Cast and Crew Bios
Writer / Director / Editor
Hassan El-Amin
Hassan El-Amin is a Director with a creative flair and a knack for solving problems.
Hassan was an odd kid. Typically, Black kids from Detroit don’t grow up loving Kubrick and Kurosawa. He blames his odd parents for exposing him to arthouse cinema since before he grew an Adam’s apple. He graduated from Howard University’s film school and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream.
Once there, he quickly realized how expensive the city is and got a PA job. That job led to better jobs which led to an Emmy Award winning career at his current job as a television editor for the entertainment news show Extra. Yet, as the years passed, something began to nag at him. What happened to the dream? He had to make a change.
So he got to work. He wrote scripts, raised money and begged and cajoled friends in the industry to help him get back to doing what he loves, making movies.
In his spare time, Hassan enjoys kicking things like “ass” and “bad habits.” The discipline and skills gained from his second passion martial arts allows him to do just that. But most of all he’s into films and wants to share his joy of making them with the world. One day he hopes to direct a feature film and make his mama proud(er).
Hassan El-Amin lives in North Hollywood, California. It’s just like Hollywood without the traffic, money or famous people.
Director of Photography
John Ames
John is a Los Angeles based cinematographer, instructor and consultant with over 30 years of production experience on feature films, short films, documentaries, TV series and commercials. After earning an M.A. in film production in Virginia, he relocated to Los Angeles which allows him to stay abreast of cutting edge camera and lighting trends in the entertainment industry and the opportunity to work with some of Hollywood’s A-list actors.
Whether it’s filming a woman making tortillas in the mountains of Guatemala or shooting celebrities in Hollywood, John always strives to “use the camera to tell the story, not just cover the action.” His genuine understanding of visual storytelling through lighting and camera work has made him a part of numerous award winning productions which received such honors as: Telly Awards, Addy Awards, (NADA) National Automotive Dealership Award, Service Industry Advertising Award, (CAB) Cable Television Advertising Bureau Award, INTERCOM Gold Plaque winner and The Videographer Awards Award of Excellence.
When he is not shooting, John enjoys sharing his experience with the next generation of filmmakers as a production consultant. He teaches all aspects of cinematography and has been a guest instructor for The Los Angeles Film Studies Center, California State University Northridge, University of the Nations, Palm Beach Atlantic, Regent University, Bethel University, The University of the Nations and Hollywood Impact Studios.
"Randall"
Joseph Fox
Hailing from Dallas, TX, Joe’s charismatic yet humble demeanor gives him a brand of comedy that is relatable to all audiences.
As a comedian, he’s appeared on two seasons of BET’s hit show “Comic View”, and Gospel Comedy All Stars 3. He has also performed for American troops in Africa, Japan and Korea. Fox currently tours the nation’s top comedy clubs such as The Improv, The Funny Bone, The Comedy Store and many more.
As an actor Fox is constantly auditioning and developing his acting chops. He has had roles in independent films as well as a guest star role on a sitcom airing later this year. Joe is the consummate professional and it comes across on stage as well as in front of the camera. In between road gigs, Joe currently resides in Los Angeles and in addition to acting and performing on the top stages in town, he can be found working on the production team of All Def Comedy Live which is executive produced by mogul Russell Simmons.
"The Head"
Time Winters
Time Winters is a seasoned stage and screen actor. His film work includes Netflix’s Blonde, Plus One, Framed, Vice, and Velvet Buzzsaw. Other features include Lavantula, Runaways, Life & Death OF Peter Sellers, A Little Princess, Doc Hollywood, Thinner, Sneakers, Gremlins II and many more. He recently played Father Abernathy in episodic The Exorcism OF Allie Fay, and recurring roles on ABC’s General Hospital and Showtime’s Shameless. Other TV appearances: This is Us, Legion, Mayans MC, Dollface, You’re the Worst, Love, Death & Robots and Who Killed Little Gregory? (Netflix). Worked with Tom Hanks in Shakespeare Centre L.A.’s Henry IV, and has appeared in live theatres on Broadway, Los Angeles and across the country. He has voiced many characters in games like Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain, Fallout 4, The Elder Scrolls, and others. He is married to the brilliant actress Tracy Winters.
First Assistant Director
Frederick Charleston
“Fred "Pele" Charleston is a 20 year veteran of film and television. A Howard University graduate, Fred has worn many hats - from writing and producing, to directing and videography. Fred is currently a freelance TV writer/producer who has worked on the Dr. Phil Show, Crime Watch Daily, and the E! True Hollywood Story. Fred also co-created the YouTube comedy channel "Dodgy Lot" in 2008. Fred is very pleased to have collaborated with Hassan on "The Box" as 1st Assistant Director. Fred was born in Colorado, raised in Maryland, and currently lives in California.
Original Score and Sound Design
Alvaro Morello
Alvaro Morello is an award-winning composer and re-recording mixer, having worked on numerous feature films, network television shows and national commercial campaigns. With an extensive IMDB credit list, his music can be heard on productions from Lionsgate, Showtime, HBO, NBC-Universal, Netflix, Citibank, Mattel, Target & Pepsico.
Key Makeup Artist
Yun Nam
Yun Nam is a Los Angeles based visual artist and special effects make- up artist. Yun specializes in everything involving artistic craftsmanship. Her work is characterized by an eye for detail and emphasis on visual storytelling. She started her career as a painter and printmaker, taking part in over 30 exhibitions including 4 solo shows between 2009 and 2016. She is also a concept artist and illustrator and has contributed to several publications and album releases. As a SFX make-up artist, she works both on set and in the lab, making anything from wounds to ancient talking heads.
VFX Supervisor
Pratik Singh
Pratik is a dedicated, enthusiastic, professional feature film compositor, with additional experience in both TV and commercial VFX. He specializes in high-end compositing as well as python-scripting and tool development. He is from Mumbai, India and has been working as a Freelance Senior VFX Artist since 2011.
His passion for creating extraordinary visuals and solving complex technical issues led him to pursue a career in Visual Effects. He looks forward to evolving his understanding of CG, VFX and Animation techniques and facing new challenges as they come.