ScreenHeatMiami

Alicia K. Harris

Alicia K. Harris is an award-winning filmmaker from Toronto, Canada. Her latest short film PICK won Best Live Action Short at the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards, making her the first Black woman to win. Her films have been broadcast on CBC, TVO, Bell Fibe TV, and at numerous festivals, including Vancouver International Film Festival, Atlantic Film Festival and Miami Film Festival, where PICK was awarded Best Short Film. Alicia directs television, music videos and films; recent credits include the “Pressure” music video for Grammy award-winner Koffee, and a Black hair documentary for LUSH. Alicia is dedicated to sharing the perspective and experiences of Black women and girls, and is passionate about telling stories that will have a lasting impact on youth.

Alicia K. Harris work

Naturally / 7min / 2020 / short documentary

Three people discuss the tribulations and triumphs of the natural hair journeys, in this documentary that showcases the power and magic of Black hair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS5F5i3oS3M

Koffee - Pressure / 3min30 / 2020 / music video

Celebrating the resilience of Black people in the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. Music video for Grammy award winning artist, Koffee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDq9QC206eU

Savannah Re / 3min / 2020 / music video

Lovers trapped in an emotion purgatory reflect on their past relationships.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_J-0C-w134

Screen Heat Miami

Paul Tei

Paul Tei was born and raised in Hollywood, Florida. As an actor he's been in some of the most indelible television shows such as Bloodline on Netflix and Burn Notice-one of cables biggest hits.

After Paul received his MFA in directing at The Theatre School at De Paul University,he moved back to Miami where he founded the Mad Cat Theatre Company. Paul has remained the Artistic Director since it's humble origins in the fall of 2000. Paul has directed all but two of the company's productions and has written or co-written almost half of the company's plays over it's history. In addition to Mad Cat, Paul has directed over 70 productions from Miami to San Francisco, LA to New York as well as the re-mounting of Kristina Wong's Going Green the Wong Way at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which had it's world premiere in Miami with Mad Cat Theatre Company. His BA in Theatre from Barry University helped round out his talents in the theatre by allowing him to pursue puppetry, sound, light, costume and set design. He currently resides in LA.

Screen Heat Miami

Screen Heat Miami (SHM) is hosted by veteran Miami based producers Kevin Sharpley and JL Martinez and each week covers the latest trends in the film, tv, and entertainment industry, including interviews with global and local industry leaders, all told from a "Miami" point of view.

In this special edition podcast recorded during a special charity event this past December which gifted 1000 local needy families with a large Holiday food basket known locally as The Jabas we rebroadcast an interview with newly elected Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, the first woman Mayor elected in Miami Dade County history.

The Jabas has been presented by Camacol one of Screen Heat Miami's main sponsors, for well over 35 years and is considered one of the biggest Holiday food drives in the State of Florida. During this event, Screen Heat Miami volunteered to power and host Jabas Radio, a local radio station broadcasting live from Marlins Park, the host of this year's Jabas, which was a drive-thru only event in order to safely provide for needy families during the Covid-19 Pandemic. In addition, we interview CAMACOL President Joe Chi as well as Executive Director and MMFM co-founder and Chief Exec Patty Arias about her time on the hit PBS show Que Pasa USA? Plus we get an update from local TV and screenwriting guru Joe Garcia.

All this plus all the latest Industry, Golden Globes and streaming buzz that has been heating up screens worldwide!

For this special edition of Screen Heat Miami Producer Shona Tuckman and Director Yaniv Raz speak about their new film Dr. Birds Advice For Sad Poets.

Shona Tuckman

As founder of Kreate Films, Shona Tuckman wrote and produced their first feature, FINDING JOY, a romantic comedy-drama, which was released in theaters in 2013. She then produced the drama FAT, a touching, gut-wrenching story of a man battling food addictions. The film premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and is now in wide release on digital platforms. Her third film, WAR STORY (Catherine Keener, Ben Kingsley), a drama shot entirely in Sicily, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014, and was released by IFC Films. Shona just completed post production on DR BIRD’S ADVICE FOR SAD POETS, an adaptation of the critically acclaimed YA novel, starring Lucas Jade Zumann (20th Century Women), Taylor Russell (Escape Room, Lost in Space), Lisa Edelstein (Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce, The Kominsky Method), Jason Isaacs (The OA, Harry Potter) and Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton). On the slate for later this year are action-thriller, GRAVE, and MAGGIE, a thriller, which Shona wrote and will direct, with an A-list star attached to play the lead.

Yaniv Raz

YANIV RAZ grew up in Boca Raton, Florida. He attended NYU (Tisch School Of the Arts) and graduated from VASSAR College. He also studied psychology at YALE and worked for the METROPOLITAN OPERA as an assistant director.

Raz adapted and directed the feature film, DR. BIRD’S ADVICE FOR SAD POETS for KREATE FILMS, KETCHUP and RELATIVITY MEDIA. It is being released exclusively on AMAZON on Dec. 8th, 2020.

Yaniv is currently in development at STARZ on his original series, THE ART OF DYING and in pre-production to direct the feature film THE GREAT EMU WAR produced by VILLAGE ROADSHOW PICTURES.

Previously, he has written screenplays or developed TV shows for: UNIVERSAL, SONY, FOX, WARNER BOTHERS, The CW and NETFLIX. He has worked as a writer for CIRQUE DU SOLEIL, JERRY BRUCKHEIMER, and Gale Anne Hurd's VALHALLA ENTERTAINMENT.

Yaniv wrote, directed, and produced the short film THINGS FALL APART which was nominated for the “City Of Venice Award” at the VENICE FILM FESTIVAL and was named “Favorite Short Film” by critics for THE LONDON TIMES and THE GUARDIAN newspapers at the LONDON FILM FESTIVAL.

He has worked as a writer/director for the political advocacy group MOVEON.ORG, during which time he directed commercials starring: Olivia Wilde, Heather Graham, Justin Long and Lisa Edelstein. Yaniv has directed various other commercials as well.

When he was younger and more flexible, Raz danced and sang in a series of national GAP ads.

Screen Heat Miami

Screen Heat Miami (SHM) is hosted by veteran Miami based producers Kevin Sharpley and JL Martinez and each week covers the latest trends in the film, tv, and entertainment industry, including interviews with global and local industry leaders, all told from a "Miami" point of view.

In this special 2 on 2 edition of the Screen Heat Miami podcast, we interview Critical Thinking co-star and rising talent Jeffry Batista along with the film's Producer Carla Berkowitz on releasing this hot indie film starring and directed by John Leguizamo during the Covid-19 pandemic. As always, our co-hosts Kevin Sharpley and JL Martinez provide all the latest screen industry buzz and newsworthy moments of the week.

Lucius Baston

Lucius Baston Junior, the youngest of three boys, was born in South Richmond Hill Queens, NY to a father who was Army veteran turned transportation (train) conductor and a mother who was a nurse and home maker. Lucius played high school basketball, and was an 11-year-old disk jockey (DJ) in the early days of Hip-Hop music. Following grade school, Lucius enlisted to the United States Air Force, where he was active duty for 11 years. Shortly after separating from the Air Force, working in the computer chip industry, and becoming an on air personality, Lucius's love for music and passion for show business would lead him to pursue a career in acting.

Lucius has since aggressively built an impressive body of work with roles in Emmy & Golden Globe Award winning shows like Atlanta (2016), Roots (2016), and Homeland (2011) as well as appearances in Netflix's Stranger Things (2016), OWN's Queen Sugar (2016) & Love Is_ (2018), HBO's Treme (2010) and Tyler Perry's House of Payne (2006). Also, supporting roles in films such as The Best of Enemies (2019), The Front Runner (2018), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), and Ride Along (2014), just to name a few. Now developing projects of his own, Lucius is focused on producing content for multimedia platforms with Seeing being his first feature length film.

Lucius is an extraordinarily versatile actor and producer. He now lives in Atlanta, GA.

Screen Heat Miami

Screen Heat Miami (SHM) is hosted by veteran Miami based producers Kevin Sharpley and JL Martinez and each week covers the latest trends in the film, tv, and entertainment industry, including interviews with global and local industry leaders, all told from a "Miami" point of view.

Seth Schachner

Seth Schachner is Managing Director of Strat Americas, a Los Angeles-based consultancy that provides strategic guidance and helps clients with media and technology partnerships. Strat Americas has worked with clients in digital & social music, beauty subscriptions, AI and enterprise software. Recent clients include Microsoft, IPSY, live streamer Dream Stage, and social music community Smule.

Seth is an experienced business development executive who spent eleven years with Sony Music, where he held senior digital leadership roles in Latin America and for Sony’s Jive Records label in North America. At Sony Music, Seth created multi-million selling mobile handset partnerships for the artists Shakira and Ricky Martin.

Previously, Schachner held business development roles with Microsoft, Liberty Media, Viacom, and Universal Music. Seth was AOL’s first music business development executive.

Seth earned Bachelor and MBA degrees from Columbia University in New York. Seth served as Chairman of Florida's Film & Entertainment Advisory Council, which helped guide the state on film and entertainment growth strategies.

Seth’s Articles have appeared in Venture Beat and The Guardian, recent television appearances include NBC, CNN, Fox Business, Cheddar TV, and CGTN America. He is a member of PEN America’s Los Angeles board.

Screen Heat Miami

Screen Heat Miami (SHM) is hosted by veteran Miami based producers Kevin Sharpley and JL Martinez and each week covers the latest trends in the film, tv, and entertainment industry, including interviews with global and local industry leaders, all told from a "Miami" point of view.

William Garcia

William Garcia, a Multi-Suncoast EMMY® award-winning producer is based in Los Angeles, California. Having a passion for television and film, he has been involved in filming and producing television and feature films for over 25 years. As a producer and director of photography, he started his career at ABC-TV in Miami, FL in 1983. Traveling the world, he documented programming on historical events and news stories across the Globe.

In the 1990’s he was selected to represent WTSP-TV in a Soviet/American journalist exchange program with USSR Gosteleradio from the former Soviet Union during perestroika. His work in the former Soviet Union earned him a Sungoast Emmy for best documentary and an award from The Radio and Television News Director Association. He also covered the Space Shuttle missions from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration facility in Cocoa Beach, FL and was instrumental for the weekly sports television show ”Sports Jam Live” and “The Don Shula Show” covering the NFL and MLB for the South Florida television market. William, filmed some of the most newsworthy, political, sporting and historical events of the late 20th Century for which he won over a dozen awards and nominations.

After 15 years in live television, news, and sports programming, William transitioned into General Manager for Moving Pictures in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. a leading provider of rental and production services. The company provided services to independent producers, television broadcasters, commercials and music video productions in the domestic and international markets.

In 2004 William produced and directed the Grammy Nominated song Antes from Obie Bermudez, the music video he produced and directed reached number one on the MTV Latin America, Top 20 Music Video Countdown. A popular award-winning music video and commercial producer/director, he has produced and filmed some of the biggest names in music including: musical legend Paul McCartney, Lenny Kravitz, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Michael Jackson, Juanes, Shakira, and Christina Aguilera just to name a few artists.

Since 2005, William’s feature film and television credits include the award-winning film ”Red Bird,” the critically acclaimed ”Loren Cass” nominated for; The Gotham Independent Film Award, Locarno Leopard Filmmakers of the Present, and Cinevegas Grand Jury Prize. William followed the success of Loren Cass with The Palm Beach International Film Festival Audience Award winner ”The Shift” starring Danny Glover. His Spanish films include ”Amor Y Frijoles,” ”Mi Verano Con Amanda 3”, and the smash hit ”Quien Paga La Cuenta?” one of the top-grossing films of all times in Honduras. In 2017 William completed the feature film ”American Dreams” starring Brad Dourif and Mekhi Phifer, the web series ”H8ters” for studio Astronauts Wanted/Sony Entertainment and Television shows “Selling Jets,” “Mega Mansions,” “Selling Yachts” and “Private Island” for the AWE Network.

In television and digital media William has worked for the following broadcasters; MTV, TLC India, AWE, VH-1, Animal Planet, HBO, and many others. Currently, William is a member of the Producers Guild of America and the Executive VP of Development and Production for Rebel Way Entertainment, a Feature Film Production company based in West Hollywood, CA

Screen Heat Miami

Screen Heat Miami (SHM) is hosted by veteran Miami based producers Kevin Sharpley and JL Martinez and each week covers the latest trends in the film, tv, and entertainment industry, including interviews with global and local industry leaders, all told from a "Miami" point of view.

Part two of two

Kyle Patrick Alvarez

Kyle Patrick Alvarez most recently directed and executive produced every episodes of Season 2 of the Amazon series HOMECOMING, starring Janelle Monae, Chris Cooper, Hong Chau, Stephan James and Joan Cusack. Prior to HOMECOMING, he worked on two Netflix series, directing and producing episodes in the first and second season of the hit show 13 REASONS WHY, and directing the finale of the revival of the seminal LGBTQ show TALES OF THE CITY, starring Laura Linney and Ellen Page.

Kyle’s film work includes two features that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT starring Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Thomas Mann, and Tye Sheridan, premiered at the 2015 festival where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. C.O.G., starring Jonathan Groff, and the first and only film to be made from the work of noted humorist and author David Sedaris, premiered at Sundance in 2013.

Kyle, the openly gay son of Cuban immigrants, grew up in Sacramento and went to school at the University of Miami. After college Kyle wrote and directed his first feature film in 2010, EASIER WITH PRACTICE, which won him the prestigious “Someone to Watch Award” at the Independent Spirit Awards. His other TV work includes the recent spy series, COUNTERPART, starring J.K. Simmons.

Kyle lives in Los Angeles.

Screen Heat Miami

Screen Heat Miami (SHM) is hosted by veteran Miami based producers Kevin Sharpley and JL Martinez and each week covers the latest trends in the film, tv, and entertainment industry, including interviews with global and local industry leaders, all told from a "Miami" point of view.

Part one of two

Kyle Patrick Alvarez

Kyle Patrick Alvarez most recently directed and executive produced every episodes of Season 2 of the Amazon series HOMECOMING, starring Janelle Monae, Chris Cooper, Hong Chau, Stephan James and Joan Cusack. Prior to HOMECOMING, he worked on two Netflix series, directing and producing episodes in the first and second season of the hit show 13 REASONS WHY, and directing the finale of the revival of the seminal LGBTQ show TALES OF THE CITY, starring Laura Linney and Ellen Page.

Kyle’s film work includes two features that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT starring Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Thomas Mann, and Tye Sheridan, premiered at the 2015 festival where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. C.O.G., starring Jonathan Groff, and the first and only film to be made from the work of noted humorist and author David Sedaris, premiered at Sundance in 2013.

Kyle, the openly gay son of Cuban immigrants, grew up in Sacramento and went to school at the University of Miami. After college Kyle wrote and directed his first feature film in 2010, EASIER WITH PRACTICE, which won him the prestigious “Someone to Watch Award” at the Independent Spirit Awards. His other TV work includes the recent spy series, COUNTERPART, starring J.K. Simmons.

Kyle lives in Los Angeles.

Screen Heat Miami

Screen Heat Miami (SHM) is hosted by veteran Miami based producers Kevin Sharpley and JL Martinez and each week covers the latest trends in the film, tv, and entertainment industry, including interviews with global and local industry leaders, all told from a "Miami" point of view.