Maine Media College Faculty
Charles Altschul, President, Maine Media Workshops/ College. He received a B.A. and M.F.A. from Yale where he also held a faculty appointment as Senior Lecturer. In 1991, he moved to Camden, Maine to become Director of Education at the newly formed Eastman Kodak Center for Creative Imaging. In 1997, he created the nation’s first BFA program in Multimedia at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
He was Chair of the 1996 American Center for Design conference, Design for the Internet, and has judged international new media competitions for “Communication Arts” magazine and the Art Directors’ Club Annual. He is a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences and has been a judge for the Webby Awards since 2000.
Altschul’s interests stem from contemporary as well as historical perspectives. He has printed and published handcrafted books created through the traditional methods of letterpress and intaglio printing. For the last several years he has been making high resolution 360° panoramas.
Charles is a member of the MFA Steering Committee, MFA Committee, MFA Admissions Screening Committee and is a Professional Certificate Program Curricular faculty member as well as an MFA Advisor.
Wayne Beach has written screenplays for Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, Disney, TNT, Fox 2000 Pictures, and Village Roadshow Pictures. He has developed projects for the makers of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, LAW & ORDER, THE FUGITIVE, OCEAN’S ELEVEN, and THE PERFECT STORM. His filmed writing credits include MURDER AT 1600 (Warner Bros.) starring Wesley Snipes, Diane Lane, Alan Alda and Dennis Miller; and THE ART OF WAR (Warner Bros.) starring Wesley Snipes, Donald Sutherland and Anne Archer.
He recently completed writing TEN GOOD MEN, a new feature film for Wolfgang Petersen’s Radiant Films.
In 2007 he made his directorial debut with SLOW BURN, based on his screenplay. The film received its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released by Lionsgate. SLOW BURN stars Ray Liotta, LL Cool J, Mekhi Phifer, Jolene Blalock, Taye Diggs and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
In addition to his work for the screen, for three years Beach taught screenwriting at Northwestern University. Many of his former students have become successful writers, directors and producers in film and television. He currently teaches screenwriting at Maine Media Workshops and Maine Media College. Wayne is a member of the MFA Committee and adjunct faculty for the Professional Certificate Program.
Charlotte Dixon is a photographer and teacher. She received an M.F.A. in photography from Yale University School of Art where she was awarded the John Ferguson Weir Memorial Prize. She worked as the Assistant Curator of Photographs at the New York Public Library and as a photographer for The Philadelphia Inquirer. She is passionate about teaching photography to students of all ages. Charlotte is currently a doctoral student at Harvard University doing research on teaching art. Charlotte is a member of MFA Committee, MFA Admissions Screening Committee and is an MFA Advisor.
Mimi Edmunds, Director of Film Program at Maine Media College/ Maine Media Workshops, B.A. in the Humanities, University of California, Berkeley; M.A. in Anthropology & International Education, Columbia University; PhD candidate, ABD, University of Connecticut, Storrs; has been a broadcast journalist for the past 22 years, working for CBS's 60 MINUTES for over a decade, and then the documentary divisions of CBS, the DISCOVERY Network and PBS. She has taught at the Workshops every summer since 1986, including workshops in Oaxaca, Mexico and Havana, Cuba. Several of her films have won awards for cinematography and production. She also wrote and produced for PBS' newsmagazine ARIZONA ILLUSTRATED from 1999 until 2002. With an educational background in visual anthropology, she has also taught documentary filmmaking and broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Mimi is a member of the MFA Committee and adjunct faculty for the Professional Certificate Program.
Jason Esposito is the head of Photography Programs at the Maine Media Workshops where he is responsible for program development, implementation, and operations. His background comes from the Motion Picture industry as a Local 52 Shooting Grip out of New York. His passion and love for the arts has driven him to further pursue his career as a photographer. His commercial work can be seen across many yearly catalogs, brochures and annual reports. He is an awarded graduate from the Hallmark Institute of Photography and holds a degree in Electrical Engineering. Jason’s technical background has brought a new angle of teaching to the Professional Certificate Program as well as the outlook of the entire Photography Department.
Ana Foy received her MFA in Film Production from Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts, where she specialized in Cinematography. She earned a BS in Motion Pictures from the University of Miami’s School of Communication, with a double major in Photography. Before pursuing her career in the film industry, she studied and worked in various areas of art, design, and visual media: architecture, interior design, graphic design, advertising and museum communications.
Based in Los Angeles before moving to Maine two years ago, Ana has numerous professional credits on narrative short and feature films; short and long form documentary projects; scripted and reality television series; music videos; commercials; and corporate and industrial videos. She has worked on set as Director of Photography, Camera Operator, Camera Assistant, Chief Lighting Technician, Key Grip and Best Boy Electric. Ana is the Film Technical Manager at Maine Media Workshops and College and teaches in the Professional Certificate Program.
Elizabeth Greenberg, Dean, Maine Media College Director of Education, Maine Media Workshops, earned a B.F.A. in Photography from the Rhode Island School of Design and completed her M.F.A in Visual Arts at Vermont College. Elizabeth began her photographic career in New York City working as Arnold Newman’s studio manager and first assistant. After leaving Arnold Newman’s studio, she went on to assist many other well - known photographers, spending another four years working as a still life and food photographer. She then continued to work as a freelance portrait and editorial photographer in New York City and Pennsylvania. Elizabeth has been teaching at the Maine Media Workshops since 1994. She was the Director of the Photography Programs from 2000-2007. Elizabeth has also taught at the New School for Social research, Lafayette College (Easton, PA) and the Baum School of Art (Allentown, PA). Elizabeth is a member of the MFA Steering Committee, MFA Committee, MFA Admissions Screening Committee and is a Professional Certificate Program Curricular faculty member as well as an MFA Advisor.
Howard Greenberg, Chair, MFA Program, Maine Media College. Received his MFA in painting from Vermont College. He has taught painting, drawing, printmaking and 2-dimensional design at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. Howard has also served as a senior-project juror and thesis evaluator at Muhlenberg College in Allentown and at Lafayette College where he has been artist-in-residence in printmaking. Howard is represented by the Schmidt/Dean Gallery in Philadelphia. Howard is a member of the MFA Steering Committee, MFA Committee, and the MFA Admissions Screening Committee and is an MFA Advisor.
Brenton Hamilton holds his MFA in photography from the Savannah College of Art & Design. He is the Chair of the Professional Certificate Program, Photography at Maine Media College. His teaching specialties include B&W Craft and Historic Processes and the History of Photography at Maine Media College. Brenton is an enthusiastic workshop leader exhibiting special care and interest in the teaching process and for his students. Brenton’s own work is inspired by the 19th century and has become a principle area of research and inspiration both as a historian and a printmaker. Devoted to the cyanotype, Brenton’s embellished images are exhibited nationally and recently published in the recent 2005 COLUMBIA JOURNAL. Current projects include publishing: ‘OBSCURA’ a quarterly magazine devoted to contemporary issues. Brenton is represented by Tilt Gallery in Phoenix, Arizona. Brenton is a member of the Professional Certificate Program Curricular faculty.
Chris Lehmann attended Syracuse University where he received his BS in Television, Radio, and Film Production from the Newhouse School of Communications, with a minor in Music Industry, in 1992.
After moving to San Francisco , he created, performed and was the primary songwriter with two successful bands (Heavy Into Jeff (1992 – 1997) UBL Recordings/Rough Trade UK and Magnified (1998 – 2002) TVT Records. Chris also worked with many San Francisco and Los Angeles based bands as a producer and recording engineer, honing his audio and production skills both in the studio and in live music venues. Songs from both of Chris’ bands, as well as solo and side projects, have been used on nationally syndicated television shows, advertising campaigns, and in major motion picture soundtracks. Most recently, Chris wrote the opening music for a San Francisco based Public Television series that has just been nationally syndicated. He also wrote the theme song for an independently produced TV sitcom that is currently in post-production.
In 2003 Chris decided it was a good time to return to film-production, working as a PA and grip while relearning the basics of cinematography and editing using the new digital tools. Chris worked in production and post production on projects throughout San Francisco and was eventually hired with a major SF Production House, Beyond Pix Productions, where he worked first as a line producer and project manager, and eventually as an audio engineer, camera operator, DP, and occasional assistant editor on both web and broadcast projects for Hewlett-Packard, EBay, Purina, Jawbone, Google, and many other major clients. Chris realized that he had a real knack for and love of editing, and soon put all of his efforts into mastering the craft.
In 2009 Chris relocated to Miami, Florida where he worked as a writer, camera operator, and editor (episodes 1 and 2) on a 13-episode, independently produced TV Sitcom, currently in post production.
Currently Chris is the Post Production Manager for Maine Media Workshops and College where he shares his passion, insight, and technical knowledge concerning the “language of editing” with the Professional Certificate students.
Jan Rosenbaum is a photographer, author and teacher. He holds a BFA in photography/printmaking from Wayne University in Detroit and a Masters of Science in management of technology, Polytechnic University, New York, NY. Jan also has a masters of science in photographic and imaging science from the Rochester Institute of Technology and an MFA in photography from Cranbrook Academy of Art. Jan has taught at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan. Jan is a member of the MFA Committee.
Daniel Stephens is a director of photography for fiction films, commercials and documentaries as well as a technology entrenched life-long geek. He is the co-founder, with Walter Groteke, of NetWolves Technologies (nasdaq: WOLV). He has worked extensively in the amazingly similar fields of internet security and narrative filmmaking. His most recent film is Saint Milly, written and directed by the incomparable Anelisa Garfunkel. He recently orchestrated the lighting for Cig Harvey's amazing photography of the Kate Spade fall 2007 print campaign and continues to light her commercial work, including covers for this years New York Magazine and Domino Magazine. He is currently producing a series of documentaries about the history of the New England lumber industry and this year’s Brita Climate Ride. Daniel is a partner in the (sustainable) film production company Goodfocus. Daniel is adjunct faculty in the Professional Certificate Program.
MFA PROGRAM GUEST FACULTY
Steven Fierberg, ASC recently completed principal photography on Ed Zwick’s Love and Other Drugs, which features Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal in a passionate love affair.
Just prior, he used the (in)famous RED camera to film director Joel Schumacher’s poignant Twelve. The Sundance festival has selected it as the 2010 closing night premiere, and stated: “For every decade, there are moments when youth culture is frozen in "art," to be reveled in by the generation that lived it and observed by those that didn't. That is Twelve.”
Steven created the look and feel of HBO’s hit series Entourage, shooting the first 25 episodes. His latest work for HBO is the pilot for their new series about the lower Manhattan/Brooklyn art and fashion scene, How to Make It in America.
Also in 2009, he shot Alex Cox’s upcoming Repo Chick, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Alex’s previous film, the existential road movie Searchers 2.0, premiered there and at AFI Film Fest, winning accolades (and an ovation) for the cinematography. The Hollywood Reporter singled out “stunning visuals captured to mesmeric effect by cinematographer Steven Fierberg.”
Steve filmed Jude Law, Judi Dench and Steve Buscemi in Rage, Sally Potter’s black comedy on the fashion industry, which premiered in competition at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival.
Steven’s dramatic cinematography has also been seen in Steven Shainberg's provocative Secretary, winning a special jury prize from the Sundance Festival for originality.
His work on the epic mini-series Attila earned him the 2002 ASC (American Society of Cinematographers) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography. He worked with Baz Luhrmann on additional photography for the transcendent Moulin Rouge!
Steven also shoots commercials and music videos, winning the Latin Grammy for Best Music Video of the Year for Robi 'Draco' Rosa's Mas Y Mas.
A native of Detroit, Steve went to Stanford University as a National Merit Scholar before moving to NYC, where he shot independent and 'punk noir' films for directors such as Paul Morrissey, Scott and Beth B, and (additional photography for) Alex Cox.
Eventually relocating to Los Angeles, Steve shot A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 for director Renny Harlin, one of the first films to use the Hong-Kong action style in the U.S. He continued making independents with directors such as Paul Bartel, doing Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills.
Expanding into studio features and television, he worked with director Bryan Singer on the pilot of Football Wives; shot all episodes of Kingpin, the groundbreaking NBC series about the Mexican drug trade; MOW’s & mini-series for most networks, and dramas for Hallmark Hall of Fame.
In the upcoming Days of Wrath, starring Lawrence Fishburne and Wilmer Valderama, Steven captured a tragic vision of the racism behind a brutal Los Angeles gang war.
His music videos include work with Dr. Dre, Fab Five Freddy, Queen Latifah, David Lee Roth, F. Gary Grey, Tim McGraw and Snoop Dogg. He has done Draco's concert DVD and other number one videos Dancing in the Rain and Lie Without a Lover; as well as Addy winning commercials.
He has taught Camera & Visual Storytelling and other workshops for more than a decade at the Maine Media Workshops, as well as classes at NYU and AFI.
Sean Kernan runs a successful studio, and in addition he teaches, writes, and lectures on creativity and photography, at such places as the Maine Media Workshops, the New School/Parsons, ICP, Santa Fe Workshops, Omega Institute, and Art Center (Pasadena). His unusual approach to teaching, developed over 25 years, uses a series of experiential exercises takes photographers back their creative beginnings. He has been honored for this work, and has lectured widely and written about it in a series of articles in Communication Arts. Most recently he taught workshops to faculty at MMW and Art Center, Pasadena. Sean has published two monographs, The Secret Books (with Jorge Luis Borges) and Among Trees. His work has been exhibited in the US, France, Mexico, Greece, Korea and Italy, and published in numerous periodicals such as Communication Arts, Graphis, the New York Times Magazine and View Camera. Please visit Sean's work at http://www.seankernan.com and http://www.facesudan.com/
Jane Pirone has a diverse background in art, technology, and the design and creation of digital media. Her expertise in Information and Interface Design has led to the creation of many innovative and high-quality projects for companies such as J.P. Morgan, MSKCC, Citibank, GE Capital, Pfizer, IBM, and Nickelodeon. As the founder and creative director of the award-winning design firm Happy Mazza Media LLC, Jane oversees Happy Mazza's original brands Not For Tourists (www.notfortourists.com) and drummergirl.com. Jane received a BFA from the University of Michigan, an MS in Management from Polytechnic University, and is currently pursuing an MA in Media Studies from the New School University. Jane currently teaches digital design and theory at Parsons, Pratt and Ramapo College.
MFA PROGRAM MENTORS
Recent MFA Mentors include: Paul Adams, Charles Altschul, Wayne Beach, Tim Broekema, Tillman Crane, Mimi Edmunds, John Goodman, Howard Greenberg, Brenton Hamilton, Ziad Hamzeh, Cig Harvey, Christopher James, Jim Levi, Arno Minkkinen, Alan Myerson, Peter Nichols, Raul Ramos, Janet Roach, Jan Rosenbaum, Jonathan Schwartz, Jeff Daniel Silva, Doug Stradley, and Jo Ann Walters.