TEAM

STEVE HARPER (creator) is a native New Yorker who grew up in a house with a Catholic father and a mother obsessed with Stephen King and true crime novels. He enjoys writing character-based dramas that (sometimes) make use of magical realism. A playwright and TV writer, Steve served as producer on the final season of the CBS show God Friended Me. He was co-producer on the upcoming HBO Max series Tell Me Your Secrets and wrote for the third season of ABC’s American Crime (created by John Ridley). Steve spent two seasons on the USA network’s Covert Affairs. Steve’s short films include Betty on The Bed (writer, producer, director and actor) and Intelligence (writer). He has written more than 20 plays, which have been workshopped and produced in New York, L.A. and in between at theatres including The American Airlines Theater (24 Hour Plays on Broadway), Dreamcatcher Repertory Theater (NJ), The John Houseman Studio (NY), The American Theatre Company (Chicago) and Celebration Theater (Los Angeles). Awards include the Artistic Achievement Award from the Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale, the Millennium Telly Award, a MacDowell Colony National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and two Yaddo fellowships. Steve also coaches writers through his company Your Creative Life. Steve is a graduate of Yale, The A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard, Juilliard’s playwriting program and the CBS Writers Mentoring Program. Twitter: @harpercreates

PHYLLIS TOBEN BANCROFT (Director) is an authentic human with gravitas who, as a director, evokes spirited performances by creating trustworthy relationships with her talent and her teams. She has directed and produced numerous short films and theater performances in NY & LA.  Having cultivated a keen intuitive insight, her work has explored the loneliness, fractured relationships, corroded self-worth and troubled family systems that embody everyday Americans. With an M.F.A. from the American Film Institute Conservatory, she has directed three episodes of the Emmy-nominated web-series Send Me & is the winner of the BET Lens on Talent Competition, which granted her a $100,000. to make her award-winning film, Burned. As a Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Arts Partner, CEO and Master Teaching Artist of the Red Balloon Playroom, Ms. Bancroft has directed over twenty student films through her film bootcamp for underserved middle and high school students. Her dedication to Arts Education doesn’t stop there. In 2015, Phyllis founded the Bancroft Scholarship for Women of Color at the A.F.I. Conservatory. In July 2020, Ms. Bancroft will launch KidsMovieFest.com, an online film competition for kids 13-18 years old. Twitter: @ptoben

PHIL KAUFMANN (Director) previously collaborated with Steve Harper on the pilot presentation, Intelligence, about a super-spy with an invisible friend. He is delighted to work with Steve again on the unique and original Send Me. His previous short films include Living in Walter’s World, honored at the Filmmakers Alliance 10th Anniversary DGA Gala, and Snore about a murderous insomniac. In theater, he directed several shows while at the Yale School of Drama, including the second production (after the NY premiere) of John Patrick Shanley’s seminal play “the dreamer examines his pillow”. In New York he directed workshops with the award-winning Barrow Group Theater Company and in Los Angeles he has directed and produced with The Echo Theater & The Boston Court Theatre in Pasadena. He began his career as an actor, and has performed in regional and New York theater. His television credits include national commercials and appearances on The Mentalist, Harry’s Law, Law and Order, and in recurring roles on Another World and All My Children. A graduate of Dartmouth College and The Yale School of Drama, he is currently an Associate Chair of the Acting Department at the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles campus.

SARA RAMIREZ (Executive Producer) is an actress producer, singer, and activist best known for her portrayal of Dr. Callie Torres on ten seasons of Grey’s Anatomy and Kat Sandoval on Madam Secretary. In the late 90s, while studying at the Julliard School, Sara was discovered and cast in Paul Simon’s Broadway musical, The Capeman, beginning a career of notoriety in New York’s theatre scene. She earned critical praise for her roles in A Class Act and the Vagina Monologues, before being cast in her breakout role as the Lady of the Lake in the musical Spamalot, which earned her a Tony Award and allowed her to transition into television. Her performance on Grey’s earned her nominations for Best Actress at the NAACP Image Awards, the ALMA Awards, and multiple SAG Award nominations, including a win with her fellow castmates for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Sara has released two singles over the years, and her 2011 self-titled EP peaked at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 Chart and number 7 on the US Billboard Independent Album Chart. In 2015, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation awarded her the Ally for Equality Award for her support and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights.

GREG REEVES (Producer) is a producer of such art-house faire as the feature-length, Military Intelligence and You (Patrick Muldoon, Mackenzie Astin) as well as the shorts, Death in Charge (for AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women), Intelligence (Kevin Kilner, Armin Shimerman), and See Anthony Run (Joel Murray, Jennette McCurdy). In addition, he has two decades of production experience in lighting for television including the hit shows, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and You’re the Worst. He graduated with an M.B.A. from California State University, Northridge, and also Cum Laude from Loyola Marymount University with a B.A. in Communications.

MAGGIE MORGAN (Costume Designer) previously worked with co-director Phil Kaufmann and Steve Harper on the pilot presentation Intelligence, and on Mr. Kaufmann’s film Living in Walter’s World.  She recently designed the feature film Car Dogs starring Patrick J. Adams, Nia Vardalos, George Lopez and Octavia Spencer, the musical Soul Doctor for Broadway, Office Hour at Berkeley Rep and Long Wharf Theatre, as well as EndGame at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Other film designs include the features Sex and a Girl, Breathing Hard, the shorts Spiral, and the multi-award winning “Mad Boy”, I’ll Blow Your Blues Away…Be Mine”.  She has also designed plays and musicals at many theatres including Pasadena Playhouse, South Coast Rep, The Kirk Douglas Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Magic Theatre, Yale Rep, Arizona Theatre Company, and the Hollywood Bowl. She’s won a Drama-Logue Award, Honorable Mention Garland Award from Backstage.com and been nominated for an Ovation Award, Los Angeles Critics Circle, and Bay Area Critics Circle Awards several times. Ms. Morgan has worked as an Assistant Costume Designer on many feature films including Men in Black, Casino, Mona Lisa Smile, and The Grinch. www.maggiemorgandesign.com

ARNOLD BENTON (Logo Design) is a graphic designer specializing in brand identity and motion graphics. A graduate of the Herron School of Art, his diverse arts background includes studying with FIRST TAKE ACTING in San Francisco and with BGB STUDIO, Burbank. As an artist he’s served a variety of clients through his work on the design team of BRADLEY AND MONTGOMERY. His clients include VH1, MTV, Microsoft, J.P. Morgan Chase, Angie’s List, Sony Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Indiana Pacers, NCAA and MasterCard.

EAST FOREST (Composer) weaves dream pop soundscapes from his vintage keys, intimate vocals, and original field recordings.  His pioneering live looping reflects motifs of nature and the inner spiritual landscape juxtaposed with the realities and possibilities of modern society.  The ethereal sonic architecture has been called “blissful” (NPR), “unerringly gorgeous” (Nothing Sounds Better), and likened to a cross between Sigur-Ros, The Album Leaf, and Bon Iver.  He has collaborated with Ram Dass, Deepak Chopra, shared stages with artists ranging from Moby, Sarah Neufeld, to Random Rab, and composed and licensed music for apps, tv/film, and theater. He has eleven studio albums and six EPs, and currently hosts a podcast called Ten Laws with East Forest. Trevor Oswalt, whose surname translates to East Forest in German, can be reached at: http://www.eastforest.org Twitter: @eastforestmusic

WEB BURRELL (Composer – “Slave Theme”) Web Burrell’s professional career as a composer and songwriter began with the international release of “There’s An Innocent Face” on Elektra Records in 1973.  He performs on the album as a singer and multi-instrumentalist.  Web co-produced the album with producer Gary Usher (The Byrds, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beach Boys), and Curt Boettcher (The Association, Tommy Roe). During his career as a studio musician with Elektra and others, he collaborated with producer Keith Olsen (Fleetwood Mac), guitarist Randy Bachman (Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive), and was in a band with guitarist Waddy Wachtel (The Rolling Stones, Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt). Web released a CD of his compositions in 2000 (several of which were licensed for television soundtracks in Europe), an all-instrumental CD in 2015, and he composed soundtrack music for three independent films. He has performed at The Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville as a guitarist and singer, and at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival as the drummer in a band that closed out the final day of the two-week event on the African-American showcase stage. Web is also a published author, and an accomplished Executive Producer of large-scale product-launch events and tournaments, including Nintendo’s E3 Live Events for 18 years. Twitter: @createproduce

RACHEL EISENGART (Editor) is a professional film/video editor for 17+ years, Rachel’s experience spans digital content, features and television. As staff Senior Editor, Digital Media at A+E Networks for 11+ years, she produced and edited documentary, scripted comedy and drama, and promotional videos for the History, Lifetime, Biography, and A&E brands – including shows like Vikings, UnREAL, Project Runway, Army Wives, Bates Motel and Intervention. Additionally, Rachel has edited horror and documentary feature films, as well as drama, comedy and documentary shorts. Noteworthy projects include HOME, an official selection at the Hollyshorts and Napa Valley Film Festivals; Capture, an official selection at the Overlook Film Festival; Working the Boats: Masters of the Craft, a web series featured on Rhode Island Public Television; Red Bull Studio Sessions: The Twista Edition, and award-winning PSAs with Women in Film L.A. She is currently assisting on a feature documentary about the global migrant and refugee crisis. Rachel is a graduate of Smith College (B.A. French Literature/Film) and Emerson College (M.A. Visual & Media Arts). Twitter: @reisengart

PEYTON SKELTON (Director of Photography) became interested in photography at early age, “borrowing” his parents expensive SLR camera for months at a time. After attending school for photo journalism, Peyton found work in Wilmington NC on projects over his early years in the film business. He was lucky enough to work with some Hollywood greats right off the bat; Lauren Bacall, Gregory Peck, Arthur Penn, and the Coen Brothers amongst others. Upon coming to Hollywood in the 90’s, he fell right into more film work with some greats, including Robert Rodriguez, Betty Thomas, and Thomas Schalmme. In 2002, Peyton became Gaffer during the second season of Greys Anatomy, and would later go onto to work in the lighting department, on other series such as Suburgatory, You’re the Worst, and Selfie. Over the years Peyton has transitioned to the camera department, working as the Director of Photography on a number of short films and web-series, and the upcoming feature film Murder Manual starring Emilia Clarke.

VINCENT LUCIDO (Illustrator/Comic Book Adaptation) is a storyboard artist and production illustrator who has been working in the genres of film, TV and commercial production over the past 20 years.  Recent projects include the upcoming Sesame Street (feature film), Queen and Slim (feature film), Legion (TV) and Twilight Zone (TV) among many others. Vincent has recently finished illustrating his second book, The Kindeez: Learning to be Kind One Act at a Time (soon to be released-  thekindeez.com) and has launched a new art line entitled Art of Vincent Lucido (instagram gallery- @ArtofVincentLucido and http://www.artofvincentlucido.com). He lives in Southern California with his wife and 2 kids.

AMBER ALEXANDER (Production Designer) was born and raised in the Missouri Ozarks.  She earned her BA in Commercial Art at UCM and attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.  After working for some years as a graphic designer in Northern California, Amber moved to Los Angeles and began a career in the art department for music, motion picture, television production.  She enjoys designing and discovering the overall look of a project, contributing to the totality of the story with creative set atmosphere that all can work with. She has worked on numerous productions including Beyonce’s Lemonade and the Steve Harvey talk show.

JENNIFER FAUSTINO (Makeup) Born and raised in Los Angles, California, Jennifer always knew she wanted to work in the beauty industry. She always loved make-up, and was constantly doing makeup on her friends and her sister. After graduating high school she got a job as a production assistant on the NBC hit show “The Voice” working with the contestants. Constantly seeing the glam team at work on the show, she knew becoming a make-up artist was exactly what she wanted to do. She then attended MUD in Los Angeles and is actively working as a freelance artist for film/tv, print, bridal and special events. Some of her recent work has been seen on TBS, TNT, The Food Network, Adult Swim and CNBC as well as numerous music videos, print work, film and commercials.Twitter: @jenfaustino