the movie

Tom Shepard (Director)

filmmakersTom Shepard, director + co-producer, was a Science Talent Search finalist in 1987. He has directed and produced documentaries for over 12 years. His film SCOUT’S HONOR won the Audience Award for Best Documentary and Freedom of Expression Award at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. SCOUT'S HONOR was broadcast nationally on PBS when it opened POV's 14th season. In 2006, he co-directed and produced KNOCKING, a film about Jehovah’s Witnesses, which broadcast nationally on the PBS program Independent Lens and has garnered several national awards. He also has produced, directed and edited shorter films for the public television series VOTING IN AMERICA and SPARK.

Previously, Shepard worked as an editor at National Public Radio for Linda Wertheimer. At NPR, he co-produced LISTENING TO AMERICA, an audio documentary on the history of public radio in America. He graduated from Stanford University, where he majored in biology and film. He is currently the Chairman of New Day Films, a progressive film distribution company, and lives in San Francisco where he is researching a new film on openly gay political candidates.

A personal statement from the director >>

TINA DIFELICIANTONIO (CO-DIRECTOR. DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY & CO-PRODUCER) & JANE C. WAGNER (EDITOR, WRITER and SOUND RECORDIST)

Tina DiFeliciantonio, co-director, co-producer + director of photography, and Jane C. Wagner, editor, writer + sound recordist: From cinema vérité to impressionistic docs, DiFeliciantonio and Wagner's critically acclaimed work has been screened and broadcast in countries throughout the world. Their collaboration began while at Stanford University's masters film program, where DiFeliciantonio made her directing debut with the student Oscar-winning LIVING WITH AIDS, which was the first film on the subject to be nationally broadcast on PBS. Shortly thereafter they joined forces to create Naked Eye Productions Ltd.

Wagner and DiFeliciantonio have tackled a wide range of subjects—such as teenage sexuality, child abuse, war time rape, LGBT civil rights, social justice, art and science—garnering dozens of top honors, including two National Emmy Awards and the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary.

Their films have been seen on PBS, Sundance Channel, Showtime, TLC, SciFi Channel, USA Networks, HBO and foreign television. Support for their work has come from organizations such as the American Film Institute, National Endowment for the Arts, Independent Television Service, Women In Film Foundation, The California Council for the Humanities and New York State Council for the Arts. Wagner and DiFeliciantonio are members of The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and currently serve on the boards of ITVS, Women Make Movies and Independent Filmworks Inc.

Greg Little (Executive Producer)

Greg Little, executive producer, was born and raised in New York City. After graduating from Arizona State University, Little went on to become an associate producer at Globe TV, where he helped in the making of the Peabody Award winning documentary, THE BILL PINKNEY STORY. He then moved to Sony Pictures and became Manager of Large Format Films. Little developed and supervised the production of IMAX films, including WINGS OF COURAGE and ACROSS THE SEA OF TIME.

In 1995, Little founded Caldera Productions, which focused on developing and producing documentary films, such as DREAMLAND and MAYOR OF THE SUNSET STRIP, which was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary in 2005.

In 2004, he partnered with Lizzie Friedman to form the financing and production entity, Sandbar Pictures (more info on Sandbar below). Little is married with three sons (4, 5, and 6 years old) and resides in San Francisco. He is a Trustee of the Bernice Barbour Foundation, a private 501(c)3 foundation that provides grants to animal welfare and care groups in the United States.

Lizzie Friedman (executive producer)

Lizzie Friedman, executive producer, was born and raised in New York City. After graduating from Duke University, Friedman started her career working in the theater under the tutelage of Anna Strasberg. In 1995 she joined Danny DeVito's Jersey Films as an assistant to producer Stacey Sher and later moved into the development department. While there, Friedman worked on films including GET SHORTY, MATILDA, OUT OF SIGHT and GATACA.

In 2000, Friedman joined Moxie Pictures, where she co-produced Bruno Barretto's film, VIEW FROM THE TOP, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Mike Myers for Miramax Pictures. She also executive produced the television series, RUNNING WITH THE BULLS for IFC.

Michael Duca (Producer)

Michael Duca, producer, joined Sandbar Pictures in 2004 after graduating from Stanford University with a degree in Urban Studies. He had previously worked as an admissions officer at Stanford, where he first learned of the remarkable science phenoms who participate in the Intel Science Talent Search. Throughout college, Michael worked with a variety of non-profit organizations, in roles that included facilitating community centers classes and teaching leadership development.

LAURA KARPMAN (COMPOSER)

Four-time Emmy award winning composer, Karpman maintains a vibrant career in film, television, videogame, concert and theater music. Her distinguished credits include scoring Steven Spielberg’s Emmy-winning 20-hour miniseries TAKEN for DreamWorks, Showtime’s ODYSSEY 5 (Emmy-nominated), ABC’s primetime drama IN JUSTICE; ABC’s MASTERS OF SCIENCE FICTION (Emmy-nominated)’ PBS’ CRAFT IN AMERICA (Emmy-nominated); Sony’s CENTER STAGE; TURN IT UP; SANDLOT II; DOING TIME ON MAPLE DRIVE; ACE VENTURE PET DETECTIVE JR.; PBS AMERICANMASTERS’ CAROL BURNETT’ A WOMAN OF INDEPENDENT MEANS’ MAN IN THE CHAIR, THE LIVING EDENS, and numerous video games.

In addition to writing music for film, videogames, concert and theater venues, Karpman is an active member of the faculty of the UCLA School of Film and Television and was recently a guest composer of The Julliard School Composition Forum.

Kevin Ross (ANIMaTOR)

Kevin Ross, animator + post-production assistant, is a Maine based artist working in film and design. After teaching art and video for nine years, Ross moved to New York City to jump-start his career in film. He initially worked as an intern for WHIZ KIDS and Naked Eye Productions Ltd., where he worked on a variety of projects in both production and post. Along the way, Ross acquired special effects and animation skills, and eventually worked his way up to becoming the chief animator for WHIZ KIDS. Ross now works remotely from his home in Maine.

Philipe Carvalho (Associate Producer)

After graduating with honors in History and Film & Media studies from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2007, Philipe began his career working for the financing and production entity, Sandbar Pictures. He is currently collaborating a coming-of-age, edgy drama set in the world of FREE-RUNNING, and man-on-the run thriller that revolves around the dubious wall street practice of DEATH BOND trading. In addition to associate producing WHIZ KIDS, Philipe is presently working as production coordinator on AND SOON THE DARKNESS, starring Amber Heard and Odette Yustman, a remake of the atmospheric British Thriller by the same name.

POST PRODUCTION SOUND Skywalker Sound

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

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