FACULTY R - S
Chris and Kathy Riley are screenwriters whose first film, After the Truth, a multiple-award-winning German-language courtroom thriller, sparked international controversy when it was released in Germany. The husband-wife team also wrote 25 to Life, (Junction Entertainment/Touchstone Pictures), The
Other White House, (Fountainbridge Films/Intermedia) and Aces (Paramount Pictures). They also adapted the non-fiction book Actual Innocence by Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld and Jim Dwyer (Mandalay Television Pictures/Fox television network). Chris is the author of The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style. In addition to writing, Kathy serves as co-founder and Executive Director for We Can, a pediatric brain tumor support network.
Bernadette Rivero, a former journalist who worked everywhere from CNN and NPR to The Weather Channel (chasing hurricanes, no less), made the transition to Hollywood when she inadvertently won a spot as a Nickelodeon Writing Fellow. That led to ghostwriting for some 30 television and film directors around the globe and to consulting on many of their feature projects — including their work, and her own, destined for outlets like Scott Free Productions (Ridley and Tony Scott’s company), Samuel Goldwyn Films, Hero Pictures, MPower Pictures, ABC, Disney, MGM, Overture Films, Overbrook Entertainment, Paramount, Warner Brothers, the Cannes Film Festival and countless others.
Clare Sera is a graduate of the inaugural class of the Act One Writing Program. The script she penned that year led to a contract with DreamWorks Feature Animation under the mentorship of Karey Kirkpatrick. Recent projects include the animated feature Inspector Kammo, based on a pitch she sold to Klasky Csupo/Paramount, the live action feature, Captain Abdul’s Pirate School for Paramount/Nickelodeon Films and the rom-com/family film Blended for Warner Brothers. She and writing partner Ivan Menchell recently sold a pitch called Daddy’s Girls to Walden Media and her directorial debut Pie ‘N Burger (a short film she also wrote for the Glenville Film Project and Act One, Inc) took first place at the Mosaic LA Film Fest in 2008.
John Shepherd is the President of Mpower Pictures, a company he founded with partners Steve McEveety and Act One alumnus Todd Burns. A fifteen-year veteran of independent film, he recently wrapped production on the family friendly film Snowmen. John also produced An American Carol for director David
Zucker and The Stoning of Soraya M., based on the international best selling French book. John executive produced another Toronto Film Festival winner, Bella, and produced Heartland Award winners The Ultimate Gift and Bobby Jones – Stroke of Genius. Other production, writing and acting credits include fifteen films for Billy Graham’s World Wide Pictures. He has worked as a show runner for Digital Entertainment Network and was Senior Vice President of original content and production for Internet start-up POP.com. John currently serves on the Act One Board of Directors.
Brennan Smith started screenwriting in 2001after showing Wittenberg, his prequel to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, to future collaborator Peter Bishai. Together they wrote the award winning comic adventure The Dueling Accountant, and the thriller, Rapid Eye Movement. Brennan also wrote the medieval adventure, Templar, and the Ugandan thriller, The Acholi Rescue. Raised in New York and Tokyo, Brennan holds a BA in Communications, a Masters in Education, and is a graduate of Act One Program’s advanced screenwriting course, Act Two. He taught screenwriting for the Haven in NYC and the Damah Film Fest (2005) and currently helps various writers develop screenplays as a script consultant for Act One Program and Keys2scriptsuccess.com. Brennan resides in Burbank with his wife Melissa.
Amy Snow (Act One Graduate) moved into the studio world, winning the Disney Fellowship with her romantic comedy “Running Mate” and selling her comedy “Kept Men” to Paramount Pictures (with producers Stacey Sher and Michael Shamberg) after writing and directing the award-winning indie feature Buck Naked Arson (distributed by Think! Films). Amy has since brought her trademark love of big comedies with lots of heart to projects at Fox Studios, Weintraub Films, Chernin Entertainment, Kopelson Entertainment, Dare Filmz and Dreamworks Pictures.
Fr. J. Michael Sparough, S.J. is a retreat master, storyteller, writer, and spiritual director. As the director of Charis Ministries, an outreach to young adults, he has published extensively on prayer and the sacraments. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in theater directing from Yale School of Drama and a Doctor of
Ministry from St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. He is a Lecturer at the Institute of Pastoral Studies of Loyola University. Fr. Michael has the ability to make the scriptures come alive through his heart-warming dramas, spirited preaching, and innovative approaches to spirituality.
Stan Spry is the president of Empire Management Group (formerly Spry Management) and also the president of Remember Dreaming Productions. Stan has nearly a decade in the entertainment industry, most recently as a Partner at Artist International. Prior to joining Artist International Stan was a Literary
Agent for Dytman & Associates Talent and Literary Agency. Stan began his career working in production on films such as Spiderman, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and The Rundown. Stan then worked as a development executive for Optional Pictures. Stan is currently producing the feature film Fight or Flight which is being distributed by The Yari Film Group. His next film is Terror Train, a remake of the classic 1980’s Jamie Lee Curtis horror film. In the television arena, Stan and his business partner, Danielle Robb, have licensed and are producing a US version of the long-running UK reality show A Place in the Sun.
Michelle Steffes was Director of Development at Universal’s Larger than Life Productions, the production company of Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit), for several years before leaving to pursue her writing and directing goals. In 2007, she attended AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women and directed the short
film Driftwood, which won Best Director at Savannah Film Festival and the Audience Award at Rhode Island International Film Festival. In 2008, she produced the short film Short Term 12, which won the jury prize for short filmmaking at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. She currently works as a freelance consultant for screenwriters who are undergoing the Writers Guild of America’s credits arbitration procedure.
Christina Lee Storm is an international independent producer with a wealth of experience in both Asia and the U.S., and is a partner in Accelerated Entertainment. Her producing credits include The Mission, I Love Your Work, American Fusion, The Least of These, and To Save a Life. Christina solidified her knowledge of distribution and sales as Overseas Manager with a Hong Kong based company, working in the Cannes Film Market, American Film Market and Hong Kong Filmart; she also provided digital production management support for films including Happy Feet, Superman Returns, and Evan Almighty during a stint at Rhythm & Hues. She is currently producing Flesh, a documentary about the widely overlooked yet widespread practice of human trafficking in the United States. An alumna of the Act One Writing Program and Advisor for the Executive Program, Christina is a member of the Producers Guild of America and also serves as an AP Council Delegate.