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Adam Herz - Screenwriter and Producer, "American Pie" franchise, founder of Terra Firma Films
Andrew Ruf - Talent Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency
Bob Brown - Film Producer / Co-Founder of Purple Rose Films with Jeff Daniels and Founder of Charity Island Pictures
Bruce Campbell - Actor, appearing in numerous television and film projects; including acting and producing the "Evil Dead" trilogy with Sam Raimi
Chris Gore - Speaker and Writer on the topic of independent film; Creator of FilmThreat.com, and Author of the "Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide"
Craig Kestel - Talent Agent, William Morris Endeavor Agency
Dan Mirvish - Award-Winning Director, Screenwriter, Producer and critically-acclaimed Author as well as Co-Founder of the Slamdance Film Festival
Ericka Frederick - Academy Award nominated Producer, currently working for Kodak in their motion picture division
Patrick Sheane Duncan - Award-Winning Screenwriter, penning numerous screenplays including "Mr. Holland's Opus" starring Richard Dreyfus (in his Oscar winning role) and "Courage Under Fire" starring Matt Damon and Meg Ryan.
Jay Froberg - Founder and Partner of ROAR, a production and talent management company
Jennie Frankel - Co-Founder of Magnet Management and Former Vice President of Literary for Zide/Perry Entertainment ("American Pie" trilogy).
Jim Bernstein - Screenwriter, Producer and Professor of Screenwriting at University of Michigan
John Sloss - L- Leading Entertainment Lawyer, Sloss Eckhart Law Co., provides counsel on business transactions for clients in all aspects of motion picture finance, production and distribution, including high profile motion picture producers, directors, writers and the Independent Film Channel
Jon Fitzgerald - Founder and CEO of CineCause and Former Executive Director of AFI Int'l Film Festival and Santa Barbara Int'l Film Festival as well Co-Founder of Slamdance Film Festival
Joseph Beyer - Associate Director of the Sundance Institute Online.
Lynda Hansen - Independent Producer and Consultant, serving on the advisory board for numerous highly respected film festivals
Mary Jane Skalski - Award-Winning Producer of numerous critically-acclaimed films
Robert Hawk - Founder and Consultant for the Independent Consultation for Independents
Robert Forster - Actor, nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown" and most recently seen in the Academy Award-Winning film, "The Descendants"
Sean Elliott - Talent Agent, William Morris Endeavor Agency
Todd Hansen - Executive Director, Central Standard Film Festival; former programmer, Los Angeles Independent Film Festival.
Tom Bernard - Co-President and Co-Founder of Sony Pictures Classics, distributing and financing many Academy Award winning films.
Vicky Jenson - Director of Animation whose works include "Shrek" and "Shark Tale"
Dana DePree-Minter - Dana has been involved in many areas of behind-the-scenes filmmaking from producing and casting to finance. Having earned her MBA in Finance from Michigan State University , she worked with the Entertainment Financial Services company, Fulton & Meyer, in Los Angeles handling artist and film finance. She has since moved back to West Michigan to help run the non-profit Waterfront Film Festival. Since a very young age, Dana has been passionate about the arts, in particular, the art of filmmaking and has always approached it as a hobby. She currently travels to various film festivals seeking out new and exciting films and filmmakers to bring to the Waterfront Film Festival in Michigan , in an effort to expand the opportunities of the regional artists who otherwise may not get a chance to meet these visiting artists and view their works.
Dori DePree - Dori earned a Master's Degree in Labor & Industrial Relations and began her career as a Human Resource consultant writing policies and procedures and employee handbooks. After realizing a need by Michigan non-profit organizations and school districts for grant writing, she branched out to become a freelance grant writer. For enjoyment, Dori became involved with independent filmmaking, which grew into executive producing two award-winning independent films and, more recently, casting films for directors Dustin Lance Black and Marc Forster. She helps run the Waterfront Film Festival in order to provide a Midwest forum for independent filmmakers and a venue for Midwest residents to see high quality films.
Hopwood DePree - Named as one of “20 PEOPLE TO KNOW” by The Hollywood Reporter, Hopwood has been a strong advocate for bringing the film industry to the State of Michigan. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Hopwood has two decades of experience working in all areas of the entertainment industry. He has produced, written, directed, and starred in two award-winning independent feature films, Rhinoskin, and The Last Big Attraction; sold and/or written scripts for Sony, MGM, Weinstein Company, Neal Moritz and Lionsgate; created, executive produced, and starred in a pilot for Warner Bros Television; held a first-look directing deal with 20th Century Fox; and co-created, executive produced and directed a pilot for National Lampoon. Virginia (starring Jennifer Connelly & Ed Harris) is his most recent film, in which he served as an on-set producer. Additionally, Hopwood was officially appointed by The Governor of Michigan to serve as an Advisor to the Michigan Film Office to continue to help grow the film industry in his home state. Currently, Hopwood divides his time between Los Angeles and Michigan, where he helped co-found the non-profit Waterfront Film Festival in 1999.
Kori Eldean - Kori, an avid supporter of the arts and producer of an award-winning independent feature film, has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. Having consulted many West Michigan artists, she became passionate about launching a film festival in the area to help fill a void. She has traveled to many film festivals around the world, and continues to consult artists and filmmakers on a regular basis. She currently resides in New York City.
Judy Smith - Judy is a community volunteer with many years of experience in fundraising. She has sat on many non-profit boards including, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland Civic Theatre and Holland Chorale. Her interest in movies, and particularly independent films, grew into the desire to become a part of the Waterfront Film Festival.
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