Denver Media Professionals Podcast

Denise grew up in Texas and graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor in Fine Arts and Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Directing. After working her way up in the film industry as an intern, PA, location assistant, and second assistant director, she became a member of the Director's Guild of America in 1993 in the category of Assistant Director. Since then she's moved from Second Second AD to Key Second AD, and on to First AD where she currently works on commercials and feature films.

During her career, Denise has worked on known projects such as Dumb and Dumber, The Bucket List, Switchback, The Laramie Project, and Things to Do In Denver When You're Dead.

Todd is a working makeup effects artist and designer. He began his career in entertainment with PBS while a graduate student in Television Production at the University of Tennessee. Before starting his own small effects shop (BaPoFX) in Denver, Colorado, Todd worked as a production manager, writer, and producer for cable pioneer Ted Turner at TBS in Atlanta. He was also a writer/producer with 20th Century Fox Television in Los Angeles, and a visual effects animator for Warner Brothers, Walt Disney Pictures, and Walt Disney Television Animation. Among his feature film credits are Die Hard 2, Contact, Batman and Robin, Incoming Freshman, Cannon Fodder, The Enemy God, Decay, Apartment 212 (Gnaw), Hoax, and Ink, just to name a very few. Todd has sculpted and molded wounds used in the 2013 Tom Hanks film, Captain Phillips. Some of his television credits include Jag, and an uncredited contribution to one of his favorite TV programs, Dr. Who.

Oksana is a 15-year veteran of film, TV and the fashion industry, and also the founder of Oksana Starling Beauty. As an established makeup artist, she has worked with major networks like Food Network, Bravo, NBC, CNN, and VH1. She has also shot commercials for Microsoft, KIA, Duke's, DISH Network, and Frontier Airlines. Her client list includes Andre Agassi, Phil Collins and Genesis, Von Miller, Clinton Kelly, and Zac Brown, just to name a few. She was a makeup department head in the film Social Dilemma, which has been one of the most talked-about documentaries at Sundance this year.

Jacob is an award-winning Colorado fillmmaker, a former mayor, and a former U.S. senate staffer. His films include a family short called Chasing Rabbits, and the feature documentary Waking the Sleeping Giant: The Making of a Political Revolution, which is currently in national and international distribution. He's also the executive director of a local government coalition advocating for stronger climate policy in Colorado.

Audrey is the executive director the Heartland Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). In this podcast, Audrey explains what it takes to enter a project for the regional Emmy awards. The discussion covers who's eligible, who does the judging, the costs, and the deadline.

Sara Elizabeth Timmins established Life Out Loud Films in 2008 to create quality, inspiring, impactful films that champion women. Her films have been seen in theatres, the Hallmark Channel, Starz, Showtime, and internationally. She's worked with talented actors such as Jane Seymour, Ellen Burstyn, Chris Cooper, Josh Lucas, Mackenzie Foy, and writers like NY Times best-selling author David Baldacci.

Tom Malloy is an actor, writer, and producer, a passionate and driven filmmaker committed to telling compelling stories with commercial appeal. Many of these projects are developed through the production company he founded in 2005, Trick Candle Productions.

In 2016, Tom co-founded the sales and distribution company called Glass House Distribution. Glass House maintains a presence in all the major film markets including AFM, EFM, TIFF, MITcon, and Cannes, and has grown from two people to a seven-person operation, recently adding a TV-series department.

Tom's unique ability to both write projects and raise funding for them has been a primary factor in the success of the company. In fact, Tom shared his expertise on the subject in the best-selling book about independent film financing called Bankroll. In 2019, Tom co-founded Filmmaking Stuff HQ, which is one of the premiere online training platforms for filmmakers.

Trai Cartwright is a 25-year industry veteran and a creative writing and business development specialist. She teaches, produces and writes screenplays and novels. While in Los Angeles, she was a screenwriter, independent film producer and story consultant, and development executive for HBO, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios, and New Line Cinema.

She was the assistant director for Leonardo DiCaprio's online endeavors, and the manager for 20th Century Fox's Mobile Studios. Trai currently teaches creative writing, screenwriting, and producing for Western State Colorado University, Denver University, and CU Denver. Conferences, cons, and one-on-one as a development and story editor. She's the screenwriter of Secret Ellington, and the producer of a docu-webseries called Hidden Tigers, and a short film called Sundown Road.

As a youth, Jeanne grew up in New York.  Then, as a young adult, she made her way out to Colorado studied art at the University of Colorado.

Over the next few years, Jeanne worked as a graphic designer and then art director for the KUSA television station.  Early on, she started requesting opportunities for creative direction on set. People took notice of her passion and talent, and she was recognized with 12 Emmys during her time at the station.

Jeanne then moved on to Colorado Production Group, which eventually became Citizen Pictures, and that’s where her career as a director really took off.

About 10 years ago, Jeanne and her husband started Mrs. K, which is based in Boulder, CO and focuses on creating branded content for networks.  Jeanne has worked with clients such as ABC, Animal Planet, the Cooking Channel and many more.  She’s worked with talent such as Oprah Winfrey, Anthony Bourdain, Mike Tyson, and on and on.  The list is very large.

Jeanne is known for a calm directing style with celebrity talent and for her ability to draw out performances not only from actors but also from “real” people.

Kate Lowell is a director and conceptual artist and is fascinated with the unifying powers of an original story. She loves the harmony between visuals and sound and the way that they work together to create an emotional impact. Her experience includes wor