PRODUCERS
Stephen Rollins Todd Allen Jesse Garcia Henry Priest Joel M. Ward
STEPHEN ROLLINS
WRITER * PRODUCER * DIRECTOR
Stephen Rollins began his career as an actor in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating from Lithia Springs Comprehensive High School in 1989, Stephen began working on various film, television, and stage productions, portraying small bit parts and featured background roles. Appearing in local theater, he was nominated and won various acting and performance awards.
In the fall of 1989, Stephen began his college studies at Mercer University, majoring in Communications and a minor in Business Law. In addition to his B.A. studies, he also received a diploma from the Atlanta Film Institute in Film and Television Production. Stephen was also quite an athlete at this time, playing both baseball and hockey. In 1991, Stephen founded Magic Motions Entertainment, a full service motion picture and television production company, with his writer/director partner Charles Busser. Together they went on to produce several productions including three feature short films. One of these feature shorts was considered for a Best Live Action Short Film Oscar.
During this time, having appeared in many film and television productions, Mr. Rollins was able to build a relationship with many of Hollywood's most powerful and influential people, quickly gaining the ability to take any project into his choice of motion picture studios and distributors. After four years as a successful team, Mr. Busser left to pursue other ventures and Stephen took on a position with Sony Pictures Entertainment, handling Columbia and Tri-Star Films. After a short time, Stephen realized he missed acting and productions, so he immediately returned to his acting career. One of these projects was the network television sitcom "Billy's Magic", a short lived half hour sitcom that Stephen was cast to star as "Billy".
Stephen took a leave of absence from the industry for over two and a half years to care for both of his parents, who were diagnosed with cancer six days apart. After their deaths, Stephen took some additional time to regroup his life and get his family affairs in order. In September 2001, Stephen moved to New York City, making his return to the industry he loves, to work on a friend's film. With his birthday on September 10, the film's crew and friends threw Stephen a surprise birthday party at 'Windows of the World'. While celebrating, Stephen received a birthday wish from an industry friend. The next morning, Stephen shockingly awoke to the events of 9/11. Later that evening, he learned that his industry friend and wife were on American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane that hit the World Trade Center. Stephen was overwhelmed that he had lost a friend in which he had just spoken with, thus sending him on the journey to tell his story through the feature short “American Identity”.
Stephen wanted to honor his friend, so he wrote, produced, and directed the film "American Identity" as a personal tribute and to honor those lost that day as well as to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who stand in our defense.
Stephen is the founder and CEO of Lightning Pictures LLC.
Stephen Rollins on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1087297/
TODD ALLEN
Actor-writer-producer Todd Allen has appeared in over 50 film and television productions. Among the more notable are three films with Director Lawrence Kasdan, SILVERADO, GRAND CANYON, and WYATT EARP. He has also appeared in several films with Academy Award winner Kevin Costner. Allen also co-starred with Robert Duvall in his Academy Award-nominated, THE APOSTLE, and again more recently in the Emmy Award winning AMC original mini-series, BROKEN TRAIL, where he received excellent reviews for the role of “Marshal Bill Miller.”
Allen has just completed filming the lead role in the independent feature, AMERICAN CARTEL, playing a Texas Ranger who brings down a dangerous drug cartel.
Recent television appearances include CLAIRE, a movie for the Hallmark Channel, and guest-starring appearances on MONK, CSI, and NCIS. Previously, he had leading roles in the television movies, “The Soul Collector”, “Night Visitors”, “Tall Dark and Deadly” and others. A personal favorite came early in his career when he played jet ace Chuck Yeager in the CBS three-hour special presentation of “Pancho Barnes”.
As a Producer, Allen has multiple projects in development in features and television through his company, Presidio Pictures. He stars in as well as Produced a feature/short entitled, AMERICAN IDENTITY, a tribute to the victims of 9/11 and to the men and women of American’s Armed Forces. In the film, Allen plays Marine “Master Sergeant Wilkins,” a warrior who maintains an unfailing sense of humor even on the battlefield in Afghanistan. The feature version of the film is in development. Allen is also preparing to direct his first feature, THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, developed with screen writer Steven Graham. Set against the vibrant backdrop of delta blues, it is a powerful story of the bond between friends (one white, one black), tested to its core, that endures despite crossing racial lines during a time of great upheaval in America’s history, the Civil Rights era.
Allen is also partnered with Kevin Costner and Tig Productions on an epic mini-series of early Texas entitled NOT BETWEEN BROTHERS, which details the collision of cultures that occurred to form early Texas. Based on the Novel by David Marion Wilkinson.
He is the writer of several well-regarded screenplays including a co-writing credit on “THE EMPTY QUARTER,” based on the novel by David Marion Wilkinson. A timely story of the clash of cultures, and a man’s search for his true self, set on a high-pressure drilling rig in Saudi Arabia’s Rub Al Khali desert, the bleak Empty Quarter. Two he plans to direct are, THE DESERTERS, a gritty, film-noir western based on the Luke Short novel, and SUICIDE GRIP, a love story set against the exciting and dangerous backdrop of the World Rodeo Finals in Las Vegas.
A requested speaker at film and writer’s conferences, Allen was previously the Keynote speaker at the Ozark Creative Writers Conference. He was instrumental in the formation Texas’ first Film Incentive Initiative, and has been an advisor to the Austin Film Festival. He maintains residences in Los Angeles and Austin and is a devoted Texas Longhorn fan.
Todd Allen on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0021112/
JESSE GARCIA
Garcia has been widely recognized for his role in the highly acclaimed "Quinceanera," winner of the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, and Official Selection for the 2006 Berlin Film Festival. For his performance as Carlos, Garcia was nominated and won the prestigious ALMA Award (American Latino Media Arts) as Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture in 2007.
Garcia was back at the Sundance Festival the following two years. In '07, starring in "La Misma Luna" ("The Same Moon"), released September 7, 2007 in Mexico and on March 21, 08 in the U.S. and Canada. He stars alongside Kate del Castillo and America Ferrera. And in '08, Marianna Palka's, "Good Dick," with Jason Ritter. Garcia can also be seen in "The Comebacks," Twentieth Century Fox's comedy that was directed by Tom Brady (director, "The Hot Chick"). "The Comebacks" was released domestically in October 07.
Garcia recently wrapped Alejandro Chomski's "A Beautiful Life," Duane Allen Humeyestewa's "Periphery," and "Days of Wrath" with Laurence Fishburne, Wilmer Valderrama, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Anna Claudia Talancon. Set in LA, "Wrath" is the story of the intertwining lives of a dedicated teacher, aggressive TV news crews, and rival gangs. The film is writer Celia Fox's directorial debut. Both films are scheduled for release in 2008.
Born in Rawlins, Wyoming, Garcia spent most of his childhood in Hanna, WY, a town with a population of just over 500. His acting debut came in 1987 when he was cast in the challenging role of Brown Bear. With a winter coat turned inside out (to look like brown fur) and construction paper ears pinned to his hood, Garcia recalls that he presented a striking likeness to a real brown bear. With his lines memorized, blocking mastered and adrenaline surging, Garcia (6) was well prepared. He heard his cue line and crawled out of his cave, violently thrashing his head from side to side. With teeth bared and tonsils flaring, he reared up on his hindquarters pawing the air; then he growled with all his might - "RRRAAAWWWRRR!" The first graders (sitting on the floor of their small classroom) giggled. It was not exactly the reaction Garcia was aiming for, but from the mouth of that cardboard cave, an actor was born. Following this performance, Garcia took a 15-year hiatus from the show business industry to concentrate on his schoolwork. He received grants and scholarships for Co-Ed Cheerleading at Eastern Wyoming College and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
In the middle of his first year at U of N, a classmate of Garcia's, Jennifer Jerosik, told him that she was moving to Atlanta, GA to study acting with Judson Vaughn, a filmmaker/actor/teacher who she'd heard speaking at a convention in Chicago. Instantly Garcia's Inner-Bear growled again and he decided he wanted to join her.
After a 45-minute telephone interview, Garcia was accepted to study at WHAT Films, the film development/production company and training facility headed by Vaughn. A week later, Garcia dropped out of school, and he and Jennifer packed everything they owned into his 1993, burgundy low-rider Mercury Cougar and drove 1,580 miles southeast to Atlanta - not the quickest route to Hollywood, but his years in Atlanta prepared him well for what would become his profession. At WHAT Films he learned to act, write and to direct, and he got sound career advice from Vaughn and from writer/director Ben Taylor ("Abgeschminkt!"). Others at WHAT who were particularly helpful to Garcia included Roxzane Mims, Lavon Lacey and Ralph Price, to name a few.
While in Atlanta, Garcia honed his comedic skills performing in "Sketchworks," Bob Harter, Della Cole and Jen Kelly's sketch comedy group. Garcia's first feature film role came when fellow WHAT Films actor Chet Dixon ("Cold Mountain, Days of Wrath") prompted director Stacey Childers to cast him her film "Delivery Boy Chronicles."
In 2003, Garcia moved to Los Angeles. His first steady work was in commercials. In 2005 he was featured in nine national campaigns including those for McDonalds, Toyota, Avis, and Miller beer. His episodic television and film work included Edward James Olmos' "Walkout," for HBO and guest spots on "ER," "The Shield," "The Closer," "Unfabulous," and "Justice," "Law and Order: CI," and currently recurring on FOX's hit series, "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles."
In 2006, Garcia added his first producing credit to his resume, co-producing and starring in "American Identity," which was selected to open the Short Film Competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. "Identity" was directed by, Stephen Rollins.
Garcia lives in Los Angeles. He enjoys mountain biking and reptiles. Garcia is on the lookout for his first directing project and hopes to stay busy as an actor, producer and director.Jesse Garcia on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1883803/
HENRY PRIEST
Henry never had aspirations for the film industry, until he experienced it first hand. In 1996, while wrestling in high school, his coach sent him and other wrestlers on an audition for a part in a Walt Disney film. Henry landed on of the roles, Tim Braden, a small wrestler on a team. From there, Henry began taking classes and developing his skills as an actor, finding another love to compliment his love for wrestling.
While pursuing his acting career, Henry went on to coach wrestling. In 1996, he was hired to choreograph the wrestling scene in a worldwide Olympic promotional commercial made for Nike. Henry soon after decided to take his career to the next level, becoming a Producer to complement his acting career. Henry has performed as an actor and producer in many films since, and has worked hand in hand with the SAG Diversity Program as well as an active member of NOSOTROS, an organization that promotes the advancement of Latinos in the entertainment industry.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JOEL M. WARD
Joel was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended Depaul University in Chicago, and the University of Miami, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Commerce. The then attended Chicago-Kent College of Law obtaining his Juris Doctor Degree. From 1963-1968, Joel was house counsel for Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
Joel relocated to Los Angeles, and in 1971 began private practice. He has previously been an instructor in law at the University of San Fernando Valley College of Law, directed seminars on various legal subjects and been on the panel of arbitrators for the American Arbitration Association and the Superior Court of Los Angeles, CA. In addition to a full legal practice, Joel has operated Wardlaw Mediation Associates where he acts as a privately retained mediator and arbitrator for the disposition of various legal disputes.
In 2003, Joel joined Stephen Rollins as President of Lightning Pictures LLC, overseeing the legal and business operations.
