Rana Carisa

A producer, director, and production designer, Rana has industry-acclaimed credits in televised and large-scale events for Bravo Media, TIME Inc., NBC Universal, SONY, The WEBBY’s, MLB, FOX, The Public Theater, and the Tribeca Film Festival. An award-winning, classically trained vocalist, composer, actor, writer, and former model for Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, she has workshopped with Sundance Films Director’s Lab and performed and directed Off-Broadway. She has trained in NY with Travis Preston and in LA with Emmy-winning director Joan Darling. Rana was Artistic Director of the Manhattan developmental theater the Birdhouse Players and the Aerie Rep, directing all creative departments of main stage productions. She has trained hundreds of actors in the arts (including her own children) and is co-founder of The Sled, a non-profit providing crisis support for housing-insecure NYC public school students and their families. For her charitable work, has been awarded distinctions by the NYC Dept of Ed, Project Open Arms, and the NY Stock Exchange.

Matt Strazza

Matt Strazza is a founding partner and software industry veteran with experience in the formation, financing, and growth of organizations. He has wide-ranging international business experience. He has held multiple CEO roles including his present role as CEO of Frontline Education, a leading provider of software in the K-12 space in the United States. Matt has held senior roles at scale in several large companies (CA, Roper, Deltek, ConstructConnect). Matt is a proud recipient of The Comparably BEST CEOs for Women award, and under his leadership, ConstructConnect was recognized with The Comparably Best Company for Women, Best Company Culture, and Best Leadership Teams awards. A passionate supporter of the arts, Matt is thrilled to lend his experience and leadership skills to First Magnitude Films.

Princess Daazhraii Johnson

Princess Daazhraii Johnson is Neets'aii Gwich'in and lives with her three sons and partner on the traditional territory of lower Tanana Dene lands in Alaska. She is humbled to serve on the board of Native Movement and NDN Collective - collectively, she works to protect the lands, waters, animal and plant relatives that continue to take care of all of us.  She has served on the SAG-AFTRA Native American Committee since 2007 and in 2015 she was appointed by President Obama to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Institute of American Indian Arts. She is a Sundance Film Alum, a  Nia Tero Storytelling Fellow, Creative Producer and screenwriter for the Peabody award-winning PBS Kids series Molly of Denali, and Emmy-nominated Producer of HBO Max series, True Detective.

Jeff Cyder

Jeff is an accomplished senior financial executive with extensive performance management, strategic planning, finance, human resources, information technology and turnaround leadership skills over a career spanning more than 40 years. Recognized as an executive who positively influences the performance of other members of the team, Jeff has actively participated in five management teams that have successfully unlocked significant profitable growth potential. Previously the Executive Vice President Administration of ConstructConnect, Jeff directs his financial talents toward film production finance, motivated by a lifelong fascination with motion pictures. Jeff is a CPA (inactive).

Abby Epstein

Abby Epstein produced and directed the celebrated documentary The Business of Being Born with her longtime producing partner, Ricki Lake. Heralded as a “must-see for every pregnant woman,” The Business of Being Born premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival where it was named among “Best of the Fest” by New York Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. The Business of Being Born was released theatrically in 2008 and had its broadcast premiere on Showtime. The success of the film inspired Abby and Ricki’s book Your Best Birth, which was published by Hachette. Their follow-up DVD series More Business of Being Born featuring Cindy Crawford, Alanis Morissette, Gisele Bundchen and Christy Turlington was released in 2011. Abby made her film directing debut at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival with the documentary, Until the Violence Stops, featuring Jane Fonda, Eve Ensler, Salma Hayek and Rosie Perez. The film played at the Miami, Santa Barbara, Maui and Locarno Film Festivals and won the Audience Award at the Amnesty International Film Festival in Vancouver. Until the Violence Stops premiered on Lifetime Television and received an Emmy and a Gracie Allen Award. Under their joint venture BOBB Films, Abby and Ricki served as Executive Producers of the 2014 documentary Breastmilk, The Mama Sherpas, Weed the People and Sweetening the Pill. Prior to her film work Abby directed theater, helming National Tours and international premieres of RENT and The Vagina Monologues.

Lollie McKenzie

Lollie was last a Script Advisor with Berwick and Kovacik, LA and personal rehearsal assistant to Golden Globe-winning actress, Mia Farrow.  A professional actor who has been seen on the West End, for the Royal Shakespeare Company, and on the BBC, Lollie was selected to direct the prestigious First-Year musical at Harvard University, where she studied Philosophy. She is Chair of The Harvard Office for the Arts Student Fellowship and was selected to advise on Showcase content as a distinguished Proctor of the First-Year Arts Program (FAP). FAP is staffed by a number of guest artists, including Tony Award-winner Benj Pasek (Dear Evan Hansen), with whom Lollie collaborated in directing the premiere of White House Princess, a student-written musical about President Teddy Roosevelt's rambunctious daughter, Alice.

Christopher Wright

With over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Chris has a passion for helping actors achieve their full potential in both their business and their art. In association with colleagues he has a specialty in advising and counseling actors on how to navigate the complex and competitive industry, as well as how to balance their creative and professional goals. As the owner of Wright Entertainment, he has worked with a diverse and talented roster of clients, who benefit from extensive network, industry knowledge, and a personalized approach. At Wright Entertainment, he has provided comprehensive talent management services, including career development, contract negotiation, audition coaching, branding, marketing, and public relations. He has leveraged skills in social networking, entertainment, and theatre to connect clients with the best opportunities and resources for their success. Chris also collaborates with other industry professionals, such as agents, casting directors, producers, and directors, to build strong and lasting relationships. 

Harry Kellerman

Harry is a writer/director whose work has topped the famed screenwriter's Blacklist. His narrative shorts, feature, and documentary films have won and/or have been nominated for many Best-of-Fest and Jury awards and prizes, including the Jimmy Stewart Crystal Heart Memorial Award.