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Bios Archive

Amy De Paola

Amy De Paola is a Creative Producer and Director based in NYC. She holds an MFA in Film from Emerson College, where she also taught classes and collaborated with, Academy Nominated producer, Linda Reisman to build key courses for the Visual Media Art Department’s producing curriculum. An artist with over ten years of experience on both sides of the camera, Amy’s expertise is telling character driven narratives that empower others through documentary and scripted film and video.

Amy has created content for networks and brands such as Netflix, Showtime, Amazon, The CW, Sports Illustrated and Bloomberg Philanthropies. She has had the great pleasure to work alongside the talents of Debra Messing, Hasan Minhaj, Imagine Dragons, Diana Oh, Christina Toth, Camille Kostek, Mary Mazzio, Gaby Hoffmann and Alysia Reiner to name a few. Amy’s short film AMYDEE, a narrative cum cinema verite based on her own journey into the sport of boxing, a meditation on reclaiming one’s power, debut on FilmShortage in early 2019. Prior to that, the film screened in over 18 film festivals around the country including the Provincetown International Film Festival, where the film was programmed by Kim Yutani. Later, Amy took home the Award for Best Director for AMYDEE at the 2019 IndieWorks in New York City.

Most recently, Amy collaborated with writer Caitlin Graham (Queering web-series) to direct ten episodes of the crime-drama, web-series, THE NATURALS, which is currently in post-production. She is also the founder of Pink Among Men, a production company that hosts a podcast of the same name.

Nick Dabas

Nick Dabas is a director of photography based in New York City.  Nick’s passion for still image photography brought him to filmmaking where the creative process and different techniques of cinematic production peaked his interest. Nick’s first project “Midnight Lights” gave him an appreciation for the challenges of production in the real world. Fog and rain dominate the night sky in this piece and showed him the beauty of the chaos in a run-and-gun production, this experience has helped to craft the Dabas style. Nick’s polished style, and clean visuals have allowed him to make a living in fashion, advertising and music video production and he has worked with Madison Square Garden, L’Oréal, Bloomingdales, Dermablend, Montcler, Cushnie et Ochs and The Wu Tang Clan… just to name a few. Nick’s success has allowed him to establishing Paper Bag Media LLC and blessed him with the chance to make a living doing something he loves. 

Stefan Nachmann

Stefan Nachmann is a German-born Director of Photography based in New York. A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Film and Television, Stefan has worked on numerous US-based and international narrative productions as well as music videos, documentaries and commercials.

His work has been presented on a multitude of platforms and at many festivals, winning a number of awards, including the film ‘After Class’ featured at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Stefan most recently won the Grand Jury Prize for “Best Cinematography” at IFFNY for his work on ‘Cookie Heart’, a 16-Minute One Take Film.

‘Grid Girls’, a documentary portraying women in the motor sports industry has been featured on multiple platforms including Film Shortage and NoBudge.

Jim Westernbrink

Jim Westenbrink has worked in the film business for nearly 30 years. He has worked side by side with some of the best directors and producers in the industry. Jim is a member of the DGC as a second unit director, Canadian Society of Cinematographers, Iatse 600 LA – DP, Iatse 667 DP/ Operator & Iatse 873 as a lighting technician in Toronto.

Jim Westenbrink is originally from Orangeville, Ontario with a Dutch background. Jim has worked in many different countries.

Jim Westenbrink is exceptional with his lighting and has an incredible eye. He has been nominated for many awards including a Gemini. Jim Westenbrink has produced, directed and shot his own projects for Parks Canada and Ontario Parks. He knows how to keep your show moving forward on time and budget.

Please see resumes below and agent information for availability.

Let Jim Westenbrink turn your projects into visual magic.
EXTENSIVE LIST OF MUSIC VIDEOS and COMMERCIALS UPON REQUEST

  • Member of Iatse 600 LA, Iatse 667 TO
  • USA work Visa

Barry Markowitz (ASC)

Barry Markowitz is a Member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), since 2005.
He was nominated for the Sierra Award for Best Cinematography for “All the Pretty Horses”.
In addition, he shot “Crazy Heart” for which Jeff Bridges won his academy award.
Barry is based in NYC, but travels across the Country, wherever a project takes him.

Manfred Reiff

Manfred Reiff is a photographer and Director/DP working in advertising and television. He has photographed and directed projects for major brands including Mercedes, IBM, Lenovo, Ray-Ban and L’Oreal.

Manfred’s still photography work includes commissions for Ralph Lauren, Nexxus, Vidal Sassoon and the USTA among others. He just completed a global stills campaign for Bloomberg shot in New York,
London, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Recent directing credits include AdAge /Creativity Editor’s Pick for ‘Feeding America’, as well as work for Lenovo featured in Shoot’s ‘ScreenWork’. In addition he directed various projects with many celebrities,
such as Beyonce, Kerry Washington, Eva Longoria and Diane Keaton for L’Oreal’s ‘Because You’re Worth It’ campaign among others.

In television Manfred has also created and directed show pilots for Endemol Shine and IMG. He created the visual style for the highly successful New York Times ‘Screen Tests’ series that featured
Natalie Portman, Charlize Theron and Marion Cottilard among many others. The Social Media versions of these ‘Screen Tests’ were viewed by millions.

Further work from includes a series of vines for Lowes, deemed by Adweek as “best-ever use of Vine by a marketer”.

Ni Ni Than

I’m a genetic product of 2 psychiatrists who immigrated to the US from the country once named Burma.
A major turning point in my life was in adolescence. After my best friend died from a rare genetic disease, I saw that life is short.  I decided that I wanted to experience everything and not miss anything in my path.
For about 15 years I took that thought to heart… jumped at all opportunities and experiences.
I started my formal studies in Architecture, and before completing the program, moved on to Fashion Design.
After working a few years as an assistant for a Miami based designer, I moved to Rome. I learned Italian to study Costume Design and apprenticed at Peruzzi Costume House. On my return to the States, I applied to graduate school at Tisch School of the Arts as a double major: Set and Costume Design.
I finished the program specializing in Art Direction for film and tv.
Most recently, I have completed a 10 month intensive course learning to develop and design Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality applications.
What I’ve discovered about myself through all this is that not only am I, innately curious…
I LIVE TO DESIGN
I am tenacious.
I live for the challenges that come with turning a design concept into a visual and sensory experience.
And, I love the collaboration that is an integral part of the process.

Ruben Van Den Bossche

With a background in studying communication design at the Design Academy Eindhoven, interior design at the Royal College of Art, and having worked in the fashion show production industry – I have become a spatial designer.

I like to challenge myself in life and in my projects. My design aesthetic is derived from my interest in light design, fashion and brutalism. My heart lies with creating new spaces: these be as simple as a corner of a street to an entire building. Every space creates a new challenge, a new story and a new experience to be designed, with a focus on immaculate details to stimulate our senses and deliver an unforgettable memory.