|
The Production Team
VICTOR J. MELFA, JR. Executive Producer
Victor has established a successful and enviable track record in multiple business sectors with over 25 years in growth business environments including technology, distribution, finance, film making and related start up ventures. Vic was the founder and CEO of an electronic distribution company that grew into a profitable $100 million entity within three years of its inception. He was a founder of NEDA, the first national distribution network in the computer industry and is recognized as an innovative pioneer in establishing multiple channels of distribution. His maiden distribution company was twice recognized as an INC 500 Company (fastest growing companies in America) and Victor received the prestigious Merrill Lynch/Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist Award on two distinct occasions. Mr. Melfa also was a founder and integral senior management member of the executive team that took a start up leading edge technology venture to a successful IPO with a listing on the NASDAQ National Board. Victor’s involvement as a senior financial advisor and sought after business consultant has earned him membership on the New England Financial Hall of Fame and other prestigious boards. Mr. Melfa is also a successful executive producer of feature films and has been instrumental from their inception to high profile distribution channels. He has forged new ground successfully partnering independent films with major theatrical chains. He has also been able to create a unique distribution model that allows independent films to be profitable via several channels of distribution.
JON ARTIGO Writer/Director/Producer
Jon and partner Chad Meserve have been writing and creating projects together since 1989 when they launched Ludicrous Productions in northern California. Jon has written 3 features (We Got the Beat, Other People’s Lives, and Freedom Park) and co-written many others including most recently, "Rutland, USA,” and “El Tiante.” Jon has also written and directed 4 short films in the last two years and has an uncanny ability to communicate with actors to help bring out the desired performance. Jon studied improvisation at the acclaimed Improv Olympic in Chicago.
ANDREA AJEMIAN Producer
Upon taking a position as a set artist on the animated series "Bit Parts," Andrea began her relationship with Ludicrous Productions. Andrea directed and produced “The Green House Girls,” a road-trip documentary about four twenty-five year old women driving from L.A. to N.Y. in one week. Andrea also produced and starred in "Rutland, USA" for which she won the Best Actress Award for her role of Sarah Williams at the B Movie Film Festival in 2002. Originally from Massachusetts, Andrea moved to Los Angeles in 1999 to pursue an acting career. She has studied improvisation at the Groundlings in Hollywood and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. She has a B.A. in Public Relations from Elmira College with a theater minor. She recently guest starred as Onabi in a new Star Trek pilot called New Voyages.
CHAD MESERVE Director
Chad and partner Jon Artigo have been writing and producing together for thirteen years since founding Ludicrous Productions. Along with his passion for all aspects of film making, Chad is the award winning animator of “Rex & Red.” In his experiences with many different genres of entertainment, Chad has found his calling as a director. "Rutland, USA" marked his most ambitious project prior to “Freedom Park.” Chad’s talents go far beyond directing as he created the "Rutland, USA" DVD and is currently hard at work on the “Freedom Park” DVD. There is no limit to his creativity.
KEVIN PAINCHAUD Producer
Kevin Painchaud was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area and graduated with a film degree from San Francisco State University. Joining Ludicrous Productions in 1992, he has directed, produced, shot and edited many TV shows, films, documentaries and music videos. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for producing "Muzic on the Edge" and is also an award-winning editor and animator. Kevin is the Director of Photography and Editor for a film titled "The Americans are Coming." Kevin is currently in development producing "Cracking the Code." Kevin is also the founder and head of an industry networking group called The Media Network Group. This Hollywood based group currently has over 600 members and hosts meetings featuring prestigious guests.
MATTHEW TALESFORE Director of Photography
Matthew Talesfore was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. After volunteering at the local public access station, he became involved in motion pictures. The passion this ignited in him set him on his life's path to become a Director of Photography. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Film from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, Matthew headed to Los Angeles where he learned the craft of camera work and imagery. Having been a gaffer and camera assistant on over 20 feature length films and dozens of commercials and music videos, he has fully developed his craft. Matthew has been involved with many Ludicrous Productions, including most recently being the Director of Photography for "Rutland, USA."
JULIE FLETCHER Producer
Julie was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Northwestern University with degrees in Theatre and English Literature. In Chicago, Julie worked as an Events Specialist for Marshall Field’s on such events as fashion shows, store openings, and an evening parade on State Street. After performing in several industrials and on the stage in Chicago, she decided to move to Los Angeles to become involved in the motion picture industry. For the past two years she has been working for iD Tech Camps, a technology camp for kids, as a Regional Manager. She was excited to use her past experiences in special events and management towards producing Freedom Park. This is Julie’s first film with Ludicrous Productions. Julie is currently a member of the Screen Actors Guild.
DOUG LLOYD Art Director
Doug comes to the movie world after a year and a half of television production experience. He has produced five + weekly shows for a television station in Massachusetts. Doug designed, videotaped, and edited the promotional video for First Night Worcester. He also created, developed, designed, and helped to implement Art Attack, one of Worcester’s largest annual multimedia art festivals. When in college, he produced, scripted, and acted in a weekly television show for Clark University's cable network, which caused the network to be voted Clark’s most improved organization for the year of 2000. He co-produced the nationally aired music show “Video Jam Uncovered,” with Georgia Menides, which recently won third prize in the professional division of the Alliance for Community Media Performing Arts. Doug recently produced, shot, and co-directed a short film called Lame, in Manchester, NH.
GEORGIA MENIDES Art Director
Georgia is an independent art junkie. She has designed props and sets for theatres including The Old Globe (CA), San Diego Repertory (CA), SoHo Repertory (NY) and Pulse Ensemble Studios (NY). Her designing elaborate sets on a tight budget skills have been honed working in marketing for the Austin Film Society, where she helped launch the premieres of "Miss Congeniality," "Spy Kids," and "South by South West: 2001." She is currently producing "A Wormtown Gimmick," an absurdist comedy exposing Worcester’s underground punk scene. Her # 1 passion is for scriptwriting. Screenplays include "Revolution Worcester-1774," a historical suspense thriller, and "Inside the Butterfly Net" (Hampton Film Festival Screenplay Competition: winner 2002, Austin Film Festival Semi Finalist 2003). Previously a playwright, her works have been produced across the country. She is writing the biography of Doctor Constantine Gerondaki, a Rumanian physician who discovered a dangerous strain of Penicillin at the height of the Nazi and subsequent Communist occupation in Bucharest. She is thrilled to be collaborating with partner in crime Doug Lloyd after a year of co-producing Video Jam Uncovered, which recently won third place in the professional division of the Alliance for Community Media-Performing Arts category
NATE ERWIN Audio/Production Sound
Nate is a native of Westboro, MA and a recent graduate of Ithaca College's Park School of Communications. While “Freedom Park” is his first professional production, he has done both production and post-production audio for several student films while at IC. He also honed his skills in all aspects of production through his work on a variety of studio and field shot shows for Ithaca College Television, including producing a sketch comedy show. Nate worked as an intern in Los Angeles for a semester in 2002, learning all about the sound post-production business from the crew at Danetracks, Inc., and television production while at Popular Arts Entertainment. He fell in love with never having to wear thermal underwear or a raincoat, and plans to make a triumphant return to LA in early 2004. Nate is a Pisces, an avid coffee drinker, and is often accused of eating one too many Dunkin Donuts while on set.
TOM MORASH (Evil Tom) Fill-in gaffer/Grip/Boom
Tom is currently a senior studying film and technical theater at Clark University in Worcester, MA. Tom is from Cape Cod, MA where in high school he became interested in film and television. At Clark, he works for the theater department as the lighting designer and master electrician. He has designed for several plays for student productions as well as for a Worcester based theater company interested exclusively in Samuel Beckett's work. After college, Tom intends to work on a variety of aspects of production in theater, television, and film. “Freedom Park” is his first film.
DAVID APPELBAUM Gaffer
David has worked in Boston and Washington, DC in the grip and electric departments. He is a graduate of Georgetown University, where he earned a degree in psychology. During his college years, David studied at NYU's Summer Film Program, PA'd on feature film sets, and made a number of films of his own movies, including Georgetown University's first student-made feature-length film. Since graduating, David has worked on numerous film and television sets. He recently moved to Los Angeles, where he is a Writer’s Assistant on the popular hit television show “The O.C.”
PRODUCTION
ADDITIONAL CREW:
Director of Marketing:
Gaffer:
Grips:
- Chris Herbert
- Gray Thomas-Sowers
- Tom Angelee
Production Coordinator:
Props:
Make-Up:
Production Assistants:
- Michael Hobbs
- Brian Scannell
- Vic Melfa, III
Additional Help:
- Andy Cosenza- gambler/ better, & TV equipt. helper.
POST PRODUCTION
Sound Design Team:
Score team:
|
