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Rick Famuyiwa made his feature film directorial debut with THE WOOD
from an original script he developed at The Sundance Institute.
Recently Famuyiwa served as one of the writers on the upcoming
film, THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS and is currently writing a script
called FEELING ARETHA for Fox Searchlight that he will also direct.
Famuyiwa played Division I basketball for USC where he was a double
major in Cinema/Television Production and Critical Studies. During
his senior year at USC, Famuyiwa wrote and directed his critically-acclaimed
thesis film BLACKTOP LINGO, a 12-minute short film about basketball.
In 1996 the film was one of only 29 films selected from 1,500
submissions to be screened at the Sundance Film Festival and earned
Famuyiwa the distinction of becoming the first undergraduate from
USC to ever have a film shown there.
Michael Elliot sold his first spec scrElliotipt SEVEN DAYS to Twentieth Century
Fox. Since then Elliot has written the recent LIKE MIKE, and MTV'S
HIP-HOPERA: CARMEN. His other film writing credits include THE
LAST RIDE and GOT MONEY? He is currently developing MTV's next
hip-hopera FAUST and the feature GOT MILK? for Universal Pictures.
Elliot made hip-hop history when he published "Krush Rap," the
first publication devoted to hip-hop music. He also wrote and
self-published, The Unsigned Rappers Guide to Getting a Record
Deal in 1992. Elliot was the host and co-producer of the nationally
syndicated hip-hop countdown radio show "Street Heat" and served
as president of Source Entertainment. He also served as executive-producer
for the "The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards" in 1999 and 2000.
Peter Heller recently produced LIKE MIKE for Twentieth Century Fox,
starring Lil Bow Wow and Morris Chestnut. Other producing credits
include BONES for New Line Cinema, starring Snoop Dogg and Pam
Grier and directed by Ernest Dickerson, and CAUGHT UP with Bokeem
Woodbine and Cynda Williams.
Heller served as executive producer on BARB WIRE and HOTEL DE
LOVE. Before becoming an independent producer, Heller ran the
film division of Propaganda Films, was the president of John Hughes'
production company, and was an executive at Universal Pictures.
His company, Heller Highwater also manages writers and directors.
Trish
Hofmann has worked as a co-producer and line producer on independent
and studio films across the country and around the world, including
in such remote countries as Bulgaria and Vietnam.
Her credits include BROWN SUGAR, IGBY GOES DOWN, THE GREY ZONE,
DOWN TO YOU, THREE SEASONS, and HEAVY.Ý Over the past 11 years,
her production credits include work with established directors
such as Ron Howard, Woody Allen, Barbet Schroeder, Alain Berliner,
and Jim Mangold.
Adept at managing a variety of budgets, whether big or small,
foreign or domestic, mainstream or art film, Hofmann combines
a powerful facility for physical production with a keen creative
eye.Ý She is currently co-producing HAVANA NIGHTS for Miramax
and Artisan Entertainment.
BROWN
SUGAR marks Earvin "Magic" Johnson's debut as an executive producer
on a feature film. Although Johnson is universally known for his
illustrious 13-year career in the National Basketball Association,
he has redefined himself as a businessman who focuses his efforts
on revitalizing neglected communities, and providing quality entertainment
and services. Johnson is Founder and CEO of Magic Johnson Entertainment,
a multimedia company of film, television, publishing and animation
divisions. The company recently produced MAGIC VS. BIRD: THE GAME
THAT CHANGED THE GAME, a documentary for Fox Sports Net and "Passing
Glory," a movie of the week for TNT, both of which Johnson executive
produced.
Johnson also serves as Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Theatres
and Johnson Development Corporation. The Johnson Development Corporation
(JDC) which works to foster local growth and financial empowerment
in long-neglected urban and surburban neighborhoods by developing
entertainment complexes, restaurants, and retail centers in under-served
communities. JDC comprised of Magic Johnson Theatres, Urban Coffee
Opportunities (Starbucks Coffee Company), Magic Johnson's T.G.I.
Friday's, West Las Vegas Joint Venture and the Canyon-Johnson
Urban Fund, LP.
Although retired from the NBA, Johnson still plays basketball
on his Magic Johnson All Stars Team. The team, composed ex-NBA
players, has traveled internationally to more than 20 countries
and plays Olympic teams, professional clubs, national teams and
professional league all-star teams. However as vice president
and co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Johnson remains part of
the Laker team.
The co-author of several books, Johnson has penned his autobiography,
My Life, as well as What You Can Do To Avoid AIDS in 1991 and
Magic's Touch in 1989.
Enrique
Chediak's recent credits include Fox Searchlight Pictures' THE
GOOD GIRL; director Rose Troche's THE SAFETY OF OBJECTS, produced
by Killer Films, which screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival;
Forty Acres and a Mule's 3 AM, which screened at the Sundance
Film Festival; and Rigas Entertainment's 2000 Sundance entry SONGCATCHER,
which was released by Lions Gate Films.
Honored by Variety as one of the "Ten Cinematographers to Watch"
in 1999, Chediak's additional credits include New Line's BOILER
ROOM for Team Todd and director Ben Younger, as well as Robert
Rodriguez's THE FACULTY for Miramax. Chediak received the 1997
Sundance Film Festival's cinematography award for his work on
director Morgan J. Freeman's HURRICANE STREETS and later worked
with the director on DESERT BLUE. Additional credits include FROGS
FOR SNAKES and GETTING OFF.
Born in Quito, Ecuador, Chediak studied photography in Madrid
and communications in Santiago, Chile before entering NYU's film
graduate program. Chediak received the cinematography award at
NYU's First Run Film Festival for the student shorts ANGELES DON'T
KNOW, MEMORIAL DAY and DARKNESS. In 1997, he wrote and directed
his graduate thesis film EL RIO, which garnered second place at
the 1998 NYU Wasserman Awards, the Best Student Short Award at
the 1998 Hamptons Film Festival and both the Best Student Short
and Audience Awards at the 1998 Shorts International Film Festival.
Kalina
Ivanov has lent her talents as a production designer to such films
as Malcolm Lee's THE BEST MAN, John Polson's SWIMFAN, Ernest Dickerson's
MONDAY NIGHT MAYHEM, Gina Prince-Bytewood's DISAPPEARING ACTS,
Kevin Spacey's THE BIG KAHUNA, Paul Auster's LULU ON THE BRIDGE,
Wayne Wang's SMOKE, and many others.
Prior to her production design work, Ivanov was a storyboard artist.
A selected list of credits include Barry Levenson's SLEEPERS,
Robert Redford's THE HORSE WHISPERER and QUIZ SHOW, Forest Whitaker's
WAITING TO EXHALE, Jonathan Demme's THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS,
Robert Benton's BILLY BATHGATE, Jodie Foster's HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
Ivanov is the recipient of many awards for her designs. Her artwork
has toured the USA on a special exhibition organized by Lincoln
Center. She was also a faculty member of NYU's Design Department
where she taught Art Direction for four years.
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