ABOUT US

THE COLLECTORS

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• Shaked Berenson produced, and executive produced 22 features and two television series including many horror and cult favorites such as TURBO KID (2015), BIG ASS SPIDER! (2013), THE AGGRESSION SCALE (2012) and most recently, THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT (2019), EXTRA ORDINARY (2019) and THE LODGERS (2018).
  
  In the past 15 years, Shaked financed, marketed, and distributed over 120 films across all genres. He served as a Board Director for IFTAâ„¢ (Independent Film & Television Alliance) since 2011, a PGA (Producers Guild of America) member since 2013 and currently on the advisory board of The Film Collaborative, a non-profit committed to distribution education and facilitation of independent film.
  
  Shaked has an MBA from UCLA/Anderson. He has been a guest speaker at various forums including USC, SXSW, and AFM.

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• While attending university, Jacob Leighton Burns and his brother Zachary, met Vinnie Hogan and together they produced over 20 short films, laying the foundation for what would eventually become Planet Thunder Productions. Under the banner of Planet Thunder, the three have produced four feature films, The Fable of Shannon Cable, Electric Nostalgia, SHIFTER, and Hell Hath No Fury. They strive to produce thoughtful, imaginative, and memorable films of any length or genre in an environment that encourages and respects creativity.

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• Sonja O'Hara is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and actress who created the limited Shudder series, DOOMSDAY. She was selected as a “Filmmaker To Watch” by Independent Magazine, chosen by a jury from MovieMaker Magazine, the Sundance Institute and Austin Film Festival. Past recipients include Barry Jenkins of MOONLIGHT. Sonja directed the feature film, ROOT LETTER (Tubi), and Lionsgate’s MID-CENTURY (NBC Peacock) which stars Stephen Lang (DON’T BREATHE) and Academy Award nominee, Bruce Dern (NEBRASKA.) This summer Sonja will be directing and acting in the upcoming horror movie THEIRS, starring Harvey Keitel, Rita Moreno, and Udo Kier.

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• Matthew and Tori Butler-Hart created Fizz and Ginger Films in 2009 and have now produced nine feature films together, five of which are the couple’s own projects, including 2019’s Victorian supernatural thriller The Isle with Alex Hassell and Conleth Hill, 2021’s sci-fi Infinitum: Subject Unknown with Sir Ian McKellen, and the recent found footage folk horror Dagr - all of which have been released in theatres around the globe. They were chosen by Screen International for their ‘Stars of Tomorrow’ edition in 2013, and were asked by Applause to write a book about their indie filmmaking experiences, which is now published around the world.

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• Jeff Ryan proudly grew up in “The Armpit of America” (New Jersey), where he’d make skate videos, listen to emo-music, and break into abandoned buildings. He’s spent the last ten years writing, directing, acting, and editing short and feature films. He's best known for the award-winning comedy, "YouthMin: A Mockumentary" (Peacock), the Halloween, horror/comedy "Mass Hysteria" (Shudder), and the found-footage horror/comedy, "Mean Spirited" (Shudder, 2024). Jeff’s latest film, “Mooch,” a crime-comedy set in the seedy underbelly of New Jersey, is set to release in early 2025.

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• Born in a small town in the Republic of Belarus, Karyna moved to NYC at the age of 20 for a better life for herself and her family. After graduating from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, she pursued acting at the HB studios. All while working as a model Karyna appeared on the hit tv show “Law & Order: Organized crime” on NBC followed by “The Americans” on the FX and “The Path” on Hulu. Acting alone was not enough, and Karyna went into production to fulfill her creative dreams. Her first films “Respite” and “El Gallo” found homes on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and iTunes. After bringing her mom to California, she heard her mom’s life story and was inspired to write her first feature film the horror “Silence of The Prey” which is her directorial debut and in which she starred alongside her 5 year old daughter Isabella. This film has become an official selection of the Golden State Film Festival, LA Independent Women Film Awards, New York City Independent Film Festival and Cannes World Film Festival.

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• A filmmaker based in London UK, he’s the writer/director/producer of 15+ feature films including DEATH RANCH (2020), AN ENGLISH HAUNTING (2020) and FREEZE (Winner ‘Best Film’ HP Lovecraft Film Festival 2022) with his horror production company Dark Temple Motion Pictures since 2016. His latest film is HE SEES YOU WHEN YOU’RE SLEEPING (2024) starring Caroline Williams.

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• An actor and writer based in London. His writing credits include the Norway-set thriller ARCTIC'S EDGE (2024) and the Christmas slasher HE SEES YOU WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING (2024) in which he also starred in a lead role, alongside Caroline Williams. He has appeared in leading roles in the horror feature films WINTERSKIN (2019), AN ENGLISH HAUNTING (2020) and FREEZE (2022).

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• Born and raised in India, Venkat Sai moved to the US at the age of 21 to pursue his passion. With a background as a computer science professional and a Master's degree in Computer Science, he began his journey in regional Indian films before transitioning to the American film industry. A storyteller at heart, he has spent the past 10 years capturing moments through his camera lens, showcasing a deep love for story telling. This passion evolved into filmmaking, particularly in the horror-thriller genre. He produced and starred as the lead in his debut feature film, "The Deserving," which has earned him numerous international awards for Best Actor. His remarkable performance has been recognized at various prestigious film festivals worldwide. His dedication to storytelling doesn't end with his debut; he is already preparing to produce and direct few more horror films, further solidifying his place in the film industry.