Recent transplant to Austin, Texas from Los Angeles. Film/TV projects include:
- "Encounter with Tiber," based on the sci-fi novel by Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and co-author John Barnes. Developed as a limited TV series with producer Rupert Hitzig (Wolfen, Return to Earth) and co-writer/producer J. Nathaniel Berke (Olympus, Jack Kirouac).
- "Shadow Captain," based on a pivotal moment in the life of legendary singer-songwriter David Crosby, a pivotal, controversial figure at the center of the Laurel Canyon folk music scene, whose POV immerses us in the turbulent 60's and 70's.
- Directed and edited a micro-budget buddy comedy short "Hossein & Abdul in Profiled" on YouTube.
I'm a graduate of UCLA's MFA Screenwriting program; BFA Acting at CalArts School of Theater. I also studied acting at Circle in the Square in NYC.
Hossein & Abdul
(
Series
by Detroit Street Films (Comedy, Drama and Short)
Director After going to the movies, Hossien and Abdul are lost and hungry as they try to find the nearest Metro Station. When a passing jogger profiles them as terrorists, they must explain to a growing hostile crowd that they're simply trying to find their way home. Soon the cops come to restore order, but their efforts are undermined by one officer's own fear and bias.
Life After Pi
(
Film
(Documentary, Drama and Short)
Publicist An award-winning documentary about the demise of famed Hollywood visual effects company Rhythm & Hues Studios, which declared bankruptcy in 2013 just two weeks after winning an Academy Award for its groundbreaking work on "Life of Pi." The film explores rapidly the changing forces impacting the global VFX community, and the film industry as a whole. This is the first chapter of an upcoming feature-length documentary "Hollywood Ending," that delves into the larger, complex challenges facing the US Film Industry and the many professionals working within it, whose fates and livelihood are intertwined.
Life of Pi
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Adventure, Drama and Fantasy)
Publicist In Canada, a writer visits the Indian storyteller Pi Patel and asks him to tell his life story. Pi tells the story of his childhood in Pondicherry, India, and the origin of his nickname. One day, his father, a zoo owner, explains that the municipality is no longer supporting the zoo and he has hence decided to move to Canada, where the animals the family owns would also be sold. They board on a Japanese cargo ship with the animals and out of the blue, there is a storm, followed by a shipwrecking. Pi survives in a lifeboat with a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena and a male Bengal tiger nicknamed Richard Parker. They are adrift in the Pacific Ocean, with aggressive hyena and Richard Parker getting hungry. Pi needs to find a way to survive. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Golden Compass
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Adventure, Family and Fantasy)
Publicist It was no ordinary life for a young girl: living among scholars in the hallowed halls of Jordan College and tearing unsupervised through Oxford's motley streets on mad quests for adventure. But Lyra's greatest adventure would begin closer to home, the day she heard hushed talk of an extraordinary particle. Microscopic in size, the magical dust--discovered in the vast Arctic expanse of the North--was rumored to possess profound properties that could unite whole universes. But there were those who feared the particle and would stop at nothing to destroy it. Catapulted into the heart of a terrible struggle, Lyra was forced to seek aid from clans, 'gyptians, and formidable armored bears. And as she journeyed into unbelievable danger, she had not the faintest clue that she alone was destined to win, or to lose, this more-than-mortal battle...
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Adventure, Family and Fantasy)
Publicist Four children from the same family have to leave their town because WWII is happening. A women and a professor take the children to their house. While playing a game of hide and seek the youngest member of the family 'Lucy' finds a wardrobe to hide in. She travels back and back into the wardrobe and finds a place named Narnia. After going in twice the four children go in together for the last time. They battle wolves, meet talking animals, encounter a evil white witch and meet a magnificent lion named 'Aslan'. Will this be the end of their journey to narnia or will they stay? Written by John ewart
X2: X-Men United
(
Film
Visual effects
Daredevil
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Action, Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi and 1 More)
Publicist Fate deals young orphan Matt Murdock a strange hand when he is doused with hazardous waste. The accident leaves Matt blind but also gives him a heightened "radar sense" that allows him to "see" far better than any man. Years later Murdock has grown into a man and becomes a respected criminal attorney. But after he's done his "day job" Matt takes on a secret identity as "The Man Without Fear," Daredevil, the masked avenger that patrols the neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen and New York City to combat the injustice that he cannot tackle in the courtroom. Written by Anonymous
Solaris
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Drama, Mystery, Romance and Sci-Fi)
Publicist Dr. Gibarian, part of a team at a space station studying Solaris, makes an urgent and self-described bizarre video request to his friend, civilian psychiatrist Dr. Chris Kelvin, to come to the station to deal with an unspecified phenomenon aboard, that phenomenon with which Chris' experience and background may be able to explain and solve. Chris learns that his trip is sanctioned by the space program as a security force had been sent to the station to investigate, that security team which is now missing. When Chris arrives at the station, he finds only two surviving team members, Drs. Gordon and Snow (Dr. Gibarian committed suicide), who are both acting nervously. Chris also finds two unexpected people there, the first, who Chris only sees fleetingly, being Dr. Gibarian's adolescent son Michael, and the second being Chris' deceased wife, Rheya. Chris and Rheya had a passionate relationship in all its good and bad before she committed suicide. Apparently, these appearances of loved ... Written by Huggo
Scooby-Doo
(
Film
(Adventure, Comedy, Mystery and Family)
Visual effects The Mystery Inc. gang have gone their separate ways and have been apart for two years, until they each receive an invitation to Spooky Island. Not knowing that the others have also been invited, they show up and discover an amusement park that affects young visitors in very strange ways. Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby soon realize that they cannot solve this mystery without help from each other. Written by Doug_Funnie
The Sum of All Fears
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Action, Drama and Thriller)
Publicist When the president of Russia suddenly dies, a man whose politics are virtually unknown succeeds him. The change in political leaders sparks paranoia among American CIA officials, so CIA director Bill Cabot recruits a young analyst to supply insight and advice on the situation. Then the unthinkable happens: a nuclear bomb explodes in a U.S. city, and America is quick to blame the Russians. Written by Sujit R. Varma
Cats & Dogs
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Action, Comedy, Family and Fantasy)
Publicist A secret war between cats and dogs quickly peaks as Professor Brody a scientist tries to create a serum to cure dog allergies in humans. As the unsuspecting humans go through their busy lives, the cats make several attempts to possess the formula, as their canine foes try tirelessly to stop them. Caught in the crossfire, a young beagle named Lou, adopted by the Brody family, tries hard to succeed as a secret agent, and in being a friend to the young Scotty Brody. A evil snow white cat named Mr. Tinkles is planning to sabotage the efforts of Professor Brody to discover a cure for human allergies to dogs. And he'll even make every person on Earth allergic to dogs so that he can take over the world with his army of evil cats! Written by Anthony Pereyra {hypersonic91@yahoo.com}
Dr. Dolittle 2
(
Film
(Comedy, Family and Fantasy)
Visual effects Dr. John Dolittle the beloved doctor is back, but this time around he plays cupid to bumbling circus bear Archie as he's so smitten by a Pacific Western bear female, Ava. Dr. Dolittle must help a group of forest creatures to save their forest. But with the aid of his mangy, madcap animal friends, Dr. Dolittle must teach Archie the ways of true romance in time to save his species and his home before their habit is gone. So John held a meeting for every animal in the forest to not give up without a fight no matter what kind of animal expression they have and everyone agrees to do it and save their home. Written by Anthony Pereyra {hypersonic91@yahoo.com}
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Adventure, Family and Fantasy)
Publicist This is the tale of Harry Potter, an ordinary 11-year-old boy serving as a sort of slave for his aunt and uncle who learns that he is actually a wizard and has been invited to attend the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry is snatched away from his mundane existence by Hagrid, the grounds keeper for Hogwarts, and quickly thrown into a world completely foreign to both him and the viewer. Famous for an incident that happened at his birth, Harry makes friends easily at his new school. He soon finds, however, that the wizarding world is far more dangerous for him than he would have imagined, and he quickly learns that not all wizards are ones to be trusted. Written by Carly
Planet of the Apes
(
Film
(Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi and Thriller)
Visual effects It is the year 2029: Astronaut Leo Davidson boards a pod cruiser on a Space Station for a "routine" reconnaissance mission. But an abrupt detour through a space time wormhole lands him on a strange planet where talking apes rule over the human race. With the help of a sympathetic chimpanzee activist named Ari and a small band of human rebels, Leo leads the effort to evade the advancing Gorilla Army led by General Thade and his most trusted warrior Attar. Now the race is on to reach a sacred temple within the planet's Forbidden Zone to discover the shocking secrets of mankind's past - and the key to its future. Written by Tim1370
Along Came a Spider
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Crime, Drama and Thriller)
Publicist Detective/psychologist Alex Cross loses his partner in an out of control 'bust.' He stops working and cannot forgive himself. He is drawn back to work reluctantly when a senator's daughter is kidnapped and the kidnapper seems to want to deal with Alex personally. Written by Lindsay
Red Planet
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Action, Sci-Fi and Thriller)
Publicist In the near future, Earth is dying. A new colony on Mars could be humanity's only hope. A team of American astronauts, each a specialist in a different field, is making the first manned expedition to the red planet and must struggle to overcome the differences in their personalities, backgrounds and ideologies for the overall good of the mission. When their equipment suffers life-threatening damage and the crew must depend on one another for survival on the hostile surface of Mars, their doubts, fears and questions about God, man's destiny and the nature of the universe become defining elements in their fates. In this alien environment they must come face to face with their most human selves. Written by Anonymous
Hollow Man
(
Film
(Action, Horror, Sci-Fi and Thriller)
Visual effects Having discovered they could turn animals invisible, a group of scientists test the subject on a human. Head of research, Dr. Sebastian Caine decides to use himself as the subject. After the experiment can't be reversed, it takes a toll on Caine's personality, causing him to hunt down and kill his colleagues
Frequency
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi and 1 More)
Publicist A rare atmospheric phenomenon allows a New York City firefighter to communicate with his son 30 years in the future via HAM radio. The son uses this opportunity to warn the father of his impending death in a warehouse fire, and manages to save his life. However, what he does not realize is that changing history has triggered a new set of tragic events, including the murder of his mother. The two men must now work together, 30 years apart, to find the murderer before he strikes so that they can change history--again.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
(
Film
(Comedy, Family and Fantasy)
Visual effects Inside a snowflake exists the magical land of Whoville. In Whoville, live the Whos, an almost mutated sort of munchkinlike people. All the Whos love Christmas, yet just outside of their beloved Whoville lives the Grinch. The Grinch is a nasty creature that hates Christmas, and plots to steal it away from the Whos which he equally abhors. Yet a small child, Cindy Lou Who, decides to try befriend the Grinch. Written by Filmfreak <webmaster@filmfreak.co.za>
The 6th Day
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi and Thriller)
Publicist In the near future, cloning is now technically advanced, but human cloning is still illegal. Adam Gibson (Schwarzenegger) returns home after working with his friend Hank Morgan (Rapaport), only to find a clone of himself with his family. Before he has chance to find out the truth, he is attacked by a group who want him dead. Adam must escape and find out the truth from the creator of the clones, Michael Drucker (Goldwyn). Adam knows for sure he couldn't have been cloned, but isn't ready for what he's about to hear. Written by simon
Bedazzled
(
Film
(Comedy and Fantasy)
Visual effects Elliot Richardson, a socially awkward IT worker, is given seven wishes to get the girl of his dreams when he meets up with a very seductive Satan. The catch: his soul. Some of his wishes include being a 7 foot basketball star, a wealthy, powerful man, and a sensitive caring guy. But, as could be expected, the Devil must put her own little twist on each his fantasies. Written by MrGreen
X-Men
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Action, Adventure and Sci-Fi)
Publicist In a world where both Mutants and Humans fear each other, Marie, better known as Rogue, runs away from home and hitches a ride with another mutant, known as Logan, a.k.a. Wolverine. Charles Xavier, who owns a school for young mutants, sends Storm and Cyclops to bring them back before it is too late. Magneto, who believes a war is approaching, has an evil plan in mind, and needs young Rogue to help him. Written by Film_Fan
Anna and the King
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Drama, Romance and History)
Publicist This is the story of Anna Leonowens, the English schoolteacher who came to Siam in the 1860s to teach the children of King Mongkut. She becomes involved in his affairs, from the tragic plight of a young concubine to trying to forge an alliance with Britain to a war with Burma that is orchestrated by Britain. In the meantime, a subtle romance develops between them. Written by Tommy Peter
Stuart Little
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy and 1 More)
Publicist In New York City, you would come across a small house, home to a family known as the Littles. You would happen to think of them as the nicest family you'd ever meet. One day, Fredrick and Eleanor, both parents and Littles, ho to and orphanage to find a brother for their son, George. While at it, they meet Stuart, a small, but charming mouse, who apparently, is human-civilized. They adopt him, and everyone, even George, loves him. But there is one problem with Stuart's life, Snowbell, the Little family cat, who wants him. But when trouble starts up almost immediately, Stuart must make it back to his home-before snowbell's friends find out about him
Pushing Tin
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Comedy, Drama and Romance)
Publicist Nick and the other boys (and Vicki Lewis) working the hotspot of air traffic control in New York are impressed with themselves, to say the least. They thrive on the no-room-for-error, fast-paced job and let it infect their lives. The undisputed king of pushing tin, "The Zone" Falzone, rules his workplace and his wedded life with the same short-attention span that gets planes where they need to be in the nick of time. That is, until Russell Bell, a new transfer with a reputation for recklessness but a record of pure perfection shatters the tensely-held status quo. The game of one-upmanship between the two flies so high as to lead Nick into Russell's bed with his wife. His sanity slipping just as fast as his hold on #1, Cusack's controller is thrown out-of-control when Thornton's wanderer quietly leaves town. Nick must now find a way to regain his sanity and repair his marriage before he breaks down completely. Written by Lordship <lordship@juno.com>
End of Days
(
Film
by Rhythm & Hues (Action, Fantasy, Horror and Mystery)
Publicist On December 28th, 1999, the citizens of New York City are getting ready for the turn of the millennium. However, the Devil decides to crash the party by coming to the city, inhabiting a man's body, and searching for his chosen bride, a 20-year-old woman named Christine York. If he bears her child between 11:00 PM and midnight on New Year's Eve, the world will end, and the only hope lies within an atheist ex-cop named Jericho Cane, who no longer believes in God because of the murder of his wife and daughter. Written by Ridley Lavine
Specs Appeal Finalist, UCLA MFA Screenwriting Showcase for "Shadow Captain: The Amazing Journeys of David Crosby"
(1997)
Carl David Memorial Fellowship, UCLA MFA Screenwriting Program, for "The Fight for Fairfax"
(1996)
University of California, Irvine
(2014-2015)
University of California - Los Angeles
(1994-1997)
California Institute of the Arts
(1979-1981)