• Director / Co-Producer

    Bob has a long business career in film, television, stage, and radio.

    As A Producer

    Bob was the supervising producer for the nationally syndicated, reality-based television series Real Stories of the Highway Patrol & Emergency Call for Genesis Entertainment.

    As Director / Producer / Writer

    Bob has won Telly Awards for Producing and directing nationally released television commercials for Coupon Suzy and Coupon Bug. Bob also has had the pleasure of directing television commercials starring the late Paul Newman, Phyllis Diller, Robert Vaughn, and Hugh O’Brien. Other directorial projects include national corporate, promotional, and industrial videos, many of which Bob creatively developed and wrote the scripts.

    As An Actor (SAG-AFTRA/AEA Member)

    Bob’s newest feature film, Bad News on the Doorstep, is a coming-of-age sports/crime drama, and stars Chazz Palminteri and Rob Gronkowski. “Vault,” another crime drama, was released by Lionsgate. Here, Bob plays the role of Hyman Levine. The film stars Sons of Anarchy’s Theo Rossi, Everest’s Clive Standen, Chazz Palminteri, Don Johnson, The Sopranos’ Vincent Pastore, and Rocky’s Bert Young. Bob also performed the role of mob attorney Sam Rummel in America Fights Back for the Las Vegas Mob Museum. Additionally, he portrayed the character of Jeff Winters in the feature film Harvest for IBID Films and Kenny in The Deadliest Season, a “CBS movie of the week”. Bob was also featured as the tailor in The Makeover, a television film for The Hallmark Hall of Fame. Bob has many stage credits to his name as well.

    As Director for the Stage

    Regionally, and in New York, Bob directed the riveting drama Inherit the Wind and Simon Gray’s Stage Struck at the nationally acclaimed Historic Ivoryton Playhouse.

    His other stage directorial credits include: Hystorical staged at the Duke Theater on 42nd Street, NYC, Y In the World, staged at the Bushnell’s Belding Theatre in Hartford, Death of a Salesman, I Hate Hamlet, Evita, Extremities, Front Street starring the late Ron Paolillo of television’s Welcome Back Kotter, and You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, among others.

    His Training

    Bob’s training includes vocal study at the Hartt School of Music. He holds a BA Degree in Speech and Drama (University of Hartford). He also attended the University of Connecticut’s MFA program in Directing. Bob’s acting coach was the late Henry Thomas, resident actor for the Hartford Stage Co.

    Bob Dio: IMDB (link)

  • Producer / Author / Screenwriter

    For more than five decades Greg Gilmartin has been a storyteller and a creative force across all mediums.  His careers have been varied, and include stints as a car wash specialist , USAF Russian linguist and  award winning sports broadcaster. He has covered the games, told the stories and provided the creative force to enhance others lives.  He is currently a partner in Castle Fires Entertainment, preparing the launch of his movie script from his fourth novel, “Castle Fires”. 

    Greg’s career began on the radio as a disc jockey filling time between songs, then into the news world and sports broadcasting. Talk shows were followed by stints as the play-by-play announcer for the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team (NASL) and public address announcer for the Hartford Whalers for 20 years.  

    He has now turned full time to writing with four novels published and a fifth pending release in July. His multiple careers have taken him from Coney Island to Block Island, Sedona, Arizona, Newport, RI, Hartford and Mystic CT.  For 20 years he was owner, videographer, chief writer and producer at MYSTV Studios, creating a tourism television program broadcast in hotels across southern New England. 

    In 1979 he won the Associated Press Sportscaster of the Year award for his coverage of the World Series for WTIC Radio.  From marketing ski areas to managing sailboat races, Greg has always had an eye for fast cars, fast boats, high adventure, and creative story telling. “Castle Fires” is his fourth novel and is in pre production to reach the big screen with his partners in Castle Fires Entertaiment.

    For more information please visit:

    www.greggilmartin.com

    Greg Gilmartin: IMDB (Link)

  • Co-Producer / Location Manager

    Ed is a native of New Haven Connecticut, a member of the Teamsters Local 817, and a graduate of the University of Connecticut, Class of 1969. In 1965, he founded Bands Unlimited which later morphed into Miriam Cohen Productions with his wife as his business partner. The business soon became the largest independent music management/booking agency in New England: managing five bands and booking one hundred. Simultaneously, he was playing 2nd sax, percussion and was backup singer for “The Gravy Train”. Throughout his involvement in the East Coast music scene, he worked with: Jerry Greenberg (later President of Atlantic Records and MJJ Music for Michael Jackson at Sony); Craig McGregor (Foghat); Bobby Torello (Edgar Winter); Fred Parris and the 5 Satins (of “In the Still of the Night Fame”); and Michael Bolton (formerly known as Michael Bolotin); and many others. In 1974, Ed encountered Dave Biro and his invention, The BiroTron- widely recognized as the rarest instrument in rock music history. Ed arranged a meeting with Rick Wakeman, keyboardist of YES, while in search of an endorsement to raise funds to build the instrument. Wakeman instead suggested a partnership with manufacturing be conducted at his factory in High Wickham, UK. However, only seventeen units were produced. Even so, the Biroron was used on recordings by YES, Wakeman, Tangerine Dream and extensively on the road. In 1980, Ed left the music scene with the emergence of disco. No one could pay him enough to play or even listen to THAT! When Ed moved to Southern California in 2008, he started hearing the music that he loved –ROCK! At a chance meeting poolside at a Palm Springs resort he met Robin McAuley, the lead singer of Survivor (now with the Michael Schenker Group - MSG). After a two-hour conversation, Robin said something that gave Ed pause for thought. Robin said: “You know what I am most grateful about in life? That, at my age, I am still privileged to perform and entertain audiences.“

    Having returned to CT in late 2018, Ed Currently manages Italian-American composer/conductor/arranger/producer/multi-instrumentalist/track engineer/mix engineer/mastering engineer Max Di Carlo and Second Sight, a classic rock band comprised of current and semi-retired major moguls in the film/TV industry. He also manages Ray Griggs, DGA Director/producer/technologist/writer. Latest additions to the team are Steve Johnson, Rob “Rob the Drummer” Gottfried and Marston Smith “Lord of the Cello.”

    Ed began a parallel career in filmmaking in 2021 as a location scout, locations manager, associate producer, product placement specialist and has since worked on ten feature films and lining up more at the time of this writing.

    On January 25, 2023, Ed had an initial lunch with Jonathan Black at The Blue Colony Diner in Newtown, Connecticut. They were astounded to find that they had the burning goal to build the film industry in CT and committed to work together to get it done…and 5 months later with three other co-founders, and a great Board, The Connecticut Film and TV Alliance is ‘gittin’ ‘er done!’

    UPDATE-NOVEMBER 9, 2024!!!

    To date the Connecticut Film and TV Alliance is now a 501c3 nonprofit, and has twice successfully prevented the state legislature from abolishing the Film/TV Tax Incentive in Connecticut. We now have over 600 members, and are growing constantly. We have successfully accelerated the number of productions going on, and have helped productions crew up and overcome obstacles. We are partnered with UCONN to build soundstages, as well as working with other Universities and colleges through Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT). We have rolled out the first Health Benefits program in CT for Gig Workers and 1099 workers in the history of Connecticut. Our first major conference, held on November 9, 2024 at Goodwin University in East Hartford was attended by over 700 people, featured: Union Panel; Education Panel; Production Crew Panel; Movers & Shakers Panel; 16 VIP Interviews; Music Showcase; Exhibitors; Illiana Douglas Book Signing, and more!

    I recently finished my 10th film.

    Ed Cohen: IMDB (Link)

  • Junior Partner / Associate Producer

    Alessandro is a CT-based documentary filmmaker, producer, and cinematographer. He has been an associate producer on multiple films shot in Connecticut including Marathon (The William Meredith story), and Diamond Ruff with Young Feature Films. Alessandro has been the assistant director and associate producer for the Film Industry Mixer networking event for over seven years. He is currently a DP for commercial video. He has also recently created a series of short documentaries for non-profit organizations. Alessandro is a board member of the CT Film & TV Alliance.

    You can view some of Alessandro’s work at:

    www.alessandrovalentino.me 

    Alessandro V. Andriulli IMDB (Link)

  • Associate Producer / Actor

    Illeana Douglas is known for playing fearless, often outspoken women in films like Goodfellas, Cape Fear, To Die For and Stir of Echoes. Some of her favorite performances include Grace of My Heart, Picture Perfect, and Ghost World.  She just completed filming The Greatest Man in The World. and can be seen in the film Infidelity (2023) Illeana  is the granddaughter of two-time Academy Award–winning actor Melvyn Douglas. She has interviewed a pantheon of cinema greats on Turner Classic Movies; appears regularly on Joe Dante’s, Trailers From Hell;  and has participated in film documentaries, including Rock Hudson: AllThat Heaven Allowed,CNN: The Movies, 78/52, Greatest Cult Films of All Time, The True Adventures of Raoul Walsh, and Kino Lorber’s Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers, which she executive-produced. Illeana received an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Angela on Six Feet Under and has guest starred in iconic shows like Entourage, Ugly Betty Seinfeld,Frasier, and all of the  Law and Order’s. She recently she costarred on Goliath,  Search Party, and Shrill. 

    Illeana’s first book, I Blame Dennis Hopper: AndOther Storiesfrom a Life Lived In and Out of the Movies,was named “one of the best books of 2015” by Entertainment Weekly.  Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia (2023) is  now in its second printing. She is working on her third book, highlighting actresses from the 1930’s studio system. 

    Illeana Douglas IMDB (Link)

  • Producer

    My story...From Ears to Eyes...to Both...Born and raised on Long Island, New York. Michael's roots were established in business from a young age. Starting out as an assistant producer on a morning rock and roll show, Michael eventually moved on to the optical industry. After years of learning all aspects of the business & earning an MBA, Michael's experience led him to become the owner and CEO of Hirsch Optical Corp., a Long Island based wholesale ophthalmic laboratory. This business was merged with another lab in the area, where he served as a Director. In the same industry, Michael was the owner and CEO of Miro Optix LLC, a Long Island based ophthalmic frame manufacturer. During this time, Michael designed, patented, produced and distributed the Division1 Sports Safety Frame.

    In 2013, Michael ventured into the film industry thanks to Yale Productions. The first project was Addiction: A 60's Love Story, which exposed Michael to the magic of the film industry. Based on this positive experience, Michael became a producer & an executive producer on many more projects which has only fueled his passion for movies. Michael started out by having formed MIRO Productions to focus on producing full time, seeing the opportunity to apply his varied business experience to the film industry.

    Under the MIRO Productions brand, Michael is a part of numerous areas of the business such as client relations, film finance, product placement, music and more, creating truly unique and incredible indie films with amazingly talented casts. He has over 30 successfully completed film projects released through major film festivals, theatrical, streaming platforms and more.

    Premieres at major festivals include After Everything (SXSW '18) starring Jeremy Allen White, Maika Monroe, Dean Winters, Sasha Lane & Marisa Tomei, I Used To Go Here (SXSW '20) starring Gillian Jacobs & Jemaine Clement, Becky (Tribeca '20) starring Kevin James, Lulu Wilson & Joel McHale and Alone Together (Tribeca '22) starring Katie Holmes (also directing), Jim Sturgess, Melissa Leo, Derek Luke, Luke Kirby & Zosia Mamet and Parachute (SXSW '23 - Multiple awards winner) directed by Brittany Snow & starring Courtney Eaton, Thomas Mann, Kid Cudi, Gina Rodriguez, Joel McHale, Lukas Gage & Dave Bautista. Reverse The Curse (Tribeca '23) starring Stephanie Beatriz, Logan Marshall-Green & David Duchovny.

    Michael J. Rothstein: IMDB (Link)