Filmmakers

DIRECTOR | RYAN SIMON

Ryan Simon is a documentary filmmaker and producer in Venice, CA. Starting his career at Anonymous Content, Ryan worked closely with award winning filmmakers to develop and produce content for global entertainment distributors and brands. In 2010 Ryan founded Strike Anywhere, a company focused on independent cinema and branded content. Clients and distributors include New Belgium Brewing, Google, General Electric, Skype, Facebook, ESPN, and PBS. Currently Ryan is working on a documentary film series about the dark web.

CINEMATOGRAPHY | JAMES LAXTON

James Laxton is an American cinematographer working in independent film. He was nominated for a Spirit Award for his work on writer/director Barry Jenkins' Medicine for Melancholy (IFC). He was director of photography on another of the most acclaimed writing/directing feature debuts of recent years, David Mitchell's The Myth of the American Sleepover (IFC) which had it's world premier at SXSW 2010 and went on to play at the 2010 Cannes International Film Festival. Some of James' additional credits include Marshall Lewy’s California Solo (Sundance 2012/Strand Releasing), Jamie Travis' For a Good Time Call… (Sundance 2012/Focus Features), Peter Sattler's Camp X-Ray (Sundance 2014/IFC), Kevin Smith's Tusk (A24), and Kevin Smith's Yoga Hosers (Sundance 2016). He recently just wrapped production on Barry Jenkins' sophomore film Moonlight (A24).  He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two dogs and in his spare time enjoys making artisan breads. 

EDITOR | JOHN DILLEY

John Dilley is an editor, story editor and writer based in San Francisco. Films he's cut or written for have screened at the Sundance Film Festival, Slamdance Film Festival, on PBS, at the Cinémathèque Française in Paris, and at many other venues throughout the US and Europe. In 2014, he was selected by the IFP for their Emerging Storytellers program as part of Independent Film Week in Lincoln Center.

SUPERVISING EDITOR | RICHARD LEVIEN

Richard Levien has been writing, directing and editing award-winning films for 10 years. His editing credits include "A Fragile Trust" about the worst plagiarist in the history of the New York Times, which appeared on Independent Lens in 2014. He also edited "D Tour", about a rock drummer struggling with kidney failure, which won Best Bay Area documentary feature at the 2009 San Francisco International Film Festival, and appeared on Independent Lens in 2009.  Levien's short film "Immersion" premiered at Slamdance in 2009, and won Best Bay Area short film at the San Francisco International Film Festival. In 2009 and 2013 Levien won San Francisco Film Society/KRF Grants, for his upcoming feature film “Collisions".  Levien is from New Zealand originally. He is one of the few New Zealanders who played no part whatsoever in the making of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, or The Hobbit. He has a PhD in theoretical physics from Princeton University.

CO-PRODUCER | CHRIS BAKER

Chris Baker has been creating and producing engaging content for nearly two decades.  Based in Denver, CO, he continuously looks for captivating stories that have yet to be told while producing short form media for various industries.  

PRODUCER | COLIN BEST

Colin Best is an artist and filmmaker. He is the founder of Academy of Chess and Checkers, a musical collective, and West North, a production company. He lives in California.

ENGINE 7 MEDIA

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER | WHITNEY KROENKE

PRODUCER | JOEL GOULDER 

PRODUCER | JEREMY GOULDER

Engine7 Media is a production company with a focus on humanistic storytelling. The company was founded in Los Angeles in 2005, initially as a social impact documentary production company. Since the company was founded, Engine7 Media has produced several award winning documentary films viewed by 100+ million people. In 2011 Engine7 opened a Denver office which became its headquarters the following year. In addition to producing documentary programming, Engine7 creates short form media for corporations, NPOs, and governmental agencies.