While the ultimate success of any film lies in the subjective tastes of the audience and the market factors at play, the efficacy of any company, and thereby any production, relies in its management and the creative team assembled for the project. Both John Coppola and Michael Sonntag have been working in the entertainment industry for more than fifteen years. In addition, they have established relationships with key consultants and advisors who will be available to fill important roles on an as-needed basis. They bring their years of experience and skills to each production, and strive to assemble a creative team whose caliber and expertise far outweighs the budget number.

 

Born into a filmmaking family and a native of Brooklyn, New York, John Coppola is a multi-talented director, producer, teacher and actor whose career has taken him from the footlights of Broadway to the soundstages of Hollywood. John began his acting career over twenty years ago, attending Yale’s prestigious Dramat Purple Crayon. He first appeared on Broadway in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, followed by Biloxi Blues, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, American Buffalo, and the European revival tours of Hair and West Side Story. John’s television credits include Fox TV’s Herman’s Head, NYPD Blue, and Chicken Soup for the Soul, among others. On film, John starred in Into the Paradise and has also appeared in Last Exit to Brooklyn, Out of Gas on Lover’s Leap, and Terry Southern’s You Gotta Leave Your Mark. John also produced and starred-in his award-winning one-man show entitled The DeVivo Variation, which premiered at the prestigious HBO Workspace in Los Angeles, and successfully ran for over two years on both coasts, garnering two Critic’s Choice Awards and a Dramalogue Award. As a director, John has helmed over twenty-five theatrical productions in New York, Los Angeles, and abroad. His credits include groundbreaking productions of Shakespeare, Brecht, John Patrick Shanley, and Caryl Churchill. John’s directorial accolades include the award for Best Director at the 2005 New York International Film & Video Festival for his film, Possibility, which also took the Grand Jury Prize for short film. Most recently, he has completed Bourbon Street, a new television pilot he directed in New Orleans for producer Joel Castleberg.   John's next project will be the edgy indie comedy, Detour, which he is set to direct later this year - through his company with producer Michael Sonntag, Studio C Artists.  John currently lives in Los Angeles, where he offers his unique style of acting and private coaching to a thriving group of students, established actors, and movie stars.

 

Michael Sonntag is a film and television producer, casting director, teacher, and actor. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Michael began his career producing local evening news for NBC, after graduating from the University of Notre Dame. He has worked both in front of and behind the camera, in a wide range of positions - most recently, developing several films with his business partner, John Coppola. His producing credits include Co-Producer on award-winning director Vince DiPersio’s acclaimed feature documentary, Truth In Terms Of Beauty, and Associate Producer & UPM on Semper Fi: One Marine’s Journey, for Showtime. Michael also served as line producer and casting director for the television series, Bourbon Street, for Rampart Entertainment. His next producing project, the romantic comedy, Detour, is slated for production this year. Michael's other casting credits include the feature film, Nephilim, as well as a number of commercials for clients such as Walt Disney Studios, TV Land, Centegra Health, and FleetStreet Games. Prior to starting his own company, Michael held the titles of Director of Development for Shakrah Films; associate producer for Alton Entertainment, where he was involved in the development, writing, and daily production of their television shows; and as a freelance producer on a number of commercial and industrial projects for Dark Light Pictures. Michael’s varied career has included a position at Roth Capital Partners, where he assisted in arranging venture capital for several internet IPO’s, as well as working for many years as an actor in Hollywood. One of the founding partners of Studio C Artists, he also currently teaches acting classes to both kids and adults, and offers private coaching. Michael is very proud of his work with Voices in Harmony, a mentoring program that links actors with inner-city teens, and was instrumental in the productions of two of their stage shows, as well as their film, Listen: Everyone Has a Story to Tell, starring Jim Carrey.

Click here to read more on Michael's blog.

 

Studio C Artists Channel