The Filmmakers
Brian S. Kalata
Writer, Director, Producer
Brian began work on Pencils Down! over seven years ago - on the very first day of the Writers Guild Strike. He grabbed a camera and headed out to Paramount Studios and started filming. It took several years to bring it all together and he is proud to present to you this documentary as his Feature Directing debut.
Brian, along with writing partner Rick Shaughnessy became members of the Writers Guild of America while writing the feature film, Dinner Rush, which was directed by Bob Giraldi and stars: Danny Aiello, John Corbett, Edoaurdo Ballerini, Kirk Acevedo, Ajay Naidu, Summer Phoenix, Vivian Wu, Alex Corrado and Mike McGlone.
Dinner Rush, premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and was widely praised by critics amd was listed on Richard Roeper's list of The Top 100 Movies of the Decade (2000-2010), and is selected in Leonard Maltin's book, Leonard Maltin's 151 Best Movies You've Never Seen.
A graduate of Columbia College in Chicago, Brian worked for a time with writing partner, Rick Shaughnessy, at First Generation Film/Video, before returning to school to earn his Juris Doctorate at Chicago-Kent Law School. He had a private Practice in Chicago, where he continues to maintain his law license.
Brian has worked as part of the creative team on numerous film and television projects, including: Oceans 11 and Oceans 12, The Road To Perdition, Californication, The Middle, The United States of Tara, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Stranger then Fiction, The Longest Yard, Monster-inLaw, and National Treasure, to name a few.
In the fall of 2013, Brian founded Lucky Coffee Productions with David Klink and Marilyn Rall.
Mathias Fain
Director of Photography
Stephen Andrzejewski
Producer
Stephen has worked in various capacities on dozens of Studio Feature Films and Network Television Series in a career spanning over three decades.
An alum of the Columbia College film program in Chicago and a member of the Directors Guild of America, Andrzejewski got his break in film production as an in house production assistant for famed commercial director, Joe Sedelmaier.
His career resume includes serving as a location manager on over 20 studio feature films including; Backdraft, Soul Food, The Road to Perdition, The Ice Harvest and Stranger Than Fiction.
His producing credits include the independent feature, Under the Bus, French Television's Dune ARTE, Division Street U.S.A.: While following Robert Guinan Documentary and working under producer Jon Kilik as Chicago Unit Line Producer on Spike Lee’s, He Got Game.
He was also the Visual Effects Coordinator on Christopher Nolan’s, Batman Begins.
Stephen has been a friend, creative partner and collaborator of Director/Writer Brian S. Kalata for over a decade.
Nathaniel Nose
Editor
Nathaniel is an alum of Michigan State University, which he attended on a scholarship for Film and Theatre.
Nose has edited and directed several films including the feature Unruly Nights, The Box (which was an official selection of the East Lansing Film Festival) and he is currently in post production as Writer/Editor/Director on the short film, Talent.
Nathaniel was introduced to Director Brian S. Kalata and began editing Pencils Down! in the spring of 2014.
Originally hailing from both New York and Paris, Mathias has long immersed himself in the creative world of Film and television
In 2000, he joined the Art Directors Guild of America and worked in various capacities with such notable directors as Cameron Crowe and Mike Nichols. Despite his success as an art director, he yearned to travel behind a camera to tell his own stories again.
Mathias received a Masters Degree in Producing at the American Film Institute’s Conservatory Program. His first short film as producer, Peter Rabbit & The Crucifix received honorable mention at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. and he wrote and produced the short film Off Track Betting, which received the Grand Jury Awards at both Miami and Houston International Film Festivals In 2010, he directed a TV pilot, starring Tommy Davison for Murphy Boyz Entertainment Group,
His company Tyche Films, has serviced video content to a wide array of clients ranging from FOX (We Bought A Zoo) and other major studios. Most recently, Mathias completed work as director of photography on Pencils Down.
Seung Wan "Sunny" Choi
Associate Producer
Seung Wan is a native of Los Angeles and an alum of UCLA, where she graduated with a degree of Bachelor Arts in Anthropology and a minor in Political Science.
Seung Wan began her career as intern at Winston Baker, a major producer of global finance and growth conferences for the financial, legal and entertainment industry. Her responsibilities included planning forums, attending network events, producing and managing databases of potential investors and personally assisting co-founder Katherine Winston.
Seung Wan joined Pencils Down! producing company, Lucky Coffee Productions in the fall of 2013 as an office production coordinator. Besides managing the day to day production office operations on Pencils Down!, Choi was integral in coordinating all interviews, handling contracts and overseeing the research and licensing of all stock footage and photographs.
Dave Klink
Executive Producer
Dave serves as Lucky Coffee Productions, Chief Executive Officer.
Dave started his career in new accounts and business development for Norfield Industries based in Chico, California.
While at Norfield, Dave was recruited by Fortune 500 company Georgia Pacific to become the Sales and Service Coordinator for its Chicago Triad facility. Dave quickly rose up the ranks at the Triad eventually being handed responsibility for overseeing all logistics for the Triad’s Millwork operations.
Dave is a lifelong friend of Director/Writer Brian S. Kalata and Pencils Down! was the foundation for the creation of Lucky Coffee Productions in the fall of 2013.
Michael Paolillo
Consulting Producer
Dr. Marilyn Rall
Executive Producer
Honored as Professor Emerita (Brooklyn College), Dr. Rall serves as Creative Advisor/Executive Director for Lucky Coffee in addition to being a co-founder.
Dr. Rall completed her undergraduate studies at the prestigious Oberlin College before heading to the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill to complete her Master’s and PhD work in Social Psychology. Dr. Rall has traveled the globe for various educational pursuits including a stop as an academic visitor at the London School of Economics.
A lifelong supporter of the Arts, Dr. Rall is a noted advocate of and investor in Broadway theater productions, spending part of the year living in the New York City area.
In addition to her support of live theatrical productions, Dr. Rall had bit parts in director Susan Seidelman's (Sex and the City) first feature film Smithereens as well as The World According to Garp.
Dr. Rall also served as assistant director and executive producer for the documentary film Memories Of Nokomis
Michael Paolillo is the Chief Operating Officer for Lucky Coffee Productions managing the day to day operations for the company.
An established veteran of filmmaking Michael has worked with hundreds of directors and producers in his 20 plus years in the business. Having most recently worked on such notable productions as Showtime's Californication and ABC's the Middle.
Michael brings a wealth of experience and valuable knowledge of both production quality/logistics and effective fiscal management to all of Lucky Coffee's projects. In addition to his duties as COO, Michael works closely with CAO/EP Stephen Andrzejewski to manage all phases of production for Lucky Coffee Productions.
A graduate of Emerson College's film program Michael currently resides in Los Angeles.
Lynn Appelle
Consulting Producer
Lynn Appelle is a 2002 Academy Award winner for the documentary short, THOTH, which she produced. She has lived in NYC for over a decade working in the independent film scene.
Her film producer/line-producer credits include: Premium, The 24th Day, New York City Serenade , Lake City, Howl, Cloned: The Recreator Chronicles Gimme Shelter, Hellbenders 3D and Bringing Up Bobby