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Tom Bernard – Co-President and Co-Founder of Sony Pictures Classics, distributing and financing many Academy Award winning films.

Bob Brown – Film producer / Co-Founder of Purple Rose Films with Jeff Daniels.

Bruce Campbell – Actor, appearing in numerous television and film projects; gained major recognition for acting and producing the “Evil Dead” trilogy with well-known filmmaker pal Sam Raimi.

Patrick Sheane Duncan – Award-winning screenwriter, penning numerous screenplays including “Mr. Holland's Opus” starring Richard Dreyfus (in his Oscar winning role) and “Courage Under Fire” starring Matt Damon and Meg Ryan.

Sean Elliott – Talent agent at one of LA's top agencies, Endeavor, whose clients include: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore and Dustin Hoffman.

Jon Fitzgerald – Former Executive Director, AFI Int'l Film Festival; Santa Barbara Int'l Film Festival; Co-Founder, Slamdance Film Festival.

Robert Forster – Actor, Nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Quentin Tarantino's “Jackie Brown”.

Jennie Frankel – Vice President of Literary for Zide/Perry Entertainment (“American Pie” trilogy).

Jay Froberg – A former Vice President of MGM; Co-founder of ROAR, a production and talent management company based at MGM Studios.

Chris Gore – Author of “The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide”; Creator/Editor of FilmThreat.com – the number one most popular movie web site with over 10 million hits a month. Gore has also been a featured film reviewer on many television shows including CNN, MTV and Fox.

Lynda Hansen – Independent producer and consultant, serving on the advisory board for numerous highly respected film festivals.

Todd Hansen – Executive Director, Central Standard Film Festival; former programmer, Los Angeles Independent Film Festival.

Robert Hawk – Independent producer and consultant credited with discovering and nurturing the talents of such filmmakers as Kevin Smith (Clerks), Ed Burns (The Brothers McMullen). He has served as a member of the advisory selection committee for the Sundance Film Festival since 1987.

Adam Herz – Screenwriter of the box-office smash hit trilogy, “American Pie”, “American Pie II”, and “American Wedding”.

Janet Lockwood – Head of the Michigan Film Commission.

Dan Mirvish – Filmmaker and Co-Founder of the Slamdance Film Festival.

Susan O'Leary – Head of Fox SearchLab; 20 th Century Fox.

Andrew Ruf – Talent Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency.

Mary Jane Skalski – Award-winning producer, having gained much respect working on numerous critically-acclaimed and award-winning independent films, including “The Station Agent”, recently acquired by Miramax; Winner 2004 IFP Independent Spirit Producers Award.

John Sloss – Leading Entertainment Lawyer, Sloss Law Office P.C., provides counsel on business transactions for clients in all aspects of motion picture finance, production and distribution, including high profile motion picture producers, directors, writers and the Independent Film Channel.

Jackie Tepper – Manager, Acquisitions & Co-Productions, New Line Cinema.

Warren Zide – President, Zide/Perry Entertainment (“American Pie” trilogy).

FOUNDERS:

Dana DePree-Minter

Dana has been involved in many areas of behind-the-scenes filmmaking from producing and casting to finance. Having earned her MBA in Finance from Michigan State University , she worked with the Entertainment Financial Services company, Fulton & Meyer, in Los Angeles handling artist and film finance. She has since moved back to West Michigan to help run the non-profit Waterfront Film Festival. Since a very young age, Dana has been passionate about the arts, in particular, the art of filmmaking and has always approached it as a hobby. She currently travels to various film festivals seeking out new and exciting films and filmmakers to bring to the Waterfront Film Festival in Michigan , in an effort to expand the opportunities of the regional artists who otherwise may not get a chance to meet these visiting artists and view their works.

Dori DePree

Dori earned a Master's Degree in Labor & Industrial Relations and began her career as a Human Resource consultant writing policies and procedures and employee handbooks. After realizing a need by Michigan non-profit organizations and school districts for grant writing, she branched out to become a freelance grant writer. For enjoyment, Dori became involved with independent filmmaking and has worked on and executive produced two award-winning independent films, with which she has traveled to film festivals across the country and in different parts of the world. She helps run the Waterfront Film Festival in order to provide a Midwest forum for independent filmmakers and a venue for Midwest residents to see high quality films.

Hopwood DePree

Hopwood grew up in West Michigan and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He has since written, directed and starred in two award-winning independent feature films; sold feature film scripts to Sony/Columbia/Tri-Star, MGM and Artisan Entertainment; created, executive produced and starred in a television pilot for Warner Bros. Television; currently holds a first-look directing deal with 20th Century Fox; and most recently co-created and directed a TV pilot for National Lampoon. Additionally, Hopwood co-wrote a screenplay that REM's Michael Stipe and Sandy Stern ( Being John Malkovich ) are slated to produce, and Emmy Nominee Allen Coulter ( The Sopranos ) is attached to direct. Hopwood also plays the character “Paul Watkins” in the 2004 thriller, Helter Skelter , for Warner Bros/CBS Television. Hopwood continues to live and work in Los Angeles , where he also helps to run The Waterfront Film Festival year ‘round.

Kori Eldean

Kori, an avid supporter of the arts and producer of an award-winning independent feature film, has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. Having consulted many West Michigan artists, she became passionate about launching a film festival in the area to help fill a void. She has traveled to many film festivals around the world, and continues to consult artists and filmmakers on a regular basis. She currently resides in New York City.

Judy Smith

Judy is a community volunteer with many years of experience in fundraising. She has sat on many non-profit boards including, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland Civic Theatre and Holland Chorale. Her interest in movies, and particularly independent films, grew into the desire to become a part of the Waterfront Film Festival.

COMMITEE CHAIRS:

Jackie Froberg - Volunteer Co-Chair

Anne Gamache - Volunteer Co-chair

Melanie Scholten - Media Relations