The
Filmmakers Writer/Director DAN
GOLDMAN Dan’s filmmaking career began at the age of 13 when he directed his first movie, a 16mm animated short called “How The War Was Won”.
Following that early effort, Dan earned a degree in film production from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and continued his training at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute. And while in New York, Dan worked throughout the city’s independent film, TV, and commercial production industry in almost every department. Dan has always regarded those years as the grad program that rounded out his filmmaking education. This is also where Dan first met Dale Oprandy. Inspired by their experiences, Dan teamed with Dale to made a short film, a comedy called “Low Budge,” which was a finalist at the American Film Festival.
After relocating to L.A., Dan co-wrote a feature screenplay called “Chill Factor,” which was made into a film starring Paul Williams and Patrick Macnee. Dan also worked on the production of the picture which was shot in California and New Zealand.
Around that time, Dan began working extensively in television— writing, producing, and directing hundreds of hours of entertainment and reality/documentary-type programs for both cable and broadcast TV. He also wrote and directed another award-winning short film called “Never In A Million Years,” and wrote and produced the feature film “Visions,” starring Erik Estrada and Robert Vaughn.
Among the acclaimed documentary programs Dan wrote, produced, and directed were the Jonathan Frakes-hosted special for the Sci-Fi Channel called “Roswell: Coverups and Close Encounters,” for which Dan was praised by the Hollywood Reporter, and “Lords Of The Mafia” a 13-part series for PBS, hosted by Robert Stack. Dan went to Russia for the documentary “The Secret KGB UFO Files,” to direct the filmed reenactments featured extensively throughout the program.
More recently Dan has directed several one-hour pilots, including an edgy action-packed police drama called “TAC Squad”, a Revolutionary-War-themed period piece called “1775,” and a big-action motorsports spectacle entitled “Thunderdome,” which became a series on Spike TV and spawned several pay-per-view events.
Executive Producer DALE J. OPRANDY Dale Oprandy grew up in a large Italian-American family in New Jersey. Working in his father’s pizza restaurant gave Dale his earliest taste of running a successful business and at the tender age of 10 Dale started his own first business, performing as a magician and escape artist. This was also Dale’s first foray into the entertainment industry – a field he has stuck with ever since. As a teen he appeared on such television shows as the NBC Today’s Show, ABC World News Tonight, and The Steve Edwards Show.
In addition to performing all over the country, Dale studied acting at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theater Institute in New York City. While living in New York, Dale had the opportunity to work behind the camera on many independent film productions in a variety of positions, such as grip, scenic artist, associate producer, and stunt coordinator.
Maintaining his ties to magic, Dale focused his skills on designing, producing, and directing magic segments for such clients as Kenny Rogers, Mark Wahlberg, the Backstreet Boys, Hawaiian Tropic, and Vince McMahon’s WWF. He also produced magic segments for network television shows including Any Day Now, Diagnosis Murder, and Third Rock From the Sun. Dale also teamed up with his friend from the old neighborhood, producer/director Joey Travolta, to co-produce and act in several independent films for Joey’s production company.
At
the same time, Dale has developed several successful companies of his own,
including a lucrative video arcade and vending machine business with such
notable clients as Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Roundtable
Pizza, and Straw Hat Pizza Corp. Two of his companies have been
Pepsi Cola’s top third-party vending operators. Dale also holds
the title as First Vice President of the L.A. County Chapter of the
National Vending and Amusement Association (NVAA).
Co-Executive Producer MARK BASIL VAFIADES Mark's interest in the entertainment business began when he was in the second grade and got the lead role, Barnaby in the school play "Babes in Toyland". Mark Studied acting throughout his childhood and was active in school and Regional theater. In 1982, Mark began his film and television career by appearing on "Spenser for Hire" which was filmed in Boston, He appeared on the show numerous times until the show wrapped in 1988. During that time Mark also worked on commercials and industrials which were becoming more numerous in the Boston Market. In the mid-1990's Mark moved to Los Angeles where he continued to work in Film and Television, as well as in Talk Radio and as a Political Commentator on both Television and Radio.
With an interest in the business side of entertainment, make earned his degree from the School of Management at the University of Massachusetts. Among his business accomplishments, Mark ran a successful retail business in downtown Woburn, Massachusetts, was a State Agency Director for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was part of the administrative team at a Los Angeles Medical Center that opened a new State-of -the-art six level, 400,000+ Square Foot Hospital.
Blending his two vocations, Mark has recently been involved in producing shorts and commercials, including working as an Associate Producer on commercial projects with David Zucker. Mark has also worked with Bloodpact Writer/Director Dan Goldman on Numerous projects including Visions, The Secret KGB UFO Files, TAC Squad and Lords of the Mafia. Mark has known and worked with both Dan & Dale for many years, and the three are a cohesive and well oiled team. |
