The Production Team

• Jody Eldred, executive producer

• Martha Cotton, senior producer

• Lawrence Reid, segment producer

• Karen Covell, coordinating producer

• Bryan E. Miller, composer

• James Covell, composer

Return to homepage

Martha Cotton, senior producer

MARTHA COTTON is a writer and director with a varied background. 

She started her professional life as an investigative producer at the NBC affiliate in Miami, Florida right after obtaining her MA from the Missouri School of Journalism.  Her work in Miami – covering the drug wars, the massive influx of Haitian and Cuban refugees, and conflicts in Central America – earned her several national and regional awards, including the Columbia duPont award, several Emmys, and a Robert F. Kennedy Foundation Award.

After just a few years in Miami, NBC News hired Martha and brought her to work in the Los Angeles bureau, where she worked for NBC Nightly News and the Today Show.   She jokes that she’s had guns pointed at her in eleven different languages.   Her work took her around the world covering wars, disasters, politics, the Olympics – you name it – and continued to earn her the praise of her colleagues, including another Columbia duPont, a Chicago Film Festival Award, and several Emmy nominations.

As either a network staff or freelance documentary producer/director, she has worked in such far-flung places as Pakistan and Afghanistan, Cambodia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and the Philippines.

She transitioned to the world of drama as a consultant on Up Close and Personal, a movie set in the world of TV news.  That film led to Volcano, where Martha produced, wrote, cast and directed all the news elements in the film.  She served as either a first unit video producer/director or consultant on other films, such as Deep Impact, Enemy of the State, The Negotiator, an HBO film, as well as an NBC pilot about the TV news business with Rod Holcomb.  On each of these projects, she feels blessed to have had the opportunity to watch and learn from some of the best directors working today, and is fortunate to count many of them as mentors.

Martha was selected as one of eight participants in the American Film Institute’s prestigious Directing Workshop for Women.  The short film she directed, Glory Girl (produced with generous support from Dreamworks), has won critical recognition, including an award for creative excellence at Telluride Indiefest.  Her most recent short, Alias: Secret Agent Mom, (a spoof of the TV Show Alias, shot on 24P High Definition Video) has been receiving glowing reviews as well.

She was recently hand-picked as one of 12 promising minority director fellows in the inaugural Directors Guild of America Single Camera Directors’ Prep Program.  This was done with the cooperation of the ABC, NBC, and CBS and Fox entertainment divisions.

Currently Martha is developing several writing projects, which she hopes to either direct or produce.

Contact Martha Cotton:  

Email: Finallyfilms@earthlink.net

Representation: 

Elizabeth Robinson

Lasher, McManus, Robinson & Kipperman

Shep Rosenman

Katz, Golden & Sullivan

Back to top

Lawrence Reid, segment producer

Executive producer/writer/director LAWRENCE REID has produced several television series, specials and many national television commercials.  Lawrence’s series work also includes writing for Universal Television shows The Insiders and Dalton.  He has directed episodes for the critically acclaimed series 30 Good Minutes and produced films for Walt Disney Studios, Disney Entertainment Productions, Buena Vista and Paramount Pictures.

Television:

Writer

• Universal  The Insiders “And That’s What Killed the Dog”

• Universal  Dalton “Wichita”

Director

• PBS 30 GOOD MINUTES - Pat Boone, Bob Vernon

Producer

• DAMASCUS ROADS - 13 episodes

Live and Themed Entertainment: (partial list)

Executive Producer

• DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS LuminAria, filmed program for Disney California Adventure’s holiday spectacular show.

• WALT DISNEY SPECIAL EVENTS Lights Camera Action, 2001 Disneyana show.

• WALT DISNEY STUDIOS, WALT DISNEY IMAGINEERING & WALT DISNEY SPECIAL EVENTS National Building Museum award documentary.

• BUENA VISTA Walt Disney Studios and Pixar’s Behind The Scenes @ Pixar’s on A Bug’s Life

• PARAMOUNT PICTURES Tribute to Earl Letz filmed documentary.

Commercials:  (partial list)

Executive Poducer

• LOS ANGELES TIMES “First day”:60, “Location Scout”:60, “Inspiration” :60

• INFINITI “Q45 de Montreal:60, “Test Track” :60, “QX4 Escape”:60

• ISUZU “Television”:15, “Alone in the City” :30, “Aquatic”:15, “Woodsman”:15, “At Home”:30

• FLEETWOOD “Couple”:30, “Front Porch” :30

Contact Lawrence Reid:

Tel. (310) 993-3294

Email: wildeyelr@aol.com 

Back to top

Karen Covell, coordinating producer

KAREN COVELL is a television producer and co-founder and Producer for JC Productions, an independent television and music production company.

Ms. Covell has had extensive experience producing children’s programming, Documentaries and TV Specials - ranging from Associate Producer for “Headliners & Legends With Matt Lauer,” to Co-Producer of a One-Hour Television Special for Boys Town entitled “America’s Throwaway Children,” staring Dennis Franz and Danny Glover, Producer for short documentaries, Coordinating Producer/Post Production  at TMS Entertainment, Inc., an Animation Company, Creator, Producer of “Good News Rock,” A Rock Gospel Music show Pilot and Associate Producer for two Shari Lewis Home Video Cassettes, “One Minute Bedtime Stories” and “One Minute Bible Stories.”  She most recently produced a short documentary entitled “The Hollywood Crisis.”

Ms. Covell was also the Producing Director of the 8th Annual Women In Film Festival in Los Angeles.  Prior to that event she was one of the founders of Kino Women International (KIWI), an International Women’s Film Federation at the Moscow Film Festival and in Georgia, Soviet Union.. She has also been Booking Producer for TV Specials and Fundraisers, booking Celebrities and interviewees for the American Heart Association, the American Lung Cancer Association and World Vision International.

As Head of Development at Penthouse Presentations, a TV Production Company (not affiliated with the magazine), Ms. Covell created and developed both television movies and series concepts.  She was the assistant to the Executive Producer for a CBS-TV Movie entitled “The Two Lives of Carol Letner,” staring Meredith Baxter Birney and Don Johnson, and she was Co-Writer and Assistant Editor for “Players Or Pawns,” a Sports Documentary; winner of “Best Documentary” at the San Francisco Film Festival.

Ms. Covell began her producing in the theatre where she was Founder and Executive Producer of ACT IV, Inc., an L.A. based non-profit Theatre Company.  She was the assistant to the Owner and Executive Producer of The James Doolittle Theatre and she served as the Interim Associate Theatre Manager of L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum. She recently produced a Special event at the Writers Guild Theatre in Beverly Hills where bestselling author Bruce Wilkinson spoke to the entertainment community.  The evening was hosted by former E.T. host Julie Moran and special music was performed by Billy Preston, Ray Parker Jr., Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.

In addition to her producing, Ms. Covell also speaks and teaches around the country, as well as being a published co-author of two books with her husband Jim and their writing partner Victorya Rogers. She is a member of the Producers Guild of America, a founding member of PREMISE, a Board member of the Biola University Entertainment Task Force, and an Advisory Board member of Inter-Mission, a support organization for Entertainment professionals.  She is a graduate of USC with a BA in Producing and she is married to her best pal Jim, a composer.  They are the proud parents of two Wonder Boys – 13 year old Christopher and 8 year old Cameron.

Contact Karen Covell:

JKC Music

5019 Westpark Drive, Valley Village, CA 91601

Tel. (818) 760-4885

Email: jkcmusic@earthlink.net

Back to top

Bryan E. Miller, composer

BRYAN E. MILLER has created exceptional music and sound design for some of the world's most visible and respected clients in virtually every form of media, including original music for feature films, film trailers, network television programs, commercials and record projects. Bryan is an accomplished musician and composer, specializing in combining powerful orchestral composition with unique and evocative textures producing rich, emotionally moving film scores. He has written and recorded music in almost every imaginable style.

Bryan has worked on projects for UNIVERSAL, WARNER BROS. AND DISNEY. His compositions have been featured in “THE NICKY CRUZ STORY”, "BEVERLY HILLS 90210", “KK FAMILY LIST", "THE ACCOUNTANT", "TRAVEL THE ROAD", “AT FACE VALUE", and "THE HIDDEN FACES OF AIDS."

His commercial clients include such companies as NIKE, AMERICA ONLINE, TACO BELL, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, LITTLE CAESARS, WELLS FARGO, DIRT DEVIL, HONDA, HYATT HOTELS, YAMAHA, and NFL FILMS.

He has composed a number of network Station ID's for such companies such as COMCAST CABLE, THE CHURCH CHANNEL, RENAISSANCE CHANNEL, ENLACE NETWORK, and DSF SPORTS (Germany).

Charities and humanitarian organizations are a personal passion for Bryan.  He has scored numerous projects for organizations such as ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, WORLD VISION, WORLD SERVANTS, THE MUSEUM OF TOLERANCE, AND MEALS ON WHEELS.

"THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW", Bryan's solo record album, is a unique blend of world music textures.  It features world-class musicians and was co-produced and engineered by Grammy nominee Michael C. Ross.  Bryan's music is also featured on "SPIRITS OF THE WORLD" released by EARTHTONE RECORDS and distributed by UNIVERSAL.

Bryan is the founder and creative director of Sensory Overload Music. His awards include Two Telly's for Best Use of Music, the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Award, a NAACP nomination, a MIC Award, and an OMNI award.

Contact Bryan E. Miller:

Sensory Overload Music

URL: www.sensory-overload.com

Studio: (818) 985-3300
Email: bryan@sensory-overload.com 

Representation:
Tom Mills
Track Record Enterprises
Tel. (310) 839-1996

Back to top

James Covell, composer

JAMES COVELL began his career writing music immediately after graduating in music composition from USC.  He has been working ever since scoring, songwriting, conducting and arranging in every medium.  James has written scores for many feature films, including LEFT BEHIND, recorded with the London Symphony, based on the best selling book series of the same name.  That Soundtrack CD, and other Covell soundtracks are available.  Along with his work in film, James has worked for all four of the major networks scoring Pilots, TV Movies, Specials and Series.  Currently running are two TLC series, U.S. MARSHALS and THE HUNT FOR AMAZING TREASURES.  James has also written a full-scale musical play entitled A HOUSE DIVIDED and an Orchestral Trumpet Concerto.  His other commissioned Orchestral works premiered with great success by the Denver Symphony.  James lives in Valley Village, California with his wife and their two Wonder Boys, Christopher age 13 and 8 year old Cameron.

FEATURE FILMS:

LEFT BEHIND                                                                         Namesake Entertainment

Producer:  Ralph Winter, Joe Goodman

Director:  Vic Sarin

Cast:  Brad Johnson, Kirk Cameron

THE RIDE                                                                               World Wide Pictures

Producer:  John Shepherd

Director:  Michael Sajbel

Cast:  Michael Biehn, Jennifer Blanc

THE ELEVATOR                                                                     HBO/Cabin Fever 

Producer:  Brian Shuster

Director:  Arthur Borman, Nigel Dick

Cast:  Martin Landau, Martin Sheen

SANTA WITH MUSCLES                                                        Cabin Fever 

Producer:  Brian Shuster

Director:  John Murlowski

Cast:  Hulk Hogan, Ed Begley Jr.

TELEVISION & SPECIALS:

“CHANGED LIVES: Miracles of the Passion”                         Jody Eldred Productions

Producer:  Jody Eldred 

One Hour TV Special

INSPIRATIONAL BABY                                                          Porchlight Entertainment

Producer:  Bruce Johnson

LENNY & SID                                                                         Toonacious Entertainment

Producer: Tony Bancroft, Ben Chambers, Bo Ferger

Children’s Animated Series

SECRETS OF SUCCESS                                                        Red Line Studios

#1 TV Series in Romania & China

AMERICAN DETECTIVE                                                         ABC - Series 

Producer:  David Simons

BREAK THE SILENCE                                                            CBS - Special          

Producer:  Arnold Shapiro

Host:  Jane Seymour

The ED BEGLEY JR. SHOW                                                   CBS - Pilot

Producer:  Castle Rock

U.S. MARSHALS                                                                    TLC – Series (current)        

Producer:  Andrew Solt

The HUNT FOR AMAZING TREASURES                                  TLC – Series (current)

Producer:  Andrew Solt

HEADLINERS & LEGENDS WITH MATT LAUER                      MSNBC

Producer:  MSNBC Channel

Profiles:  Hugh Hefner, Phil Hartman

THE NEW GET SMART                                                           Fox

Producer:  HBO

Cast:  Don Adams, Andy Dick

SMART GUYS                                                                        NBC - Pilot   

Producer:  Imagine Entertainment, Ron Howard

Director:  Jonathan Lynn

The STEPHANIE MILLER SHOW                                            UPN - Series

Producer:  Disney

Host:  Stephanie Miller

ZAZOO U                                                                                Fox - Series 

Producer:  Film Roman

Network Sat. am  Animation Series

McGEE & ME!                                                                         ABC – Week-end Specials        

Producer:  TLC Entertainment

Children’s #1 selling Video Series & TV Specials

SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT                                               B.E.T. - MOW          

Producer:  World Wide Pictures

Director:  Charlie Jordan

Cast:  Darius McCrary, Tamera Mowry

COME THE MORNING                                                            Syndicated MOW

Producer:  World Wide Pictures

Director:  Michael Sajbel

Cast:  John Schneider

LAND OF ENCHANTMENT                                                      Disney         

Producer:  Dave Ellis

Host:  Peter Strauss

SECRET ADVENTURES                                                          Direct-to-Video Series

Producer:  TLC Entertainment

Format:  Children’s series

COMMISSIONED ORCHESTRAL WORKS:

Colorado Symphony/Mark Gould Conductor

Trumpet Concerto – 2003 Premiered with an L.A. Symphony Orchestra

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:

Ralph Winter                                               Producer –“X-Men”,“Planet of the Apes”

Richard Kaufman                                         MGM Music

David Grossman                                          Paramount Music

Martha Williamson                                       Exec. Prod. – “Touched By An Angel”

Michael Warren                                           Exec. Prod. – Warner Bros. Television

ATTORNEY:  Bob Myman, Myman, Abel, Fineman, Greenspan & Associates

AWARDS/HONORS:   List available upon request

UNION & SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS:

ASCAP

AFM – Local 47

The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL)

Contact James Covell: 

Publishing Company Studio and Offices at:

JKC Music

5019 Westpark Drive, Valley Village, CA 91601

Tel. (818) 760-4885

Fax. (818) 508-6385

Email: jkcmusic@sbcglobal.net 

Website: www.jamescovell.com

Back to top