FOUNDER/DIRECTOR
Erin Buckley is an actress and filmmaker passionate about entertainment that is socially and spiritually conscious, uplifting, and uniting. Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Erin fell in love with acting and singing at the age of 7 when she played her first role as a flounder. Growing up as a triplet taught her the joys of collaboration and the importance of identity. She graduated from Syracuse University with a BFA, studying musical theatre, film, & tv. Erin moved to New York City to work as an actress, writer, and director. She was Co-Producer/Writer/Performer in SPEAK!, which made its debut at the New York International Fringe Festival and had a second run at the Culture Project. Erin co-produced, co-wrote, and starred in WASTED, which played at film festivals in LA and NYC. She worked as a teaching artist, concentrating on at-risk and special needs children, throughout Delaware, New York and Los Angeles and Africa, and directed over twenty productions written by young people in grades 1-12. Currently based in Los Angeles, she is in development on a webiseries and a TV pilot.
MENTORS
Frank Kraljic is a commercial and documentary director/cinematographer based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Starting as an independent feature editor, Frank now incorporates his drive for adventure with the experiences of exploring foreign cultures and landscapes into his work. Over the last two years, he has traveled four times throughout Africa on various documentary and short-film projects, including Children of Our Villages’ pilot film, Ndapewa, and the ongoing feature documentary, Behind Ebola/Marburg, on the human spirit handling one of mankind’s deadliest diseases. Outside of the business, he coaches high school ice hockey and guest lectures at local film schools for editing and cinematography.
Christi Warner is a Namibian poet,singer, songwriter, and actor. She started on her theatre journey in 1993 with the Bricks Community Project, an NGO that advocated social awareness through theatre. Through Bricks she founded a theatre project for economically disadvantaged children (KIDS IN ARTS). In 2003 she joined as a producer Township Productions, a grassroots organization in Namibia advocating social awareness through theatre and poetry. Christi is well known for her role as presenter for a local music show which aired on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation. She acted in a series produced by Soul City and Red Cross Namibia and currently broadcasted on the Namibian National Radio to raise awareness about HIV. Musically, Christi is blessed with a touch of soul and her heart speaks through her lyrics. Her poetry has been published in The Namibian – local newspaper – and in two poetry anthologies. Christi obtained her postgraduate diploma in Theatre for Development from the King Alfred’s University in Winchester, England.
Jan Von Ziegenweidt, aka Ziegie, was born in Holland in the 1960’s and raised in South Africa. Since his early years in school, Ziegie has had experience in set building, lighting and sound for theatre. After a two-year compulsory stint in the South African military service, he went on to build up a wide range of working experience in various industries. Zeigie's entrepreneurial spirit led him to own businesses in Europe, U.K. and Africa. He currently owns and runs Ziegie's Rest Camp & Accomodations in Witvlei and participates in many efforts to uplift the community within this tough rural environment. Since his arrival in Witvlei, three film projects and two music performances have taken place at Ziegie's Rest Camp. A major European television broadcaster is creating a documentary about Ziegie's life.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Native to the Philippines, Jennielyn Abrot came to America at the age of 12 with a tremendous passion for filmmaking and the creative arts. Nothing excites her more than composing her own vision on the screen.
While honing her skills at Occidental College with an emphasis in Film Studies; Jennielyn performed the lead role in the spring college production, traveled with several acclaimed artists coordinating music videos, worked full time as a web/graphic designer , assisted the expansion of the film department and wrote for the school newspaper. Her article, "The Agony of Ugliness", about understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder, was featured in the cover of Occidental Weekly.
Jen joined film production company ECLECTIC PICTURES in May 2006 as an assistant to film producer, Heidi Jo Markel. Fall 2008, Jen officially became a producer on AS GOOD AS DEAD starring Andie MacDowell, Cary Elwes, Frank Whaley, Matt Dallas and Jess Weixler. Jennielyn dreams to someday build a free child care center for unprivileged children.
While honing her skills at Occidental College with an emphasis in Film Studies; Jennielyn performed the lead role in the spring college production, traveled with several acclaimed artists coordinating music videos, worked full time as a web/graphic designer , assisted the expansion of the film department and wrote for the school newspaper. Her article, "The Agony of Ugliness", about understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder, was featured in the cover of Occidental Weekly.
Jen joined film production company ECLECTIC PICTURES in May 2006 as an assistant to film producer, Heidi Jo Markel. Fall 2008, Jen officially became a producer on AS GOOD AS DEAD starring Andie MacDowell, Cary Elwes, Frank Whaley, Matt Dallas and Jess Weixler. Jennielyn dreams to someday build a free child care center for unprivileged children.
Jean Buckley born and raised in Philadelphia, PA is the proud mother of triplets. Over the course of her career as an administrative assistant, she’s worked at a number of companies, including Philadelphia Quartz Company, A.I. Dupont Children’s Hospital, George Popel (MD) and Richardson Park United Methodist Church. Jean was a supervisor in the Labor Relations Department of the Penn Central Transportation Company. Jean currently lives in Wilmington, Delaware and is a public relations representative for Upholstery and Air Duct Cleaning Company. Jean studied Nutrition and Anthropology at the University of Delaware and looks forward to traveling to Egypt, Ireland and Switzerland in the near future.
Born in New York City in the 60's, Gordon Feinberg began his education with his hair parted in the middle. Gordon attended Northeastern University in Boston where he received a Bachelor of Science. He worked in Phoenix for a few years as a graphic designer, creating art for everything from club identities to CD jackets. Also a stand up comedian, Gordon moved back to New York and wrote, acted in and produced his first film, "One By One" which debuted at the Market, Cannes Festival in 2004. Since then, Gordon has studied directing at the New York Film Academy, directed and edited many short films, Since then Gordon has developed a graphic design company, MYAH Films, the biggest real estate advertising agency in New Jersey. Gordon completed the New York Film Academy, director's course and since has directed and edited many short films, written four plays, written and shot six short movies and one full length film. Gordon has filmed over thirty commercials with popular comics and is a master of internet marketing.He has written and illustrated a book that will be released Spring 2010. His latest writing/directing job is a series of commercials airing on MSNBC and ESPN. Gordon is married and a proud father to a baby boy.
Jeremy Goulder, a graduate of Tufts University, is a producer and photographer based in Los Angeles, CA. In 2005 he and his brother founded Engine 7 Films, a production company specializing in documentary filmmaking. The films he produces often employ music as a central theme, and he is passionate about socially conscious films that serve as a call to action. His company recently produced the internationally acclaimed documentary “Playing For Change: Peace Through Music,” a project whose mission is to connect the world through music. He is one of the founding board members of the Playing for Change Foundation, a non-profit organization that builds music and art schools for underprivileged children around the world. Jeremy is currently in development on several documentaries and is slated to go into production on his next feature this winter.
Tamika Lamison is an award winning writer/director and producer. She is the Founder and President of the non-profit organization Make a Film Foundation (MAFF), which teams film industry professionals with critically and terminally diagnosed youth to help them create short film legacies. Tamika graduated from The American University in DC and worked as an actor in NY before moving to LA to focus on writing and directing. She wrote, produced and directed the award winning AFI short film, "HOPE" after receiving the prestigious AFI Women In Directing Fellowship. Tamika also produced and directed the award winning short film "SPIN." She even made a foray into the world of reality shows as a Director and Camera Operator for "College Hill," on BET. She has received many awards and fellowships for her writing including The ABC/Walt Disney Fellowship, The Gordon Parks Independent Film Award, The Guy Hanks and Marvin Miller (Cosby) Fellowship and others. Tamika is currently in post production on "Deep Blue" the 2nd MAFF project.
As a classical vocalist and educator, Augustine Mercante travels the world in his pursuit to bring music and art to all who want and need to experience it. As a 2009-2010 Fulbright Scholar in the Arts, Gus is enjoying a season of opera and concert works that has him singing in cities throughout Europe, in addition to his appearances in North America. He has earned awards from national and international opera companies, festivals and competitions, and has sung in some of the most beautiful concert halls the world has to offer, including Munich’s Prinzregententheater and New York’s Carnegie Hall. He has taught privately for eight years, working with students of all backgrounds, and also works at the group level presenting his workshop How To Be A Starving Artist And Not Be Hungry. Gus was a founding member of the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware and sat on their Board of Directors for three terms. In addition, he is the Founder and Executive Director of LifeSongs, an organization that produces benefit concerts to provide financial assistance to exemplary charities, individuals with special needs, and noteworthy community-centered projects while offering local artists performance opportunities. Gus earned the Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas.