the team
JEFF WEINGARTEN
Jeff Weingarten, President of Interface Media Group, (IMG), is a nationally recognized, multi-award winning leader known for his innovating design concepts and captivating visual effects in television, film, exhibits and commercials since 1984.
Jeff Weingarten started at IMG in 1989, during this time he helped advance IMG to the forefront of an industry that involves constant change, adaptation, and a vital implementation of new technologies. He is always the “first choice” as a creative and technical consultant for clients working with new technologies and on the most challenging cutting edge projects. His unique understanding of nonlinear digital postproduction, high definition television, fiber and satellite distribution and new media, combined with an ability to maximize their potential in cost effective methodologies, enables the creation of visually exciting programming for numerous high profile clients on a local, national and ever expanding international level.
IMG is developing strategies to capitalize on the convergence of television and data. These new media growth opportunities come in a myriad of areas centered on the digitization, management and distribution of content across multiple platforms. A sampling of these includes: traditional broadcast, video on demand, Internet protocol television, cellular and site based networks.
Through Jeff’s leadership IMG, as a part of its core business philosophy, espouses a training and educational effort which keeps its employees and clients on the cutting edge of these latest technologies.
Jeff continues to work on implementing new technologies and processes throughout the facility, providing all IMG clients with a seamless workflow, maximum efficiencies and most importantly, absolute, positive development of creative possibilities
Ad agencies; broadcast and cable entities; direct television marketers; government; corporate; political clients; independent producers, have all sought Jeff’s talents and leadership as the consummate director in visual media.
Instrumental in the design of IMG’s first 601 component digital edit suites and the company’s smoke*/flame* suite, Jeff spearheaded yet another industry change of course.
In 1999, Jeff completed the design and installation of IMG’s first HDTV suite with a fire*/inferno* room. As a result, industry leaders came calling and continue to come calling. PBS, Discovery, Political Consultants, the list grows with the realization that viewers expect more and IMG meets that need.
In 2004, IMG, guided by Jeff, collaborated with the National Museum of the American Indian to produce seven video presentations for exhibition. As Creative Director, Jeff directed both professional and nonprofessional talent, in addition to compositing the short subject videos.
In 2005, Jeff led IMG’s partnership with thinkfilm, inc. to create eight one-hour documentaries for the Science Channel titled “The 100 Greatest Scientific Discoveries”.
In 2006 Jeff led IMG’s partnership with Alexandria Productions to create the 2-hour documentary for PBS “The Boomer Century 1946-2046”.
Jeff’s work has earned him a number of prestigious ITS International Monitor awards.
As principal editor he has been honored by: the ITVA Silver Reel, the CINE Golden Eagle, the Silver Quasar, the Golden Triangle Award of Merit and a Washington Film & Video Council Peer Awards.
He resides in Maryland with his wife and daughter.
JOEL WESTBROOK
Executive Producer, Joel Westbrook’s thirty-year career in television encompasses virtually all production and top management positions on a wide variety of media companies and projects. Prior to joining IMG, Westbrook was founder and president of Alexandria Productions. From 1995 – 2009 the company produced documentaries and other nonfiction programs for NBC, PBS, National Geographic Channel, Discovery, Discovery Science, Animal Planet, The Learning Channel, TBS and other domestic and international broadcasters.
As Senior VP & Executive Producer of Time-Life Television & Video he oversaw all production including The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll, a ten-hour co-production with Warner Domestic Syndication and was Executive Producer of Time Life’s Lost Civilizations (NBC), a ten-hour documentary series. (Winner 1995-1996 Prime Time Emmy Award: Outstanding Informational Series)
As Executive Vice President of Turner Productions, Westbrook was responsible for all non-fiction and reality-based programming on TBS and TNT including National Geographic Explorer, Cousteau’s Rediscovery of the World, Audubon’s World of Adventure and Trials of Life w/ David Attenborough (Co-production with BBC)
Prior to taking over Turner Productions, Westbrook produced hundreds of hours of programming and managed production stages and postproduction facilities in Hollywood.
Joel Westbrook holds an ABJ Degree from the Henry W. Grady School of Mass Communications of the University of Georgia.
ARI PINCHOT
Ari Daniel Pinchot is the President of Crystal City Entertainment, a media production company in Washington, DC. Ari’s first producing credit came with the runaway hit documentary, The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg. The documentary was one of the top ten all-time grossing theatrical documentaries. Purchased by HBO for television the film won Best Non-Fiction Film 2000 National Society of Film Critics; Best Documentary 2000, Broadcast Film Critics Assoc. and Best Documentary 2000, National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. Following that film came the award winning feature documentary, Paper Clips, distributed by Miramax Films. Also bought for television by HBO, the film won several Audience and Best Documentary Awards including the Best Documentary at the 2003 Palm Springs International Film Festival. The film was theatrically released in 2004. Ari also served as the Executive Producer for the film Crossover (Showtime Networks), with Magic Johnson and Penny Marshall; and Consulting Producer for the 2008 documentary feature War Child, winner of the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award. Ari also produced television shows for The Discovery Network, History Channel and PBS.
In addition, CCE has recently created a dramatic feature film fund with Ealing Studios and Icon in the UK. Within a year, the partnership’s first feature (I Want Candy) was produced and distributed. The fund’s second film (St. Trinians) was produced and released Christmas of 2007, and is the top grossing independent film in the UK in 2007. It stars Colin Firth, Mischa Barton, Rupert Everett, Lena Heady and others. The partnership’s third film, (Easy Virtue) began production in January of 2008 and stars Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas and Jessica Biel.
TANYA BASKIN
Tanya Baskin is a seasoned corporate marketing executive with a proven track record of success in developing and implementing innovative, strategic corporate partnerships to achieve business objectives for a wide range of Fortune 500 corporations.
She is highly skilled at identifying opportunities for joint marketing initiatives and creating and managing campaigns that leverage the core assets of participating organizations to enhance brand image, increase consumer base or enter new markets.
Since 2004, Baskin has served as the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships for Special Olympics Inc, where she is responsible for developing and implementing the corporate marketing strategy for the global movement of Special Olympics. In this capacity she has forged mutually beneficial relationships with a wide array of international companies, including Coca Cola, Bank of America, Proctor and Gamble, DHL, Starwood Hotels, Mattel, Safeway and addidas. She works closely with Special Olympics’ Board of Directors and the organization’s seven regional Managing Directors, leading a development team that is located around the globe.
In her current role, much of her focus has been on corporate presence and market penetration in international and emerging markets. In 2007, she created and managed a joint marketing and fundraising initiative around the 2007 Special Olympic World Games in Shanghai, China, raising in excess of $45MM US. Currently, she is building a joint partnership with Coca Cola, the government of South Africa and Special Olympics to raise funds and awareness for the movement and integrate a corporate social responsibility platform into Coke’s activities around the 2010 World Cup
Prior to joining Special Olympics, Tanya was the Director of Special Events for the Washington Redskins. She played a major role in managing and marketing to large sports properties and events including the FIFA Women’s World Cup, NBA Hoop It Up, Navy vs. Notre Dame Game, and the Drum Corps International Championships.
Tanya’s professional activities have included the National Association of Female Executives, Women in Sports and Events (WISE), Women in Film & Video and the National Black MBA Association. She earned her undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross and an MBA with focus on International Business from The George Washington University.
COREY FINKLE
Corey Finkle is an independent writer and producer in the Washington, D.C. area, a title that has led to a whole host of experiences over the years. For television, he has written and/or produced programming for The History Channel (Tyrants on Trial, From All Sides) and Animal Planet (Weird, True and Freaky), and served as a promotional campaign producer for several national networks including BBC America, TLC, Discovery Health, The Military Channel, and The Travel Channel. For the web, he has created such diverse works as instructional sports videos for Sportskool.com, animal shelter biographies for Zootoo.com, and informational pieces for Usatoday.com. And for print, he has written everything from horoscopes for cell phone text message download, to graphic novel adaptations of great works of literature.
At his heart, Corey is most of all a storyteller, and when he first discovered FLAME while visiting his home town of Gloversville three years ago, he knew it was a story that needed to be told. He has worked with FLAME and IMG ever since, and is extremely excited for the opportunity to lend his passions to such a worthy and important topic.
LEXINGTON CENTER
Lexington's mission is to provide the best possible care to children and adults who are disabled and their families, be the best employer for our staff, and otherwise contribute to the good of the community.
Lexington began in 1953 when a small group of parents organized in an effort to improve the lives of their children who were intellectually challenged. Shortly thereafter, this parent group established a school program that eventually became part of the Gloversville Enlarged School District.
In 1962, the Lexington Avenue School in Gloversville was purchased and made into a sheltered workshop for young adults who were intellectually challenged. Lexington opened its doors to persons with physical and emotional disabilities in 1969.
A few years later, Lexington opened its first community residence.
Fulton County supported the efforts of Lexington as it established special homes and a day treatment center for adults and children who had been institutionalized for the greater portion of their lives.
Lexington began its Family Services Program in 1985 which helps families caring for children and adults with developmental disabilities at home.