2015 Universe Multicultural Film festival Juries

Universe Multicultural Film Festival--2015
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 2015 Universe Multicultural Film Festival Jury Committee 

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  Catherine Clinch, Writer/Producer
Catherine is a writer/producer with 29 years of experience in the entertainment industry. In the early years of her career, Catherine wrote 17 episodes of network television for hit series including Hunter, Jake & The Fatman, KnightRider, Hart to Hart, The Love Boat, True Confessions and Foul Play. She wrote and developed movies made for television with Gross-Weston Productions and ABC TV. She was Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America, west. 
She is associate publisher of Creative Screenwriting Magazine and associate coordinator of the Screenwriting Expo. Catherine also is an Adjunct Professor at Loyola Marymount University and California State University Dominguez Hills. She had wrote, produced and presented more than 225 hours of LIVE educational television that was broadcast throughout the greater Los Angeles area on the University-affiliated channel. She authored a primer for PBS Learning Satellite Service to explain the distance learning process from the course-creator's point of view. In 2000, she was nominated for the Los Angeles Business Journal's "Women Who Make A Difference" Award.
 

Eric Brodeur, Film Editor, Leader of South bay film makers
Eric Brodeur's interest in filmmaking began the moment he saw Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. His journey to becoming a motion picture editor took a number of turns from technologist to screenwriter and finally editing.His technology background was the jumping off point for the field of post-production and within a year of making the decision, he landed an assistant editor position on ELEKTRA LUXX an independent feature film by Sebastian Gutierrez (Snakes on a Plane).This led to co-editing BEDROOMS which won two Best Feature awards and aired on Showtime. His next editing credit for IJE THE JOURNEY, a Nigerian-American film, became one of Nigeria's top grossing films and won awards for Best Editing and Best Feature.His follow up film FILLY BROWN was an Official Selection at Sundance in 2012 and will be released theatrically in 2013. Mr. Brodeur's latest film BACKMASK from director Marcus Nispel (Pathfinder, Texas Chainsaw Massacre) is in the final stages of post-production.His other credits include FINDING GAUGUIN, HOTEL NOIR, and THE SESSIONS which was recently nominated for an Academy Award. Between feature films he works on commercials for clients such as Volkswagen, Honda, and Toyota.

  Emilio Vega, Writer, Producer, Director
Emilio Vega is the founder and current Executive Director of the Broadway International Film Festival in Los Angeles. He also founded the Santa Ana International Film Festival and the International Film Festival in Plaza Mexico. Vega has wrote, directed and produced many films and theater works, including Justicia Por Amor, Las Huellas Del Mal, La Vida Por Un Rato De Placer, etc. Born in Jalisco, Mexico, Emilio established an on-going alliance in Los Angeles with the Latin American Consulate General's. He has also worked with Senator and Congrasswoman on public relations and publicity affairs.
  Sally Lee Wu; Culture Specialist
Sally Lee Wu is a Professor of Psychology at Marymount California University. Prof. Wu has created and teaches courses on intercultural psychology and interdisciplinary study of psychology and the arts. Director and co-founder of Marymount's P.E.A.C.E. Center (Promoting Peace, Educational, and Cross-Cultural Exploration), Wu recently coordinated a Marymount visit for the Chinese Henan Yu Opera No. 2 Troupe. She has led Marymount's study-travel courses to China and Taiwan. As a graduate student and instructor in Taiwan, she taught English and Psychology at universities, studied Mandarin, and did her thesis on university student values in Taiwan and America (Distinguished Education Thesis, CSULB). Wu's honors include presenter at NAFSA's international educators annual conferences, College Educator of the Year (Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club), Teacher Recognition Honoree (San Pedro Peninsula Chamber of Commerce), and Faculty of the Year (Marymount students).
  Bernard Clinch; Producer/Director
Bernard is a media production specialist with 16 years of experience in production: writing, producing, shooting and editing. 
Two of his series won Telly Awards, an Aegis Award and an Omni Intermedia Award. He produced, directed and edited over 330 one-hour network quality broadcast episodes aired over JEC Knowledge TV which reached into more than 40 million homes. In 2000, Bernard was named one of the Top 100 Media Producers in the United States by AV Video Multimedia Producer Magazine. 
In 2001, Bernard took creative and technical control of one of the first electronic LED billboard signs in Los Angeles. In 2006, Bernard served as Associate Producer and Editor for Victims Of Another War: The Aftermath of Parental Alienation. This documentary received a Telly Award and The Bronze Plaque at the Columbus International Film Festival. It is being used by the Federal Appellate Court system to educate new judges and attorneys about the after effects of parental abduction and alienation. It made the first cut for Oscar Award consideration for Short Subject Documentary.
  Ziggy Mrkich, Producer/Cinema Photographer
Ziggy Mrkich freelanced as a photographer in her native Australia for several music magazines and national newspapers photographing major acts during the early 90's. She began a short career in radio as a deejay until she completed studies in Photography/Film & TV at the Western Australian College of Media Design and Fine Arts. Ziggy lived in Croatia from the age of 13 to 19, during the political influence of former Yugoslavia and came to the United States in 1995, after spending time in Australia, Toronto and London. Ziggy Mrkich has worked as a development executive in Hollywood for several production companies and has also worked for most of the major studios in various roles. She has curated programs for several festivals and Ziggy is currently the Program Director for the Catalina Film Festival. In addition, she is the Founder and Festival Director of the San Pedro International Film Festival (www.Spiffest.org)
  Jacob N. Stuart | Founder of Screenwriting Staffing Utopia (USA)
Jacob is an award-winning, produced, and represented screenwriter. His films have aired in over 7 different countries. He is the CEO/Founder of Screenwriting Staffing Utopia. He is also a frequent screenwriting instructor for SellingYourScreenplay.com. In his spare time, he frequently writes columns for the Screenwriting Standard, Los Angeles Informer, and the Las Vegas Tribune. Jacob currently has 1 screenplay optioned, and 2 screenplays in pre-production. Jacob earned a degree at The Los Angeles Film School, with a concentration in screenwriting. Jacob previously worked as a script consultant for the award-winning Ensign Media. Outside of writing his own scripts, he has written coverage for the BlueCat Screenplay Competition, ASU Screenplay Contest, and SSU DigiPitchFest
  Jalleh Doty; Film Commissioner, Director, Artor
Jalleh is Actor, Director, Film Commissioner, Filmmaker, Playwright, Voice Artist, Script Consultant, and Producer. She has been worked in film industry in many years, participated in many films, musical, TV. She is the leader of southbay of Los Angeles film makers. 
Serita Stevens; Actor, Producer, Screenwriter, and Script Consultant
Serita is well known in the romance and mystery field through her published books , successful TV series and Films. She won 13 awards in many screenplay competitions. She is a past board member for Film Industry Network (FIN) and is an active member of Women In Film (WIF), the Caucus, and Alameda Writer’s Group (AWG.) She has taught writing at USC, UCLA, Loyola, Santa Monica City College, University of Illinois and Roosevelt University, as well as private consulting and currently teaches and mentors at AWG. As a member of the WIF’s PSA team, she wrote the Emmy nominated public service announcement for St. Joseph’s Care Center. She has just been chosen as a judge for the SET awards – and Three Gates of the Dead filmmaking competition .In addition, she is a regular freelance journalist for L A Splash Magazine covering film, theatre, entertainment industry events, health topics and travel.