Always Worthy
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Writer / Producer / Actress - Amberlee Colson
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Amberlee Colson is the mastermind behind the award-winning feature film ALWAYS WORTHY.  She stars along side Ian Gomez, Lukas Haas, Jason Ritter, Eric Edelstein, Gillian Zinser and Rondi Reed. ALWAYS WORTHY (previously titled BIG HAIR) began as a one-woman show in Los Angeles in 2010 at the Meta Theatre under the direction of Steven Anderson.  Over the following two years, Amberlee adapted the story into a screenplay and in 2013 raised enough money through private donations and Kickstarter to independently produce it as a feature film. The film took home an Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking Award at the 2015 Newport Beach Film Festival and Amberlee received a Special Jury Award in Acting from the 2015 Skyway Film Festival.

Colson’s other credits include: GOOD DICK (Sundance Film Festival), LOVE SHACK (Showtime), PANT SUITS (Seattle International Film Festival), ONLY IN MIAMI (San Antonio Film Festival) and GOOD THINGS (Claremont Five Second Film Festival).


Amberlee currently lives in Los Angeles and is the Founder of Little Lee Pictures.




Director - Marianna Palka
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Marianna Palka was born and brought up in Glasgow, Scotland and moved to New York City at age 17 to study at David Mamet and William H. Macy’s Atlantic Theater Company.

Marianna’s third directorial film “Always Worthy” stars Amberlee Colson, Jason Ritter, Ian Gomez, Shanola Hampton, Rondi Reed, Rain Phoenix, Lukas Haas, Gillian Zinser, Eric Edelstein, and Nancy Morgan. The film Premiered at the 2015 Newport Beach Film Festival and received an Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking Award.

In the heart-wrenching documentary short film “The Loins Mouth Opens”, Palka gives audiences a rare peek into her private life to bring awareness to Huntington’s Disease. The film premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was short-listed for the 2015 Academy Awards.

Adding music videos to her repertoire, Marianna directed music videos for Moby, Last Night, Rain Phoenix and her band Paper Cranes, God Save All of Us, and Carly Ritter, It don’t come easy. Having been to Sundance with several films both in front of and behind the camera, Marianna was asked to be Sloan Juror with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

In 2006, Marianna wrote, directed and stars alongside Jason Ritter, Mark Webber, Charles Durning and Tom Arnold in the award winning love story,  “Good Dick”. The film screened in the Dramatic Competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and premiered at the 2008 Edinburgh Film Festival, where Marianna received the New Director’s Award. 



Producer - Saralyn Armer
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Originally from upstate New York, Saralyn Armer found love for the West Coast when she moved to Los Angeles in 2006. After landing in LA, she began working as a producer’s assistant to the acclaimed indie producers Jennifer Dubin and Cora Olson at Present Pictures. While at Present Pictures, Saralyn was heavily involved in the filmmaking and distribution process on the award-winning films GOOD DICK (2008), TiMER (2010), and THE PERFECT FAMILY (2011).

In 2011, Saralyn began working with Bryce Dallas Howard on such projects as the Canon sponsored campaign Project Imagin8ion WHEN YOU FIND ME, Lifetime’s Call me Crazy TV movie LUCY, M83 music video CLAUDIA LEWIS, Vanity Fair’s THE DECADE SERIES: 1960’s, and the Canon sponsored film SOLEMATES.

Saralyn began producing in 2013 and is currently working on distribution of the award-winning feature film ALWAYS WORTHY by indie director Marianna Palka (GOOD DICK). The film stars Ian Gomez (COUGAR TOWN), Jason Ritter (PARENTHOOD), Lukas Haas (CONTRABAND), Rondi Reed (MIKE & MOLLY), Eric Edelstein (SHAMELESS) and introduces Amberlee Colson.

Driven by her love for all aspects of filmmaking, Saralyn recently completed her second short film PANT SUITS that she wrote and directed. The film premiered at the 2015 Seattle International Film Festival and stars Bryce Dallas Howard (JURASSIC WORLD), Joshua Malina (SCANDAL) Kelly Coffield Park (IN LIVING COLOR) and Marianna Palka (GOOD DICK). Armer also directed webseries TOP MOPS as well as an original trans-media series, SOCIAL MEDIUM, co-directed with Mitch Yapko.


Producer - Mitch Yapko
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Born in the bitter wastelands of the Far East (commonly known as Queens, NY) and schooled at Boston University, Mitch Yapko spent the majority of his formative years drawn to all things entertainment - first playing trumpet (flashy and loud, an appropriate instrument for an 8 year old), then performing in musical theater and choirs (with such an overly manish and imposing exterior, he wanted to explore his softer, more versatile side), and then moving on to stage plays and film (to see what it was like to act and not dance and sing in tights).

However, it wasn't until his cross-country trek to the West (inspired by Lewis and Clark and Mel Brooks) that he discovered his true passion: directing. After his first film directing and producing experience (with co-director Allen Rueckert), he was hooked. Realizing that directing and producing were what he loved and what he was passionate about, and what he was actually quite good at, he's spent the better part of the past decade constantly learning, continuously moving forward, and always remembering to have fun. And creating some pretty cool stuff along the way.

Since 2008, Mitch has produced and directed over 60 productions, with content that has visited dozens of festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival (SMILF, Winner – Jury Prize, Best Short Fiction), Newport Beach Film Festival (ALWAYS WORTHY, Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking), and the Seattle International Film Festival (PANT SUITS). He is currently in post production on three short films, as well as an original trans-media series, SOCIAL MEDIUM, co-directed with Saralyn Armer.



Cinematographer - VanNessa ManLunas
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VanNessa ManLunas has been fortunate to work on film sets with some of the industry's most respected cinematographers including Shane Hurlbut, Rodrigo Prieto, Eric Steelberg, and remarkable female DP Amy Vincent. The time she spent on set with this powerhouse group of talent has given her indispensable knowledge and experience that has helped mold her into the cinematographer she is today.  

In 2013 VanNessa was one of eight honored as an Emerging Cinematographer at the Emerging Cinematographers Awards by the International Cinematographers Guild for her work on "King of Norway". Her vision and voice as a cinematographer has been steadily unfolding since. She has worked with companies such as Partizan, RSA and Alta Vista Films, shooting music videos for artists like ‘Greg Laswell’, ‘Army Navy’, and ‘Holly Miranda’ among others. VanNessa recently finished principal photography on five short films as well as her first indie feature film, ALWAYS WORTHY, from Sundance alumna Marianna Palka. She is currently in talks for several other features.

Exploring the inner workings of the human heart in a raw and truthful way is the center force of her work, and this is a very important common understanding that she and long time collaborator Sylvia Sether share. Their dedication to a story’s integrity is evident in the awards hailed for "King of Norway" in both facets -- Best Narrative and Cinematography.



Editor - Marissa Mueller
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Marissa Mueller was born and raised in Minot, North Dakota.  She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Marketing, but soon realized that a career in business wasn’t something she was passionate about.  After taking electives in filmmaking at UMary her final semester, she decided to pursue a career in film editing.

Marissa moved out to California and got her MFA in Film Production with an emphasis in Editing from Chapman University.  Upon graduating, she moved up to Los Angeles to start her career.  She has worked in a variety of formats including commercials, trailers, short films, television, and features.

Marissa currently spends most of her time working on the CBS television show NCIS: Los Angeles, and will be editing another independent feature film this fall.




Composer - Vivian Aguiar-Buff
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Vivian Aguiar-Buff is a film composer and electronic music producer, originally from São Paulo, Brazil. Her passion for music began at the tender age of 5 when she started her classical piano studies. Her professional life was driven by her profound fascination for the cinema. Vivian graduated in film from the Brazilian college FAAP, and suma cum laude in Composition and Film Scoring from Berklee College of Music.

In 2005, Vivian started producing electronic music, working as a DJ in Brazil and internationally. After a short period of time she was writing soundtracks for short films, linking her two main passions, film and music.

After her graduation from Berklee, Vivian moved to Los Angeles, where she started working at film composer Hans Zimmer’s studio complex, Remote Control Productions. She remained there for 3 years, as part of composer Henry Jackman’s team. She worked on several Academy Awards-nominated feature films, such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain Phillips, and on Oscar winner Big Hero 6 as technical score engineer and synth programmer.

Vivian is now the CCO/founder of 1m1 Entertainment, a music production and rights management company, providing services for clients in Brazil, Los Angeles and New York.



Production Designer – Megan Greydanus
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 Megan Greydanus is an Art Directors Guild nominated graphic designer who currently works on NCIS: LOS ANGELES, and has previously worked on films such as DRIVE, THE AVENGERS and DRAFT DAY. ALWAYS WORTHY marks her first credit as a production designer.

Megan is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Art & Design, and lives in Los Angeles with her husband Brian and dog Millie.



Costume Designer – Paige Basham
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Paige Basham is a Los Angeles-based costume designer who grew up in Bakersfield, CA. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, CA where she studied visual communications.

Since graduating, Paige has free-lanced as an assistant stylist and costume supervisor for numerous commercials, music videos, fashion editorials and films around the United States. Paige has costume designed four feature films, including 'Always Worthy' (2015), which was an official selection at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

She currently works as a free-lance costume designer and resides in Los Angeles, CA.



Colorist – Candice “Mars” Williamson
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Mars came to L.A by way of Brooklyn, NY after one horrific snowstorm after the next.  Unable to bear the weather any longer she found herself as an asst. editor at Ignition Creative. From there she worked her way up and started teaching herself color correction.  The idea of manipulating people's feeling through colors was most appealing to her sinister sensibilities. 

She has since used her skills to tackle all sorts of projects from TV spots to sci-fi shorts to feature films.   She is grateful to have worked, so far, with amazing people on amazing projects who have accepted her surly demeanor without question.  Her current dream is to work on a Canadian sci-fi/fantasy show and/or anything Joss Whedon has touched.



In Association with Squint Pictures
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SQUINT is an independent, creative production company. We are a family of storytellers that embrace the transforming landscape of content production in the broadcast, digital and mobile marketplaces.

http://squint.tv/

Could not have made Always Worthy without these companies...
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Founded in 2013 by Ken Cain and Brett Bach, Sound Brigade is a full service audio facility, providing sound supervision, sound mixing, sound design, sound editorial and ADR/VO recording.

Birthed in a garage, now a modest facility in Los Angeles, Sound Brigade is mighty. We love what we do and you can hear it in every project.

www.soundbrigade.com


ToneMesa Inc. is a location/post audio service and technology rental company based in Los Angeles.
Mission
To provide the highest quality production audio experience possible. To employ a highly trained staff and state of the art technology to insure success. To nurture our relationships with a professional, productive, transparent and enjoyable atmosphere.

Connect with Tone Mesa HERE

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Music Supervision, Licensing, Consultancy, Sonic Branding, General Awesomeness.

http://www.highbiasindustries.com

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