be a part of dirt!

Bill Benenson

Director, Producer

Gene Rosow

Director, Producer

Laurie Benenson

Executive Producer

The Rest of the DIRT! Team

 

Mark Berge, Sound Mixer

Mark Berger is a supervising rerecording sound mixer who has won four Academy Awards for some of the most innovative uses of sound in the film business (Apocalypse Now, The Right Stuff, Amadeus, The English Patient). Unlike many of today’s sound editors, his craft is about subtlety, not the sheer power of loud soundtracks. He has worked as a sound mixer, recordist, and editor for over 35 years on more than 160 films, starting with Godfather II, through One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Blue Velvet, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and most recently, Dirt!

In addition to his mixing work, Mark is also an Adjunct Professor of Film Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he teaches a very popular course on understanding film sound.

Eleonore Dailly: Co-Director, Producer

In 2007, Eleonore Dailly received the prestigious Debra Hill Fellowship for promising young female producers. This came on the heels of Dailly’s two-year training at the University of Southern California’s Peter Stark Producing Program. Prior to this, Dailly graduated from Scotland’s University of Edinburgh and University Paris XI with dual international law degrees. She worked in Paris, practicing international civil litigation. After attending Columbia Law School, Dailly practiced corporate and human rights law in New York City. In 2003, Dailly moved to Buenos Aires, where her passion for film was reignited. Inspired by Argentina, Dailly wrote, directed and produced her first feature-length documentary Las Inombrables, a poignant and intimate portrait of Argentine streetwalkers’ struggle for their rights as women. The film is in final stages of post-production.

Jonathan Shaw: Editor

Jonathan Shaw is an editor with a storied pedigree, working in features, television, documentaries, IMAX and 3-D. Shaw has collaborated with some of the most innovative filmmakers of our time, including David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks) and Steven Bochco (Blind Justice, Over There, Raising the Bar). Shaw also has worked on several IMAX and 3-D projects, such as Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure, China: The Panda Adventure and T- Rex: Back to the Cretaceous.

Brian Singbiel: Editor

Brian Singbiel received his formal film education in the Los Angeles area at Chapman University, earning a student nomination at the 2003 A.C.E. Eddie Awards. After graduating, Singbiel traveled to New York City and was mentored by Kurt Engfehr on the fashion documentary Seamless. Singbiel honed his craft by editing short films, spec commercials and music videos, while assisting established editors on feature documentaries such as America the Beautiful and narrative films, including Nick Cassavetes’ Alpha Dog. Singbiel’s first feature documentary as lead editor was the Sundance hit Bigger, Stronger, Faster.

Tracy J. Brown: Associate Producer

Tracy Brown is a screenwriter and former development executive whose writing credits include the delightful animated feature film “A Fish Tale”. Her basic training in ecological awareness came from years with her hands in the dirt alongside her grandmother, horticulturalist and author Emily Brown (Gardening With Perennials). Tracy’s first foray into environmental research was a paper about thermal pollution and its effect on aquatic ecosystems in conjunction with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. She has since written a screenplay about Silent Spring author Rachel Carson and her courageous call to battle for the environment and all of its creatures.

Marisa Murgatroyd: Associate Producer

Marisa is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and photographer specializing in social issue media. Dedicated to producing innovative media focused on real world issues, she has brought her creative and organizational skills to a wide array of video, print and online projects. Marisa has worked in the development, production, outreach and distribution of documentary films on issues ranging from sustainable development to substance abuse. Most recently, she wrote, produced and directed Meth Inside Out, an educational video series on methamphetamine addiction and recovery.

Christine Deitner: Associate Producer

Christine Deitner received her B.F.A. in Theatre Directing and Acting from New York University where she also received minors in English and Film Studies. She has directed plays in New York and Northampton, Massachusetts, stage and company managed professional theatrical tours throughout North America and Europe, tour managed small bands in the United States and produced short films and theatrical ventures in New York and Los Angeles. Upon moving West, she leapt at the chance to work for Producer Richard Raynis and Gracie Films as Production Coordinator on The Simpsons Movie and The Simpsons Game for EA. She continued working with Film Roman as Production Supervisor for The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios, and for Rob Zombie’s The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, to be released in 2009.

Tyler Harbour: Associate Producer

Tyler Harbour received his B.A. in English at Brevard College and then attended Marshall University’s English Graduate Program before moving to California in 2006. Since relocating to Los Angeles, Tyler has worked on numerous short and feature length projects, as a casting assistant on Opposite Day, as well as producing his own short film, Black Rock, in 2007.

Michael Kowalski: Sound Designer

Michael Kowalski has worked as a sound designer on a variety of documentaries, including Lost in La Mancha, A Certain Kind of Death, Tell Them Who You Are and independent narrative films such as Robbing Peter. In addition to his film work,production at Chapman University near Los Angeles.

Jorge Corante: Music Composer

Jorge Corante creates unique scores that seamlessly blend urban elements with classical and electronica. His music career began when he was 17 years old and signed a production deal with Motown Records. A year later, Corante signed a co- publishing deal with EMI Music. During his term with EMI, Corante wrote and produced songs for Paula Abdul, Brownstone, Adina Howard, Xscape, K-Ci & JoJo, CeCe Peniston, Janet Jackson, Outkast and Deborah Cox. At the end of his EMI publishing term, Corante embarked on a successful career composing music and writing songs for such films as Scary Movie 3, Jump In!, The Proud Family Movie, Big Momma’s House 2 and the television show CSI: Miami, among others.

Tom Schnabel: Music Supervisor

Tom Schnabel is a venerable Los Angeles radio institution, credited with helping develop the eclectic music format and introducing world music to public radio while working at KCRW. He is the host of Tom Schnabel, formerly Cafe LA. In July l998, Schnabel was honored by the French Ministry of Culture with the prestigious French Medal of Arts for his work in furthering knowledge of world music in the United States.

Antonio Rossi: Director of Photography

Antonio Rossi was the director of photography on the documentary No End In Sight. The film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007, won the Special Jury Prize in the U.S. documentary competition, and was nominated for an Academy Award. Throughout his career Rossi has worked with such distinguished filmmakers as Michael Apted, Ken Burns, Alex Gibney, Barbara Koppel, and Brett Morgen.

Claudio Musajo: Sound Recordist

Claudio Musajo has 25 years experience as a location sound mixer. His credits include broadcast and live television production for ABCNews, Good Morning America, 20/20, Nightline, CBS News, CBS 60minutes, NBC News, NBC Today Show. Other credits include: Stick Figure Productions – What Remains(2005), Essential Gorillaz(2006), Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal, (2007)PBS – Nova Science Now (2008).

Steve Elkins: Director of Photography

Steve Elkins is a veteran cinematographer, editor and producer. He has garnered several awards, including a California Tourism Award for best video, a Cine Golden Eagle for best documentary, best videography and editing, and an Emmy for best documentary camerawork.

Mark Adams: Sound Recordist

Mark Adams has worked for more than 14 years as a location sound mixer and an equipment manager on a number of network and cable television shows. Adams worked as a location sound mixer for the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric covering the 2008 presidential and vice- presidential debates as well as Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Adams was also the supervising location sound mixer on Another Kind of Valor, a docudrama addressing the mental health needs of American veterans returning from combat. Adams’ other credits include the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympic Games, Major League Baseball Productions, MTV’s Making the Video, National Geographic and various travel shows and documentaries. Adam is currently directing a documentary on classic cars.

Tom Eichler: Sound Recordist

For the past 15 years, Tom has worked in the film industry as a location sound recordist. This work has included everything from local and national television commercials to feature films to documentaries. His passion for travel and new experiences has evolved into a focus in his professional life on documentary and expedition films. He has worked in many of the most remote corners of the earth, thriving on the challenges such locales add to the film-making process. Most recently Tom was deep underground in a Mayan cave in the jungle of Guatemala for the History Channel and on a small Greek Ilse for PBS.

Madevi Dailly: Animator

Madevi Dailly combines a strong creative and technical background with a track record of producing animation for England’s Channel 4 and the BBC. Her directorial work on short films has been seen at festivals around the world, including the Amnesty International Film Festival.

Andy Fielding: Animator

Andy Fielding is an award-winning art director and writer. He is best known for creating The Imp, an animated, evil comedy series that was broadcast on Cartoon Network. As creative Consultant on The Imp, Fielding took active role part in all aspects of development and production.

Eric Keyes: Animator

Eric Keyes is best known as an art director, character designer, and veteran animator for such series’ as The Simpsons, Rugrats and Recess. Keyes has also storyboarded and designed characters for King of the Hill, Drawn Together, The Critic and Futurama. He has worked in every facet of the animation business for such diverse companies as Disney, Warner Bros, Film Roman, Klasky-Csupo, Comedy Central, Rough Draft Studios and The Jim Henson Company.

Luc Perez: Animator

Luc Perez is known for his vibrant signature animation technique which combines oil, pastels, and acrylic paint on paper. In 2003, Perez began working with the award-winning animation studio Acme Filmworks. His first project was the closing segment in the Suite For Freedom, an animated triptych produced for theatrical exhibition exclusively at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati. Last year, Perez completed the independent animated short film, Shaman. Perez was commissioned to animate segments for the Geronimo episode of PBS series We Shall Remain, which is scheduled to premiere in April.

 

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Bill Benenson

Director, Producer

Bill’s resume includes documentaries The Marginal Way and Diamond Rivers, as well as the critically-acclaimed narrative Mister Johnson. He has served the US Peace Corps and the Wildwood School Board, was an initial investor in Seeds of Change, and is active in The Frances and Benjamin Benenson Foundation, the Violence Policy Center, the National Resources Defense Council, Bioneers, Rainforest Action Network and Ploughshares.

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Gene Rosow

Director, Producer

Accomplished producer, writer and director. Over 30 years filmmaking experience. Interest in the environment goes beyond conscientious… it’s downright affectionate.

Gene wrote, produced and directed more than 20 documentaries including Doctora for Channel 4 England, Routes of Rhythm with Harry Belafonte for PBS, and Knights for Canal+France. His feature film credits include the lovable family film Zeus and Roxanne for MGM, among others. On top of a Ph.D in History, Gene relishes his year of post-graduate work in Ecology, Biochemistry, Cellular Physiology, and Parisitology.

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Laurie Benenson

Executive Producer

Laurie Benenson is a writer, editor and journalist. She founded Movieline Magazine in 1985 and went on to write about film and television for the New York Times Sunday Arts and Leisure section. An avid environmentalist, Laurie is on the action forum of the NRDC and is also involved with Rainforest Action Network and Conservation International, among other environmental groups. Laurie has written a screenplay about pioneering environmentalist Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, and is currently working on a rewrite of her romantic comedy Genie. Dirt! The Movie is her debut as a producer.