STACEY HOLDERBACH
Executive Director

Stacey Holderbach began her professional career at Landmark Theatres developing advertising campaigns for independent, foreign, and arthouse films while pursuing a degree in Television Production at Loyola Marymount University. She gained further experience developing advertising campaigns for Sony Pictures and Sony Pictures Classics, assisting in the release of critically acclaimed films such as Men with Guns, Buffalo 66, The Apostle, The Spanish Prisoner, 8mm, and many others. Her experience both in film school and while working in the entertainment industry instilled in her a great respect for the passion and drive of filmmakers working outside the mainstream studio system, especially for those who were compelled not only to entertain, but also to inform and educate their audiences.
After completing her education, Stacey’s skills and experience led her to a position in local government where she managed large grants for complex projects to improve the quality of life for residents in Southern California. After several years in government, Stacey turned her attention to education advocacy, where she honed her skills in fundraising and financial management at a small but highly influential non-profit organization dedicated to improving student success in California, especially for underrepresented populations.

Amidst Stacey’s fundraising work, in 2010, she launched a small press, Simon & Fig, devoted to showcasing strong, independent voices in fiction. Within five years, Simon & Fig has published seven novels and two anthologies under Stacey’s direction. At the heart of this venture, is Stacey’s passion for storytelling and her drive to offer a platform for authors to share their stories.

At the Department of Cinema and Power, Stacey leads the fundraising and financial programs responsible for producing socially and environmentally conscious films where the art of filmmaking itself is just as important as the message being delivered. With over a decade of experience in budgeting, fundraising, financial management, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Stacey brings to the Department of Cinema and Power not only the skills to further the mission of the small production company, but also the passion and commitment to ensure its success.

Stacey holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Georgia’s prestigious Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and a Master of Fine Arts in Television Production from Loyola Marymount University.

GREGORY EARLS
Creative Director

Gregory Earls began his career at 20th Century Fox as a Jr. Production Executive in physical production where he learned budgeting and scheduling feature films. Earls went on to become a manager for Fox’s Music Department, overseeing library and stock music resources, before moving into his current position as a Feature Post Production Coordinator, where he’s helped manage editorial for numerous feature films, including: Australia, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Wolverine, The Longest Ride and Logan.

His duties include the setting up cutting rooms and equipment, weekly payroll, the QC of the Digital Intermediate and dailies, scheduling ADR (both stages and talent), keeping track of purchase orders and invoicing, scheduling screenings, and assisting in the delivery of theatrical and home video elements.

Earls’ experience at 20th Century Fox, spanning Production, Music and Post Production departments, has given him an extremely rare real-world education, in almost every aspect of creating a film. One would be hard pressed to find another individual whose career has crossed between these crucial departments at a world class film studio. Earls’ formal studies began at Norfolk State University, one of the nations Historically Black Colleges and Universities, where he graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications. During his Junior year, Earls studied Film Production at CUNY Hunter College in New York City where he interned under filmmakers Reggie and Warrington Hudlin (House Party) at the Black Filmmakers Foundation. Earls was then accepted as a graduate student by the prestigious American Film Institute where he was the youngest Cinematography Fellow that year.

As a director, Earls has directed music videos for Poetic Groove/Interscope records, a documentary for Covenant House California, entitled, Straight Way Out of the Fire, which helped raise funds to build their Western Avenue Los Angeles facility. His short film, Sax’s Final Orbit, enjoyed an exciting film festival run and garnered Earls numerous awards, including: The Audience Grand Prize at the Pacific Coast Film Festival, Best Director at the Hollywood Renaissance Film Festival, and was nominated Best Short Film at the Austin Film Festival.

Earls’ first book, Empire of Light, an Urban Fiction novel about a black cinematography student’s quest-fueled and action-packed European trek to study the genius of Caravaggio, was published in 2011 by the indie press, Simon & Fig. Gregory currently  resides in Culver City, California with his wife, Stefania, a native of Milan, Italy. His parents still live in his hometown of Beachwood, Ohio. His father is renowned physicist, Dr. Julian Earls, former Center Director of NASA’s John Glenn Research Center, retired.