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Originally from San Francisco, Russ Emanuel grew up in both Japan and the United States, garnering an international viewpoint of the world throughout his childhood. After graduating from the University of Southern California to study Cinema-Television, International Relations and Japanese (and gaining more production experience at the UCLA Extension Program), he founded Russem Productions in 2002, in order to promote his short films including HER KNIGHT (2003), the award-winning GIRL WITH GUN (2005), and the documentary RESTORATION OF PARADISE (2014). He also produced several shorts including MAVET (2004), the zombie-flick THE DIARY (2004), the vampire film PERFECT RED (2006), and CULT 11 (2010) and THE MEETING (2013) television series for which he directed several episodes). OCCUPANTS (2015), marks Emanuel's fourth foray into feature filmmaking, having previously directed P.J. (2007), CHASING THE GREEN (2009), and THE LEGENDS OF NETHIAH (2012). Click Here To View Demo Reel
An actor since the late 1970s, Howard Nash has appeared on television and in numerous independent films. However, he is best known as an independent filmmaker, having co-produced the cult film CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT for Columbia Tri-Star in 1991. He also produced SLEEPLESS NIGHTS (MTI, 2002), which became available in most video stores throughout the US upon its release, and is currently available on HULU. In 2005, he completed TRACKS (where he appears in a cameo), which starred John Heard, along with actor/rapper Ice-T. He also produced the television special FELICIANO, THE LEGEND (for PBS) starring the legendary singer, José Feliciano, and has produced promotional videos for the Beijing Circus, Cirque du Soleil, and the original members of the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO II). He also produced THE DEEP NORTH for CBS, for which he was nominated for a NY-area EMMY Award.
From Bergen County, New Jersey, Robert A. Kwartler makes OCCUPANTS his fourth venture with producer Howard Nash. Robert previously worked with Howard Nash on SLEEPLESS NIGHTS (2002); and with Howard Nash and Russ Emanuel on P.J. (2007) and THE LEGENDS OF NETHIAH (2012). Robert graduated with honors from Emerson College in 1974 earning a double BA in English Literature and Creative Writing. He has published various articles and poetry, produced packaging and provided marketing for major studios including RCA and NBC, and a few joke batches to Rodney Dangerfield and Johnny Carson. His performance resume includes stand-up comedy, puppet showcases, trade shows, and street performance. Robert’s current executive production funding capability stems from thirty years of institutional commercial real estate activity and private commodity transactions (visit www.robertkwartler.com).
Living in Toronto, Canada, Prem Singh founded Running Tiger Films to be able to promote feature film projects including the upcoming biopic TIGER. He has worked with Howard Nash and Russ Emanuel on several films including P.J. (2007), CHASING THE GREEN (2009), THE LEGENDS OF NETHIAH (2012), and OCCUPANTS (2015).
Residing in Arizona, Aaron Retford is currently working with his production partner and OCCUPANTS Co-Producer Jarom Smith to produce feature film projects including the aforementioned OCCUPANTS (2015) and the upcoming BASTIAN'S DREAM. He also appears in a cameo as the Pizza Delivery Man in OCCUPANTS.
Residing in Arizona, Jarom Smith is currently working with his production partner and OCCUPANTS Executive Producer Aaron Retford to produce feature film projects including the aforementioned OCCUPANTS (2015) and the upcoming BASTIAN'S DREAM.
OCCUPANTS Co-Producer Chris Winters originally hails from Hopewell, Virginia and is an American model/actor that resides in Los Angeles. Starting out as a model that resulted in print ads and fashion shows, Chris aggressively began acting in television and films that included works such as: A HAUNTING GHOST SOLDIER (2006), EVAN ALMIGHTY (2007), RAVEN (2010), MOUNTAIN MAFIA (2012), FDR: AMERICAN BADASS (2012), and THE EXTENDABLES (2014). More recently, he has taken up writing, currently finishing up his first novel INVISIBLE WAR. He also appears as the P.R.I. Rep in OCCUPANTS.
Residing in Santa Monica, California, Julia Camara, an award winning writer/filmmaker, wrote the sci-fi feature AREA Q (2011) starring Isaiah Washington, and the road movie OPEN ROAD (2013), starring Andy Garcia and Juliette Lewis. She is also Co-Producer on the film, OCCUPANTS.
Vasilis Milesis has worked as a music composer for advertising productions and theatrical plays. He has also participated in many international film festivals (like Viba Fest in Argentina) and composing competitions, where he took awards and distinctions in “Music for Film” and “Music for Commercials” categories. In 2010, he composed music for two movies for the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation and its 1st Silent Movies Festival: BALLOONATIC and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. During the same year, he composed music for the main advertising campaign of Odeon Production Company. In 2011, he composed music for the 2nd Michael Cacoyannis Silent Movies Festival, as he was ordered to write music for the movie FAUST. His last collaboration with the Foundation was during the 3rd Michael Cacoyannis Silent Movies Festival for the film THE SCARLET LETTER. Then, in 2012, he was accepted with a scholarship at Berklee College of Music in the “Music for Film, TV and Video Games” Master Program. In 2013, he composed music for the movie JUEGO DE NIÑOS, a Spanish movie from David Iglesias. The music was recorded at Warner Bros Studios. Most recently, in 2014, he was one of the composers as well as the Dolby Surround Mixing Engineer for MEXICO PELAGICO, a documentary by Calypso Media and Pelagic Life.
A native of New York and currently residing in the Valley, California, Jennifer Durst has worked in a variety of capacities including Key Production Assistant on THE CHEMIST (2014) and Unit Production Manager on OCCUPANTS, while doubling on the film in a cameo, as the character, "Evil Hands".
Residing in Los Angeles, Clifford Breakfield worked as 2nd Assistant Director in a variety of films including WORLD WAR Z (2013), STARRY EYES (2014), ZOE GONE (2014), MAKING THE RULES (2014), and STAR TRACK (2014), before moving on to 1st Assistant Director position on such films as WOMAN IN FRAGMENTS (2014), ANOTHER TIME (2015), and OCCUPANTS (2015).
A graduate in both Writing and Film from Long Beach State, Emile Haris, together with fellow filmmaker Yos Park, produced the sci-fi short FRAKIE DIED (2000), which they produced under their own banner, Atomicgum Productions, Inc. He next teamed up with USC graduate Russ Emanuel for the films HER KNIGHT (2003), GIRL WITH GUN (2005), P.J. (2007), CHASING THE GREEN (2009), THE LEGENDS OF NETHIAH (2012) and presently OCCUPANTS (2015) where he is also the Cinematographer. His other Director of Photography credits include WHISKEY NEAT (2009) and HIT LIST (2011) starring actor Joey Lawrence.
A native of Santa Ana, California, Tatiana Kuilanoff worked as an On-Set Dresser on numerous films including SAVING NORMAN (2013), THE SMILE MAN (2013), and LOVE'S ROUTINE (2013), before moving on to being Art Director on SCARLETT (2014), and Production Designer on WHAT HAPPENS IN ARIZONA... (2013), SIRENS (2013), BREAKING & ENTERING (2014). She joined the OCCUPANTS team as Production Designer during its pre-production stages in early September.
Nina is a costume designer/maker, born and raised in Los Angeles. Her family has a long history of involvement in the entertainment industry, starting in the late 19th century with The Minnelli Brothers Mighty Dramatic Company, a traveling theatre group. She shares this family lineage of creativity with her famous cousins, actress Liza Minnelli and director Vincente Minnelli. Getting her start in live shows as a performer and costumer, Nina has over 15 years of costume experience and ingenuity. You can see her performance and costume work on display every Saturday night in a live shadowcast of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, at the NuArt Theatre in West LA.
Residing in Los Angeles, Alisha L. Baijounas worked as a Make-up Artist on many films including LIGHTS OUT (2006), KUSH (2007), FALL NORTH (2011), JENNI KAYNE WINTER 2013 (2013), THE PURGATORY OF MONOTONY (2014), THE HAZING (2015). She joined the crew of OCCUPANTS during its pre-production phase in September, 2014.
Residing in Los Angeles, Alexandria Sanders worked as a Script Supervisor on numerous films including EXIT PLAN (2013), LONELY BOY (2013), WHITE CROWS (2014), MOB SHRINK (2014), LIKE YOU MEAN IT (2014), NO SUNLIGHT (2015), and presently OCCUPANTS (2015).
George Hernandez was born on April 23, 1976 in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. He came to Los Angeles to pursue filmmaking, with an emphasis in Cinematography. To achieve this goal, he enrolled in the UCLA Exentsion Entertainment Studies Certificate program where he met Russ Emanuel and Emile Haris. He is known for his work on GIRL WITH GUN (2005), PERFECT RED (2007), WHISKEY NEAT (2009), HIT LIST (2011), RAZE (2013), OCCUPANTS (2015), and THE PIKE (2016).
Residing in Huntington Beach, Jack Roth works on numerous projects for his photography company SeesTheMoments (for more info, visit www.seesthemoments.com). He recently worked with Russ Emanuel on his documentary about the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in RESTORATION OF PARADISE (2014).
Residing in Long Beach, Janeen Berryman is a fan of nature and numerous environmental causes, taking breath-taking photos of the area’s fauna and flora. She worked with Russ Emanuel on his documentary about the Bolsa Chica Wetlands RESTORATION OF PARADISE (2014), providing invaluable photography.
Residing in Phoenix, Arizona, Eric Kask met Russ Emanuel at the Phoenix Comicon back in 2006. Since then, they have collaborated on various films together, including P.J. (2007) and the present OCCUPANTS (2015), where he is Associate Producer. Eric has also worked on TO SOME DEGREE (2010), THE EMPLOYEE AGREEMENT (2010), STITCHED (2011), HALLWAYS (2012).
As a Re-recoding Mixer and Editor with many years of experience in Post Production and Production industry working on Reality TV, Features, Television, Trailers, Music, On-Air Promo's, Radio, and DVD Authoring. Providing clients with more and with better than they may expect almost anywhere else. Southern California-based audio post Production Company for film, television, and multimedia. On the leading edge of technology which is why Sound Design Digital Post clients enjoy the complete scope of superior sound prep, pre-lay and mixing services-All under one roof. Benefiting from an extensive sound effects library, Foley, ADR, Music mixing, Music editing. Every Client is assured of receiving personal service that is dedicated and responsive all the way through in a friendly client oriented studio with free DSL Service and gourmet coffee. He previously worked with Russ Emanuel on his short films GIRL WITH GUN (2005) (which was nominated for Best Sound) and PERFECT RED (2007), and his first three feature films P.J. (2008), CHASING THE GREEN (2009), and THE LEGENDS OF NETHIAH (2012) as well as his documentary RESTORATION OF PARADISE (2014). For more information about his company, visit www.sddpost.com.
Residing in Bengaluru Area, India, Manikandan Sathyablan has worked on major Hollywood films including LIFE OF PI (2012), WORLD WAR Z (2013), THE COUNSELOR (2013), and 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (2014). He currently owns and supervises his Visual Effects company ScreenArtz. ScreenArtz is an exclusive creative media production studio based in Bangalore,India. ScreenArtz has delivered inspirable works to various clients all around the world including several Hollywood Movies, T.V. productions, commercials, etc. With its diversified specialisation in various medium including Roto, Paint, Compositing, Matchmove, etc, ScreenArtz is emerging as a perfect place for all kind of innovative graphics solutions (visit www.screenartzvfx.com).
RUSS EMANUEL
(Director)
HOWARD NASH
(Producer)
OCCUPANTS (2015) marks his fifth venture with director Russ Emanuel, the first four having been P.J. (2007), CHASING THE GREEN (2009), THE LEGENDS OF NETHIAH (2012), and RESTORATION OF PARADISE (2014).
ROBERT KWARTLER
(Producer)
PREM SINGH
(Executive Producer)
AARON RETFORD
(Executive Producer)
JAROM SMITH
(Co-Producer)
CHRIS WINTERS
(Co-Producer)
JULIA CAMARA
(Writer/Co-Producer)
VASILIS MILESIS
(Composer)
JENNIFER DURST
(Unit Production Manager)
CLIFFORD BREAKFIELD
(1st Assistant Director)
EMILE HARIS
(Director of Photography/Editor)
TATIANA KUILANOFF
(Production Designer)
NINA MINNELLI
(Key Costumer)
ALISHA L. BAIJOUNAS
(Key Makeup Artist)
ALEXANDRIA SANDERS
(Script Supervisor)
JORGE HERNANDEZ
(Key Gaffer/1st Assistant Camera)
JACK ROTH
(Still Photographer/BTS Video)
JANEEN BERRYMAN
(Still Photographer/BTS Video)
ERIC KASK
(BTS Video/Associate Producer)
SEAN FAHIMIAN
(Post-Sound Mixer)
MANIKANDAN SATHYABALAN
(Visual Effects Supervisor)