The Executive Team
Bruce Macdonald - DirectorHighly sought after film and television director, Bruce Macdonald has been actively involved in the entertainment industry for the last two and half decades, having directed over 500 commercials – in South Africa, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Beirut, Dubai, Ghana, Kenya and Saudi Arabia. Bruce is the co-owner and founder of The Fabulous Boomtown Boys, a production house that produces excellence for clients around the world. Bruce is the ‘VISIONARY’ behind The Perfect Wave. His tireless efforts secured the rights, developed the screenplay with talented writers, and all creative elements surrounding the project have been meticulously under his supervision.“I feel I have been groomed to direct this picture, my life experiences and all my years behind the camera, seem to compliment every aspect required to tell this story with emotion and true meaning” – Bruce Mac | |
 | Bryan Hickox - Producer As an Independent Executive ProducerProducer and Director Bryan Hickox’s 71 movies and miniseries for television have been nominated for 16 and won 7 national Emmy Awards along with a George Foster Peabody Award and over 200 different awards in a multitude of National and International film and television festivals and competitions. He has also produced 10 theatrical feature films, 7 network television dramatic series and over 500 hours of syndicated programing. In 1998 Bryan received the prestigious Florida Motion Picture and Television Association Lifetime Achievement Award. Bryan has just completed filming a television pilot in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa for international exhibition that he wrote, produced and directed, entitled “The Evangelist.” Bryan’s experience and knowledge of the faith-based market are key elements in ensuring the projects Global success. |
David Selvan – Executive ProducerDavid Selvan became involved full time in the entertainment industry as an Executive Producer in 1987 working in London and Los Angeles as a partner in Film Africa International. Among his other involvements he has been Manager of Business and Legal Affairs for WorldSpace in Southern Africa and legal counsel for WorldSpace in Africa. He Initiated and was an equal shareholder of The Story Factory with Leon Rautenbach. As the Co-director of The Story Factory he set up a film fund of $ 75 million with the North American based company, Alliance Atlantis where he was responsible for commercial projects, deal terms, legal documentation and structuring. David successfully raised the financing from IDC for Shooting Dogs (BBC Films). There he was responsible for all the legal documentation, financial structuring, main deal terms. David has been the Executive Producer on Ask The Dust, a feature film produced in Cape Town for some $20 million starring Selma Hayek and Colin Farrel. Tom Cruise was the producer. Paramount released the film in 2006. In addition to being an Executive producer on The Perfect Wave, David is currently also an executive Producer for a feature film in development with Revelations Entertainment (Morgan Freeman’s company). | |
 | Johan Sturm – Executive ProducerAn experienced feature film Executive Producer of “The Lazarus Phenomenon,” “The Silent Fall,” “The Lion of Judah,” “Once Upon a Stable,” “Tugger the Jeep,” and the upcoming “Bethlehem or Bust” and “September Testament.” Johan has extensive knowledge in the faith-based market as well as other family friendly related genre. He also is the President & CEO of Animated Family Films, is a director in Animated Family Film Investments S.A. Limited and is a director of the faith-based distribution companies Eternal Pictures, Inc., Animated Media Group and the Animated Media Group Europe. |
 | Melissa Skoff – U.S. Casting DirectorMelissa Skoff is one of the most respected casting directors in Hollywood. She has been both the Associate Director of Casting for Warner Bros. Television and casting Director for all of Warner Bros. (1979 to 1983), she has also been teaching acting since 1983. Melissa has cast 35 features films for some of the most demanding directors in entertainment, including; Alan Metter, Lou Diamond Phillips, Ted Kotcheff, Kiefer Sutherland, Ridley Scott, John Boorman, Sean Cunningham and Michael Ritchie. During 1990 to 1992 Melissa was the Senior Executive in charge of casting for 20th Century Fox’s Fox Night at the Movies. She has cast 34 television movies and mini-series as well as 21 television pilots and ongoing series. |
Tim Warren- Co-President and Chief Executive Officer AMG DistributionMr. Warren is presently Co-President and Chief Executive Officer AMG Distribution where he is responsible for global sales, while managing a task force of 37 corporate and non-corporate sales representatives. He began at this company as the Vice President of Sales, a position he worked in for a year. During his time in these roles, he instituted a direct output program that secured seven of the top rental accounts to purchase minimums of every title, and turned the business into one that grossed $6 million in revenue by the end of 2008. Accounts – which grew more than 20% in a one year period under Mr. Warren’s expertise – included Wal-Mart, Target, Sears, Kmart, Best buy, Blockbuster, Redbox, Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, and ITunes. Prior to this role, Mr. Warren was a Senior Director of Sell-Through Sales for DEJ Productions and Lions Gate Home Entertainment. At DEJ, Mr. Warren secured the Wal-Mart Supplier Award of Excellence award, as well as obtained $260 million in sales for MGM, that company’s largest division increase ever. | |
 | A. Larry Ross – President & CEO A Larry Ross CommunicationsA. Larry Ross’s agency, A. Larry Ross Communications has become one of the nation’s leading public relations firms within the Christian community. He has handled all of Billy Graham’s public relations since 1981 and currently their agency handles all of Rick Warren’s P.R. For 25 years, his Agency personnel have represented an impressive roster of client organizations directly across the United States and around the world. The corporate entities they have, or are still representing, include: Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, T. D. Jakes Ministries, Luis Palau Evangelistic Association, Campus Crusade For Christ, Mission America, Prison Fellowship, Dallas Theological Seminary, Operation Blessing International Relief Development Corporation, Feed The Children, Peter Lowe International, Teen Mania, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Laity Lodge, Mercy Ships, World Concern, Voice of the Martyrs, International Students Inc. (ISI), FamilyLife, East Gates Ministries International, Resource Services Inc., Man In The Mirror, Bob Larson Ministries, Salvation Army, Fellowship for the Performing Arts, American Bible Society (ABS), National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), North America Mission Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention, World Evangelism Fellowship (WEF), the International Bible Society (IBS), Big Idea Productions (Veggie Tales), DreamWorks, SKG Studios, MGM, Cloud Ten Entertainment, Namesake Entertainment, Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Total Living Network (TLN), Daystar Television Network, Christianity.com, Beliefnet.com, BMI Gospel Music, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Word Publishers, Zondervan Publishers, Tyndale House Publishers, and David C. Cook Publishers. Film experience includes both the theatrical and video release of Dreamworks’ “Prince of Egypt”; its video release of “Joseph, King of Dreams”; theatrical and video release of Cloud Ten Productions’ “Left Behind, the Movie”; and Gener8xion Entertainment’s “Megiddo, Omega Code 2.” “Jonah, A VeggieTales Movie,” and Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.” |
 | Judy Prins - ASSOCIATE PRODUCERJudy Prins is a chartered accountant at Deloitte that manages DeloitteMedia & Entertainment, a division specifically set-up to service and support the needs of clients in the media and entertainment sector. Judy has over eleven years‘ experience in the media and entertainment industry – with nine of those years spent in an operational environment within the feature film, animation and gaming industries. Since joining Deloitte in 2008, Judy has worked on numerous local and international feature films, TV shows, business plans and industry strategies within the public and private sector.The range of services offered include DTI Film and Television Incentive applications, Section 24F advise and advance applications, investor packs, capital-raising, business plan development and strategic advice. Judy has a good understanding of the dynamics within and the challenges faced by the film industry, and is able to apply this to “In Search of the Perfect Wave”. |
Murray Macdonald - Associate ProducerMurray is a meticulous planner and has accordingly fulfilled the role of production manager / line producer on both commercial and long form projects. His attention to detail, his easygoing manner and enabling management style ensure well-run jobs and happy clients.A further strength of Murray is to choose coercive teams that work well together on productions, thus ensuring a smooth flowing production. Murray says of himself: “I strive to achieve excellence in all that I produce. I like to ensure that key elements of the production come to the fore by an inclusive approach, ensuring that even the smallest voice is heard so that the best may prevail.” | |
 | Craig Jones - Associate ProducerCraig comes from a post production background, starting off in London with the Moving Picture Company then moving to Wisemans. He then moved to South Africa where he was the main editor with a company now called the Refinery. After 10 years in post production, Craig moved into the production domain where he felt he needed new challenges and experiences. Today he is a co-owner at The Fabulous Boomtown Boys production company and runs projects as a producer and overall executive producer handling all finances within the company. |
 | Rosalind De Aragues - Associate Producer |
 | Alan Berelowitz - Associate Producer |
 | Les Smiedt - Associate Producer |
| Roger Hawknis - WriterRoger Hawkins is a script writer and director specializing in feature film production.In 1998, working together with Sunrise Productions, Roger developed the screenplay for the feature film “The Legend of the Sky Kingdom”(2004) which he also directed. This film was not only the first animated feature film to come out of Africa, but also pioneered the unique animation style know as “Junkmation”. In 2004 Roger moved to Cape Town, South Africa where he went on to write and direct the Feature Film The Silent Fall (2006). Roger has recently completed The Lion of Judah (2009) The first Computer Generated Animation Feature Film to come out of Africa – this widely anticipated movie is scheduled for cinema release Easter 2010. Currently Roger has just completed a screenplay of the film The Perfect Wave, due to be filmed in March 2010 and Roger is working on developing his next feature film Seretse and Ruth, a movie based on the true love story of Sir Seretse Khama and his wife Ruth. |
 | Billy Wood - WriterBilly is a feature screenwriter, most recently rewriting “The Perfect Wave,” an original screenplay by Roger Hawkins. He has previously written four features, two of which are in development in the United States.Prior to his writing career, Billy led communications efforts for many award winning advertising campaigns and vote wining political campaigns, including VERB. It’s what you do! the United States’ Centers for Disease Control’s lead marketing campaign targeting childhood obesity through physical activity. As a writer, Billy is focused on using his passion for communication and storytelling to impact peoples lives globally, through meaningful media. |
 | Richard Green – Line Producer, 1st Assistant Director.Richard Green has worked as a cameraman, production manager, 1st assistant director, director, line producer and producer. As 1st assistant director he worked on numerous international feature films including “Murphy’s fault,” “American Ninja 2,” “Coast of Skeletons,” “Hostage,” “Chameleon” and as Line Producer on films including “Merchants of War,” “Women of Desire,” “The Floating Outfit”. In 1993 Richard Green and Associates launched “New Directions” a film initiative which 17 years later is still helping filmmakers. During his association with “New Directions” Richard produced 32 short films both in South Africa and across the continent of Africa. His short films have won awards around the world.Richards feature films as producer include “Taxi to Soweto” –(winner Avita 1993) “Soweto Green” (winner fespaco 1997) – “The Sexy Girls” (winner Avanti awards 1999 – best film at the 2001 Apollo film festival)and the multi-award winning film “Chiken Biznis” which went on to win the Grand Prix in Montreal in 2000. During 2003-2004 Richard worked as line producer on the film “Red Dust”, starring Oscar award winning Hilary Swank, a co-production with the BBC. Recently, Film Finance the film bonding company, has referred Richard to production companies that are in production and in need of assistance: Late 2007 he was asked to take over as 1st Assistant director on the Canadian television series “Rough” and in 2008 Richard was approached as an additional 1st Assistant director, on “District 9”, produced by Peter Jackson. Richard has just completed the African leg of “Re-Uniting the Rubens” as Line Prod/ 1st AD and is currently in production as Line Producer on “Spud.” |
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JAMES RYAN - Casting Director & 1st ADJames Ryan has received International Critical acclaim as Actor and Director from the Classical Stage to High Action Movies. He achieved Movie Star Cult Status in the USA with his 2 films ‘Kill or be Killed’ and ‘Kill and Kill Again’ which reached 3rd and 2nd place in Variety. Fred Yager of Associated Press, New York wrote, ‘James Ryan is an Enigma and so are his movies’ and went on to dub James ‘The great white hope of the Inner city blacks’. He has since starred and co-starred in 21 International Feature Films, has directed the International TV series ‘Tales of Mystery and Imagination’ based on the short stories of Edgar Allen Poe. In his capacity as 1st AD and Casting Director he has been closely associated with The Fabulous Boomtown Boys since their inception and as such has been involved in over 40 International Commercials. “It is my privilege to be involved in ‘The Perfect Wave’, a film about us, the people, the millions who suffer from the sickness of meaninglessness”. To quote David Almond,’ We come into the world out of the dark. We haven’t a clue where we come from. We’ve no idea where we are going. But while we’re here in the world, if we’re brave enough, we¹ll flap our wings and fly’. “May the message of ‘The Perfect Wave’ help guide us and others in our search.” |
 | Cedric Samson - Music ComposerCedric Samson has been at the forefront of the South African music scene since the mid sixties when he started his first professional band called “The Fireflies” at the age of 12. Since then he has gone on to become one of South Africa’s most prolific music producers in addition to being an award winning composer, arranger, drummer and vocalist. He has worked with the cream of the music industry both locally and internationally in the United States. He has 2 grammy nominations for the song “Father of our Nation” which was the title track of the documentary “Father of a Nation : Son of Africa”, about the life of Nelson Mandela.He contributed to the Miriam Makeba album “Homeland” which he composed, arranged and produced, in addition to performing on the recording. He wrote five of the songs and was the record producer as well as the associate producer with a host of local and international stars that included Patti Labelle, Miriam Makeba, George Benson, Simply Red, Loyiso, TK and Jabu Kanyile. The following year Cedric compiled the South African version of this album which included three additional tracks that was produced by him. The album was launched in the USA with performances on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. For the African Summit, as well as at the United Nations in New York. He later also arranged, produced and directed an African Choir that included Miriam Makeba, for the finale of the Alicia Keys MTV special “Staying Alive” aids benefit concert that was held in Cape Town. |
 | Trevor Brown - Director of Photography |
