About
Us
The Big
Picture Alliance educates disadvantaged and underserved
youth in developing self-expression, life and job skills
through the inspiring and collaborative process of creating
media arts.
Partnering with schools, community centers and arts
organizations, the BPA programs support students in
accessing advanced technologies, including digital media,
computer arts and the Internet. Through hands-on training,
the BPA uses young people's interest in media making to
develop language and communication skills, critical
thinking, teamwork and self-esteem.
Under the guidance of the BPA's diverse staff and network
of professional media makers, students are empowered to
create projects that speak of their lives, dreams and
communities. Through community and film festival screenings
of the students' films, the BPA reaches successive groups
of students who hear and respond to the voices of their
peers.
Staff
Teri Yago Ryan
Executive Director
Teri Yago Ryan, former film and television production, distribution and interactive media executive brings her industry expertise coupled with her more recent leadership roles in arts, culture and education non-profits to the Big Picture Alliance.
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Jared Martin
Co-founder & Creative Director
Jared Martin appeared in more than 25 films, 40 stage productions and 210 television shows. He was a series lead in 'Dallas', 'How the West Was Won', 'War of the Worlds', and 'Fantastic Journey'. He also starred in the Tony award winning play 'Torch Song Trilogy' on Broadway. Jared directed the documentary 'In Deeper, Heroes of the Streets', and 30 other BPA films this far, including seven that have won awards. A graduate of Columbia University, Jared is also a writer and fine arts photographer. He is responsible for curriculum creation, managing all student films through post production, and for overseeing the consulting technical staff.
Dwight Wilkins
Senior Teacher
Dwight has been with BPA for seven years. He is a recognized filmmaker, theatre director, and playwright. He has a double M.F.A. from Ohio University in filmmaking and theatre. Dwight is an established instructor, teaching screenwriting, film and stage acting, and playwriting for various arts organizations. He also works as teaching artist for Philadelphia's Young Playwrights. He has written several feature-length screenplays and also directed several plays in and around the Philadelphia area, including August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson" and John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath".
Maris Curran
Teaching Artist
Filmmaker and BPA teacher Maris Curran was raised in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties. Maris received her BA from Smith College, an MFA in filmmaking from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and spent 2006-7 on Fulbright Scholarship to write a feature-length screenplay in Mexico City. As a teacher, Maris is dedicated to teaching high schoolers media literacy -- not only how to make media, but how to consume it critically. She has a strong background in storytelling and pushes her students to tell the best stories they can.
Mike Taylor
Music Director
A graduate of Overbrook High School, Mike formed his own successful Hip Hop group, The Subliminal Orphans. He produced, wrote and is the lead performer on the groups recent CD release, "Soul. Remote. Control.". Mike has written over ten musical scores for the BPA.
Senior Teacher and Editor
Christian Fusco is a writer, filmmaker and teacher from the Philadelphia area. He has been working with the Big Picture Alliance for almost four years and in that time has made twenty short films, public service announcements and music videos that have been featured in festivals around the country including listenup.org's VIP Very Important Producer film competition and the Los Angeles film festival. He is also a public school teacher with the Philadelphia public school system. He teaches second grade deaf children at John Hancock Demonstration school.
Steven Smith
Senior Teacher and Editor
A graduate of Drexel University with a major in Digital Media and a minor in film and video. Steve is currently working on a documentary about children who suffered the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.
Paul Michael Weisser
Cinematographer and Editor
Graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, award winning cinematographer and editor. Mike is also a fine art photographer and entrepreneur.
Gabriel Berrios
Teacher
Filmmaker and educator from Chile. A graduate of the Universidad de Concepción, Concepción. Chile' and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), México.
Walker Zavareei
Program Coordinator and Editor
A graduate of the University of Chicago with a degree in Cinema and Media Studies. Walker maintains the BPA's online presence, creates print materials and manages the film archives. He recently finished a year long internship at Playboy Enterprises in Chicago, IL.
Emeritus Staff:
- Geoff Richman: Sundance award-winning film editor of Murderball, Michael Moore's Sicko
- Fred Thomas: Hollywood screenwriter, famous for the Wassap Budweiser commercial
- Jeremiah Zagar: Writer, Director; multiple award winner of "In A Dream", premiering on HBO in 2009
- Chris Ambolino: World traveling Director of Photography and owner of Still Dreaming Productions
- Amanda Whittenberger: Filmmaker and editor, established BPA's Production Manager position
- Bridget Jones: Yale drama school graduate and accomplished actress
- Thomas Fowler: an original BPA teacher, accomplished Hollywood comedian
- Jason Hayes: longtime BPA teacher and filmmaker, a finalist in the Project Greenlight competition
Board
Steve Rosard, Esq., President
Jeffrey Seder, Co-founder & Vice President
Patrice Miller, Vice President
Nina Seder-Burnaford, Esq., Treasurer
Kathryn A. Donohue, Esq., Secretary
Lee Dennis
Jon Gorchow
Thomas McGlaughlin
Noel Miles
Sharon Pinkenson
Dr. Maurie Pressman
Reggie Pollitt
Ann Reilly, Ph.D.
Wayne Spilove
Rob Stoller
Hart Stotter
Chris Wolfington
John Alviti
Floss Barber
David Bernstein
Diane Dalto
Flavia Colgan
Patricia Kind
Stuart Lipson
Arthur Fennell
Michael Pearson
James Moran, Jr.
Cynthia Nelson
Ms. Jane Saul
Mr. Harry Smith
Yu Wei
Rick Weiss
Kathy Wickline
Honorary Board
Governor Edward G. Rendell
Ms. Suzanne Roberts, Actress, Philanthropist
Ms. Diahann Carroll, Renowned Actress
Ms. Morgan Fairchild, Renowned Actress