Producers/Directors
FRANCINE CAVANAUGH and ADAMS WOOD
Francine and Adams co-directed and produced “Boom – The Sound of Eviction” (2002), a feature-length documentary about the social repercussions of San Francisco’s dot-com boom and bust which has screened at LA’s American Cinematheque, NYC’s Anthology Film Archives and at numerous film festivals worldwide. The LA Times called Boom “Witty, poignant, and impassioned.” In 2003, Francine and Adams co-directed and produced “Miami Model,” which has screened in well over 30 cities, including Mexico City, Quito, Ecuador, Seoul, and Dublin.
Producer
JILLIAN ELIZABETH, SOMA PRODUCTIONS
Jillian’s work as Co-producer and Director of Photography of “Whatever It Takes” (airing on PBS Independent Lens, 2010) brought her to the South Bronx to film the changing landscape of urban education in NYC. “Whatever it Takes” received support from the Sundance Documentary Fund and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and won the audience award at the International Asian American Film Festival. Jillian worked as Director of Photography and Editor of a narrative feature directed by actor J. Robert Spencer (Jersey Boys), as a Director for Roulette TV, as a camerawoman and field producer at Democracy Now!, and as a Director of Photography for Academy Award winning filmmaker, Alex Gibney, in collaboration with Human Rights Watch.
Executive Producers
DAN FRISHWASSER
Broadway: The Miracle Worker, Come Fly Away, Memphis (Tony Award), All About Me, A Little Night Music, Burn the Floor, The Norman Conquests (Tony Award). Upcoming: Ballroom, Garfield. Off Broadway: 39 Steps, Inventing Avi. National: Burn the Floor, The 39 Steps, Little House on the Prairie. UK: London: Hair, All My Sons, Sweet Charity. Tour: Hairspray.
ERIC FALKENSTEIN
Eric Falkenstein is a former film production executive and a current Broadway theater producer. On Coal River is his first effort as an Executive Producer. 2009-2010 Broadway productions: Come Fly Away; A Little Night Music; The Miracle Worker; Ragtime. On London’s West End: All My Sons. Among the Broadway plays which garnered Eric three Tony© Awards: The Norman Conquests; Desire Under the Elms; All My Sons, Impressionism; The Seagull; Thurgood; The Country Girl; The Seafarer, Coram Boy; Butley; The History Boys; Bridge & Tunnel; Democracy; Whoopi; Long Day’s Journey Into Night; Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune; The Crucible. Off-Broadway Plays: Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell; Bridge & Tunnel. Eric began his theatrical career at Yale Law School, where he wrote, directed and produced the annual end-of-semester Law Revue shows along with other future non-lawyer classmates. His company, Spark Productions, is at work on projects in theater, film, the environment, human and civil rights.
J. ROBERT SPENCER
J. ROBERT SPENCER is a Tony Award Nominated Actor, Independent Film Director, Producer, and Writer living in New York City.
As an actor in theatre J. Robert has been seen nationally and internationally with such shows as SIDE SHOW, FINIAN’S RAINBOW, HEARTLAND, TOMMY, CATS, andLUCKY DUCK. In 2004, he was cast and originated the role of Nick Massi in the Tony and Grammy Award Winning Musical JERSEY BOYS. Jersey Boys led to many appearances on The Today Show, Regis and Kelly, Three Men and a Chick Flick, 62nd And 63rd annual Tony Awards, Late Night with David Lettermen, Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Years Eve… and many others.
In 2008 J. Robert was cast and originated the role of Dan Goodman in the Critically Acclaimed Broadway Production of NEXT TO NORMAL. He was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor and nominated for a 2008 – 2009 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.
As a voiceover artist, he has performed the lead voice’s for two Japanese Animated Features. NIGHTMARE CAMPUS, and the Critically acclaimed Award winning GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES.
In 2004 J. Robert appeared as a Psychopathic Killer named Bob in the Critically Acclaimed Independent Feature Film NIGHT OF THE DOG. For this role he received a Best Supporting Actor Nomination at the SMMASH FILM FESTIVAL, and the film won Audience Awards for best feature film at Palm Beach, Santa Barbara, SMMASH and PBIFF.
In 2005 J. Robert began his Independent Film Company 7 SPENCER PRODUCIONS. He Produced/Wrote/Starred/Directed his first Independent Feature Comedy titled FARM GIRL IN NEW YORK. The film was featured on The Today Show with Ann Currey and Al Roker, and was the Official Selection of the Sacramento International Film Festival (Nominated for Best Comedy and Best Actress), Big Apple Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Buffalo Niagra Film Festival, and the Seattle True Independent Film Festival.
He is in currently in post production as Executive Producer/Producer for his second Independent Feature titled HETEROSEXUAL’S. This film features J. Robert Spencer, Ashley Williams, Tovah Feldshuh, and Natasha Lyonne.
In the fall of 2009 he will appear on CD/DVD through Sony Masterworks with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in the PBS performances of HANDEL’S MESSIAH ROCKS.
J. Robert is the 2009 recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Sheandoah University.
DEANN BORSHAY LIEM
Deann was Producer/Director/Writer for the Emmy Award-nominated documentary, First Person Plural (Sundance, 2000), and Executive Producer for Spencer Nakasako’s Kelly Loves Tony (PBS, 1998) and AKA Don Bonus (PBS, 1996, Emmy Award). Most recently, Deann is the Director, Producer and Writer of In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee (POV, 2010.) Formerly the director of the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM,) Deann is now Executive Director of Katahdin Productions, a non-profit documentary production company based in Berkeley and Los Angeles. With Katahdin, Deann executive produced The Garden, (Oscar-nominated, 2009) and A Jihad for Love (Channel 4 (UK), ZDF/ARTE (France/Germany), SBS (Australia) and LOGO.)
Consulting Editor
MARY LAMPSON
Mary was co-editor of Barbara Kopple’s Academy Award winning film “Harlan County, USA.” She was the co-producer and editor with Emile de Antonio and Haskell Wexler of “Underground” and edited several more de Antonio films. She recently edited Anne Makepeace’s “Rain in a Dry Land” and Julia Reichart’s Emmy-nominated film “A Lion in the House.” She also served as additional editor for “Trouble the Water,” (Special Jury Prize Winner, Sundance 2008.) Mary began her editing career with Ricky Leacock and D.A. Pennebaker as an associate editor on “Monterey Pop” and “One P.M.,” a film by Jean-Luc Godard.
Sound Editor/Mixer/Designer
ADAM PARRISH KING
Sound designer of “Special” (Sundance 2006), sound designer of installation work by Hungarian filmmaker, Peter Forgac, appearing at the Getty Center. In 2006 Adam directed and edited sound an academy-award nominated animated short, “The Wraith of Cobble Hill,” (Jury Prize Sundance Film Festival 2006.)
Composer
STEVEN GUTHEINZ
Steven has been hailed by critics as “one of the most promising young film composers on the scene today” and “at the forefront of a new generation of film composers.” His credits include “The Pursuit of Happiness,” (New Orleans, Big Bear Film Festival) “Trekkies,” (Hamptons, AFI Los Angeles) and “The Wraith of Cobble Hill.” (Sundance, SXSW)
SELECTED ADVISORS
BARBARA KOPPLE
Two-time Academy Award Winner for best feature documentary. Harlan County USA, winner of the 1977 Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary. In 1991, “Harlan County, USA” was named to the National Film Registry by Congress and designated an American Film Classic.
JACK SHOLDER
Professor & Director of Motion Picture & Television Production at Western Carolina University. Director of “The Hidden,” “Nightmare on Elm Street 2,” “Renegades” and HBO’s “By Dawn’s Early Light,” Sholder was an editor on 1970’s “King – From Montgomery to Memphis,” nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary.