HOLLYWOOD DAZE MOTION PICTURES TEAM
MARCUS THOMPSON - Company Director - Writer / Producer / Director
From early beginnings as an assistant film editor at Granada Television, and many years as a picture and sound editor, Marcus Thompson has become a highly accomplished screenwriter, director and producer. Years of experience as a film editor has proved to be an invaluable foundation on which to base his directorial career. He made a name for himself with award winning ‘The South Bank Show’ for London Weekend Television and several BBC classics such as Michael Wood’s ‘In Search Of’ series. Over the past decade he has produced and directed four feature films, Malevolence, Middleton’s Changeling, the musical film noire ‘The Biggest Thing That Ever Hit Broadway’ (Sitges 2017) and award winning, ‘A Place To Stay’, a supernatural love story. Thompson’s ‘Shooting Bernarda’, an adaptation of Lorca’s masterpiece, is slated for 2022 in Andalucia, Spain. Development is also underway on 'Liberator’, the legend of Simon Bolivar, who liberated the director’s country of birth from Spanish rule. He has recently delivered the screenplay for ‘Betsy And The Emperor’, which he was commissioned to write by New York based GC Corp/Killer Films. Development on his psychological thriller ‘Townsville’ is underway and is slated for production in Australia in 2021. 'Shore Leave' is in post-production and scheduled for delivery in early 2020. Casting is underway for 'Tell Me Why I Don't Like Mondays' to be directed by Thompson in Spring 2020 with producers Mike Laundon, Michael Bassick, Kevin Dewalt, Doug Falconer and Jordi Rediu.
ROGER EATON - Producer / Director of Photography
In New York and Hawaii Roger shot 'The Killing of John Lennon', which was nominated for a BAFTA Award 2008 - Carl Foreman Award, initially it premiered worldwide at the Edinburgh Film Festival and was nominated for the Michael Powell Award. In India he shot 'Truck of Dreams', which won the World Cinema Award at the Washington DC Film Festival. In Kenya he shot 'The Real Eve' for Discovery Channel. Roger was nominated for an RTS award in Best Cinematography for the award winning documentary 'Dinosaur Hunters' which he shot in Scotland for Channel Four. The same year 'The Toy Box' won Best Foreign Film at VIFFI, it was hailed by critics as ‘The best handheld work seen on film.’ As a director he won a Silver Clio award for Frog, a commercial he shot, directed and produced for The Green Party.
GABRIELLA KOVAGO - Creative Director / Costume Designer
Gabriella graduated in Hungary with an MA in Fashion Design and has several years experience in the British Film Industry, having worked in a variety roles, across a wide range of projects. She has gained extensive knowledge in the running of successful costume departments. Gabriella’s credits include several award winning Shorts and Feature Films. Currently she is working on designs for the company's slate and other separate independent feature films on a freelance basis. Her design work combines hands on experience, attention to detail, her passion for creating dramatic costumes and her love for the art of storytelling. Her creative energy and organizational ability has proved to be invaluable to the launch of the company's offices at the Studios Riviera.
GARRY HALLIDAY - Writer / Producer
Gary is an accomplished independent producer with exceptional artistic vision and creative skills. He began his career as an assistant to the legendary session stylist Sam McKnight. It is from his experiences here that the concept for 'The Hairdresser's Apprentice' evolved. The job required extensive international travel, organizing and arranging teams to work on runway fashion shows in conjunction with high profile fashion companies including Prada, Vivienne Westwood and Chanel. He has also worked extensively with Vogue, Marie Claire, The Face and Harpers Bazaar and photographers such as Patrick Demachelier and Steven Miesel. As a independent creative producer he has gained extensive experience in all aspects of production, budgeting and on-set logistics for stills/video/film and project management. He has worked predominantly in creative environments and has a strong sensitivity to design, fashion, photography and moving image. Gary has a wealth of experience writing, producing and directing from pre-production through to delivery both in documentary and drama production.
MATTHEW MOLONY - Producer / Actor
Matthew has over the last 10 years accumulated a vast body of work in theatre, film and TV, becoming one of Melbourne’s most respected actors on the independent theatre circuit. Most recently he has appeared in ‘The Doctor’ and ‘The Ruffian On The Stair’ for Le Poulet Terrible. Daniel Keene's 'Half and Half' for If Productions and played John Proctor in 'The Crucible' for Eaglesnest Theatre. For Essential Theatre he has toured nationally in a number of Shakespearean roles - most notably playing Oberon in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and Benedict in 'Much Ado About Nothing'. For Melbourne Writer's Theatre he has appeared in 'A Drop Would Be Something' and 'Protocol' which wothew's recent film and TV appearances include 'Neighbours', 'Pawn Shop' directed by Alice Bishop, the in the Best Short Play Award and toured to Sydney. In addition Matthew has worked as a Producer on a number of theatre and film projects - 'Pawn Shop' with Le Poulet Terrible, 'The Cook' which recently screened at the Rhode Island Film Festival, Sam Sheppard's 'Savage Love', and particularly with Essential Theatre developing 'Shakespeare in the Vines' - touring Shakespeare's comedies to vineyards.
MADOU HILLENIUS - Head of Development/Programming/Sales
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Madou was appointed by Hollywood Daze Motion Pictures in July 2021. She brings with her a great deal of experience in organising cultural events, which she acquired in her capacity as Head of Cultural Affairs for various administrations in the South of France. Having spent many years as an qualified architect, Madou has a total understanding of how Art and Business can succeed in an efficient and beneficial partnership. She is well accustomed to teamwork and has excellent communication skills. She is fluent in English, French, German and Dutch. As an avid cinema goer, this is a job she has embraced with great enthusiasm.
JAMES VOLLMAR - Writer
James has had over a dozen plays produced in the theatre including work for Eastern Angles in Ipswich and for Sir Alan Ayckbourn’s theatre in Scarborough. He has undertaken contracted work on a number of feature film screenplays in development and his short film credits include 'Bittersweet' and 'Conference'. He cut his teeth in the documentary field writing, researching and co-producing several videos on history and tourism for the sell-through VHS market back in the 1990’s. James' contribution to the screenplays for 'The Hairdresser's Apprentice', 'Why?' and 'Shooting Bernarda' has been invaluable. It was James that brought 'Shore Leave' to the company's attention originally, and he remains very much involved with the production.