Sam McFarland is an award-winning director, writer, producer and editor who splits his time between New York, Vermont, and Alabama. In 2019, he graduated from the London Film School with an MFA in filmmaking. In 2021, his graduation film premiered in competition at the Austin Film Festival, and went on to play around the country and win multiple festival awards.  Sam's first job in film was editing for a local video production company, as an after school job in high school. Find his work here.
Elle Kurata is an award-winning producer and the founder of Shouganai Productions. Her work spans narrative films, documentary, commercial, and political storytelling—including serving as a Creative Producer at the Democratic National Committee and producing the Hulu documentary special Heritage Heroes.  Her first job was selling snowcones at the Colorado Springs Flea Market. Her website can be found here.
Louise Zhang is a DP, Director, and 1st AD. She came to the United States from China at the age of 15. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018 and later received her MFA from the NYU Grad Film program. Her films combine an eastern sensibility with western storytelling, evoking universal emotions through specific narratives. Louise got into movies because of the 2004 Nicholas Cage classic National Treasure. This is her website.
Xavier Coleman is a writer, director, and editor. He grew up in Cambridge, before studying in Boston, London and Cairo. Xavier’s most recent writing and directorial effort was the short film, WHITE KNUCKLE. The film screened at the BlackStar Film Festival and the Movies Under the Stars series presented by the NYC Mayor's Office, and was listed in AMC and Shudder's Horror Noire syllabus of essential Black horror. As a writer/director, Xavier is repped by WME and MACRO/M88. As a nonfiction editor, Xavier has worked with companies like Bloomberg, Amazon, Google, MoMA and ESPN, and with directors including Elliot Page, Ira Glass and Joe Berlinger. His last documentary feature film as an editor, THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE WATER (2020), premiered in competition at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Paola Gadala-Maria is a New York-based director and producer whose Hispanic and Middle Eastern heritage and Miami upbringing inform her unique storytelling perspective. Her impressive portfolio includes producing the dark comedy feature "Good Idea," the documentary feature "For Venida, For Kalief" premiering at Tribeca Film Festival this year, and the documentary series "Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series" for Apple TV+. She has worked alongside Mila Kunis as a Director's Assistant on "Luckiest Girl Alive" and has credits across major platforms including Netflix, BET, Discovery+, Peacock, and MSNBC. Paola creates content that explores the human psyche and social systems through compassionate yet unflinching storytelling. Working fluidly in both narrative and documentary spaces, she thrives on creative collaborations with directors and filmmakers who share her passion for authentic, impactful storytelling.
Will Pinke is a director, writer, 1st AD, producer, and editor. Will graduated with an MFA degree in Directing & Screenwriting from Columbia University in 2022. His stories blend genres in surprising and inventive ways. He works regularly on narrative shorts and features, as well as documentaries, music videos, and commercials. Films he has produced and assistant directed have premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and Hamptons International Film Festival, among others. Will's first directing job was remaking SNL's Celebrity Jeopardy with a cast of 8-year-olds for his 2nd grade talent show. willpinke.com
Kiara is a Host, Interpreter, Producer, and Cultural Consultant. Born and raised in New York City, she has spent over a decade on Japanese TV as a bilingual 'tarento' and on-air personality. She specializes in bridging Japanese and U.S. audiences through media, hospitality, and live events. Her work includes hosting for major broadcasters, interpreting at NYC festivals/conventions, and consulting for restaurants and entertainment brands. She also coaches Japanese speakers in accent reduction and natural English for performance and public speaking. Whether on stage or behind the scenes, Kiara brings humor, insight, and linguistic agility to every production. Here is her website!
Nat Pinheiro is a Director of Photography. He came up the ranks as a union camera assistant on indie features (The Card Counter) and majors (The Greatest Beer Run Ever) as well as music videos for global pop stars (Beyoncé, Ariana Grande). Since then, as a DP he's shot a variety of documentaries, music videos, and short form, including Fear City which won Best Documentary at the New York Short Film Festival. He's operated on union and non-union jobs alike, including Super Bowl commercials, influential runway fashion shows, and the 2024 presidential campaign. website: natpin.com
Henry Baime is a producer, writer, and former talent manager whose work includes narrative film and television, commercials, music videos, documentaries, and comedic content. His work has screened in numerous festivals and platforms worldwide. Henry’s first time near a film set was when his mother unsuccessfully tried to get him a role in the 2005 Nicholas Cage film The Weather Man.
Margot Rada is Art Department / Prop Master / Set Designer / Fabricator.
 She earned a BFA in sculpture and new media in San Francisco before moving to Los Angeles, where she became a union sculptor. Her creative journey has taken her around the world as a costume tech for touring bands, eventually leading her to fabricate set pieces, costumes, and props for a wide range of clients. Now based in New York, Margot maintains a studio where she creates personal work and takes on independent commissions, while also working as a scenic artist for television and as an art director and set designer for indie projects. Her creative path began early—her first job was selling mistletoe from a Radio Flyer wagon—but her first union job was sculpting caves and cityscapes for the Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi series. www.margotrada.com
Linh Nguyên is a producer, political strategist, and storyteller.  She has worked on major national campaigns—from Bernie Sanders to Beto O’Rourke—and led innovative outreach efforts including in-language digital ads, WhatsApp misinformation interventions, and creator-led GOTV campaigns. Based in Texas, Linh also consults on disaster relief, public health, and social impact projects in entertainment. 
Rosalie K. Ryan is a writer and visual artist. Her writing has been published in The Baffler and by 1080press. Her most recent project was a handbound collection of short stories that she wrote and illustrated using embroidery. In her visual art she works with textiles: knitting, crocheting, and embroidering. She graduated from The New School and has worked professionally in operations for independent  literary and political magazines, currently on the development side of things. Her first job at fourteen was reshelving books at her local public library.