase One. Seeking:  Small thrillers, horror, romantic comedy. No period or sci-fi.

Jason Gold Mini-Bio:

Jon Gunn Mini-Bio:  Since graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cinema & Photography from Ithaca College, Jon Gunn has worked as a director, screenwriter, producer and editor. His most recent films include Mercy Streets and My Date With Drew. Gunn is directing Like Dandelion Dust adapted for the screen by Oscar nominated screenwriter, Stephen J. Rivele and to be released by 20th Century Fox. In the Spring of 08 Gunn will direct Why Beulah Shot Her Pistol Inside the Baptist Church adapted for the screen by Gail Gilchriest (My Dog Skip). Gunn with writing partner, John Mann have most recently sold their spec script Ian The Vampire to Fox Searchlight and were hired by Dreamworks to write their next animated film Alcatraz. Gunn is also President of IndieProducer.net Seeking:  Children’s, comedies, drama, biopics (if the writer has the underlying rights to the story ONLY!) and holiday stories – Christmas, Valentines, etc.

Josh Kesselman Mini-Bio:  Manager and Producer with Principal Entertainment, Josh is in post-production on Lions Gate’s Five Fingers starring Laurence Fishburne and Ryan Phillipee, co-producing Death At A Funeral for MGM, developing Living and Breathing starring Tom Wilkinson and Anjelica Huston, and managing multiple clients. Company:  Principal Entertainment  Seeking:  Action, Sci-Fi, Crime Drama, Inspirational Sports and Comedy.

David Koplan Mini-Bio:  In 2001, Koplan founded Timbergrove in order to develop and produce the kinds of films that he enjoys most - intelligent, character and story driven works that have the potential for mainstream appeal. In February 2007, Koplan completed production on the film noir thriller The Last Lullaby, which stars Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan, Heat) and Sasha Alexander (Mission Impossible III and NCIS.) Lullaby is currently in postproduction in Los Angeles. Koplan is a graduate from the University of Virginia and serves on the board of the Virginia Film Festival. Seeking:  Intelligent, character and story driven works that have the potential for mainstream appeal.

Danny Manus Mini-Bio:  Daniel is the Creative Exec at Clifford Werber Productions. Since joining the company in January 2006, he has brought in numerous projects that are currently being developed. Seeking:  Comedy (broad, family, teen and romantic) plus Coming of Age and Family Friendly scripts.

Rachel Miller Mini-Bio:  Before launching Tom Sawyer Entertainment, Rachel Miller worked at Red Wagon Entertainment (Gladiator, Memoirs Of a Geisha, Bewitched, Jarhead, Spy Game) and at the management company Handprint Entertainment with artists such as Mariah Carey, Brandy, Tyra Banks, and Kyra Sedgwick. Miller also worked in the international sales department of the endeavor talent agency on such films as Northfork and Step into Liquid. Miller is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she worked with NYU's Tisch and Leonard M. Stern School of Business to develop a joint undergraduate producing certificate program. Seeking:  Comedy, drama, thriller. No torture/porn thrillers.

Dave Neustadter Mini-Bio:  Dave graduated from Indiana University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a minor in Film Studies. Dave began as an intern at both Lighthouse Productions (working for producer Michael Phillips) and at New Line Cinema in their development department. In January of 2004, he was hired on at New Line as an on call temp. That May, the development department hired him on as their departmental assistant. In August of 2004, he was hired on as the assistant to the Senior Executive Vice President of Production, Richard Brener, where he worked as Richard's assistant dur- ing development and production of many projects including Monster in Law, Just Friends, Final Destionation 3, The Number 23, and Wedding Crashers. Dave was promoted to Creative Executive in January 07. Seeking:  Thrillers, horror, comedy, R Rated Comedy, Sports films, really open to anything.

John Orlando Mini-Bio:  John is a Talent/Literary Manager with Circle of Confusion where he recently completed Senseless and packaged the thriller, The Demonstration, which is set up at Gold Circle. Prior, John was at the William Morris Agency in the feature and television literary departments. Company:  Circle of Confusion   Seeking:  Great material in all genres.

Lucienne Papon Mini-Bio:  Lucienne Papon currently works as an executive for Director Martin Campbell at Sony Pictures. In 2005, she won the Gil Cates Fellowship, and she was awarded the first annual Debra Hill Fellowship by the Producers Guild of America given to an up and coming female producer, which included a $15,000 grant to aid in the development of her projects. Previously, Lucienne worked as an assistant to Producer Chris Moore, then with a first look deal with Miramax. Projects in development were Joy Ride for Fox, American Weddings for Universal, and the Project Greenlight series. Seeking:  Any drama, action adventure, children’s, romantic comedy, sci-fi, thriller, comedy. No period pieces.

Steve Puri Mini-Bio:  Currently a Development Executive at Kurtzman/Orci (Transformers, Mission: Impossible 3, Star Trek 11, Zorro), Steven is responsible for bringing new projects into the company (spec screenplays, articles, and pitches), as well as overseeing the develop ment on projects including Cowboys & Aliens (DreamWorks) and 2012 (Warners). Before these two films Steven worked with Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. With them he co-founded Centropolis Effects, the digital effects company that produced effects for Panic Room, Scorpion King, The Patriot, Stuart Little, Godzilla, End of Days, and others. Steven has produced digital visual effects and/or main and end title sequences, commercials and trailers for a host of films including Braveheart, Se7en, The Shadow, In the Line of Fire, Demolition Man, Sister Act 2, True Lies and Last Action Hero. Company:  Kurtzman/Orci

Luke Ryan Mini-Bio:  Luke is VP of MTV Films, a studio division of Paramount Pictures. His producing credits include the hit Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle and the forthcoming New Line release Martian Child, starring John Cusack. Company:  MTV Films  Seeking:  Comedy, Action, Horror and Thriller. No pitching during group sessions.

Ellen Sandler Mini-Bio:  Most recently, Ellen Sandler was a co-executive producer and writer on the Emmy-winning hit series Everybody Loves Raymond, and has written for over twenty- five other prime-time network television series. She is a highly regarded script consultant, and in addition to her television writing workshops in Los Angeles and New York, is a frequent featured speaker at schools and universities across the country. Ellen began her career in New York as a playwright and director. Her recent theatrical productions in Los Angeles include Jewish Roots at the Hudson Theatre and How'd It Go? starring Megan Mullally at the HBO/Warner Bros. Workspace. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Writers Guild of America. Company:  Sandler Ink

Ken Sherman Mini-Bio:  Ken Sherman is the President of Ken Sherman and Associates, a Beverly Hills-based literary agency. Ken represents screen, television and book writers, and also sells film and television rights to books plus life rights. Since graduating from the University of California-Berkeley as a psychology major, Ken has returned to the classroom numerous times having taught his course, "The Business of Writing for Screen, Television and Publishing", at both USC and UCLA for more than six years. Company:  Ken Sherman Associates, Inc  Seeking:  Ken represents screen, television and book writers, and also sells film and television rights to books, plus life rights. Questions and short pitches allowed in group sessions.