More Crew Bio's Coming soon!
Producer/Writer
Dänna Wilberg
Dänna Wilberg's first filming experience came as a fluke when she entered a script in "A Place Called Sacramento" in 2008, and ended up producing Eric Cotenas's "Remember Me" .
Dänna's passion for writing includes, "The Push," adapted from her short story written in 2005; "Borrowed Time," published in the Sister's in Crime 2008 Anthology, "Capital Crimes," and a novel, "The Red Chair," in which she is writing the sequel. She is a member of El Dorado Writer's Guild, Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America, a proud volunteer for KVIE, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Dänna also Produces and Hosts the Access cable show "Paranormal Connection."
"I am a lucky girl!" is Ms. Wilberg's mantra. "I have been blessed with an awesome family and amazing friends!" She has had the pleasure of working with director Gary Nyland on two other film projects and is looking forward to working with her incredible cast and crew. She attributes her success to "synchronicity"
Director
Gary Nyland - Starboard (DBA Starlite) Studios
Garrett Paul Nyland—
a filmmaker’s biography
Mr. Nyland started his filmmaking career in the Pleistocene era, when cameras were cranked by hand and takes were occasionally ruined by passing dinosaurs. He frequently filmed on location in the area now known as Carmichael. His very first films were projected onto the walls of caves by flickering firelight and even then, the shimmering images and sticky floors combined to make a memorable experience.
His fledgling efforts at filmmaking were created with an 8mm crank-drive Bolex and a bunch of stoned friends mimicking the hijinks of the Beatles and the Monkees. More avant-garde work followed, including the groundbreaking “Animated Eggs” movie.
Later, as a founding member of Simultaneous Avalanche, he electrified many a concert venue with his psychedelic light shows and multi-media presentations, side by side with some of the biggest rock bands of the sixties. The experimental films from this era are probably worth a fortune when they finally surface at some rummage sale.
Later he made his first documentary: “Brian Beaver” was a heartfelt slice of life with one of the last remaining Maidu Indians, living as his people had for a thousand generations. This film was part of the anthropology departments at numerous NorCal colleges for years.
Then, while a student at Sac State, he invented the music video, pre-dating MTV by 10 years (and still waiting for his residuals).
Then it was off to LA, where his first gig was to remodel the home of Bert Lahr, aka the Cowardly Lion. This success led to a 36-year diversion which included architectural school, a general contractor’s license and the construction of numerous beautiful homes up and down the great state of California. His excuse for not making films during this period was that he was “waiting for the personal computer and the video camera to be invented”. And he was right: hand cranking cameras and scotch-taping bits of celluloid together were tougher than fighting off saber-toothed tigers.
His return to filmmaking coincided with the new century, and took the form of screenwriting. After finishing many feature-length scripts, his first short, “Sacramento in Jeopardy!” was chosen for production in the 2008 A Place Called Sacramento film festival. This led to producing and directing roles and foreshadowed his precipitous tumble down the old rabbit hole of film production. He is now the president and chief bottle-washer at his own production company, Starboard Studios LLC. Currently in production are two horror shorts (“Something Real” and “Zombies…A Love Story”), a music video and a directing gig with Synchronicity Films’ upcoming “The Push”. Also in the works are two TV/internet episodics, “Headshots, Inc.” and “Sacramento in Jeopardy!...The Series”.
Mr. Nyland is an honorary graduate of USC’s prestigious film school (that’s Universal School of Chaos), and continues to live in Carmichael while maintaining a production office at The Studio Center in Sacramento. He can occasionally be spotted haunting local garage sales, searching for “The Lost Films”.
Meet the Crew... orting her with her acting ambitions, and her boyfriend Jeff for his love a encouragement.
Casting Manager
Olivia Wilberg
Olivia Wilberg's career in property management and previous managerial positions have honed her organization and people skills, making her an excellent choice for Casting Manager. She trained with John Robert Powers and has had an interest in the film and fashion industry for many years. Olivia is a student majoring in marketing and entrepreunership and enjoys participating in outdoor activities and family events.
Pre-Production/Locations
Eric Cotenas
Last year, Eric Cotenas wrote and directed the short film "Remember Me" (produced by Dänna Wilberg) which was shown at the Crest Theatre for the 2008 "A Place Called Sacramento" film festival. He is currently a graduate student working on his masters thesis at California State University, Sacramento where he has also been managing a local news political coverage study for the Government Department in association with California Common Cause and Sacramento Media Group. He has also designed and collaborated on museum exhibits for the CSUS Anthropology Museum and contributed research and editorial assistance for a K-12 teaching unit on Native California.
Locations
Amy Lawrence Amy Lawrence is a film student at CSU Sacramentoand a production assistant/journalist for Access Sacramento.
She has written several freelance articles for the Sac City Express and Sacramento Press. In addition, she interviewed several local and national celebrities including Award-winning Journalist and Co-host of Democracy Now! Amy Goodman, Miss United States 2006-2007, and Hollywood Bee Wrangler Dr. Norman Gary.
Amy was wardrobe supervisor for the 2008 “A Place Called Sacramento” film Remember Me, by Eric Cotenas. She is very excited about contributing to Dänna Wilberg's The Push.
When not in Disneyland or daydreaming about being in Disneyland, Amy enjoys reading, writing, and watching movies with her boyfriend Ryan.
Director of Photography
Personal Biography of Michael Bethany
Born in California, I grew up on the Monterey Peninsula. After graduating high school, I moved to Los Angeles for a few years, went to school and became a paralegal. I was working for a law firm in Calabasas when a case I was working on brought me to the Sierra Nevada foothills and El Dorado Hills in May of 1989. With no job lined up, I moved into my apartment on College Oak Way in Sacramento County one month later, on June 1, 1989.
in Sacramento County one month later, on June 1, 1989.
After working jobs at employment agencies, warehouses, and law firms, I opened a business as an independent paralegal and private investigator. Within two years, the business had grown reaching its zenith between the years of 1992 and 1993, the same year I started law school at Lincoln Law School.
I completed one semester at Lincoln, however, the long hours required to run the business, the responsibility of home ownership, my wife’s pregnancy, and going to law school at nights proved too much to juggle, so I withdrew from law school promising to someday return. It wasn’t long and I was again looking for work, which I found - this time in telecommunications.
Starting as a fraud investigator for MCI, I worked in technical support as a supervisor, moved over to sales as an Account Development Manager, then over to engineering as a Network Provisioning Engineer. Finally, after a year as a Provisioner, I became a Project Coordinator, receiving numerous accolades until in December of 2001; I was one of 17,000 employees laid-off. So, naturally, I remodeled my home and went back to school.
I earned two associate degrees from American River College with high honors: one in business with an emphasis in real estate, the other in Liberal Arts. It was while attending American River College that I was bitten with the film bug, and the art of film. I realized shortly thereafter that this was what I wanted to do when I grew up, not broker and sell real estate (although I still have a valid and current real estate sales license), or practice law.
I was offered a scholarship to Columbia University in New York City, but it was too far away. So, I decided to stay in Sacramento, get an undergraduate degree in anthropology, and pursue a graduate degree in the same discipline. Unfortunately, I couldn’t begin classes at Sac. State until the spring semester. It was summer. I was anxious to get started. So, I applied elsewhere.
The next sixteen months were spent away at school in southern California where I earned a baccalaureatedegree (Magna Cum Laude) in Cinema and Television Arts from California State University in Northridge. I moved back to Sacramento ready, willing and enthusiastic to begin and hone my new skills.
I interned at Fox40 News. Then, I was hired part-time at Sacramento Metro Cable where I worked in a variety of positions such as: videographer, director, and master control operator.
I wanted to network with other people interested in broadcasting and film, so I became a member at Access Sacramento and certified on their studio equipment. During the certification process, I worked a couple of shows there and was recruited to work regularly as a cameraperson, director, lighting technician or audio engineer, depending on what was needed on shows like Paranormal Connection, Shout TV, and How To Be A Classy Dame.
The 2008 “A Place Called Sacramento” film festival is where I met up with more local people interested in making films. Before I knew it, I was working on some locally made films with some really fun and interesting people. “Remember Me” and “Sacramento In Jeopardy” made it into the festival.
After production was finished on those films, I was deployed to Louisiana, Texas, and Missouri as part of numerous Disaster Relief Teams with the Federal Government. I was gone almost four months helping victims of disasters.
Group 11 Media (G11M), a video production business I’d been planning to start finally took root this year and our first project – “GRIDLEY,” a mid-1800’s documentary, is currently in production.
Camera
Erik Pedersen
Erik is an Independent Marketing Consultant with over 11 years of experience in the television industry, specializing in all aspects of
live television production. Erik also produces live concert events and is a camera operator for both television and film.
Prior to becoming an Independent Marketing Consultant, Erik was employed with KVIE Public Television. Erik’s primary responsibilities included the production of live television segments and included in-studio videography. Erik also oversaw promotional efforts for concerts and other live performances in a variety of venues such as ARCO
Arena, The Sacramento Community Center Theater and The Crest Theater
Erik enjoys spending time with his wife Jenny and their kids, Christopher and Andrew. In addition to baseball, track, and lively discussions around the dinner table, Erik’s family enjoys watching movies, hiking, and seeking out new adventures.
Erik continues to work in the television and film industry and also works to promote local musicians throughout Northern California .
Film Editor
Brandon Leyton
Brandon is a mystery to everyone. But boy, can he edit!
Script Supervisor - Final Cut Editor
Sean Kime
When Sean was a young lad, not so many years ago, he began his film career writing, shooting, starring, directing, editing, stunt doubling, and voicing acting in numerous films produced by himself, his brother, and a few friends. Though certain that one of these masterpieces would launch a brilliant career, the critics disagreed and none of the films made it past the whirlwind tour of his family and friends' living rooms. With a heavy heart he put his dreams and aspirations on hold to attend college and earn his degree. Though he continued to dabble in film, and find ways to unleash his creative genius, the sparkling light that had once been his dream began to fade, and he grudgingly excepted the mundane existence of reality.
However, in the spring of 2008, the dying embers that had once been his dream were once again ablaze when good friend and mentor Gary Nyland said, "Hey, I am making a movie called Sacramento in Jeopardy! want to help?" and Sean responded with a resounding, "YES!!!!" Today, more then ever the dream is alive, having recently co-stared in and edited the upcoming comedy horror short by Starboard Studios, Zombies ...A Love Story. Sean is also in the process of editing another horror short called Something Real, also produced by Starboard Studios, is part of the ensemble cast of the new series Sacramento in Jeopardy! (in pre-production), and looks forward to all the amazing opportunities that are being presented to him lately. The Dream burns brighter then ever.
Special FX Editing
Jeff Sturgis
Set Designers - Make-Up -Hair
Ashleigh Wilberg
Ashleigh is an office manager for a Folsom Obstetrician. Her eye for detail, her creativity and decorating skills have made her the perfect fit for set designer on "The Push" crew. Her free time is spent bike riding and enjoying family with boyfriend Charles, and his son Nathan.
Erika Wilberg
As a Property Manager, Erika is well versed on moving-in, moving-out and getting the job done efficiently! She loves spending time with family and friends, relishes the outdoors and scuba diving with boyfriend, Dan. She is a business student at Folsom College, and is interested in anthropology and sociology.
Script Editor
Sonia Dennis worked many years in import/export. She has a natural talent for writing and editing. She loves her family and fashion and enjoys staying current with actors in film and television.
Craft Services
Bonnie Jacobson has worked for many years as a licensed Marriage,Family Therapist. She discovered film festivals 3 years ago when she visited the Mexican Riviera with the Spiritual Cinema Festival at Sea , and last year she attended the Tribeca Film festival in New York. This year, her lifelong love of movies led her to the cast and crew call for “A Place Called Sacramento”, and she was eager to help behind the scenes. When she’s not watching films, she’s playing golf or spending time with family and friends. She’s frequently involved in social causes and currently attends Sacramento Media Group to address media reform.
