James Kenney Filmmaker: Polack / Associate Prof., CCA

Vice President, Cannes Creative Director, and Mentor

James Kenney is a filmmaker and motion graphics expert. He is the Creative Director of InterStitch Films, which produces films and designs titles and animated graphics for dramatic and documentary projects.  His work includes three internationally-screened short films and a current feature-length documentary, Polack, a film about Polish jokes. Jim completed the Practical Film Laboratory at Pixar Animation Studios. Film projects to which Jim has contributed have been honored by prominent international film festivals and organizations, including The Sundance Film Festival and The Academy of Motion Pictures. Jim has taught at the California College of the Arts since 1998, where he is an Associate Professor. He is the Founder and Director of SF Shorts: The San Francisco International Festival of Short Films.

Tim McCubrey  Managing Director, SF Shorts / Attorney

Treasurer, Cannes Managing Director, and Mentor

Tim McCubrey is an attorney licensed to practice in California. In addition to his legal background, Tim holds a Masters of Science in television, radio, and film from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a BFA in theater arts management. Tim is the Managing Director of the San Francisco International Festival of Short Films (SF Shorts) and is the Treasurer of Real Ideas Studio.

Mark Sloss   Filmmaker: UK, France, and Asia

Managing Coordinator, Alumnus, and Mentor

Mark Sloss is from Glasgow, Scotland, he got involved in film making while living in Hong Kong where he made corporate and documentary films in and around South East Asia. One of his films Brotherhood of the Dog was shown at the SFC Cannes film festival in 2008. He wrote and directed Vanille his first short fiction, shot in Paris, which was shown at the SFC Cannes 2009 and played in the French Film Festival UK. During the Real Ideas Studio program Cannes 2008, he won ‘Emerging Director’ for the film My Universe. He has a Masters in film making from the University of Wales Int’l Film School (SKILLSET UK). He has an extensive range of experience including script writing and development as well as production management. He was on the ground manager for the Real Ideas program in Cannes 2009 and 2010. Mark has been living in to Paris, France since October 2008 and is currently writing a feature film set in Taiwan.

Maxim Jago   Filmmaker / Certified Trainer: UK

Networking Coordinator and Mentor

Maxim is an award winning writer, author, BAFTA-shortlisted director and experienced editor, with over 50 productions under his belt. He directed, shot and edited a feature length documentary film and is now developing a feature length fiction production about a hired gun who falls in love and has to become a better man. As a specialist in media technology, Maxim is an Adobe, Avid and Grass Valley certified trainer, working directly for those companies as a trainer and very often a 'trainer trainer'. He has been published in magazines and quoted in books describing media production and post-production. Maxim is a major contributor to a significant training programme at the BBC, on behalf of Adobe. He has worked with a very broad range of technology and creative organizations, including Panasonic, JVC, Skillset, the Director's Guild of Great Britain, multiple BBC regions, Sky, multiple universities, ERTU in Egypt, ABC in Australia, Soho Editors, Sumners, Films @ 59, Rolls Royce and Fighting Films. More information about Maxim, including interviews with him about his work, can be found at www.123training.co.uk and www.maximjago.com .

Erik Adolphson Writer / Actor of Showtime’s Next Stop for Charlie

Founding Board Member, Alumnus, and Mentor

Erik Adolphson is a writer, producer, DP and star of Showtime’s current series, Next Stop for Charlie. He is a professional writer and film editor, living and working in Los Angeles. Erik is a graduate from University of South Carolina where he studied Media Arts and Film Studies, and of Full Sail in Florida with a degree in Film Studies as a post production specialist. Erik participated in the 2006 Real ideas Studio at the Cannes Film Festival, where he won “Emerging Director” and “Best in Show Documentary” awards. Because of his work with the “Independent Lens “on PBS, Erik was selected as a US delegate to attend INPUT in Taiwan. He was awarded substantial state and federal grants to shoot CIVIL in Upstate South Carolina, a film he wrote and edited. You can find more at Erik's website.

Sebastien de Castell  Dir. Film Prod., Vancouver Film School

Board Member and Mentor

As Director of Strategic Program Development for Film Production, Sebastien is responsible for enhancing the overall educational vision at Vancouver Film School. Sebastien de Castell is an interactive designer and project manager. Sebastien has worked in many facets of the entertainment industry from acting to choreographing swordfights to designing interactive tools for social networks to performing as a professional musician. His clients have included government, corporations, and non-profits including Finning Canada and Zeros 2 Heroes Media.

Claire Erwin  Sr. Community Mgr., Adobe WW Education

President and Founder

Claire Erwin is the original founder of Real Ideas Studio. In 2006, Claire created the Adobe Reel Ideas Studio competition and program to occur during 2006 Cannes Film Festival. She worked with leading film institutions to build a faculty and professional mentor teams that would provide the best possible experience to the participating students. In 2008, the program became a non- profit organization managed by a board of directors made up of the same faculty and professional mentors who established the program vision. Through Real Ideas Studio, the impact is a global collaborative of some of the best talent to come in the visual arts industry. Claire continues to carry a community role for Adobe as she managed the world wide education communities working closely with faculty and institutions from around the world. Another well know program that Claire has managed is the Adobe Design Achievement Awards for Adobe since it's inception in 2001 and has continued to provide opportunities for the students recognized by the program with industry.

Eric Finkelman  Assistant to the Head of TV Literature, CAA

Founding Board Member and Mentor

Eric Finkelman works in the Television Literary Department at the

Creative Artist Agency, a prominent entertainment and sports agency

headquartered in Los Angeles. His background in visual effects and

production brings the eye and experience of a filmmaker to RIS

programs. His recent productions include a feature film with the late

Dennis Hopper as well as Jacqueline Bisset and Chris Kattan. Eric is

an Adobe Design Achievement Award-winner and also previously worked with the design and animation house Psyop. He has been honored by publications and festivals around the world, including Computer Graphics World, STEP Inside Design, Digital Arts Festival in Japan and the LA MinDV Film Festival. To learn more about Eric, visit www.originalcitypictures.com.

Leona Guidace  Director, Bakkus Communication

Secretary and Founding Board Member

As Secretary on the board of Real Ideas Studio, Leona coordinates communications, building relationships with alumni and partnering educators. Leona has taught Illustration at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, and has served on their Speakers Bureau. At Robert Guidace Design and Consulting, Leona provides consulting services for Adobe Systems, Inc. While consulting for Adobe on educational programs, Leona also has had the unique pleasure of interfacing with educational professionals at premier art and design institutions and universities worldwide. Leona holds a BFA from Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design.  

Bun Lee  Creative Director, Motion Soup Studio / Educator

Founding Board Member and Mentor

Bun Lee is a Creative Director of Motion Soup, a collective of filmmakers, designers, and musicians in Vancouver, Canada. He is an expert in motion graphics and editing. Bun's career in digital design began in the smouldering underground music scene of his native Hong Kong where he became an award winning mix master in the coveted Mixing Championship through the infamous DMC (Disco Mix Club). Bun has taught at the Vancouver Film School's Digital Design Program in visual effects and compositing, and continues to work with students as a mentor on matters of cinematography, lighting, editing and sound engineering.

Steve Thompson  Film & Telivision Producer

Board Member and Mentor

Steve Thompson is an award-winning film & television producer. Steve has produced media for ABC's Good Morning America, and CBS's The Early Show. Other producing credits include ABC's World News Tonight, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, The Travel Channel, NBA Sports, CBS’s The Amazing Race and many commercials and award-winning short films. Steve developed and produced Bob Hope Goes To College for NBC, as well as several productions for the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics. He worked at New Line Cinema as Associate Producer and has produced two independent feature films. He is principal of ONTOUR Pictures, a media production company. Mr. Thompson served on the Advisory Board of the Sundance Institute, and is an elected member of the Logan Utah City Council. In 2004, Steve ran for Congress in Utah’s 1st District. It was a bad year for democrats! ontourpictures@yahoo.com.