Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Esparza has not forgotten his humble beginnings and is dedicated to giving back to his community.  Esparza’s father, Francisco, came to the United States in 1918 during the Mexican Revolution from Jalisco, Mexico.  He worked as a farm worker and railroad hand from Texas to Utah to California where he settled in Los Angeles. Esparza grew up with a strong sense of social justice and remembers the education, principles and values he learned from his father, and incorporated them in his lessons for his own children and all American Latino youth.  

 

As a UCLA student in the late 1960’s, Moctesuma Esparza played an active role in the student youth movement. He was a founder of MECHA, and leader in the famous Chicano Student Walkouts of 1968 for which he and 12 others were arrested. He was also present with a film crew at the August 1970 National Chicano Moratorium March against the Vietnam War. The footage he shot there eventually was incorporated into the film Requiem 29.

 

For more than thirty years, Esparza has maintained his commitment to the Latino Community from his first "Only Once in a Lifetime" (1979) to one of his best-known films, “Selena” (1997).  

 

But there is another side to this remarkable Latino producer. As an entrepreneur he acquired the franchise for the first all Latino owned cable company, Buenavision Cable TV in East L.A., which he built and operated.  Moctesuma learned early on the business of art, he explains “I learned that a movie has to be made for a market, and film is truly a marriage of Art and Commerce”.  Today, in addition to producing films he has also established a chain of movie theatre complexes, called Maya Cinemas.

    

A life long entrepreneur and businessman, Mr. Esparza served as Chair of the Board of the New America Alliance Institute from 2000-2003, an organization of American Latino business leaders united to promote the economic advancement of the Latino Community in America from 2000.  New America Alliance is organized on the principle that American Latino businesspersons have a special responsibility to lead the process of building the forms of capital most crucial to Latino progress – economic capital, political capital, human capital and the practice of philanthropy.

Austin, Texas, based tv/film production company specializing in documentary film production.  Past productions include CHICANO! HISTORY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTT, SONGS OF THE HOMELAND, THE FORGOTTEN AMERICANS, ACCORDIAN DREAMS, and most recently the PBS six episode series VISIONES: LATINO ART & CULTURE. Currently, Galán Inc. recently completed a music documentary feature: LOS LONELY BOYS COTTONFIELDS AND CROSSROADS. Ledesma Galán also founded the  twelve-year-old CineSol Latino Film Festival, a festival serving the Texas/Mexico border communities of the Rio Grande Valley, serving as its director for ten years.

firm Sheppard Mullin's Century City office.

 

 Mr. Garcia primarily counsels entertainment industry clients, both at

the studio and independent level, in the development, production,

financing and distribution of motion picture and television content. In

this capacity, he has negotiated numerous writer, director, actor and producer agreements on various film productions, both on the institutional and talent side. He is also a member of the firm's Hispanic/Latino Business Group, representing entertainment/media clients targeting U.S. Latino audiences and/or involved in film production in Latin America, whether focusing on English or Spanish content.

 

 

 Mr. Garcia is also a board member of the East L.A. Classic Theatre, a non-profit aimed at providing comprehensive literacy training and engaging, relevant theatre experiences to disadvantaged youth and minority communities in the promotion of cultural inclusion and academic excellence.

 

As Segment Co-Producer, she completed THE NEW AMERICANS, a  Kartemquin Films’ PBS multi-part series due to air in March, 2004. As Line Producer she is in post -production on The Journey Home, a PBS multi part series also due to air in the Spring 2004. Her extensive production management and line producing experience includes short and feature films, music videos, and public service announcements. She has produced for the J. Paul Getty Trust, and worked with The Walt Disney Company, Faction Films, Morgan Creek Productions and MGM Studios. She has worked with OUTFEST as the Festival Manager and is the Co-Founder of the Silver Lake Film Festival in Los Angeles. She serves on the board of directors for NALIP, The National Association of Latino Independent Producers, and OUTFEST Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian film festival.

In June 2006, Paul A. Campbell joined QD3 assuming the role of President and COO in charge of growing the Company’s organizational infrastructure, production capacity, and expansion onto new digital platforms.  Paul brings a unique mix of technology understanding, entrepreneurial energy, strong business discipline, and creative sensibilities.

 

Paul spent the last four years at the Microsoft Corporation as the Director of Business Development responsible for the software giant’s digital media strategy and partnerships with major media companies and the creative community.  Paul was Microsoft’s most senior executive based in Los Angeles where he focused on cultivating a presence for the company in Hollywood.

 

In 2004, Paul forged a multi-faceted strategic partnership with MTV Networks (MTVN) culminating in Bill Gates and MTVN’s Judy McGrath jointly announcing the relationship at the January 2005 Consumer Electronics Show.  The deal was industry shaping, resulting in the development of the innovative “Overdrive” broadband video platform and “URGE” MTVN’s digital music service.

 

Paul broke new ground for Microsoft by conceiving, negotiating, and managing a multi-year partnership between Microsoft and Academy award winning director and noted technophile James Cameron.  The deal spanned cutting-edge technology development, advanced research, content development and next-generation gaming initiatives.  

 

Paul helped position Microsoft as a patron of the film community based on a strategic alliance with the highly respected American Film Institute (AFI).  Paul orchestrated the provision of technology support for AFI’s Digital Content Lab and sponsored the annual Lifetime Achievement Awards.

 

Prior to Microsoft, Paul spent 8 years as a Silicon Valley based entrepreneur building a number of successful Internet technology companies.  In 1998, Paul helped found Network24, an industry leading digital media venture.  Paul drove strategy, marketing, and business development.  He co-wrote the business plan setting the overall business direction; led the venture-financing effort raising $6 million in a Series A round; grew the company from 3 to 70 employees and in January 2000 negotiated the acquisition to Akamai Technologies for over $200 million. Paul remained with Akamai through May 2001 in the capacity of VP Media & Entertainment managing a product management and marketing team.

 

Paul is a British and Canadian citizen.  He received an honors bachelors degree from the University of Toronto.  Paul also sits on the board of the African Wildlife Foundation and is a volunteer with the United Nations recognized International Committee of Artists for Peace (ICAP).

 

 

As a producer, her recent hit, Fox’s reality series “The Swan,” is a highly recognizable international brand; with merchandising, books, and DVD extensions. She is widely regarded as Hollywood’s “Latino Expert,” and now with the success of “The Swan,” Galan is also sought out for her expertise in the burgeoning health and beauty fields.

 

In addition, Galan recently signed a landmark deal with NBC/Universal to create English language novelas across all media platforms for NBC, derived from her newly-acquired Telemundo library of formats and titles.

 

At the age of 22, Galan embarked on her career in entertainment as the nation’s youngest station manager for WNJU TV Channel 47 in New York. Owned by Jerry Perenchio and Norman Lear, the station became the launch-pad for what is now the Telemundo Network.

 

In 1992, Galan formed “Tropix,” a joint venture with HBO originating Latino content for cable. Under the “Tropix” umbrella, Nely also served as a consultant to HBO and Time Warner on its Latin strategy in the U.S. and Latin America. In this two-year venture, Galan created multiple shows and helped launch HBO Ole, their channel in Latin America.

 

Galan entered into an unprecedented deal with Fox Corporation and Rupert Murdoch in 1994, creating content for the Fox network and helping Fox launch numerous channels into Latin America including: Canal Fox, Fox Kids, Fox Sports, and Sky. That year, “The New York Times” magazine put Nely Galan on its cover and coined her the “Tropical Tycoon.” Her newly-formed company, Galan Entertainment, branched out launching networks for ESPN, MGM and Sony as well. In addition, Galan created an award-winning marketing division for American companies targeting Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America. While at Fox, she also produced “The Alma Awards” which honor outstanding Latino talent, and pioneered the first telenovela produced simultaneously in English and Spanish for Fox and Mexico’s television network, Televisa.

 

In 1998, Galan took a leave of absence from her own business when Sony named her President of Entertainment for Telemundo. After a three-year stint, Galan returned to her company with a development deal in hand from Telemundo, and proceeded to create the hit Latino sitcoms “Los Beltran,” “Viva Vegas,” and “Solo en America.” Galan also produced over 300 episodes of the popular daytime talk show, “Father Albert.”

 

In 2002, Galan created, produced and was the resident “life coach” on two seasons of “The Swan” for Fox. The hit reality show, transforming self-proclaimed ugly ducklings into beautiful swans, aired in 58 countries around the world and was ranked # 1 in Latin America, Israel, and Germany. The show became the company’s first property in branded entertainment, and has evolved into a worldwide brand.

 

To date, Galan is the only producer to have simultaneous hit shows in English and Spanish in the U.S. She is also a popular speaker and commentator on the topics of entrepreneurship, the Latino market, and health and beauty. Nely is an alumni board member of the Smithsonian Institute and currently serves on the boards for The Center for the Advancement of Women and Count Me In, a non-profit organization that advances women in entrepreneurship.

 

 

 

Creative Capital, Latino Public Broadcasting, the Paul Robeson Fund and the New York State Council for the Arts have all funded her work. She has been awarded a number of fellowships including one from the Rockefeller Foundation, New York Foundation for the Arts, Lation Producers Academy and CPB/PBS Producer’s Academy.

 

Cristina Ibarra is a founding member of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers.

 

It was there that he gained his greatest exposure to all the aspects of filmmaking, becoming an integral part of the company as De Line Pictures produced such films as DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE, THE ITALIAN JOB, WITHOUT A PADDLE, and STEPFORD WIVES, not to mention being Mr. De Lines right hand man when Mr. De Line accepted the offer to become President and Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures.  Along the way, Chris joined forces with a former fellow intern from Mr. Rudins company, Luis Guerrero, to form the production company VITAL PICTURES.  Vital Pictures has focused on finding and breaking out writers with fresh voices and stories that have fallen under the Hollywood radar. They currently have a dozen projects in various stages of development and plan to make their first feature this year.

 

 

QD3 has amassed one of the largest independent libraries of Hip Hop content with over 1500 hours of programming, much of it rare, exclusive, and never before seen footage.  In June 2006, he formed QD3 Digital, a division of QD3, to take advantage of the technology explosion of broadband video, user generated content, video on demand and mobile platforms.  As the creative and driving force, QD3 is building the first urban oriented digital media entertainment company.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christy moved into the world of entertainment in 2002, hoping to expand the presence and stories of Latinos in television and motion pictures as she had done in the magazine world. She served as Associate Producer on "Chasing Papi," a romantic comedy from 20th Century Fox with a Hispanic theme/cast, which was released in May 2003. She was Executive Producer of Oscar-winner James L. Brooks’ romantic comedy, “Spanglish” starring Paz Vega, Adam Sandler and Téa Leoni, released by Columbia Pictures in December 2004. She now works with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), providing insights on ethnic markets to CAA’s motion picture, music, marketing and television clients.

 

 

 

Garcia has 17 years of marketing experience in different industries with several multinational companies both in the U.S. and Latin America, including Mars Incorporated, The Quaker Oats Company, Renault, Nabisco, and Warner-Lambert. He has managed household brands, including Gatorade, Life Savers, Uncle Bens Rice, and M&M’s chocolate candies.

 

A native of Venezuela, Garcia holds both a Masters Degree in Engineering from San Jose State University and an MBA from the University of Southern California.

 

 

 

 

In the mid eighties, Danila switched beats and started producing and directing entertainment stories for Good Morning America.  This was when GMA was the number one morning show and Dynasty was a hit show.  While at GMA, Danila learned how to build relationships, network strategically, and master the Hollywood booking game.

 

Danila’s news gathering experience, coupled with her entertainment industry connections and know how, led her to E! Entertainment Television.  Danila helped launch the network in 1990 as News Director, responsible for all news programming.   She quickly immersed herself into the start up mode and was drawn to other launch opportunities for the rest of her career.

 

Danila was part of the launch team for Warner Bros.’ syndicated show, Extra, in 1994 as well as for the style network in 1998.  After five years as head of programming and production for style, Danila took  a break from management to co-executive produce the hit reality show, “La Cenicienta”, with Nely Galan for Telemundo.  This opportunity allowed Danila to re-connect with her passion for producing and to fall in love with Latinos and Hispanics from around the world.  Danila joined TV Guide Channel in 2003 as SVP of Programming and Production to help re-launch the channel with long form programming.  Her proudest achievements were starting live event coverage with Joan and Melissa Rivers, and creating programming for new media platforms.

 

Danila is currently working with Fran Shea at HBO New Media.  Last year they formed HBOlab, a small unit of young creatives who develop and produce content for new media platforms.   This opportunity brings together all of Danila’s experiences and allows her to be creative, resourceful, efficient, strategic, build relationships, find new talent, and best of all, mentor young people.

 

Danila is fluent in Spanish, and a member of DGA and AFTRA.   She lives in Hermosa Beach with her husband, Michael and they have two children, Jessie and Ryan.

 

 

Before founding the New York International Latino Film Festival, Calixto began his film career developing special interest marketing for Warner Brothers Pictures. He has consulted in a similar capacity for New Line Cinema, Dreamworks SKG, Nova Releasing and Columbia Pictures. Additionally, Calixto has worked on several film productions, including the Sundance award-winning films, HURRICANE STREETS and In Search of A Dream. Before establishing his own film festival, Calixto served as the Latino Film Curator for the Urban World Film Festival in 1999 and again in 2000. He also directed the South Bronx Film and Video Festival in October 2001. Calixto is a committee member of The National Council of La Raza’s American Latino Media Awards (ALMA). He has been a speaker at Columbia University, The City College of New York’s Graduate Center, The Center For Communications and New York University’s Tisch School of The Arts to name a few. Calixto received a photography scholarship and studied marketing at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology.  

 

 

Marcos Cline-Marquez is co-founder and President of Darma Productions, a full service production company that specializes in commercials, web content media, and direct response. Marcos’ professional experience began at Creative Artists Agency, but he has since worked at 20th Century Fox, the WB, Univision, startup network SiTV and commercial production company Unlimited Film and Video in Guadalajara, Mexico. For SitTV, he produced and created more than 250 hours of original production, which includes music, comedy show, reality, and fashion shows. Growing up he lived in a vast array of cities, including San Francisco, Madrid, Mexico City and Guadalajara. He is a graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography and resides in Los Angeles.