‘LUCKY CHRISTMAS’
PRODUCTION BIOS
SHELLEY HACK (Executive Producer) — Shelley Hack is best known for starring in the original “Charlie’s Angels,” and has continued to work in the film and television industry, on both sides of the camera, for over twenty-five years. She has also starred in the feature films, including “Troll,” “The Stepfather” and “The King of Comedy,” twelve telefilms, including CBS’ “Bridesmaids,” and three television series, including “Charlie’s Angels” and “Jack and Mike.”
Hack’s work both on and off-screen has influenced her to form the Shelley Hack Media Consultancy in 1997. The consultancy worked internationally on television, film and associated media projects in developing post conflict countries. Over a ten year period, she developed numerous television and film projects for foreign markets. Hack also spent two years working with the largest media conglomerate in Eastern Europe to develop and build the infrastructure for a new, state of the art film studio complex in the region.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and an MBA from New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). Currently, Hack works full time as VP of Development for Smash Media.
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HARRY WINER (Executive Producer/Writer)—Harry Winer has played a prominent role in the entertainment business for over 20 years. He directed the motion pictures, “Spacecamp” and “House Arrest” and has produced and directed over 20 films for television. Winer has also directed miniseries, television pilots and over fifty hours of series television. He has garnered numerous nominations and awards including Golden Globe, Emmy® and Christopher Award® recognition.
Winer was one of the two principles in The Polone/Winer Company that produced movies for television and theatrical films, before he started his own company, Smash Media, Inc. in 2007. Smash Media currently has a full development slate that includes motion pictures and movies for television.
Winer has worked with actors including Aaron Eckhart, Patrick Dempsey, Kevin Spacey, Joaquin Phoenix, Jamie Lee Curtis, Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Olga Kurylenko, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jane Alexander, Diane Baker, Oliver Reed, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Katie Holmes, Cicely Tyson, Mario van Peebles, Janeane Garafolo, as well as scores of other stars on stage and screen.
Winer and Smash Media recently created a strategic partnership with Informant Media to produce the international co-production, “The Expatriate,” starring Aaron Eckhart and Olga
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Kurylenko. The film finished principle photography in June 2010. The film will be distributed in the first quarter of 2012. Informant recently produced the independently financed, “Crazy Heart,” starring Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Colin Farrell, winning two Academy Awards®.
Winer also produced and directed a music video and documentary, “Citizens of the World.” Citizens was a song created to help build bridges between divergent cultures that brought mega stars from China, India, Africa, the Arabic world and the U.S. together. The singers gathered on the roof of the historic Capitol Records building in Los Angeles where they recorded their song. The documentary is currently airing on PBS.
Winer received a BA from the University of Michigan, an MFA from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and an American Film Institute Directors Internship Scholarship from the American Film Institute. Winer lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Shelley Hack and his daughter, Devon Rose.
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GARY YATES (Director) — Gary Yates boasts an impressive resume with several films and awards to his name. He directed, produced and wrote the feature films “High Life,” starring Timothy Olyphant, “Niagara Motel” starring Craig Ferguson, and “Seven Times Lucky” starring Kevin Pollak. In addition to feature films, Yates has worked on several television films including, “Smoke Screen,” “Wedding for One,” “Taken in Broad Daylight,” “Maneater” and “Eye of the Beast.”
Yates’ film “Niagara Motel” won him two DGC Award nominations for best feature film and best direction feature film, one Genie Award nomination, and a Golden Goblet Award nomination. The film was also an official 2006 selection in the Shanghai International Film Festival. His film, “Seven Times Lucky” won a Genie Award for best original song, two Genie Award nominations, two DGC award nominations, a City TV Award Vancouver International Film Festival and was officially selected at the Toronto International Film Festival, Rome International Film Festival, Dublin International Film Festival and Shanghai International Film Festival.
Yates continues to write, direct and produce for both film and television.
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SHERI DAVENPORT (Writer)—Lucky Christmas is Sheri Davenport’s first produced screenplay, but she’s been a professional writer since graduating from the University of Iowa writer’s program. After a stint at Better Homes and Gardens she moved to California, worked as an agency writer, producer and creative director, then became a freelance writer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the years she has been the creative force behind dozens of videos/films, live productions, web videos, speeches and advertising for major corporations across the country. (more)
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Davenport has also written and produced a number of videos for non-profit organizations and co-authored a published novel, On The Way To Woodstock. But after years of experimenting with other formats, she finally found her true passion in screenwriting. That passion and focus has paid off and in recent years her scripts have placed first, second and reached finalist and semi-finalist status in a number of international writing competitions including: ScriptSavvy Screenwriting Competition, Page International Screenwriting Awards, Filmmakers International Screenwriting Awards and last year her most recent screenplay was the grand prize winner in the Cynosure screenwriting competition.
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