AMINTA GOYEL: Writer/Director

A native of Bombay, India, Aminta Goyel acquired a BA in Film and Theatre from Cornell University. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Film Production at the University of Southern California. Aminta has directed the short films Grandma’s Dead! (2004), Night (2003), Styx (2001) and the theatrical production of Agamemnon (Risley Theatre, 1999). She has also produced the short films Worms (2005 Slamdance Film Festival), the award-winning Hot Java (2004) and First and Last Month (2005). She hopes in her career as a director to make films that explore themes of identity in the multi-cultural fractures of modernity. The Morning Fog will be Aminta’s graduate thesis project.

IRA DUBEY: Lead Actress (Koko)

Presently finishing up her Bachelor's degree in literature at St.Xavier's College in Bombay, Ira has also studied for two years at Yale University in the acclaimed theatre department. She has been actively involved in the performance arts since the age of six. She has acted in over 15 productions of the Delhi-based children's theatre group “Kids World” , including The Little Mermaid, Matilda and Jesus Christ Superstar. Simultaneously she trained in Indian classical music for four years and in modern jazz dance for two years. At her high school, (Cathedral and John Connon Mumbai) she was appointed dramatics captain and won several accolades for acting, as well as for direction and scriptwriting.

At Yale, she trained in speech and movement development, Shakespeare, and the Michael Chekhov acting technique. She also performed in over six productions including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, The House of Bernarda Alba and Beckett's shorts .

In the past year, she acted in three theatrical productions; Womanly Voices and 30 days in September with the “Primetime Theater Company” and The Maids with the “Industrial Theater Company” in Mumbai. She also traveled with these shows across India and abroad.

Currently Ira is assistant-directing a new production, Sammy produced by the “Primetime Theatre Co.” in Mumbai and touring with the production in India . She has completed shooting for an English feature film (Marigold, written and directed by Willard Caroll, March-April 2005); a modeling assignment (Indiawalli Brides, vintage Indian wear still photo shoot, winter 2005), and a television commercial (Allahbad Bank, Kailash Picture Co. August 2005).

PAUL RATNER: Producer

Born in Russia, Paul has since lived in the US. He has a BA in Film from Cornell and an MFA from Chapman. Paul has produced and directed films that have played at a number of film festivals, including the award-winning Abraham (2004), Encore (2005), King and Angel in the Rain (2005), Hobo Heaven (2002) & Ragnarok (2002). He has also produced the feature documentaries The Caveman of Atomic City (2006), A Woman's Lot (2004) and Space People (2003). He also shot another short film in India, as a DP - the Telugu-language Mathamma. More info about Paul can be found on his website New Spirit Cinema.

EMILY LODGE: Producer

Born in Surrey, England, Emily graduated from Bristol University with a degree in Economics, and began her career in television in the offices of Monty Python. She worked for Michael Palin on some of his much loved television series such as Michael Palin's Full Circle and Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure. She has subsquently worked on a number of projects for Tiger Aspect, including the comedy series Perfect World, the drama My Fragile Heart, and a documentary for the Timewatch series. She has also worked as a producer on the children's series Girlfriends, Anything's Possible and Sister Said. As part of her varied career she also arranged the music clearances for the British feature film Brassed Off. Since being at USC, Emily has produced two shorts Hot Java and Same Bare Place and a music video for Yo-yo Ma entitled Playing Love. She was the first recipient for the new Entertainment Partners scholarship at USC for creative producers. She is currently looking for a script that she can pour her energies into and produce after graduation. She hopes to make films with a truth that will touch people's lives.

ALIYA CURMALLY: Producer (India)

Born and raised in Bombay, Aliya graduated from Bryn Mawr College. She has worked as a Producer's Assistant on the highly publicised Indian movie Black Friday about the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Bombay.

JOZO ZOVKO: Cinematographer

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Joe is of Croatian descent, currently residing in Los Angeles.  He graduated from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh in 2000 with a degree in film/video production, and has worked in film ever since. He has recently worked as a Director of Photography for The Learning Channel (TLC) documentary series Rides and has shot several award-winning short films. His aspiration is to create films of an introspective, and reflective nature.

TOMÁS HRADCKY : Composer

Originally from western Pennsylvania, Tomás Hradcky has been involved in music from the age of 8. After attaining a B.M. from the Dana School of Music, he chose to come to Los Angeles in 1986 rather than pursuing a masters in performance degree at the Mannes College of Music. For 20 years, Tomás has integrated the musical influence of his ethnic background - second generation Eastern European - Slovak, Croatian, Slovanian - and his orchestral/jazz/alt rock experience into many of his compositions. He has worked closely with composers Michael Convertino, John Williams, Danny Elfman, John Debney and Steve Bartek on numerous big budget films, and has scored over a dozen shorts and small films of his own. To hear and see more of Tomás's work go to http://www.TomasHradcky.com.

MARI BECKMAN-LAU: Editor

Mari Beckman-Lau graduated with an MFA in Film Production from the University of Southern California, where she concentrated in picture editing. She has recently worked in television on the shows Property Ladder (TLC) and Love on the Rocks (Discovery Health), in addition to editing the experimental feature "The Night I Shot Robert Goulet" directed by Jeffrey Yates, and ASC award-winning short film "Rogue 379" directed by Douglas Choi. But she could not have cut The Morning Fog without the help of her trusty assistant Juju.

ROBERT PAUL RAJAN: Production Designer

A native of Chennai, India, Robert's award-winning art work has been exhibited in various galleries around Chennai, Bangalore, and New Delhi. His craft work is on display at the Prime Minister's office in the capital. He is also the recipient of the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Award. He is currently working as a production designer and visualizer in the Tamil film industry - on the recent hit Mayavi (2005), Kudaikull Mazai (2004), and more.

BAYLON FONSECA: Sound

Based in Mumbai, gypsy by heart, telecom engineer by education Baylon has been involved with Sound for as long as he remember dating back to when he blew his first speaker at the age of 7.

As a Sound Designer he has worked on films with directors like Rakesh Roshan, Govind Nihalani, Rakesh Mehra, Kaizad Gustad, Rahul Rawail, Dev Anand, Pamela Rooks and Deepa Mehta.

With DTS (Digital Theatre Systems) since its start up in India in since 1996 as DTS Mix Engineer he has worked on over 150 films with the most noted names in the industry like Vinod Chopra Productions, Dharma Productions, Yash Raj Films, Mukta Arts, Rajshri Productions, Dreamz Unlimited, The Factory.

He has been involved with famed films like the Oscar nominated "Lagaan", the National Award winner for Sound "Moksha", Super hits like "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham", "Mohabbatein" "Dil Chahta Hai", "Kareeb", "Mission Kashmir", "Devdas", and Festival films like "Let's Talk", "Bombay Boys".

He continually lends his support to Independent Film makers, Short Film Makers and Documentary Film apart from by way of providing his resources and talent, these are the film makers of the future and they should be supported with the best.

MARY BETH FIELDER: USC Faculty Mentor

Writer and director; directing credits include THIRTYSOMETHING, NEW ADVENTURES OF BEANS BAXTER and STORIES FROM GROWING UP. Writing credits include HIGH SCHOOL, TRUE SEX, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT and HIS AND HERS. Awards include Women In Film Foundation Award, Cine Eagle Trophy, Nissan Focus Award, among others. Mary Beth has a B.A. in fine arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a M.F.A. in cinema production from USC.