[filmmakers]
MATT MARTIN Producer /
Director
No Excuses is
Martin's feature directorial debut.
Martin is currently editing Straight
Acting. His previous editing credits include: Unprecedented:
the 2000 Presidential Election in Florida, Lost Children: America's
Child Welfare Systems, the reality television pilot WORKFORCE
(FX Network) and the dvd extra Blood on the Land: the Making
of King Arthur for Automat Pictures / Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
Martin has worked as an assistant editor on several feature length documentaries
including Stevie (Lions Gate Films/2003 Oscar Short List) and
Marlene: Her Own Song (Turner Classic Movies/2001 Berlin Film
Festival).
Martin recieved an M.F.A. in Film Production
from the University of Southern California in 2001 and a B.A. in English
Literature from Middlebury College in 1991. His USC thesis film Lather.
Rinse. Repeat. starring Troy
Garity and Marshall
Bell won awards including a Silver Plaque at the Chicago
International Film Festival and Best of Fest at the Seattle OneReel
Festival.
JASON WEISS Producer
No Excuses is
Jason Weiss' first feature film. Weiss previously worked in the computer
industry for nine years, where he started as a consultant and eventually
became General Manager of European Operations for Trilogy Software.
His lifelong interest in the motion picture industry compelled him to
change careers and he is now developing several feature films as a Principal
at Embark Productions.
Weiss received both bachelors and masters
degrees in Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University
in 1993. He is a lifelong skier and is thrilled that he was able to
combine his interests and vocation on No Excuses.
UDY EPSTEIN Executive Producer
Epstein runs
Seventh Art Releasing, an independent
production, distribution and foreign sales company noted for award-winning
documentaries. Releases include six Academy Award® nominated films
- most recently 2004 Best Feature Length Documentary Nominee Balseros
- and the 1997 Oscar® winner The Long Way Home. Films currently
in release include Word Wars (2004 Sundance Film Festival Competition/
Audience Award 2004 Full Frame Film Festival / DiscoveryTimes Channel).
Other noteable films include American Pimp, Radiohead: Meeting People
is Easy, Better Living Through Circuitry and Ben Harper: Pleasure
+ Pain.
Epstein executive produced Creature
(with Sheila Nevins) and Rudyland for Cinemax/HBO.
AMY SOMMER Co-executive Producer
In 1995 Sommer co-founded SomFord Entertainment
and their first feature documentary Waco: The Rules of Engagement
was nominated for the Best Feature Length Documentary Oscar®
and earned an Emmy®. Sommer's second documentary, the critically
acclaimed The Jaundiced Eye, debuted at the Toronto International
Film Festival. Through her solo venture Pissant
Productions, Sommer's films include Mama/M.A.M.A.,
which questions the validity of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy; and Straight
Acting, an exploration of gay contact sports leagues. In addition,
Sommer served as the co-executive producer on Unprecedented and
is the executive producer, alng with Andy Vajna, of Freedom's Fury,
an exploration of the 1956 Hungarian Olympic Water Polo Team.
Sommer's narrative producing credits
include Blue Car (Miramax) starring Agnes Nixon; and Teknolust
(ThinkFilms) starring Tilda Swinton.