ADVISORY COUNCIL
Joey Scott started his career as a child actor working on three prime time series, “National Velvet”, “Leave to to Beaver” and “The Andy Griffith Show.” For most of his adult career, he took on the role of Producer or Executive Producer. He has produced over six-hundred episodes of prime time television (with several long running series). He has produced twenty-five prime time network pilots, as well as created, developed, and sold four network pilots. He has been blessed to film in locations all over the world. In recent years, Joey has worked alongside OCS Film Teacher, Andrew Christopher, to mentor and guide students during their feature film projects.
Kristoffer Polaha is a well-known actor and producer, known for his roles in Wonder Woman 1984, Jurassic World: Dominion, Where Hope Grows, North Shore, Life Unexpected and numerous Hallmark movies. He graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Acting. Before he began working in film and television, he spent much of his early career on stage in professional theatre productions. His acting career spans over twenty years.
Jordyn Palos was named one of “Hollywood’s New Leaders” by Variety in 2015, Jordyn Palos, founder of Persona PR, launched the company in 2010 and has established Persona as one of the most dedicated and hands-on independent PR firms in the entertainment industry today. Persona has grown from a dozen clients to over 100 clients in the talent, music, branded lifestyle, non-profit, and corporate space. Persona PR’s client list includes a select group of award winning actors from film and television, New York Times bestselling authors, various experts in the beauty and lifestyle space, comedians, production companies, and a handful of musicians.
James Burnett is an American songwriter and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Burnett Music Group, a music publishing and production company which represents songwriters, composers and producers to create music for recording artists, film and television. Burnett Music Group has created and developed songs for television shows, such as, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, Beat Shazam with Jamie Foxx, Paradise Hotel, The Masked Singer, American Ninja Warrior and Titan Games with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Additionally, the company has created content for many commercial campaigns, such as Walgreens, L’Oreal Cosmetics and Asics.
James “Jimmy Jam” Harris III is a Grammy Award Winner and Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee. Jimmy Jam, in tandem with partner Terry Lewis, has worked alongside some of the most influential artists over the last few decades,including George Michael, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige (to name a few). Jam & Lewis have more Billboard Number Ones than any other songwriting and production team in history. They have produced 16 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits, and 26 Billboard R&B No. 1 hits.They are among a handful of producers to have No. 1 records in three consecutive decades, with number ones in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.
Ulla Sjöström is the Founder and Head of School of Musikmakarna (Songwriter’s Academy of Sweden). For the last 20 years, Sjöström and her students have significantly influenced the music industry. Students from Musikmakarna have written many of the songs that top the Billboard charts and are recognized worldwide. This year, the Swedish government honored her and Musikmakarna for their vast impact on the Swedish music industry. Pelle Lidell, President and Co-Founder of EKKO Music Rights, named Musikmakarna “The Most Successful Songwriting School in Europe.”
Alyssa Lein Smith is the Chief of Staff and Media Manager at Quincy Jones Productions (QJP). She has production credits on Taking the Stage: Changing America, the dedication concert for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture; Soundtrack of America, the 5-night opening concert series for The Shed at Hudson Yards; Soul of a Nation Celebration, and more. She is also a consultant, public speaker, speech writer, musician, and aerialist. As a strong advocate for body positivity and the advancement of females in executive-level positions, she has spoken on the topic to multiple audiences. Her essay on thought-diversity, with practices for companies to utilize, received national recognition by U.S. Bank, Womenetics, and Delta Air Lines.
Ryan O' Quinn is a 23-year veteran of the entertainment industry and president of Damascus Road Productions, a production company dedicated to high quality family entertainment with a positive message. He has created, produced and starred in content across all mediums since 1996. Damascus Road is an industry leader in the faith and family marketplace and has longstanding relationships with the top gatekeepers, influencers and marketing firms in that space. Additionally, Damascus Road and its principals are award-winning filmmakers with a seasoned track record of successful titles including the 2017 “Christian Film of the Year” Award," among others.
Rami Yacoub is a Grammy-nominated pop music producer and songwriter. Twenty years ago, he joined Max Martin at Cheiron Studios: his first collaboration with Martin was producing the hit "...Baby One More Time" that launched Britney Spears. He has worked with Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Bon Jovi, Backstreet Boys, Demi Lovato, One Direction, P!nk, Celine Dion, Enrique Iglesias, Tiësto, Avicii, NSYNC and Weezer. At Cheiron he helped produce some of the biggest hits. He lives in Los Angeles, and continues to write alongside some of the industry’s biggest stars. He is a part of the Jury for the Denniz Pop Awards in Sweden, a charitable foundation uplifting Sweden’s next musical generation and supporting advancements in cancer treatment.
Alan Carter is a television producer, director, editor and screenwriter. Early in his career he worked as a music video editor as well. His first big client was Phil Collins. He began working in television when he edited a David Copperfield Magic Special for CBS in 1993, winning his first two Emmys. Since then, Alan has directed everything from the People’s Choice Awards to the Screen Actors Guild Awards. He is also the director for the hit television show, The Voice.