Stephen Kunken

Co-Director

Having collaborated from the other side of the camera as an actor with such film luminaries as Ron Howard, Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Barry Levinson, Ang Lee, Paul Greengrass and Spike Lee, Stephen is thrilled to be putting osmosis to good use in his burgeoning directorial career. As an actor Stephen is best known for his recurring roles as Ari Spyros on Showtime’s Billions and Commander Warren Putnam on Hulu’s The Handmaids Tale. Recent film credits include the upcoming Hillbilly Elegy, Jason Bourne 5, Cafe Society, Still Alice, Wolf of Wall Street, Bridge of Spies, and The Bay. A fixture on the New York Stage, Mr. Kunken has created roles in 7 Broadway and countless Off-Broadway and regional productions. Along the way he has garnered nominations for the NY Drama Critics Circle Award, Outer Critics Circle, DramaLeague, and a 2010 Featured Actor Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of Enron CFO Andy Fastow. He is a graduate of Tufts University and The Juilliard School and a Fox Fellowship recipient.

Jack Lewars

Co-Director

Jack began his career in Los Angeles working closely with director Bernard Rose on the set of “Ivan’s XTC” and moved on to work as an assistant director with James Merendino on his film “Amerikana.” In 2006, Jack made his first feature film, “Alligator Run”, a documentary about 2 friends from Los Angeles who set out on a quest to drive their pet alligator cross-country to release it in the swamps of Gainesville, Florida. The film won Maxim Magazine's grand prize for Best Road Trip Story in their July 2006 issue. Most recently Lewars directed the narrative feature, “Mount Joy,” which won the Audience Favorite Award at it’s premiere in the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Variety film critic, Dennis Harvey, hailed it as a “straight up tear-jerker” and praised it’s “indie rock authenticity and filmmaking chops.” Lewars is also head D.I. Colorist at Technicolor NYC and collaborates daily with the likes of Martin Scorcese, Kenny Lonergan, M. Night Shyamalan and Jodi Foster to name a few. 

Katie Hyde

Producer

Katie helms Indie City Films, a Brooklyn-based production company that produces feature films and also creates video content for brands such as the  UK Sunday Times, NY Post, Refinery29, Domino Magazine, Urban Art Projects, CreativeMornings and others. In addition to before/during/after Katie has successfully produced two award-winning feature films: Alligator Run (2006) and Mount Joy (2015, Netflix). She is currently in production with Jennifer, 42, an animated true crime documentary which is poised to support law reform for victims of domestic violence. Katie also recently directed the 42-minute documentary Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Oh My God I Think It's Over. The film, commissioned by CBS Studios, was one of the first to be announced as part of the line-up at this years Austin Film Festival. Katie will be a featured Indie Film Panelist in Austin at the AFF Conference in October.

ELENA BERGER-MELMAN 

Executive Producer

Elena Melman is a producer & financial organizer to Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning producers, directors, & independent production companies. Recent producing credits include FIDDLER: A Miracle of Miracles (Roadside Attractions/Samuel Goldwyn), UNDERFIRE: The Untold Story of PFC Tony Vaccaro (HBO – Emmy Nomination). Having began her career as a talent agent at ICM on both coasts, she’s since held positions in casting at HBO, FOX, Comedy Central & independent films. In personal management, she repped Academy Award-winning actors among others. Elena is also a respected instructor. Since 2002, she’s been an annual guest artist at The Juilliard School, requested by their Drama Division to develop & teach a curriculum in Voice-Over & On-Camera Commercial technique. She’s taught The Business of Musical Theater at NYU’s CAP21 & has offered her workshop at NYU’s StoneStreet Studios, One-On-One Prods, Camp Broadway & SUNY-Purchase.

ELIZABETH KRAJEWSKI

Executive Producer 

Elizabeth, a native of Chicago, gave up deep dish pizza for a chance to experience a thinner slice of the pie in NY nearly 20 years ago. Preference in pizza is still deep dish, but city for making things happen is definitely NY. Starting in production, then producing for VFX, Krajewski eventually found her way to editorial, as producer, Executive Producer at Jump and Executive Producer of Beast.  She then moved on to open the NY office of Cutters Studios, where she is currently Executive Producer. Overseeing Cutters commercial work, Krajewski has also built partnerships with the UN for both the UNWomen’s HeForShe campaign, as well as UNClimate, Sustainable Development Goals and The Ocean Agency, specifically helping with their Glowing Gone campaign. Using her advertising knowledge and resources, she continues to expand into different areas of content development as EP on GEMA, an HBO short film award recipient and Audience award nominee at the Atlanta Film Festival, EP on Funeral, which gained attention in the 2019 film festival circuit and EP on before/during/after, world premiering at RiverRun Film Festival in 2020.

JAMIE ZELERMYER 

Executive Producer

Jamie has been a New York based Producer and Production Executive for the past 20 plus years.  Most recently she produced IFP Week 2019 which is a signature program of the Independent Feature Project (IFP.) Prior to that she was the Program Manager of Made In New York: Pilot Competition, a program founded by The Mayor’s Office of Film Media and Entertainment to tackle gender inclusivity in the television industry.  She Executive Produced the two winning half hour pilots and Executive Produced season 1 of the winning show entitled HALF LIFE starring Larisa Oleynik and Nancy Files. She was the VP, Physical Production at Focus Features / Rogue Pictures for six years ending in November 2012. Jamie is the President of the Board of Directors of New York Women In Film and Television, and is an adviser on NYWIFT’s The Writer Lab, a program for female Writer’s over 40 funded by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. 

Mark Sparrough

Director of Photography

Mark Sparrough, SOC, is a Director of Photography and Steadicam/Camera Operator with over 15 years of experience in the television and film industry. His work has taken him through the White House with President Obama for NBC, ABC and CBS News, into flooded sewers for National Geographic and on location for numerous feature films and scripted television shows.  As an operator in studio, live and field settings, Mark’s experience is extensive and varied. He has shot live music for iHeart Radio, MTV and Pandora, as well as documentaries, promos and reality shows for the Discovery Channel, Food Network, BRAVO, Cartoon Network, Spike, F/X and HBO.  

With a creative eye for compelling shots, Mark continually tests his skills during live events. He is dedicated to his craft and to achieving the vision of the directors and DP's with whom he works. He brings fresh ideas and a positive attitude to each project.

Mark is a member of the International Cinematographer’s Guild (IATSE Local 600), Steadicam Operators Association (SOA) and the Society of Camerapersons (SOC).

Kimberly Matela

Production Designer

Kimberly is a NYC based designer and received her MFA from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.  Recent design credits include: The Garden Left Behind (Winner of the Audience Award at SXSW) directed by Flavio Galvez, Misty Button (Winner of the Audience Award at the Soho International Film Festival) directed by Seanie Sugrue, Shooting Heroin directed by Spencer Folmar and the webseries Dependence, directed by Cris and Desmond Thorne.  Kimberly is a member of the United Scenic Artists Union, Local 829.

Amy Christopher

Casting Director

Amy Christopher cast for Broadway and off Broadway productions working as the Casting Director for The Roundabout Theatre Company from 1997 to 2003. During those years she also served as the casting director The Williamstown Theatre Festival. From 2003 to 2012

Amy served as Vice President of Casting for the Fox Broadcasting Company, casting both pilots and television series including “24”, "Prison Break”, “Glee”, “Bones”, “Raising Hope”, “House”, “The New Girl”, “That 70’s Show”, “Malcolm In The Middle”, “The O.C.”, “Lie To Me”, “Fringe”, “Arrested Development”, and ”Touch”.