FILMMAKING TEAM

Jennifer Potts, a screenwriter, theatre and film director, and producer, proves that life does not need to slow down when you get to the middle. Jennifer graduated from Drew University in 1992 with a BA in Theatre Arts. Jennifer founded and ran Cornerstone Performing Arts Center in Fitchburg, MA where she oversaw a small non-equity theatre company and directed multiple productions every year. In 2012, at 41 years of age, Jennifer returned to school to study film/video production at Fitchburg State University where she wrote and directed two short films and was awarded 2014 Film Student of the Year. In July 2016, Jennifer received a MFA in Writing for the Stage and Screen from New Hampshire Institute of Art. In the past four years, Jennifer has directed three short films and written three feature-length scripts. Jennifer's last short film, Charlie & Poppy, screened at 16 film festivals around the world and won three "best of" awards. The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop is a short film based on Jennifer's feature film by the same name.

Erica Joseph Hunter believes that you are never too old to follow your dreams, so several decades into her life, she embarked on an enormous career change. Nearly 10 years ago she carefully waded into the film industry as a production accounting clerk. Production accounting enabled her to use the skills she had developed over the course of 15 years in some of Manhattan’s most prominent adverting agencies. In 2005, she left Manhattan and returned to school to prepare for her new career in film. Her first job was working in the accounting office of Lynne Ramsey and Steven Soderbergh’s We Need to Talk About Kevin. At that point, there was no turning back. She loved the business and was determined to stay. She worked in accounting for the next couple of years, in New York and Connecticut, on projects big and small.

Synthetic Cinema International, a successful and prolific Connecticut-based production company, gave Erica the opportunity to move into other areas of production. She worked as assistant director, production coordinator and supervisor, and, ultimately, in line producer capacities. Erica continues to work on Synthetic Cinema projects, as well as other New York and Connecticut productions. Erica finds that each new project is more fulfilling than the last and enthusiastically awaits the next. She has great expectations for this next endeavor as co-producer on The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop.

Spencer Cohen discovered his love for filmmaking when his father brought home their first digital camcorder. Spencer started experimenting with filming short sketches with his friends and uploading them with Youtube. After figuring out he had quite the passion for filmmaking he decided to attend the University of Miami where he studied film and economics. After being a production assistant on a few feature films Spencer found a production company, who was looking for an editor for the film Lazarus Rising. Spencer, well versed in editing from all his own short films jumped on the opportunity and really helped shape Lazarus Rising in post production. He then came on board as a producer to help Wild Beagle Productions market and find distribution for Lazarus. Now he works part-time as an editor for the New England Patriots so he can follow his dreams of making films.

Isabella freelances full-time as a 1st AD for features, shorts, and commercial work. Over the past couple years, she has also taken up Production Design and built a solid clientele in that area of expertise. In addition, Isabella has written and directed projects which have received over 105 acceptances from film festivals internationally, including LA International Film Festival, Tallgrass International Film Festival, Chicago International Children's Film Festival, Garden State Film Festival, deadCENTER Film Festival, Anim!Arte International Student Animation Festival of Brazil, Hendrick Hudson Film Festival and San Luis Obispo Film Festival. Isabella is a proud member of New York Women in Film and Television.

A New Hampshire based freelancer who has experience working on projects ranging from commercials to independent films. She knows how to take a project from development to its final cut.  Some of her many clients have included Godiva Chocolates, LinkedIn, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and WMUR-Channel 9. She was a camera assistant on the multi-award winning Documentary 100: Head Heart Feet and has worked on a handful of short films that appeared in the New England Film Festival. Victoria is an artist who enjoys the art of a production and the process of helping a story come to life. She is a member of Women in Film and Video New England and has written, produced, and directed some of her own works.  For examples of her work visit www.victoriahersey.com.

Linda Wolfe Keister historically is a published nonfiction writer, editorial guru, and publications professional who helps individuals, organizations, and business professionals translate their creativity and expertise into powerful written words that are clear, concise, correct, and consistent. Although she has dabbled in documentary filmmaking, Linda is venturing into new territory with the filming of The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop, which provides her the opportunity to apply her quest for perfection to filmmaking.

​

Linda, an avid hiker, grew up in the mountainous area of Cumberland, Md., where she balanced her life between the world of academics and that of music and dance. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Drew University, where she played Baby June in Gypsy and sang second alto in the college a cappella choir. Her career as a publications professional, which began at the U.S. Census Bureau, includes developing a book with a U.S. Congressman and another with a World Bank agronomist in New Zealand; researching books in Kenya and South Africa; and penning a fortnightly column for The American, a newspaper in England. Her book, A Complete Guide to African-American Baby Names, was published by Signet, a division of Penguin Putnam, in 1998. From her home in Worcester, Mass., which she shares with her husband and two cats, Linda is currently creating an interactive social media site called The Word Nerd. Her favorite moments are those spent with her three children and eight grandchildren.

Caroline Sullivan is a graduate of Emerson College (2017) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Media Production with a focus on television. Recently, she had the opportunity to write, direct, and produce a web series Public Access as her thesis project, which screened this May. Previously, Caroline interned with Harvard Square Script Writers as an associate producer for their Flicks4Chicks contest. She’s passionate about feminist media and is thrilled to be working on a project with a compelling female protagonist. Originally from New Hampshire, she is excited to be back in New England after spending her final semester of college in Los Angeles.

Peter & Kym Cohen, Linda Keister, Susan Potts, and Warren Potts

After studying architecture and photography while living in the Dominican Republic, Katherine Castro returned to Boston in 2008 to continue her studies in photography. She began working in film and TV, gaining a love for visual storytelling and invaluable experience on productions of all size and scale. Katherine’s background, world view and personal experiences have helped shape her ability to tell compelling stories in beautiful and honest ways. Her love for architecture, design, and photography lend to a unique style and viewpoint. Katherine is constantly learning and challenging herself, looking for new ways to approach old problems and striving to solve new ones in creative ways.

Sam is a Massachusetts-based filmmaker and graduate of Emerson College. Sam has worked on projects around the world including Beijing China, Lima Peru, & Boston Mass. He is fiercely dedicated to all things lighting/grip.

Lisa is a Steadicam owner/operator based in Boston and New York. She holds a BA in Cinematography from Emerson College, and has worked on a variety of productions all over the country. She is grateful to have friends and mentors such as Garrett Brown, Jerry Holway, Chris Fawcett, David Svenson, and Peter Abraham, who have helped guide her to grow as a Steadicam operator.

​

After a good friend introduced Lisa to Steadicam, she quickly realized it was an intricate blend of creativity, mental focus, and kinesthetic coordination; a welcome challenge that keeps Lisa on her toes! All three of these elements must work in tandem for a shot to be executed well technically, while also visually matching the story. With a strong background in literary analysis, theatre, and cinematography, Lisa strives to create meaning behind each shot in order to stay true to the overall vision of the project.

​

Lisa helps teach new Steadicam operators alongside the masters at the Steadicam Operators Association Workshops, and has been an instructor at the Tiffen Gold Queen Mary and Asbury University Steadicam workshops. She has spoken at several events on Steadicam and camera operation for SMPTE New England, Talamas Boston, Women in Film & Video New England, Boston University, Emerson College, and Fitchburg State University.

Michael/Miquel has a BA in Theatre from Arizona State University and been making films and theatre for over 10 years. He is currently the co-owner of Film Unbound, a production company based in Portsmouth, NH, USA. He also organizes Portsmouth Short Film Night, a quarterly short film screening series. 

Bio coming soon.

Founder of Hop Top Films, Evan has made a name for himself in the New England community of filmmakers. Known for his versatility on and off set he has worked professionally in the film and videography industry for the past 8 years following his graduation from Boston University with a Certification in Digital Filmmaking. Evan is currently producing large quantities of business promos for Yelp & Zillow and gathering independent filmmaking awards at Film Festivals across the nation.

​

Caroline Bialas is currently a rising senior at Boston's Emerson College. She is studying Film

Production, with a focus on Directing and Cinematography, and is persuing her B.F.A. degree.

At the age of eight, Caroline's love for filmmaking began, after watching the 2005 film Because

of Winn-Dixie. And after making her first short film at age twelve, it became no secret, her love

for storytelling and filmmaking. Since then, Caroline has written and directed numerous short

films, as well as a theatrical musical. She has crewed on dozens of sets and worked on the

television series Antiques Roadshow and The Cobblestone Corridor. Coming up this summer,

her collaboration with the cast and crew of The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop is one

that she greatly looks forward to, and knows will only add to her ever-growing knowledge and

passion for filmmaking!

Raphael Chinca is a film student studying at Ithaca College. He grew up in Boston and stays there now during the summer. He work on all sorts of film, studio, and field productions. 

See photo and bio above.

See bio/photo below

From a very early age, Mike has been passionate about creating images that tell a story – be it his or someone else’s. He started off working with traditional pencil and paper, but over time has embraced digital technology and now combines traditional with modern to create his illustrations and designs. Mike graduated Salutatorian from Full Sail University in 2003 with a focus in design and animation. Some of the work he has created has been seen on television and in print. A few of his clients have included Madonna's pianist Ric'key Pageot and drummer Brian Frasier-Moore as well as the United Way and NextWorth. Many of his inspirations come from pop culture, children's books, comic books and video games. Mike is currently employed at DCU, the largest credit union in New England, as their Marketing Specialist. Additionally, he volunteers his time with the Boys and Girls Club of Lunenburg by serving on their Marketing Committee. In 2007, Mike began working with Jen and Cornerstone Performing Arts Center creating the illustration and design work for production posters. He continued to work with Jen as she transitioned into film, recently creating the artwork for the short film "Charlie and Poppy." Mike is proud to have created the poster for "The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop" and he looks forward to creating visuals for the film in post-production. 

Zoe Cohen is a senior philosophy major at Oberlin College. Zoe has dabbled in a wide variety of mediums, and is thrilled to be joining the crew of the Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop for her first project in the world of film. Some of her past personal projects include a hoop skirt made from coat hangers, pill bottles and tic tacs as commentary on western medicine, sculptures using discarded objects to represent modern day femininity and womanhood, and regularly contributes comics and illustrations to Oberlin's science publication and satirical newspaper.  

Jessa Potts is a Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter, actress, and model. She is currently a student at Berklee Online where she is working towards her Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Music Studies. In addition to playing gigs in the New England/NY area, Jessa is now recording her debut studio album with Plaid Dog Recording in Boston, Mass. Although Jessa has handled her own hair and makeup for many films, this will be her first time as the Hair and Makeup Artist on a film set. www.jessapotts.com

See bio/photo above

Julia Getz is a current student at Fitchburg State University. She is completing a Bachelor of Science in Communications concentrating in Film and Video and a minor in Studio Arts. With a passion for production, Julia's has worked on set as a director, 1st and 2nd assistant director, and in art production. 

After completing a bachelor of arts degree in media and social communication, Luisa, originally from Venezuela, decided to refine her skills as a filmmaker and move to Australia to study for a master's degree. While in Australia, she also freelanced as an editor and director for independent films. Reborn, her most recent writing and directing project, took her to the Short Film Corner 2013 of the Cannes Film Festival and the 2015 Melbourne Queer Film Festival. She is now located in New England, where she is freelancing as a first assistant director and editor while writing her first feature film.

Sergio, a film composer and music producer, was born in Concepcion, Chile. He attended Escuela Moderna de Musica where he graduated from the performance major (drum set) with honors in 2010. Sergio attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2015 as a film composer with a minor in composing for film and television. Sergio’s passion for music includes drums and South American folk music and also music from around the world. By combining different elements and genres, Sergio creates a unique and innovative sound in his compositions and film scores. Sergio is the cofounder of Audio Music Productions, a Los-Angeles based company that offers post-production sound design and original music for audio visual projects. 

Original Music and Orchestration

One-time lobsterman, carpenter, mason and bartender; part-time sculptor, full-time dad and mail-order minister (weddings a specialty!) who has managed to parlay all that glamor, skill and prestige into a career in sound, sound design and music.  Chris' clients include documentary work for the acclaimed Frontline series, as well as Nova and American Experience on PBS, various shows for National Geographic, the History Channel, Discovery Channel, Learning Channel, bits and pieces for Discovery, Sci Fi Channel, HBO, Showtime, MTV, and many albums, independent and wide-release features (Detroit, American Hustle, The Finest Hours, Joy) and many other projects. His mission in life is to let the world at large know that good sound doesn't just happen, it has its own alchemy - which would be where Chris comes in . . .

As a Colorist Rob alters the color of images that you see on screen to better tell a story. It’s his job to evoke emotions, create feelings that stem from the subconscious, and fix mistakes (yes, they do happen from time to time). His main objective is to complete each job to the best of his ability and, in turn, broaden his client horizons. His home base is in Boston, Massachusetts, but he works with people from all over the world. He has been working as a Colorist at Finish Post (www.finishboston.com) for the past nine years and greatly enjoys the camaraderie that develops between artist and client while in the color suite. "We’re telling a story together and it’s my goal to help tell that story as accurately as possible."

​

​