Sean McNamara (Director/Producer) has creatively produced more than 25 projects in the past twelve years. A writer, as well as a director and producer, McNamara acts as Chief Executive Officer and Executiver Producer at BME.
Throughout his endeavors, McNamara has consistently demonstrated his commitment to family entertainment. In establishing BME with partner David Brookwell, McNamara continues this focus, developing and producing family entertainment projects for television, film and home video. Most recently, McNamara directed "Wild Grizzly" and "Treehouse Hostage" for BME.
Prior to co-founding BME, McNamara directed such projects as 20th Century Fox's "Casper Meets Wendy" and its predecessor "Casper - A Spirited Beginning. " Credits as writer/director include "P. U. N. K. S. " and "Three Ninjas. " Other directing credits include "Galgameth" and "Hollywood Chaos. "
McNamara has also worked extensively in television. He wrote, directed and produced "The Secret World of Alex Mack" for Nickolodeon. For the Disney Channel, McNamara produced "Kids Incorporated. " Other television directing credits include "Amazing Live Sea Monkeys," "Candid Camera" and "Totally Hidden Video. "
Steve Wilson and Eric Gardner (Writers) have been a writing team for over six years, starting out as an award-winning advertising duo for such agencies as Dancer Fitzgerald Sample, Saatchi & Saatchi and Jacobs & Gerber, where they created memorable work for clients such as CBS, Toyota, RC Cola and Paramount Pictures.
In writing RACE TO SPACE, Wilson and Gardner wanted to create a story that would appeal to kids, as well as entertain parents with serious themes, historical accuracy and period detail.
With several high-visibility script sales to their credit, including "AKA" for 20th Century Fox and "Mutual Murder" for Orion, RACE TO SPACE is their first screenplay to go before a lens.
David Brookwell (Producer) is responsible for BME's business affairs, as President, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Producer of BME with partner Sean McNamara. Brookwell obtains the financing and co-production partners necessary for projects and has secured over $30 million dollars for the production company. Most recently, Brookwell produced BME's "Wild Grizzly" and "Treehouse Hostage" with partner McNamara.
Prior to co-founding BME, Brookwell collaborated with McNamara on numerous projects, producing the features "Three Ninjas" and "Hollywood Chaos," as well as "The Secret World of Alex Mack" and "Kids Incorporated" for television.
Brookwell's earlier credits include "Permanent Midnight" for Artisan Entertainment and "Push," a pilot for ABC and Columbia Tri Star TV. Beginning his career at 20th Century Fox, and later joining Universal Television, Brookwell has over fifteen years' experience on numerous syndicated and network shows. As a production executive at New World Television, Brookwell supervised such titles as "The Wonder Years" and "Get A Life. " Other television credits include Comedy Central's "Out There," MCA TV's "The New Dragnet" & "The New Adam-12," Universal TV's "The Munsters Today" and "Airwolf. "
Glen Greene (Producer) served as a financial executive, a chief financial officer and a management consultant to numerous entertainment companies, prior to becoming an independent film producer. His expertise in film financing and distribution, along with his extensive contacts have proven invaluable to his clients.
Greene joined Media Home Entertainment in Los Angeles as President and CEO in 1989, leaving MHE when it discontinued its active U. S. video industry involvement in 1994. Within the first 18 months of his time at MHE, Greene reorganized the company and transformed its $25 million annual loss to $6 million in profits. The company continued to enjoy profitability throughout his tenure. At MHE, Greene oversaw all aspects of operations including, but not limited to, domestic and foreign sales, acquisitions, production, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, finance, accounting and multiple office management. He was instrumental in the structuring and negotiation of MHE's 16-picture theatrical output agreement with Fox.
Greene graduated from Indiana University with a B. S. in accounting before earning his M. B. A. at The University of Chicago, with a concentration in Finance. A C. P. A. specializing in tax, Greene worked at KPMG and Booz, Allen, Hamilton in the Chicago office of each. After serving as a financial officer and Vice President wihth the Chicago Board Options Exchange, he joined the Chas. Levy Company. At Levy, then the largest privately held wholesale distributor of books, magazines, computer software, music and video in the U. S. , he rose from assistant controller in 1978 to chief financial officer and treasurer in 1986. Greene oversaw all accounting, financial and strategic planning operations for this $500 million wholesale sales company and its operating divisions.
From 1986 to 1989, Greene assumed the responsibilities of Senior Vice President and General Manager of Video Trend, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chas. Levy Company, and a wholesale distributor of pre-recorded videocassettes. During his tenure, the company grew from one Michigan facility to eleven distribution locations throughout the U. S, saw its wholesale sales increase from $11 million to $145 million, and pre-tax profits expand from $400,000 to $9 million. Greene left the company to work at MHE.
During 1997 and 1998, Greene produced a film for HBO, successfully secured distribution for films with Turner, Warner, Orion and Troma. He serves as a consultant to Promark Films and Century Entertainment.
Peter F. Lambert (Executive Producer) has been involved in the entertainment industry for twenty years. He spent the majority of those years as a commercial banker working with filmmakers, independent studios, actors, television personalities. At the time, Lambert was a member of the American Film Marketing Association's Affiliated Financial Institutions Committee. Over the years, Lambert has helped many of his clients progress in their respective disciplines and today enjoys a wide network of industry contacts.
Lambert has been intimately involved in the single picture financing side of banking, having been a lender when the video explosion first occurred in the early 80's through to the introduction of "GAP" financing in the mid-90's. Understanding the various components of production and broadcast transactions is essential to Lambert's contribution to Century Media Inc. 's successful media purchasing business.
Prior to becoming involved in the entertainment industry, Lambert was a Corporate Banking Team Leader for an international bank's Los Angeles headquarters. He also created and ran two corporate lending training programs and managed the credit analysis departments at two major banks.
Lambert graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Business Administration before earning his MBA from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Lambert also graduated from Stanford's Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management and the University of Oklahoma's National Commercial Lending School.
Al Lapin, Jr. (Executive Producer) is the originator and founder of the International House of Pancakes restaurant chain and has been a successful California-based entrepreneur for over thirty years. Lapin's wide business experience also includes ownership of various educational and retail franchise enterprises in addition to other restaurants.
In this regard, Lapin is a past president of the Independent Franchise Association and the Southern California Restaurant Association. He has been a frequent speaker and seminar leader in franchising, retailing, financing and mergers and acquisitions.
In the mid-seventies, Lapin was a member of the Board of Directors of American International Pictures and from 1985 to 1990 was Chairman of the Board of Noma Video, a California-based manufacturer and distributor of special interest video and audio tapes. Lapin was an original investor and owner of the World Football League - Southern California Suns. From 1993 to 1997, he was Chairman of the Board of Uniworld Productions, Inc. , an independent television production company. Most recently, Lapin managed Empire Burbank Studios, a television production facility in Burbank that catered to producers of television infomercials, commercials and series production.
Lapin's wide business experience also includes ownership of radio and television stations. Lapin is a current member of the Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences. At present, Lapin is a partner of Century Entertainment, LLC.
Neil White (Executive Producer) is an independent film producer and entertainment attorney with experience in various aspects of independent features. Prior to producing films, White procured equity financing for such films as "Superman III," "Taps," "Deathtrap" and "So Fine. " In the past three years, White has served as an executive producer, producer and co-producer, working on such films as "Very Mean Men" starring Matthew Modine and Martin Landau and "Fugitive Champion. " RACE TO SPACE reunites White and director McNamara, for whom he co-produced "P. U. N. K. S. " and "Wild Grizzly. "
White graduated from the University of Arizona magna cum laude with a B. S. in Business. After earning his J. D. from the University of San Francisco, White practiced law with the international law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Los Angeles. In addition, White served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for a Beverly Hills-based commercial real estate development company. In the course of his entrepreneurial endeavors, White lived abroad in Vietnam, acting as Managing Director of an investment management company.
He is currently in the process of casting his next feature film, "Swelter. "
Christian Sebaldt (Director of Photography) was born and raised in Munich, Germany, and studied at Bavaria Studios. Since relocating to the US in 1984, Sebaldt has shot numerous commercial, documentaries and features, including "Richie Rich's Christmas Wish," "Addams Family Reunion. "
Sebaldt has worked with RACE TO SPACE director McNamara previously on such projects as "The Secret World of Alex Mack," "By Default," "Casper Meets Wendy," "Casper: A Spirited Beginning," "Galgameth" and "P. U. N. K. S. "
Raymond McIntyre, Jr. (Visual Effects Supervisor) oversees all technical operations at Pixel Magic and. was instrumental in the company's transition from traditional optical effects to completely digital. In addition, McIntyre serves as an On Set Visual Effects Supervisor.
Recently, McIntyre served as Digital Effects Supervisor on "The Thomas Crown Affair" for MGM and "Flight 180" for New Line. McIntyre also recently acted as Visual Effects Supervisor on Trimark Pictures' "Turbulence II: Fear of Flying"
As Visual Effects Supervisor for "Casper Meets Wendy," also directed by McNamara, McIntyre and team won the 1999 Telly Award for Best Animation. For that film, McIntyre was responsible for 800 shots and 40 minutes of CGI character animation. For "Casper - A Spirited Beginning," also with McNamara and also a Telly winner for Best Animation, McIntyre's role involved 500 shots and 35 minutes of CGI computer animation. Other credits include Jim Henson Pictures' "Muppets From Space," Renaissance Pictures' "Hercules," MGM's "Supernova," Walt Disney Pictures' "Fantasia 2000" and "Studio 54" and "Halloween H20," both for Miramax Films.
In 1996, McIntyre received an Emmy nomination for his work on HBO's acclaimed "Tuskegee Airmen. " A member of the Visual Effects Society, McIntyre serves on advisory boards for Variety's Show Biz Expo and for UCLA Extension, for which he is developing curriculum for a program in New Media and Digital Image Creation.
Dawn Ferry (Production Designer) has worked in various aspects of the art department in film production. She began her career in film as an assistant art director on "Twenty Bucks" and as an art department buyer on "The Last Word. " As a production designer, she has worked on the films "Menno's Mind," "In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye is King," as well as "P. U. N. K. S" with RACE TO SPACE director McNamara.
In addition, Ferry has worked as set decorator on a number of films, including "Smoke Signals," "Call Girl," "Sioux City" and "Viper. " She also set decorated "A Weekend in the Country" for television. In addition, Ferry acted as art director on 1997's feature "Nevada. "
Steve Martin (Animals) is an animal behavior specialist with thirty-three years' experience in animal handling and training. His company, Working Wildlife, is one of the most respected names in animal handling, supplying major motion picture studios, television and commercial production company with their animal talent.
An experienced 2nd Unit Director, Martin expertise with animals is enhanced by a thorough understanding of production needs. Martin owns and operates a sixty-two acre animal compound which is home to Teddy, who played "Two Socks" in the Academy-Award-winning "Dances with Wolves. " Some of Martin's most recent film credits include "Babe II: Pig in the City" (chimps, capuchins), "The Jungle Book" (black leopards, tigers, wolf pack, bears), "Mars Attacks!" (deer, rats), "Twelve Monkeys" (Kodiak brown bear, tiger), "Homeward Bound" (grizzly bear, raccoons, raven, cougars), "Congo" (zebra) and "Ace Ventura, Pet Detective" (baboon), among many others.
With 33 years of experience in applied animal behavior, Martin's Working Wildlife maintains an accident-free record. Under Martin's supervision, no property has been damaged, and no personnel has ever been injured by any of his talented animal actors.
Kristin M. Burke (Costume Designer) has worked on numerous features, commercials and music videos, ranging from the Porno for Pyros video for "Cursed Male" to Miguel Arteta's acclaimed "Star Maps. " Recently, she completed work on BME's upcoming "Trial of Old Drum. " Prior to that, she had costume designed for McNamara's "Casper - A Spirited Beginning" and "Grizzly Lake. "
Burke's recent credits include "Terror Tract,"starring John Ritter and "Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human," starring Carmen Electra and Lucy Liu. Other film credits include "Shark in a Bottle," "Dish Dogs," "Tactical Assault," "The Corporate Ladder," "Criminal Passion" and "Carnosaur. "
Greg Hobson (Editor) worked in various aspects of production before becoming an editor. In 1988, Hobson began his career in film as a technical advisor on 1988's "Without Consent," also stepping in front of the camera to play a role in the film. However, Hobson went on to act as technical advisor on "Shadows Between Friends" before serving as executive consultant on "Blood in the Night. "
A director as well, Hobson directed television's "Higher Learning," which he wrote and produced, prior to working on "Galaxis," his first film as an editor. Since then, Hobson has cut titles such as "Maximum Surge," "Too Pure," and "Men in White," for television. Most recently, Hobson edited the series "Spivey's Kid Brother. "
Hobson has cut with director McNamara previously, on such titles as "By Default," "P. U. N. K. S. ," "Treehouse Hostage" and "Wild Grizzly. "
Joey Paul (Casting Director) is no stranger to chimpanzees. Recently, Paul cast television's "The Chimp Channel" for TNT. Paul has cast mainly for features, including such projects as "Storm Catcher," "Intrepid," "Angel In Training," "A Bold Affair" and "The Wrong Woman. " RACE TO SPACE reunites Paul with McNamara and Brookwell, for whom Paul cast "P. U. N. K. S. " in 1998.
