Mark Pedri
Founder, Writer, Director
Mark is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and writer from Southwestern Wyoming. His character-driven style of storytelling is reminiscent of his equally unique upbringing in Wyoming.
Mark’s journey has been guided by the stories he tells. His thirst for truth and storytelling go hand in hand, which has given him the opportunity to make films in some of the furthest corners of the planet. In addition to his own writing and directing career, Mark also has a special interest in supporting new voices within the film and television industry. During his tenure at Sundance Institute in the Feature Film and Episodic Programs, he focused on ushering underrepresented artists into the industry by helping them hone their craft and develop their own personal stories. Mark holds an MA in Communication & Journalism from the University of Wyoming and an MFA in Producing for TV and Film from the University of Southern California.
Mark’s journey has been guided by the stories he tells. His thirst for truth and storytelling go hand in hand, which has given him the opportunity to make films in some of the furthest corners of the planet. In addition to his own writing and directing career, Mark also has a special interest in supporting new voices within the film and television industry. During his tenure at Sundance Institute in the Feature Film and Episodic Programs, he focused on ushering underrepresented artists into the industry by helping them hone their craft and develop their own personal stories. Mark holds an MA in Communication & Journalism from the University of Wyoming and an MFA in Producing for TV and Film from the University of Southern California.
Carrie Mccarthy
producer, Scientist, creative Executive
Carrie is a scientist turned producer. She got her start working as a scientific film consultant before going on to earn a PhD in Materials Chemistry from the University of Southern California. Funded by the National Science Foundation, her research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences worldwide.
Carrie has produced two feature documentaries and several short films. She is driven by her endless curiosity to hunt down engaging stories with a unique perspective and has a critical eye for detail in the true-life stories she develops. Carrie is currently based in Wyoming developing and producing documentary, feature, and episodic content.
Carrie has produced two feature documentaries and several short films. She is driven by her endless curiosity to hunt down engaging stories with a unique perspective and has a critical eye for detail in the true-life stories she develops. Carrie is currently based in Wyoming developing and producing documentary, feature, and episodic content.
Partnering Producers
REBECCA BALLARD
Producer
Rebecca is a producer with 10 years of experience in the entertainment industry in the US and the UK. Her extensive portfolio as a producer for unscripted television includes Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted for National Geographic, Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper for National Geographic Wild and Expedition X for Discovery Channel. Rebecca’s earlier production work includes films like Life starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds and Wakefield starring Bryan Cranston. Rebecca is a graduate of the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California’s School for Cinematic Arts. She is passionate about developing uplifting stories told through unique perspectives.
Helena Vilaplana
Producer
Helena is an accomplished film and TV executive with experience in the US and Europe. She has worked across development, acquisitions, and content curation at organizations like HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery, Vertigo Entertainment, and the European Commission’s MEDIA program, among others. She has an MFA in Production for Film, Television & New Media from USC, is a LaCaixa fellow, a Berlinale Talents alumna, and a member of BAFTA and Women in Film. Helena is a producer on two upcoming films with Burning Torch Productions, Mountain Roots and Sharron Runs the World.
Hussain Currimbhoy
Director, Producer
Hussain is a film programmer and producer. He has programmed international film, documentaries and interactive experiences for Sundance Film Festival, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Nordisk Panorama and some of the biggest film festivals in Australia. Hussain was born in Canada, and has spent time living and working in Australia, Japan, the USA, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the UK. After graduating from the Victorian College of Art in 2002 he wrote and directed several short films, many of which have played at international film festivals. His latest collaboration with Burning Torch Productions includes 'LIGO: The Way The Universe Is, I Think'.
CALVIN MASEROW
producer, creative CONSULTANT
Our resident lawyer-turned-filmmaker, Calvin is a former attorney and television producer from Cape Town, South Africa. With a special eye for developing material and discovering emerging talent, Calvin acts as our go-to creative consultant and co-producer. Calvin graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the famed Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California’s School for Cinematic Arts. His primary interests lie in commercial scripted material and other forms of pop-culture.
