Bill Chamberlain – Head of Films

Bill Chamberlain began his career with 20th Century Fox, moving into the independent sector producing programming for the BBC, Thames Television, Warner Bros, and CBS-Fox before producing the successful “Webster’s World” and the sequel “Webster Returns”. From 1988 to 1992 Chamberlain was Head of Production at Mindseye Films and subsequently formed Parallel Pictures in 1993. The Company was listed on the London Stock Exchange, AIM Market in September 1998. Parallel Pictures was taken over in April 2000 by the Internet and Technology Group, Netb2 PLC. Chamberlain took back control of Parallel Pictures in November 2001 in a management buyout.

Bill has produced a number of feature films over the years including; “A Beautiful Day” featuring the Russian stars Oksana Fyodorava and Oksana Kalandryets. “Carmen” written and directed by Vicente Aranda, starring Paz Vega, Leonardo Sbaraglia and Jay Benedict. Audience prize winner Birmingham Film Festival 2004. “Last Hour” starring Michael Madsen, DMX, David Carradine Monica Cruz and Paul Sorvina directed by Pascal Kobe. “Two Families”directed by Romano Scavolini starring Casper Zafer, Franco Nero, Richard Johnson and Susie Amy. Recently Chamberlain has completed the animation feature film entitled, “A Fox’s Tale”, which is directed by George Gat and stars Freddie Highmore, Bill Nighy, Miranda Richardson and Sienna Miller.

Bill also wrote the black comedy “Marcie’s Dowry” which was produced by Parallel Pictures for the BBC and has won a number of festival prizes including Best Film Festival, Palm Springs Film Festival and the Cinesonne Film Festival in Paris.

Ron Stein – Producer

Ron Stein formed Four of a Kind Productions as a vehicle for the development, production, and distribution of innovative and provocative projects across the evolving cinematic landscape.

Early success came with the “The Elephant Garden”, directed by Sasie Sealy, which won the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival short film category by depicting a coming of age story of a younger sister’s world changing when her older sister falls in love (Cinetic Rights Management – FilmBuff).

Ron has gone on to produce several notable films that are currently in release. The 2-time Golden Globe winner and 4-time Oscar nominated (including Best Picture) “The Kids Are All Right”, directed by Lisa Cholodenko, a unique and timely comedic drama of two children conceived by artificial insemination by their two Moms who bring their birth father into their family life (Focus Films). “The Romantics” is a Zeitgeist love story and generational comedy that breathes new life into the genre (Paramount Pictures, FOAK). “Meskada”, directed by Josh Sternfeld, is a crime thriller involving people from two towns in a battle born of circumstances beyond their control (Warner Bros, Anchor Bay, Red Flag Releasing).

Ron is in post-production in Rome, Italy on “Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You” (based on bestselling novel of the same name by Peter Cameron), directed by Roberto Faenza, about a vulnerable teenager with a deep perception of the world and no idea how to live in it (US – FOAK / Italian – RAI Cinema co-production).

Ron is in post-production in Toronto, Canada on “Billy Bates”, working with filmmakers Jennifer Delia and Julie Pacino, Inspired by an artist’s true story that his reality is a vibrant dichotomy, on the one hand a kaleidoscope of artistic beauty and on the other, an extremely troubled existence.

FOAK maintains a diverse and eclectic roster of projects for 2011 including: cyber thriller “SarahN_12?; human trafficking action thriller “Alphanumeric”; sci-fi transmedia title “Kantaros”; and musical comedy “Vampire Summer Camp.”

Ron is the founding partner of the North American distribution company Red Flag Releasing with former Warner Independent execs Paul Federbush and Laura Kim. He also serves on the board of directors of Cinetic Rights Management – FilmBuff and on the advisory board for the Pelham Picture House.

Prior to Film:
Ron Stein has spent 20+ years prior to film as an innovative leader in the financial services and consulting industries. As an entrepreneur, Ron has been responsible for founding several IT product and professional services companies and managing them through successful exits.
Ron has helped raise well over $100MM in capital investments for various start-up ventures he advised.

Ron is an accomplished negotiator and dealmaker focusing on mergers & acquisitions and value-added mutual service contracts. He is an expert in technology and operations for all types of business applications. He previously founded MPI Professionals, a consulting and financial systems integration firm with over $25MM in annual revenue which he sold to CGI-AMS in 2005.
Prior to founding MPI, Ron served as Global Head of Equity Technology at Deutsche Bank and as Financial Services Partner at Accenture. Ron earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance & Economics from the University of Delaware and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Maxine Nelson-Flitman – Producer and Head of Sales and Distribution

Maxine Nelson-Flitman is a well-respected entertainment executive with financial and distribution contacts around the world. She has utilized her media knowledge in global production for over two decades. Maxine’s special relationship with South Africa enabled her to set up deals in SA/UK on numerous films including “Ghost Son” (2007), and “Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont” (2005).

Maxine is Executive Producer of the romantic drama “Em” which received the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Seattle International Film Festival and went on to win numerous other awards (International release 2011).

Maxine’s Sales & Distribution work in the 90’s (attending all film festivals/markets worldwide) helped secure a sales agent for “Em”.

Maxine is at present working on a number of projects with Mark Harris and George Miller. Maxine is a member of PACT and BAFTA (film awards voting member).

Lee Chamberlain – Producer

Lee Chamberlain was the Associate Producer on “Carmen”, written and directed by Vicente Aranda, starring Paz Vega, Leonardo Sbaraglia and Jay Benedict. The film went on to win the audience award at the Birmingham Film Festival in 2004. Lee produced the film “Two Families” in Italy in 2007. He was Associate Producer on the animated feature film “A Fox’s Tale” with the voice talents of Freddie Highmore, Miranda Richardson, Bill Nighy and Sienna Miller and is helping develop the big budget suspense thriller picture “Alpha Numeric”.

Gina Lyons – Producer

Gina Lyons attended drama school in London at the youthful age of 18 after spending nine years at a stage school in Northampton. After leaving drama school, she secured one of the top UK casting directors as her personal manager, Bafta award winner Hannah Birkett and began working as a leading actress on a number of short films for Porcelain Film ltd.

It was at the age of 20 that she realised she had a passion for producing and spent several months with Nicholas Winter securing access into one of Britain’s most notorious street gangs in the hope to create a documentary. This bought her to the attention of Channel 4 who then invited Gina to attend an audition for what she would soon realise as the show, ‘Get Me The Producer’.

After 7 weeks making various genres of television for infamous broadcaster Greg Dyke, Gina was chosen as the overall winner.

From that day onwards, Gina has been working as an Assistant Producer/ Talent Producer for Bafta and Emmy award winning company, So Television.

Gina was brought on by Nicholas Winter at Porcelain Film from 2004 as the sole producer, working on a number of projects, including the debut feature film, Breathe.

Nick Winter – Director/Writer

Nick Winter is one of the most fresh and exciting film maker/directors emerging in independent UK film markets today. He began film making at the age of 15 using the first camera he could gets his hands on, after his initial efforts Nick progressed onto experimenting with silent narratives using super 8mm and created some weird and wonderful shorts. Burgeoning digital technology allowed for more experimentation and the creation of two notable short films. The first short ‘Lo-fi’; a strange take on a night out with horrific consequences, utilising raw performances and unexpected candour and realism the film was a festival hit playing all over the globe to audiences.

This led to the formation of Porcelain Film Ltd and In 2004 Nicholas began developing bigger and better projects. Commissioned to make a short about the ‘Paparazzi’ the film marked the move into High Definition and high end post production workflows. An avid image maker, Nicholas then set his sites on the first feature project for Porcelain Film, which would be titled Breathe.

Learning from all previous shorts and work in the film and television industry, Nicholas pooled together talents from budding actors, to screen veterans to up and coming musical artists and set about making Breathe. After an arduous shoot and extended post production Breathe was ready to screen. Working with the film’s producer Gina Lyons, Nicholas was able to land a distribution deal for Breathe, making this low budget British film available to audiences worldwide.

Breathe was released on DVD on March the 15th 2010 and was also selected for the London Independent Film Festival 2010 where Nicholas picked up the award for Best Film Director. Nicholas has also produced and directed many high profile music videos.