SYNOPSIS
Fostering Dad is a heartfelt, episodic series about the experiences of a single foster father caring for his 4 teenage daughters a very young daughter and a foster care teenager. Dad lost his wife to cancer after they'd adopted 4 girls from the foster care system. He is faced with raising these kids on his own. Each girl has their own special artistic ability. Dad helps guide them in finding and expressing their talents. Found footage reveals that Mom has left behind special messages to help Dad through the trials and tribulations of raising teenage girls. This series will show the the full experience from the eyes of the foster parent as well as the children. It's filled with stories that show the love, laughter and heartache that comes from parenting on your own.
ABOUTUS
Fostering Dad is comprised of a group of passionate people who have come together to share the experience of what it's like to be a Foster child and Foster Parent. We are working together with the National Schoolhouse of Theatre Arts to create a place for all foster children to express their talents through the arts in a safe and loving environment.
ABOUT
BRUCE WAGNITZ
Creator/
Executive Producer
BRUCE WAGNITZ is the Creator and Executive Producer of the TV Series, FOSTERING DAD. Bruce is also in pre-production on another series and 2 films. He is committed to his vision of expanding the opportunities for our youth in the Foster Care System. Bruce works to encourage community dialog through numerous endeavors. He has vast experience with the foster care system and through these experiences, he was drawn to the filmmaking world. Bruce is the Board Chairman for the "National Schoolhouse of Theatre Arts" which is a trauma based group using theater Arts to teach youth. He is working to build a theater arts school for foster care youth in the heart of N.Y. The school will provide creative opportunities for youth throughout the country. Bruce is also Chairman of the Board for the "Our Fields of Hope Foundation". This foundation is an international project that develops and programs and services for children with special medical needs. He dedicates his time to working closely with individuals in the foster system, and needed care areas around the world, coming up with new beneficial programs designed for our children and young adults. Through working in the theater arts, he has discovered the passion to share his stories with others. This project is truly a labor of love.
CAROL ANNE WATTS
DIRECTOR
Carol Anne began her film career in Wilmington, NC while studying international business at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Early into her college experience, she found herself drawn to Wilmington's local film community. She soon began landing acting roles and other positions on independent film sets, eventually including productions at Screen Gems Studios.
After meeting an inspiring screenwriter at the premiere of one of her films, Carol Anne decided to head to New Mexico to assemble a team to bring the writer's material to life. She was integral in the growth of the One Blood vampire genre series, including the development of a feature film, graphic novel, book series, web series, merchandise and conventions.
Carol Anne then headed to LA to continue the development and deal structuring of her other feature film projects. She produced the feature film The Channel, which won best supernatural film at Fright Night Film Festival. It also screened at the Cannes and Berlin film markets and has sold in foreign and domestic territories. After completing the film, she attended the producing program at UCLA.
The program allowed Carol Anne to expand her knowledge, experience, and contacts, which eventually led to her California Pictures. She worked directly with the President and CEO, Steven Istock, to help build their already growing production pipeline. With the guidance of her mentors, Carol Anne was encouraged to form her own company, Wildfire Pictures and Wildfire Capital.
The first project that Wildfire Pictures helped to fund and produce was the star-studded, Sargasso, written and directed by Adam Sigal, featuring the iconic Academy Award nominated, Tom Berenger, Jeremy Sumpter, Graham McTavish, and Richard Portnow. Now venturing into another step in the film industry as a director
MAXANN CROTTS HARVEY
Producer/casting director
Maxann Crotts-Harvey has been in the Entertainment industry for over 30 years as a Casting Director and Producer.
From Casting actors in Major Motion Films and TV movies, music videos, industrials and commercials, to Judging national talent competitions, Beauty Pageants and Auditioning 100's of actors, singers, dancers, models and others with some type of talent.
Maxann has worked with Bruce Willis, Nick Nolte, Barbara Hershey, Omar Epps, Mel Gibson, Patrick Swayze, Orlando Bloom, and John Wesley Shipp, just to name a few, in movies such as Breakfast of Champions, Main Street, Shake, Rattle and Roll, Carrie 2-The Rage, The Fugitive, Juwanna Mann, The Patriot, Major League 3, Obamaland, Moonshiners, Southern Fried Stings and many more.
After several years of health issues, Maxann is now working on Producing Christian Films and Family Friendly Films.
WOODY SAMPSON
Associate Producer
WOODY SAMPSON is President and CEO of a nonprofit, Flying Angel Entertainment &:Outreach and he is also President of TS&A Entertainment. He is a native of North Carolina and is a member of the Lumbee Tribe. Woody has offices in Wilmington, North Carolina, Pembroke, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia. Before getting involved in the Entertainment, Sampson was a teacher, school principal, college instructor, and school system administrator. Woody is a professional actor with over 50 theater, television, film, commercial, and industrial productions listed in his credits. He is also a talent and event manager, writer, producer, director, acting teacher, and acting coach. God is given credit for everything he does. He is a member of Harpers Ferry Baptist Church in Pembroke, North Carolina and also attends Bridge of Life Community Church in Leland, North Carolina. He is a sought after
evangelist and a motivational speaker. He is becoming a well known fixture in Wilmington, North Carolina and is striving to be a catalyst in bringing the film industry back to North Carolina.
ERIK KREFELD
Associate Producer
Erik Brantly Krefeld was adopted at about 18 months old and searched for years before he was finally able to reunite with his birth family. He and his wife are currently in the process of adopting their son as well. He fell in love with video at The University of Michigan. With a degree in Language Arts and Communications he was always involved in the arts. Erik is an award winning published author and a multi award winning cinematographer and editor. He has worked in all aspects of production and travels internationally with GETTVLIVE and Touchline Video working on event production. While he works behind the camera most days, he is also actively iinvolved in editing, web design, audio engineering and talent management.r’sThis project brings together Erik’s passion for working on set as well as being an advocate for children and families and the creative arts.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Sensasound
Dream Studios
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Stamser music
and production
Bactum Editing
CAST
Declan Wilford
as
HIMSELF
CAST PICS
Screen Writer / AD
PRANA SONGBIRD
An award winning writer, director, actress and entertainer, Prana Songbird has been telling stories through a variety of mediums most of her adult life. She has been on Radio, TV, Film, Theater Production and has toured and competed internationally as a singer. She is an advocate for foster and adopted families and has a son of her own in the adoption process. Prana has worked
with young actors and performers regularly as a director and as an entertainer. As a self made story teller, she is able to help young people that are still searching for their voice. She has recently been asked to speak at the Imaginarium as a guest speaker for the youth program, is working with a local theater to bring a unique stage show to SWFL to honor her New Orleans up bringing. As a native of the Motown City she performs many of the songs from the girl groups and DIVAS from the 20's to the current day. She has a show coming to SWFL in 2020 that will feature her with some other vocalists and dancers performing some of her favorite musical choices throughout the years. Like many other artists, Prana has a strong sense of community. She has worked with legendary vocalists such as the Original Vandellas, Barbra Payton and Thornetta Davis for fundraising events to help women and families. She is a recurring character in a children's book by award winning author Deborah Smith Ford, has a children's online series and is currently working with award winning composer Brian Leedy to record an original song.
DP
ERIK KREFELD
Erik Brantly Krefeld was adopted at about 18 months old and searched for years before he was finally able to reunite with his birth family. He and his wife are currently in the process of adopting their son as well. He fell in love with video at The University of Michigan. With a degree in Language Arts and Communications he was always involved in the arts. Erik is an award winning published author and a
multi award winning cinematographer and editor. He has worked in all aspects of production and travels internationally with GETTVLIVE and Touchline Video working on event production. While he works behind the camera most days, he is also actively iinvolved in editing, web design, audio engineering and talent management.r’sThis project brings together Erik’s passion for working on set as well as being an advocate for children and families and the creative arts.
Line producer and Sag/Afta coordinator
Heather Steht
Heather Steht is a veteran, a wife and a mother. Two of their 3 children serve in the military as well as her husband. Her and her family have a love for God and Country. She comes from an administrative background and has spent time on set in a few support roles with The Dream Weaver Chronicles, the award winning pilot concept and episodic series S.O.L.I.S. and the feature film Love Song and Power. It only made perfect sense for those two worlds to come together as she immersed herself into the production crew roles. She worked on SAG and indie sets as a PA and was a PM in an Award winning Indie film. By 2015 Steht was working regularly with GETTV and AOK Pictures with award winning short film Miss Bonita Springs and worked her way into Event Production with International Sporting Events and became Line Producer and Production Manager for S.O.L.I.S., Love Song and Power, and Fostering Dad. With her talent for organization and communication coupled with her on set knowledge, Heather is a team player that is able to carry a directive to completion and keep the production moving seamlessly.
PRODUCTION MANAGER
JASON MENZ
JASON MENZ has over 100 hours of primetime and cable television production experience. He has worked with NBC, ABC, CBS, The History Channel, Lifetime and A&E with such specials as "The Worlds Greatest Magic I & II", hosted by Robert Urich & John Ritter, respectively. And "Houdini: Unclocking His Secrets", shot on location in Las Vegas. Jason attended Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a theatre arts major, appearing in "The Young and The Restless", and "Unsolved Mysteries" as an actor.
FIRST AC
EDDEL MARTINEZ
EDDEL MARTINEZ is a young filmmaker with a creative eye. He has a strong passion for film. He has worked on hundreds of film projects from music videos to television shows and much more. Eddel is currently attend Film School at Full Sail for a bachelors in Cinematography .
CO-CREATER
CONI KOEPFINGER
Playwright, Librettist, Artist and Educator, CONI KOEPFINGER is a playwright - in - residence at both Manhattan Repertory Theatre and Cosmic Orchid Theatre Company. As the creative director and host of AIRPlay with the On Air Players, Koepfinger brings the voices of artists, actors, playwrights from all over the world together in her weekly virtual theatre radio program. Also via new media, Koepfinger has created DETERMINED WOMEN, a
monthly feature the interviews Today's Theatre Women who share their stories to encourage and inspire.In addition to teaching theatre and composition at Carnegie Mellon and various universities, Koepfinger is an internationally published and produced playwright and librettist. She also is a contributing writer for the Center of Conscious Creativity in LA; a board member of the International Center for Women Playwrights; the Media Arts Advisory Board of Lifeboat Foundation, recently published GET THE MESSAGE in their new Visions of the Future anthology 2016; a Member of The Dramatists Guild, and the League of Professional Theatre Women. Recent work includes three new powerful pieces with her writing partner Joe Izen: including "The Eve of Beltane" -a fresh look at political corruption in the face of ancient Celtic mythology; "Schoolhouse" an ultra modern musical that takes the young Ella, a victim of a school shooting through a journey into an imaginary schoolhouse to find compassion and joy awaiting; and "THY KINGDOM COME" where technology meets it's match in matchmaking with TED, the world's first transhuman who falls in love with boss only to reveal a bigger, brighter picture for all humanity. Connie is also a member of the original concept and writing team
Dr. Dorsett is President of The National Schoolhouse of Theatre arts, educator and artist. Vivian’s theatre experience includes acting, producing, directing, designing, writing and theatre curriculum at community and collegiate levels. She volunteers with several non-profits whose focus is bringing awareness and improvements in child welfare at a state and national level. Dr. Dorsett is also a foster care alumnus living 16 years in foster care in the state of Texas. Vivian is also a member of the original concept and writing team
Co-Creator
Dr. Vivian Dorsett
WRITING TEAM
WRITING TEAM
KRISTIN MERCEDES BENCE
JENNIFER TRESSLER
2nd AD
KRISTIN MERCEDES BENCE
KRISTEN BENCE has been working on sets professionally from New York to Florida. From behind the camera crew positions to on camera acting she has worked her way up from being a PA to helping to coordinate with award winning cinematographers and directors. She is an asset in her delegation, communication and coordination skills and is an asset as a with a marketing, branding and social media background. Kristin is a pet enthusiast and can generally be found at the beach with her dog when she is not on set.
HAIR/
MAKEUP
LEAD
JENNIFER JONES
Originally from Texas, this southern girl made her way to Naples where she married a sweet southern gentleman. Jennifer is the mother to a handsome son and 3 beautiful daughters. She has always had a passion for hair and makeup but attended Florida Gulf Coast University where she received Bachelors Degrees in Forensic Studies and Criminal Justice before her life brought her back to her original dream of becoming a Cosmetologist. She graduated Cosmetology school from Paul Mitchell The School Fort Myers in 2018 and currently works at Kate’s Kuts in Bonita Springs, Fl. Facebook: Bella Beauty by Jenn Instagram: @BellaBeautybyJenn Twitter: Bella Beauty by Jenn
HAIR/
MAKEUP
LEAD
BOBBY SOUZA
BOBBY SOUZA Has a unique rock-a-billy style all his own. When he is not stuck in his own 90s punk rock ‘n’ roll bubble ; he can be found in a tattoo chair or playing with his cat, Boots. Bobby is Paul Mitchell Alumni and specializes in Men’s grooming on all types and textures of hair. In his words “ A classic never goes out of style”, he is proficient in skin fades, pompadours, classic comb overs, lived in texted cuts, and Afros, & everything in between. Bobby is also a licensed cosmetologist, he LOVES
CREW
VOCAL COACH
LOTHAIR EATON
LOTHAIR EATON Has been seen on Law & Order SVU, and Cop Rock. He also has
an extensive theatre resume. A Carnegie Mellon graduate, he’s played Papa The Old
Steam Train in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s STARLIGHT EXPRESS almost 3000
performances in Germany, New Zealand, Las Vegas & The UK, Sister Mary Hubert in
the original Off Broadway company of NUNSENSE A-MEN, Macy Store Manager in
ELF THE MUSICAL for The Ogunquit Playhouse and many others. Commercially he
can currently be seen in National Commercials for BIOTENE as well as the JG
Wentworth Opera Bus. Lothair has also has worked as a private vocal coach over the
last 10 years in Europe as well as here in the States.
