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| Daniel Grodnik Alan J. Bailey Michael Greenfield Prodigy Public Relations | Albert S. Ruddy Two-time Academy Award winning producer for best picture. John Landis Award winning director of seminal comedies Oren Aviv Chief Marketing Officer 20th Century Fox and former President of Walt Disney Productions Steven M. Wexler Entreprenuer Bill Grodnik Pres/Ceo of Davinci Virtural Peter Dekom Entertainment Attorney Dr. Murray H. Rosenthal Chief Medical Officer, Millennium Laboratories |
Daniel Grodnik
Chairman of the Board/CEO
Daniel Grodnik is one of the driving forces behind the independent film business. His career spans just under three decades and his choices in film projects display his dynamic ability to stay on top of current market demands in creative content and style. Having developed, financed, and produced more than 40 motion pictures and television movies; Mr. Grodnik is well versed in all aspects of the business of making films. He has worked with every major studio as well as many of the better-known independent companies. He maintains strong relationships with some of Hollywood’s top actors, writers and directors and enjoys a global reputation for his ability to produce quality projects in on schedule and budget. Jeff Sagansky, the former president of CBS, and Sony once remarked, “When money matters, we turn to Dan.
Currently, Mr. Grodnik is preparing a thriller entitled, “Carjacked” starring Ron Perlman and directed by Peter Medak and “ The Courier” an action film to be directed by Russell Mulcahy. Mr. Grodnik completed a romantic comedy in March entitled, “Overnight” and is in development on a new theatrical film with two-time Academy Award winner for Best Picture, (“The Godfather” and “Million Dollar Baby”) Albert S. Ruddy. Mr. Grodnik’s recent films include his third original movie for the Sci-Fi Channel entitled “Yeti” which aired in November and received the second highest rating of the year for a Saturday night premiere. Also, in November, Mr. Grodnik and Mr. Ruddy’s film, “Camille” starring Sienna Miller (Factory Girl) and James Franco (The Pineapple Express), had its theatrical release. In May of 08, the Sci-Fi Channel aired, “Never Cry Werewolf” which was the third highest rated Sunday Night movie in the history of the channel. Additionally, Mr. Grodnik currently has a thriller in release entitled “Hallowed Ground”, written and directed by David Benullo (“Around the World in 80 Days”) and starring Jaime Alexander (Rest Stop) and a Danielle Steel adaptation for New Line Cinema entitled “Safe Harbour”, starring Melissa Gilbert. Mr. Grodnik was nominated for a Golden Globe for best picture on his production of “Bobby”. The movie had an all-star cast including Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, Helen Hunt, Lawrence Fishburne, Elijah Wood, Lindsay Lohan, William H. Macy, Nick Cannon, and Heather Graham.
In 2006, Mr. Grodnik went to Little Rock, Arkansas with actress Ashley Judd to produce a coming-of-age drama entitled, “Come Early Morning”. The movie had its’ North American premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Also starring in the film was Oscar nominee Diane Ladd. Earlier in 2006, Mr. Grodnik produced a thriller shot in L.A. entitled, “Mini’s First Time” starring Alec Baldwin, Jeff Goldblum, Carrie Ann Moss (The Matrix) and Luke Wilson.
Born in Minneapolis, Grodnik seemed destined for Hollywood from a young age. As a teenager he put on high school dances and organized ski trips though his company, Hysteria Productions. By the age of nineteen, Grodnik had evolved into a local concert promoter producing a BB King concert at the Minneapolis Auditorium. Music, however, didn’t interest Grodnik enough and he applied to the University of Southern California’s Film School to produce movies. One of Dan’s professors, Joe Casper, remembers that when Dan was making his student films he always credited himself as the producer instead of the director, which was always good for a laugh from the other film students. Fact is, Dan just knew what he wanted to do.
Grodnik produced his first feature length film at age twenty-four. He remembers fondly the advice given him by Fred Weintraub who had just produced “Enter The Dragon”. Weintraub told Grodnik, ‘To be able to stay on budget and schedule, the producer needs to know everyone’s job on the crew better than they know it themselves.’ Mr. Grodnik has lived by these words his entire career. In order to run a manufacturing business, which film producing is, Grodnik believes there cannot be any aspect in the physical creation of the film from prep, shooting, and post production that are outside the producers area of expertise.
One of Mr. Grodnik’s strengths as a producer is being able to identify talented new directors. He has launched or help jump start the careers of numerous directors including; Roger Spottiswoode (“Tomorrow Never Dies”), Phillip Noyce (“A Clear And Present Danger”), Victor Salva, (“Powder” and “Jeeper’s Creepers”), more recently, Chris Ver Wiel who was nominated for a best director award from the Director’s Guild of Canada (“Who is Cletis Tout,” starring Tim Allen and Ricahrd Dreyfuss), and Joey Lauren Adams (“Come Early Morning,” with Ashley Judd).
In 2003-2004 Mr. Grodnik partnered with Franchise Pictures founder Andrew Stevens to produce several action and sci-fi titles that included; “Pursued” for Lion’s Gate starring Christian Slater, “Blood Angels” starring Lorenzo Lamas for Screen Media and Universal Pictures, “Sea Ghost,” “Deep Evil,” “Glass Trap,” and “Blue Demon” for Blockbuster Entertainment.
Mr. Grodnik was also the co-founder with Ashok Amritraj in Heartland Entertainment, a television movie company engaged in the financing, production, and distribution of family entertainment for the PAX Network. He produced four family movies in 2002-2003 including; “Anna’s Dream,” starring Richard Thomas (“The Waltons”) and Connie Selleca (“Hotel”), “Another Pretty Face,” starring Mel Harris (“Thirty Something”) and Perry King (“Riptide”), “Book Of Days,” starring Richard Grieco (“21 Jump Street”), and Isaac Hayes, and “Mary Christmas,” starring John Schneider (“Dukes Of Hazzard”) and Cynthia Gibb. John Schneider made his directorial debut with “Mary Christmas.” It remains the PAX Network’s highest rated television movie.
During the nineties, Mr. Grodnik was president of Itasca Pictures, a broad based entertainment company engaged in the development, financing, production, and distribution of motion pictures and television. At Itasca, Mr. Grodnik produced eight movies. Most notable was the cult hit “Powder” for Disney. He also produced “Uncorked,” starring Minnie Driver and Nigel Hawthorne that debuted at the Toronto Film Festival, “Zack and Reba,” starring Brittney Murphy and Thomas Jane, “The Rage,” an action film for Dimension Films (“Scary Movie”) starring Roy Scheider and Gary Busey, and “Man’s Best Friend,” a horror movie for New Line Cinema starring Alley Sheedy and Lance Henriksen.
In the late 1980’s and early nineties, Mr. Grodnik was the Chairman and CEO of The National Lampoon, a publicly traded entertainment company that published a humor magazine called The National Lampoon. Additionally, the company produced National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Loaded Weapon with Emillo Estevez and Sam Jackson. Mr. Grodnik also produced The National Lampoon Comedy Playoffs starring Leslie Neilson for Showtime.
For the past 17 years, Mr. Grodnik has been an oral panelist at his alma mater USC grading the Masters Thesis on Producing in their Peter Stark Program.
Mr. Grodnik has two girls and is happily married to his second wife, Nancy, who ironically is also his first wife. Back to top
Brent V. Friedman
Senior Vice President, Product Development and Marketing
ONLINE CREATOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER – GEMINI DIVISION; AFTERWORLD; VIDEOGAME WRITER – COMMAND & CONQUER: TIBERIUM WARS; CONSULTING PRODUCER – STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE; CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER – TWILIGHT ZONE
Brent V. Friedman is a founding partner in Electric Farm Entertainment, a leading digital media company. Brent created, wrote and produced EFE’s first two webseries, the ground-breaking AFTERWORLD, on which he worked as Executive Producer and Lead Writer. Nominated for several online awards, AFTERWORLD is presently being released by Sony Digital, which is also producing a mobile game based on the property. Additionally, Brent created EFE’s second series, the futuristic thriller and GEMINI DIVISION, starring Rosario Dawson. Currently in production, Brent is again serving as Executive Producer and Lead Writer; Gemini is being released globally by Sony and NBC. Brent is serving as Producer on EFE’s recent webseries, WOKE UP DEAD and VALEMONT, the latter which he also co-created.
Video game projects include COMMAND & CONQUER 3: TIBERIUM WARS, released by Electronic Arts in 2007. Recent TV credits include Writer/Producer on STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE and TWILIGHT ZONE. Currently, Brent is writing for CLONE WARS.
In features, Brent co-wrote the screenplay for FOODFIGHT!, a computer animated feature to be released by MGM in Spring 2010. Other feature projects include writing work on TOMB RAIDER and MORTAL KOMBAT: ANNIHILATION. Friedman got his degree in Creative Writing from UCLA and currently resides in Washington.
Video game projects include COMMAND & CONQUER 3: TIBERIUM WARS, released by Electronic Arts in 2007. Brent wrote the script for the highly-rated RTS game, which sold nearly 3 million units globally. Also for EA, Brent wrote the script for the upcoming FPS title, TIBERIUM, due out in Fall ’08.
In television, Brent served as a Creative Consultant on the upcoming Sci-Fi Channel movie, LOST CITY RAIDERS, an action comedy in production now for to be broadcast in Fall ’08. Other recent TV credits include: Consulting Producer on the 13 episodes of the long-running UPN series STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE; and, Co-Executive Producer on 44 episodes of the UPN drama series TWILIGHT ZONE. Earlier in his career, Brent Co-Created and served as Supervising Producer on the landmark sci-fi drama series DARK SKIES for NBC. Additionally, Friedman wrote the 2-hour pilot for the syndicated series, MORTAL KOMBAT KRUSADES**. He also served as Supervising Producer on 8 episodes of the UPN drama series MERCY POINT, as well as Co-Executive Producer on 13 episodes of the UPN comedy series SECRET AGENT MAN.
In features, Brent co-wrote the screenplay for FOODFIGHT!*, a computer animated feature comedy currently in production for Threshold Digital and Lionsgate Entertainment. Other feature projects include writing work on the first draft of on the box office hits TOMB RAIDER** for Paramount and MORTAL KOMBAT: ANNIHILATION* for New Line Cinema, both of which were box-office hits. Early film credits include the cult classic THE RESURRECTED, an H.P. Lovecraft adaptation for New Line. Friedman got his degree in Creative Writing from UCLA. He currently resides in Washington and commutes regularly to Los Angeles, where EFE is based. (*denotes shar ed credit ** denotes unrecognized credit) Back to top
Pat Proft
Senior Vice President of Comedy
Pat Proft is one of the most successful feature film Comedy Writers in Hollywood. His screenplays usually rely heavily on slapstick action, wisecracks absurdist dialogue.
Over the course of his film career he has been responsible for several cult classics including Police Academy which spawned six sequels and became one of ‘Warner Brothers’ most successful film franchises, as well as, Naked Gun, Naked Gun 2 1/2.
A former stand-up comic and a Television writer for Bob Hope, Carol Burnett, Steve Martin and Mel Brooks among others, Pat was determined to make the transition to feature films.
Other credits are Hot Shots! and Hot Shot! Part Deux, Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4, Mr. Magoo, Brain Donor, Lucky Stiff , Bachelor Party, Moving Violation, Real Genius and Wrongfully Accused all of which adds up to over a billion dollars at the box office.
Mr. Proft will be heading up the creative content team. Back to top
Sam Teplitsky
Senior Vice President, Mobile
Sam has 15+ years of experience in the media & entertainment industry creating and executing innovative solutions for mobile, entertainment, retail, and advertising companies. His management expertise spans creative direction, new media initiatives, mobile product and business development. Most recently, Sam was a founding member of Teleca's Enterprise Mobile team, building the strategy and business development practice and mobile applications studio. Development projects included MTV, Motorola, ABC News, Ford Motors, and Tivo. Prior to Teleca, Sam was Director, Americas for Sybase 365, where he developed bleeding edge SMS and MMS campaigns for brands and enterprise customers including Facebook, Universal Music, and Verizon. Prior to Sybase 365, Sam lead the creative team at DMX MUSIC as Director of Creative Strategies; in this role he developed entertainment strategies for global fashion, retail, and hospitality companies like Starwood Hotels, American Eagle, and Lucky Brand Jeans. Earlier in his career Sam managed Number 5 Music and Film, an Olympia Entertainment company, where he signed artists, managed a recording studio, and built a creative services organization that supported music, film, and advertising industries. Sam graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison
Michael Greenfield
Senior Vice President
Mike Greenfield was an agent for 22 years and still represents a number of clients. As President of Charter Management, his former clients include: Robert Mitchem, James Coburn, Linda Evans, Joan Collins, Fred Grandy, Henry Silva, John Forsythe, Paul Sorvino, Victoria Principle, Donna Mills, Appalonia, Leslie Ann Warren, Stacey Keach, George Kennedy, Marie Osmond, Jim Brown, and Robert Guillome.
Mr. Greenfield now works as a Manager and Packager of television projects. Some of the most recognizable include: 8- year success, WALKER TEXAS RANGER ; NBC series, DARK SKIES ; A FAMILY FOR JOE starring Robert Mitchem; Mini-series, CBS's THE LAST FRONTIER starring Linda Evans and Jason Robards; ABC’s final 4-hour episode of DYNASTY ; and CBS’s 4-hour mini-series, THE MENENDEZ MURDER CASE.
As Producer, Mr. Greenfield made 4 movies for PAX TV last year alone, which include:
BOOK OF DAYS starring Deborah Raffin, Isaac Hayes, Pamela Reed
ANOTHER PRETTY FACE starring Mel Harris and Perry King.
MARY CHRISTMAS starring John Schneider and Cynthia Gibb.
ANNA’S DREAM starring Connie Sellecca, Richard Thomas.
In addition to the PAX films, Mr. Greenfield is credited as Producer on the 2001 Paramount Picture, WHO IS CLETIS TOUT? starring Tim Allen, Christian Slater, and Richard Dreyfus. Back to top
Advisory Board
Albert S. Ruddy
A small sign on Al Ruddy’s wall reads “He who carves himself to suit everyone whittles himself away”, reflects his conviction in remaining true to his own instincts which are shown through his consistent ability to spot promising material and creative talent, reflected in his choice of projects and recognized by his various industry awards, amassed over three decades in the Hollywood film industry.
Ruddy got his start in 1965 by pitching an original, yet offbeat, television idea about a P.O.W. camp. CBS loved the idea and Hogan’s Heroes was created and its 240 segments ran for 8 seasons.
After succeeding in television, Ruddy decided to try his luck at movies, cast an unknown Robert Redford in Little Fauss and Big Halsy, this film led to his involvement in The Godfather. In1972, Clint Eastwood presented Albert S. Ruddy with the best picture Oscar for The Godfather, putting Ruddy on the map as an Icon in independent movie making.
He followed up the success of The Godfather with writing and producing The Longest Yard, a cult classic, launching Burt Reynolds into leading man status and creating a friendship between the two that last to this day. It is considered the first sports movie and one of the highest grossing of its time. The Longest Yard earned Ruddy his second Golden Globe and continued respect in the industry.
In the 80’s Ruddy created The Cannon Ball Run movies, which proved well at the box office, maintaining his powerhouse reputation. His other credits include over 30 features including Bad Girls (the first western with all female leads), Death Hunt (pairing the late Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin), The Scout (a film that Richard Schickel of Time Magazine described as “the best comedy fantasy about baseball ever made”), Ladybugs (starring the late great Rodney Dangerfield) and Farewell to the King (starring Nick Nolte).
Ruddy went back to his television roots creating shows including the highly successful Walker Texas Ranger (234 segments, 7 years), How the West was won starring James Arness & Eva Marie Saint and such T.V. movies as Married to a Stranger, starring Jacqueline Smith, Running Mates with Tom Selleck, Laura Linney, Teri Hatcher, Faye Dunaway and Miracle in the Wilderness, starring Kim Cattrall and Kris Kristofferson, which became one of the highest rated TNT movies, making it a Christmas perennial.
In 2004, 32 years after Clint Eastwood handed Ruddy his first Oscar, they had a full circle moment by winning another best picture Oscar together for Million Dollar Baby. This movie also earned Morgan Freeman his first Academy Award ® and Hilary Swank her second.
Ruddy recently produced Camille: A Love Story, starring Sienna Miller and James Franco. He is also re-teaming with Clint Eastwood to produce the story Mark Twain Remembers.
Ruddy’s accomplishments have earned him numerous awards, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, two Davids of Donatello (Italy), two Heraldos (Mexico), two Ceasars (France), Chicago, Miami & Shanghai Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Awards, Producers Guild Hall of Fame, Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the National Association of Theater Owners “Producer of the Year”. Back to top
John Landis
Filmmaker
John Landis began his career in the mailroom of 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles. A high-school dropout, in 1969 the 18-year-old Landis made his way to the former Yugoslavia to work as a production assistant on the MGM comedy Kelly's Heroes (1970). Remaining in Europe, Landis found work as an actor, dialog coach, extra and stunt man in many of the “spaghetti” westerns being made in Spain at that time. At 21 years old he made his debut as a writer-director of the comedy feature Schlock (1971), an affectionate tribute to monster movies. Clad in an ape suit and make-up (designed by a 20 year old Rick Baker), Landis starred as the "Schlockthropus" or 'missing link.'
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977), directed by Landis and written by Jerry and David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, was a successful prelude to his next wildly successful comedy, the beloved National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978). With a record of enduring comedy classics such as The Blues Brothers (1980), Trading Places (1983), Spies Like Us (1985), Three Amigos!(1987) and Coming to America (1988), Landis has directed some of the most popular and most televised blockbusters of all time. Other feature credits include Into the Night (1985), Innocent Blood (1992), Oscar (1991), and the children’s film, The Stupids (1996). At ease in every genre, Landis wrote and directed the 1981 horror classic, An American Werewolf in London, which continues to enjoy an international and multigenerational fan following.
When in 1983, John Landis wrote and directed the groundbreaking theatrical short Michael Jackson’s Thriller, music videos were basic performances. With its script, transformational storyline and Hollywood production values, Thriller changed MTV and reinvented the concept of music videos forever. Thriller garnered multiple accolades including the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Overall Video and Viewer’s Choice, and the Video Vanguard Award – The Greatest Video in the History of the World. In 1991, John Landis was inducted into the MVPA’s Hall of Fame. Thriller has become a world-wide phenomenon and its influence transcends cultures.
Landis collaborated once more with Michael Jackson on Black or White (1991) which premiered simultaneously in 27 countries with an estimated viewing audience of 500 million people. Black or White was the first motion picture or music video to use CGI “digital morphing” where one object appears to seamlessly metamorphose into another.
Landis has been active in television as the Executive Producer (and often director) of the Emmy and Ace Award-winning HBO comedy series Dream On. Other TV shows produced by his company St. Clare Entertainment include; Weird Science, Sliders, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Campus Cops, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World. Deer Woman, an original one-hour production written by his son Max and directed by Landis, inaugurated the 2005 Masters of Horror series on Showtime, and Landis directed one more Masters of Horror entitled Family, in 2007. Recently Landis directed a show for the inaugural NBC series Fear Itself that aired in June, 2008; and has directed three episodes of the hit USA Network show, Psych.
John Landis impressive debut in feature length documentaries began in 2004 when the Independent Film Channel broadcast Slasher, his quirky cinema verite following the exploits of a veteran used car salesman. Mr. Warmth, The Don Rickles Project, honoring the career of the legendary American comedian Don Rickles, premiered at the New York Film Festival to a sold out audience. This very personal memoir includes footage from Rickles film, television, and Las Vegas performances, and hysterical personal reminiscences from such stars as Clint Eastwood, Sidney Poitier, Robert DeNiro, Robin Williams, Joan Rivers, Sarah Silverman, Christopher Guest and Chris Rock. Mr. Warmth aired on HBO December, 2007, won two Emmys, and is now available on DVD from Salient Media
A much sought after commercial director, Landis enjoys a significant career in advertising including work for companies as diverse as Direct TV, Taco Bell, Coca Cola, Burger King, Pepsi, Kellogg’s and Disney and has directed numerous spots for Europe and Japan.
John Landis was honored with the Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Government in 1985, awarded the Federico Fellini Prize by Rimini Cinema Festival in Italy, and has been was named a George Eastman Scholar by The Eastman House in Rochester, New York. The prestigious Edinburgh Film Festival and the Torino Film Festival have held career retrospectives of his work and in 2004 Landis received the Time Machine Career Achievement Award at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain. Landis has been given several People’s Choice and NAACP Image Awards. He recently was honored by the India International Film Festival in Goa. Landis has been a juror at many film festivals including; Venice, Neuchatel, Gerardmer, and Antalya, Turkey. In February, 2009, the Cinemathéque Français in Paris hosted a John Landis career retrospective. This week of celebration included a Master Class and "Carte Blanche" series where the Cinematheque in Paris screened films of Landis’s choice.
John Landis has lectured at many film schools and universities including the American Film Institute, Yale, Harvard, NYU, UCLA, UCSB, USC, Texas A&M, The North Carolina School of the Arts, University of Miami, Indiana University, The National Film School of Ireland in Dublin, Whistling Woods Film Academy in Mumbai, India, and the Sundance Institute in Utah. A long-time bibliophile, Landis edited and chose his favorite film essays for Best American Movie Writing 2001, Thunder Mouth Press, NY, 2001. His acting credits include movies as varied as Paul Bartel’s Death Race 2000, Frank Oz’s Muppets Take Manhattan and Sam Raimi’s Spiderman 2.
Landis is currently in London in pre-production on Burke and Hare for Ealing Studios which will start principle photography in January, 2010.
Born 1950 in Chicago, Illinois, Landis’s family moved to Los Angeles before his first birthday. He is married to Deborah Nadoolman, an Oscar nominated costume designer and costume historian with whom he has two children. Deborah’s most recent book, Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design, HarperCollins, 2007, is now in its third printing. Deborah Landis is the Founding Director of the David C. Copley Center for the Study of Costume Design at UCLA.
The monograph, John Landis, by Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan was published by M Press Books in 2008. Back to top
Oren Aviv
Chief Marketing Officer 20th Century Fox and former President of Walt Disney Productions
As president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, Oren Aviv was responsible for overseeing all aspects of live-action development and film production for the motion picture division of The Walt Disney Studios. In that role, he was in charge of the Studio’s entire slate of live-action films from Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures.
Under Aviv’s leadership, the Studio has had major box office successes with such films as Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland starring Johnny Depp, Wild Hogs, Enchanted, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Hannah Montana The Movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and the Sandra Bullock hit, The Proposal.
Aviv’s impressive line-up of motion pictures include two upcoming Jerry Bruckheimer-produced films, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” and “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” starring Nicolas Cage; the highly anticipated action-adventure thriller “TRON: LEGACY” in 3D; and multi-Academy Award-winning director Andrew Stanton’s trilogy “John Carter of Mars”.
Prior to heading production, Aviv was president of Marketing (2000-2006) and Chief Creative Officer for The Walt Disney Studios, launching the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the Narnia franchise, the National Treasure franchise and the popular Step Up series. Aviv’s efforts helped The Walt Disney Studios hit the $1 billion mark at the domestic box office 12 times over the past 15 years, designing the marketing campaigns for hits such as The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., Pearl Harbor, Ransom, Signs, The Rock, Armageddon, Sister Act, Remember the Titans, The Sixth Sense, 101 Dalmatians, as well as hundreds of other films.
Aviv was also executive producer on Walt Disney Pictures’ National Treasure series, which was based on his idea and for which he received shared "Story By" credit, including the sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets. He received the same credits on 1994’s Disney film Rocket Man.
In 2008, Aviv received credit on a patent for developing a technology device called the D-Coder. He has also been awarded many prestigious advertising awards, and was three times named Marketer of the Year by Advertising Age Magazine for Pirates Of The Caribbean, The Incredibles, and for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
A graduate of Columbia University, Aviv earned a BA in English and History. Back to top
Peter J. Dekom
Peter J. Dekom practices law in Los Angeles, California and is also "of counsel" with the Beverly Hills law firm of Weissmann Wolff Bergman Coleman Grodin & Evall. He formerly was a partner in the firm of Bloom, Dekom, Hergott and Cook. Mr. Dekom's clients include or have included such Hollywood notables as George Lucas, Paul Haggis, Keenen Ivory Wayans, John Travolta, Ron Howard, Rob Reiner, Andy Davis, Robert Towne and Larry Gordon among many others, as well as corporate clients such as Sears, Roebuck and Co., Pacific Telesis and Japan Victor Corporation (JVC). He has been listed in Forbes among the top 100 lawyers in the United States and in Premiere Magazine as one of the 50 most powerful people in Hollywood.
Mr. Dekom has been a management/marketing consultant, and entrepreneur in the fields of entertainment, Internet, and telecommunications. As a consultant to the state of New Mexico for almost a decade, he was instrumental in creating, writing and implementing legislation to encourage film and television production in the state and supervised the film loan program portion of that incentive structure. That structure has since become the template for dozens of film incentive programs in many other states as well. During his tenure, he also advised the Governor on film and television-related matters. Mr. Dekom has also provided off-balance sheet, insurance-backed financing for major motion picture studios.
Mr. Dekom served on the board of directors of Imagine Films Entertainment while the company remained publicly traded and was a board member of Will Vinton Studios and Cinebase Software, among others, leaving upon change of ownership. He has also served as a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and Academy Foundation, Board of Directors, Chairman (now Emeritus) of the American Cinematheque, and on the Advisory Board of the Shanghai International Film Festival. He serves on the Board of Governors for the America Bar Assn.'s Sports and Entertainment Law Section, where he has often authored articles and delivered lectures.
The Beverly Hills Bar Association honored Mr. Dekom as Entertainment Lawyer of the Year in 1994, the Century City Bar Association accorded him the same honor in 2004, and the Family Assistance Program named him Man of the Year in 1992 for his work with the homeless. Author of dozens of scholarly articles, Mr. Dekom also is the co-author of the book Not on My Watch; Hollywood vs. the Future (New Millennium Publishing, 2003) with Peter Sealey. He has served as an adjunct professor in the UCLA Film School, a lecturer (entertainment marketing) at the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business as well as being a featured speaker at film festivals, corporations, universities and bar associations all over the world.
Mr. Dekom graduated from Yale in 1968 (BA), and graduated first in his class in 1973 from the UCLA School of Law (JD). He is married to Kelley Choate and has a son, Christopher (b. 1983), who is a 2006 graduate of Duke University and an investment officer with the Department of Energy.
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Murray H Rosenthal
DO FAPA
Dr Murray Rosenthal, is a psychiatrist who has participated in several successful business ventures. As Medical Director and CEO of California Clinical Trials, he and his partner, Robert Palko, grew their research company from 1.5 to 67 million in 6 years. As an investor and Chief Medical Officer of Millennium Laboratories, Dr Rosenthal has been part of a team that grew Millennium from a fledgling start-up to the largest laboratory of its’ kind in the US with over 580 employees.
Currently, Dr Rosenthal is advising two new start-up companies that specialize in green materials and direct response marketing. His contributions are varied, from connectivity to his wide network of associations, creative solution and strategies, applying his communication skills that help get a company’s message out and in the acquisition of capital.
Mass Hysteria appealed to Dr Rosenthal because of its’ novel approach to entertainment. “Passive entertainment will be a thing of the past’” Dr Rosenthal said at a recent meeting. “The movie business hasn’t had a major change in years. Heck, I saw 3-D when I was a teen. But, having the audience ‘feel’ part of the experience is exciting. Get the right story and Mass Hysterias’ technology will blow away the viewer”.
Steven M. Wexler
Entreprenuer
Steven M. Wexler is currently a senior advisor to Entrepreneur Partners LLC, a private equity firm. As an industry expert in the media and healthcare fields, Steven is involved in leverage transactions which focus on investing in publishing, direct marketing, and healthcare companies. He also owns and manages Steven Wexler Ventures, LLC, a local venture capital and real estate investment firm based in Minneapolis. Steven is the former CEO of Medical Arts Press, a direct marketer, manufacturer and distributor of medical practice-related products to U.S. based healthcare professionals. During his 24 year career with Medical Arts Press, Steven completed two very successful company recapitalizations, led the company’s efforts in several strategic acquisitions and negotiated the sale of the Company to Staples in July 2002. Currently he is Chairman of the Board of Varsity Holdings, LLC a multi-channel, business-to-business company which sells to vertical markets including property management, churches and healthcare. He currently serves on the board of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Steven holds a Bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Back to top
Bill Grodnik
Pres/Ceo of Davinci Virtural
As CEO of Davinci Virtual and Davinci Meeting Rooms the firms he is responsible for overseeing the growth and marketing strategy of both companies. Mr. Grodnik was previously President of Davinci International, a business center operator in four western states. Prior to creating the Davinci brand, Mr. Grodnik was President of HQ Business Centers of Arizona, where he held the franchise rights to the HQ Business Centers. Mr. Grodnik has an extensive background in finance and Management and was previously the Chairman of Board and CFO of American Traffic Systems. ATS was the first provider in the US of automated enforcement devices including Red Light and Speed Cameras. Mr. Grodnik earned a B.S (cum laude) in Business from Arizona State University. Back to top
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