2010 TCFF Festival & Panel Guests

Wayne Crawford
PRODUCER/WRITER

Best known for co-writing and producing “Valley Girl”, the ‘80s indie hit that launched the leading man career of Nicolas Cage, actor, director, writer, producer Wayne Crawford has made more than 20 feature films, two long running TV series, wildlife documentaries and a web series during his thirty year career. 

Some of his other films include the cult hits “Night of the Comet” , “Jake Speed”, and the award-winning,  African adventure family film “u’Bejani”, possibly the best talking rhinoceros movie ever made!

Wayne is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well as the Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America. 

He currently teaches film directing at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

“u’Bejani” and  his most recent film “South of Hell”, a horror-comedy set in a film school, will be screened during the festival.

Jeff Rector
ACTOR/WRITER/DIRECTOR

Jeff Rector is an award-winning actor/filmmaker who recently released his first feature film “Revamped”, which he wrote, directed and produced and starred in. Revamped is a feature length version of his first short film, “Fatal Kiss”, which won the AFFMA International Film Festival award for “Best Screenplay”. Other Festival Awards include “Best Director” “Best Picture” and “Best Actor”. “Fatal Kiss” was one of the first short films ever acquired by HBO for International broadcast. “Revamped” is currently being distributed worldwide and can be purchased through the website www.RevampedtheMovie.com
Jeff Rector has appeared in over 30 features and co-starred in “Dinocroc vs Supergator” (David Carradine’s last film), which recently Premiered on SYFY as well as the comedy “Alone in the Woods” for HBO Family. On television, Jeff recently appeared in True Jackson VP on Nickelodeon, the soap opera “The Bold & The Beautiful” and “Everybody Hates Chris”. Other credits include the Novella series “Desire” & “Saints and Sinners” and Jeff played the Mayor on the first season of  “Veronica Mars”. Guest starring roles include "Murder” for Spike-TV and the pivotal character in the “NYPD Blue” episode that won Gordon Clapp an Emmy Award. Other notable credits include a recurring role on MTV’s “Punk’d”, ”Beverly Hills 90210”, “One Life to Live” and “All My Children. Jeff's devotion to the genres of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror have led to Guest starring roles on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Sliders, and a recurring role on the Sci-Fi Channel original series Black Scorpion.

In addition to drama, Jeff performs stand-up comedy and has an extensive background in comedy Improvisation. Jeff has performed at The Comedy Store, The Improvisation, The L.A. Cabaret, The Ha Ha Café, The Stand Up and Caroline’s Comedy Club in New York. Jeff also performed at The Joint at the world famous Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Jeff first studied Improvisation in New York City and performed with “The First Amendment”. When he moved to Los Angeles, he began performing with the award-winning group, “The L.A. Connection” and “At The Drop Of A Hat” a group that were regulars at the Comedy Store. As a Comic/Emcee, Jeff  works on both coasts from Celebrity Golf Tournaments to various Charity and Corporate Events.

Jeff taught an acting class at the University of Utah for five years as part of their adult education program as well as an acting course for The Learning Annex and has just released an acting DVD “Acting Success: A Step-By-Step Guide To Success in Hollywood”. Jeff holds memberships with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, The Los Angeles Film Teachers Association and is the official spokesman for the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films who produce the annual Saturn Awards.

Jeff graduated from Moorpark College with a degree in Telecommunications and Speech and was also active in the Drama Department. Jeff competed for Moorpark’s Speech Team (rated one of the top Colleges in the nation) and won multiple State and National Awards. In the Communications department, Jeff learned to write, direct, produce and edit his own video productions, which now serve him as an award-winning filmmaker.

Jeff is an active participant and Emcee for many charity events. Jeff is a long time supporter of such organizations as The Ronald McDonald House, The Muscular Dystrophy Association, The National Heart Foundation, The Special Olympics, The About Face Foundation, The Adopt-A-Senior Program, The Frontline Foundation, The Boys and Girls Clubs of America and is a proud sponsor of The US Olympic Team. Jeff continues to be active in his community and served as a Councilman on the Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council for five years and served as Co-chairman of the Outreach Committee.

Brad Chiet COMPOSER

Brad Chiet’s first clue that a composing career was in the cards came when he won the national John Lennon Song Writing contest. Chiet’s prolific TC scoring career took off when he landed the “Extreme Makeover” television series, collaborating with Dain Blair.  Since then, Brad has quickly risen in the TV scoring ranks, working on hits such as “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and “Extreme Makeover Home Edition.” Brad’s most recent project collaborations are with Dan Blair. Together they have scored “The Goode Family” and “The Superstars” on ABC.

John Carlson MUSIC SUPERVISOR

Peter D'Alessio PRODUCER

Pietro D'Alessio is a Producer, SAG Actor and Casting Director. He is President of Alexius OmniMedia and Producer of the online series "Round the Square," the travel show, "Two Days In..." and several short films and features. Previously he was with Chiopolis Entertainment LLC, Yo Soy Irini Productions, Inc., Time Warner/AOL, CPM Creative Management and Mandalay Sports Entertainment. He is the Producer for the New Hampshire Film Festival, Founder of the Humboldt Park Film Festival and previously worked with The Saints & Sinners Film Festival in St. Petersburg, FL as well as is involved annually with the Sundance Institute & Film Festival.

Jeff Ward DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

Robert Sterrett
PRODUCER/DISTRIBUTOR

With a commitment to the feature film business that spans over almost two decades, Mr. Sterrett found his beginning, while in college, in industrials and commercials.  After graduating, Robert produced a short film in Atlanta, which earned him his first major producing role at age 24.  “West from North Goes South” which starred Tina Louise, Morris Day, Phyllis Diller, and Lawanda Page. Shortly after, he moved to Los Angeles California to continue his career in feature films.

Working on set as an Assistant Director, Production Manager, and in various other departments, for over a decade Robert’s production credits include “Donnie Darko”, “Borat”, and “Nobel Son”. He worked on over 200 productions in Los Angeles while producing music videos, commercials and a couple feature films. 

Robert optioned and sold screenplays to independent distributors and production companies such as “Four Dogs Playing Poker” starring Tim Curry, and in July 2001 he established the sales/distribution firm Riley Sterrett Films.  Leaving production and partnering with former Warner and Fox executive, Kevin Riley, the team sold to Blockbuster and various foreign and domestic buyers. While acquiring several critical acclaimed films including “Musa”, the most expensive Korean film in 2002, Robert established himself representing high quality product in the distribution business.

His expertise encompasses production, film packaging, distribution contracts, script sales, film sales, motion picture funding, and talent attachment. Robert has directed and produced several short films, music videos, and commercials. He has produced seven films, “West From North Goes South”, “Glam 2000”, “Mikey Was Here”, “Ghost Game”, “Immortal Island”, and “Along the Way” starring Timothy Bottoms (The Last Picture Show) andMelissa Crider (Mullholland Drive, 24). In 2008, Robert associate produced “Misconceptions” starring A.J Cook (Criminal Minds, Final Destination 2) and Orlando Jones (Drumline, The Time Machine), which was award winning in the festival circuit, went theatrical, and is recently on video shelves worldwide.

Most recently Robert finished the film “Immortal Island” with indie star Christian Campbell (Casino Jack, Trick) and Tom Nowicki (The Blind Side, LA Confidential), which debuted at the Gasparilla International Film Festival where he also resides on the board of directors, as one of the founding members. 

Currently, Robert consults independent producers from development to finding distribution. His next project is a family feature film currently entitled “Pray for Surf”.

Marcos Baca
FILM EDITOR

Marcos Baca secretly borrowed his father’s video camera when he was 14 and started making his own videos.  Most of these were lip sync music videos and stop-motion animations. He was instantly hooked on filmmaking and editing and hasn’t stopped making films since.  He soon started producing his own short skateboarding and music videos.  In his early 20s, he produced promotional videos for the local school district. All of his early works were done in the painstaking, linear “crunch and punch” style of VHS editing, but he quickly transitioned to the non-linear editing method. 

Marcos has earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree from the prestigious Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California.  His area of concentration is editing, however, while attending the Academy, he began exploring all things “post” to include visual effects (rotoscoping, compositing, digital painting), computer animation and sound design.  Although Marcos is proficient on several non-linear editing systems he prefers to edit using Apple’s Final Cut Pro Studio.

Marcos has created many well-received videos, public service announcements and television commercials.  He also continues to work on his own projects for fun and for submission to film festivals.  His work has been seen in both Cannes and at the Banff film festival.

Marcos presently resides near the emerald beaches of Northwest Florida where he works in the Air Force to support his filmmaking hobby.  He lives with his wife, Danielle, and his two sons, Keegan and Aidan.

Andrea Albin
LITERARY AGENT

After writing her first feature at the age of 19, Andrea A. Albin was thrust into Hollywood at breakneck speed. Andrea is a working screenwriter who is well known in the independent and horror film communities. Along with her responsibilities as Director of Development for ADA Management Group, she also serves as the company's screenwriting competition director and has recently been tapped to pen both a widely-followed blog and articles for the hit horror website, Bloody Disgusting. Andrea currently resides in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

George Doulamis
LITERARY AGENT

With a heavy background in finance and sales, George Peter Doulamis was an unlikely candidate for the Hollywood scene. That was, until he rediscovered his love for movies. With little industry experience, but a business mindset, George opened ADA Management Group with partner Andrea A. Albin. Nearly two years later, George has worked his way through the ranks to quickly become one of the most successful literary managers in the State of Florida. George currently resides in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

Holly Caputo
OWNER OF EMERGE TALENT

With headquarters in Miami and Orlando, Florida, Emerge provides top talent of all dimensions to esteemed clients across the globe. A convenient one-stop agency, Emerge strives to surpass clients' expectations by maintaining an unparalleled standard of excellence.

Aiming above and beyond, we recognize the three essential elements of a successful talent paradigm—top-notch talent, our clients, and the support of a dynamic agency aspiring to bring talent to its culmination. In our industry, clients seek a professional, reliable, and innovative agency that easily accommodates an assortment of needs—from print modeling, to fashion, and runway, to promotional, to voiceover, to spokesmodel, to commercial, film, and television.

Talent is on the horizon, and Emerge is committed to discovering and continually developing a diversity of the highest quality, most select talent. With a keen ability to value the talent realm, Emerge strives to support you in marketing and promoting your company and its nature.

www.emergetalent.com

Nancy McBride
CASTING DIRECTOR

Nancy McBride is a Casting Director at Reel Kasting in Melbourne Florida.
She began in the Industry as a parent looking for answers about the film business and found that there seemed to be a lot of people trying to take advantage of parents who didn't know the ins and outs of the business.  So she designed Kidkasting.com and watched it grow. Now the largest Parent
Network of Child Talent across the East Coast, with and over 1500
child actors and 600 + parents from the tip of Florida to Portland Oregon!
Nancy teaches industry basics like how to apply to agents, build a resume and proper talent agency application processes and much more.

Kid Kasting has helped many child actors become very successful.
Nancy casts multiple and is happy to share time with parents in high need of casting help.
ReelKasting.com boasts over 1000 adult actors, models, hosts and stunt personnel along with local crew.  When productions come to Florida and in search of local talent, nancy is the rolodex!

Corinne Broskette ACTING INSTRUCTOR

As the Executive Director of Venue Actors Studio and an accomplished actress, Corinne has worked with a number of familiar names: Shelley Winters, Marlo Thomas, Ben Vereen, Teri Garr, Sally Kirkland, and many others. Her 37-year Equity stage career spans numerous plays and musicals; including the Los Angeles companies of the acclaimed Broadway shows Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar.

As a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild, (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), Corinne has also starred in numerous television commercials, films and TV shows, including the Fox television series pilot, Automatic Avenue with James Earl Jones.

Prior to founding Venue Studios, Corinne was the Executive Coordinator of the Professional Acting Program at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Los Angeles. She developed the Play Production Unit, which is still in existence at the Institute's Marilyn Monroe Theatre in Hollywood. She studied for seven years under the personal direction of famed acting coach Lee Strasberg. Under Mr. Strasberg's watchful eye, Corinne was trained in acting, directing and teaching Strasberg Method Acting.

Corinne has been involved in many productions in the Central Florida Area since 1985. Many of her students have received acclaim with awards from the Suncoast Theatre Grapevine, and Corinne was recognized as the Best Acting Coach of Tampa Bay by the Weekly Planet in 1998. Some of her former students include Brittany Snow of American Dreams, Mark Consuelos of All My Children, Lauren Mayhew and Lydia Bell of P.Y.T., and Christoper Ford of Disney.

Corinne teaches Intro to Method Acting (Adult Beginners), Experienced Actors, and Teen Theatre. She also coaches privately, runs the Sunday Intensive Commercial Class, and oversees all of the training offered at Venue Actors Studio. She is the main director of the Studio Theatre.

Dave Barrett DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER

Dave A. Barrett has positioned himself as a master of his craft, manipulating both the photo chemical and the digital to compose beautiful images and moving frames.  He is regarded as an artist who has balanced his instinctively creative cinematography with his vast knowledge of the latest high definition technology and concepts.  It all started for Dave at an early of eight when his quest to learn photography began. By twelve, his father helped him find an enlarger at a local garage sale and set up a darkroom in their home. With an eagerness to learn the moving image, he set out to study cinematography at the University of South Florida, graduating from the College of Fine Arts in 1988. His obsession to learn the medium continued at The Maine Photographic Workshops, The HD workshops in Santa Fe (Miami) and continues today as he insists on a clear understanding of the latest digital cinema cameras and systems.

Dave’s complete infatuation with creating images started while acquiring his education for Cinematography. Inspired by the works of the great-grandmaster artists of paint and cinema, he admired their brilliant use of light and the way it fell on their subjects.  One can see this inspiration transitioned into Dave’s work as he applied what he learned to his own films, commercials and music videos.  The accolades followed including multiple Addy and Telly awards on both the local and regional scale, as well as national Videography awards and Best Cinematography awards won in film festivals through out the country for his work on the horror film, Filthy. Dave feels fortunate to have been able to work in some of the most beautiful places in the world including Paris, Florence, Antigua, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, all over the U.S. and most recently, Morocco, where he shot the independent feature film, Real Premonition. Additional film credits include Pierced, Mint Cologne, and “The Fight Dr”, a documentary on the life of Ferdie Pacheco.

Wasting no time starting his career, Dave’s work experience began while attending college at USF with an entry level position at a local cable television channel called “The Home Shopping Network”. One short year later Dave was chosen to be the Director of this local channel bringing it to its first ever nationwide broadcast.  Just after earning his college degree, he became the Senior Cinematographer at the prestigious Tampa production company, “Telemation.” Within five years he started his own production company, “Magic Hour”, a Florida Incorporation still flourishing today.  During this time Dave has also become a highly sought after cinematographer for NFL Films, shooting for over ten years including several Super Bowls. He still holds this very prestigious and coveted position in sports cinematography and was nominated for “Top Shot of The Year” in the 2001 NFL season.  

www.magichour.com

Russell Hess
ACTOR/PRODUCER/
DISTRIBUTOR

Born and raised in Northwest Indiana, Russell Hess has been deeply involved in entertainment since childhood. He has appeared in 12 movies of all budget levels including his last film, which he wrote and produced. Hess has also performed on various theater stages across the country and appeared in many commercials and industrial training videos. An accomplished voice actor, he has also voiced animation projects, on-hold messaging services and for two years, was the voice for Toys R Us. 

In recent years, Russell Hess has made himself known in the areas of script packaging and motion picture distribution. Some of his producing credits include a stage play/bio-drama about Wyatt Earp, 9 feature films, the documentary, “inGREEDients” which takes a frightening look at what the FDA is allowing to be in the Nation's food supply, and a feature-length Sci-Fi/Drama with only one performer who travels through time. These projects have given Russell the opportunity to build a heavy rolodex of production personnel with whom he can muster to develop virtually any type of project.

The shift from performer to producer was a natural one. A few years ago, Russell was asked if he could assemble talent and crew for the National television show Designing Spaces, which was to shoot the following day. He immediately went to work and in less than four hours from the call, he secured and contracted the talent and makeup personnel. When Russell arrived on the set to make sure his people were ready, the producers were so impressed with his abilities, they put him in the episode. Designing Spaces appears on HGTV and Bravo.

Since then and within the span of just 5 short years, Russell has logged 9 films as a producer and was instrumental in the distribution of nearly a dozen films in 2009. He is consistently sought after for speaking engagements and panel discussions, and recently, Hess’ efforts have been acknowledged through several awards. The movie “Maltese Murder Mystery”, won 4 Crystal Reel Awards and one Silver Reel Award. Russell received the CRA for best production under 1 million dollars.

Outside the show business arena, Russell Hess engages in various philanthropic endeavors and gives his time to various charitable organizations such as, The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, The Red Cross and Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa Bay. Hess also has a seat on the Executive Board of the Gasparilla International Film Festival and the University Film and Video Association founded by the University of South Florida.