| The Gotham Metro Studios Team |
| The primary strength of any company is in its management. The Gotham management is comprised of individual consultants selected for each project with the respective expertise in that genre. Gotham consultants and talents are selected by their extensive experience in their respective specialized fields of expertise, business acumen and their skills and reputation in the entertainment industry. Michael J Lasky Mr. Lasky has a diversified career as an entrepreneur, business executive and producer. His career in the motion picture business began in the early 1980’s as an executive producer for Hall Bartlett Films, whose films had previously received 12 Oscar nominations from a slate of 14 pictures. In 1983, Michael had the foresight to option the rights to Frank Abagnale’s notorious book “Catch Me If You Can” and partnered with Mr. Bartlett in developing the project as a feature film. Although Michael's script (penned under the dba- Michael J Du Dek) was not purchased for the Speilberg production, the project proved to be an insightful investment. Hall and Michael worked together for many years thereafter developing 18 film projects for such stars as Marlon Brando, Sophia Loren, Priscilla Presley and Anthony Quinn. Michael had also been an Executive and partner in The Jonathan Livingston Seagull Management Company: “Jonathan previously won 32 awards including the Grammy for Best Motion Picture Score by Neil Diamond, two Oscar nominations and the Best Picture Award from the Association of Christians and Jews.” In 1998, Lasky was recruited as CEO of CinemaZone Studios, which in addition to producing traditional media ventures, also pioneered many of the broadband strategies being employed by online entertainment portals today. During his tenure, he developed the "Gone with the Wind Experience" with partner Daniel Mayer Selznick, as well as producing The CZ TV Show, launching the Fox Family animation cell distribution plan and many other multi-media business strategies. Mr. Lasky also held a seat on the Board of Directors as the entertainment industry consultant for TSDV, LLC, a venture capital and business incubator. In addition to building the CinemaZone company, Michael oversaw the production of four television pilots and as a writer, penned treatments and screenplays. David Craddick Mr. Craddick has benefited from a diverse career as a business executive and entrepreneur. He has been integral in the launch of numerous start-up ventures and brings over 25 years experience in the media industry to Gotham. His skills in sales, negotiation and the forging of sound strategic relationships have enabled him to create strong foundations for the companies with which he has worked. While pursuing a dual degree in Business and Film from USC he received his introduction to the business of media as a sales executive for ON TV, an early pay cable channel. He subsequently founded both Caradoc Advertising and Ad Sign and Design, successfully building and ultimately selling both companies. He was later recruited by Seattle based “Zone Networks”, an early “dot-com” enterprise. While there he helped launch the popular MountainZone.com and through positioning and strategic market planning turned the brand into a viable acquisition target. This lead to the formation of Peak Entertainment, an affiliate television production company. As Chairman/CEO, he helped grow the company to include sports television production, feature film development, merchandising, music management and recording facilities, he sold his interest in 1997. In 1998 he was recruited as President/COO by Manhattan Entertainment Group, the Los Angeles based television production and syndication company. He grew the company through key talent acquisitions, capital structuring, pilot development, production and distribution. Mr. Craddick's ability to “think outside the box” and to create win/win scenarios with business associates and strategic partners will fuel the Gotham engine. Peter Liapis Mr. Liapis has over 24 years experience in the film industry. He started out in front of the camera where his first acting role was playing the love interest opposite the legendary Mae West in her last film titled, "Sextette". His acting career eventually found him playing the lead roles in both action adventure and horror films. Some of these include 'Star Hops’, 'Ghoulies', 'Ghoulies IV', 'Fast Getaway II' and 'The Undeclared War'. In the late early 90's he began his career behind the camera as co-writer and Executive Producer of 'Sins of Desire' for Cinetel Films. He then moved on to write 'Stranger in the House' for the Image Organization and by 1996 landed his first directing job on a film he also wrote titled 'Captured'. He went on to write and/or direct several films for the Image Organization and WIN International Pictures. His prolific ability as a writer provides Gotham with a tremendous advantage not only for creating projects in house but in carefully evaluating co-production submissions. As an accomplished writer/director he brings a scrutinizing eye to all projects considered for funding. Over the decades Mr. Liapis has developed close personal and business relationships with key people in many of the long standing Independent Production / Distribution companies in Hollywood has already utilized those relationships for the benefit of Gotham. Howard Behar Howard Behar, one of the leading entertainment lawyers in Los Angeles, has extensive experience in the negotiation and documentation of rights acquisition agreements, talent employment agreements, domestic/ international distribution and licensing agreements, partnerships, joint venture/ co-production agreements; financing agreements, and completion guarantees. Mr. Behar has represented major international banks, in connection with the extension of revolving and term credit facilities for entertainment software production and related purposes. He has also acted as legal counsel in connection with the production and/or distribution of numerous motion pictures and television programs and has been a strategist in several high profile corporate acquisition and sale transactions. Recently he represented the United States Export-Import Bank in connection with its establishment of a Film Production Guarantee Program. Past Clients Include: Steven Soderbergh, Chris Blackwell, Gary Gannaway, Blue Man Group, Home Box Office, American Broadcasting Companies, Strike Entertainment, American Zoetrope, Myriad Pictures, Fireworks Entertainment, The Lewis Horwitz Organization, Kredietbank S.A. Luxembourgeoise, Mercantile National Bank, Paxson Communications Corporation, Euro RSCG and ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. Howard has advised start-up as well as established companies and individuals engaged in the production and distribution of motion picture, television and multimedia productions. He has also represented domestic and foreign-based companies in connection with various international film and television co-productions. As a result, Howard is familiar with all of the terms and practices, including compensation, in the motion picture and television industries. A graduate of Columbia University, he received his law degree from Stanford Law School. He co-authored the chapter, "Negotiating and Drafting Motion Picture Contracts" in The Dow Jones-Irwin Handbook for Entertainers and Their Professional Advisers. In addition, Howard has lectured at various seminars on the topics of motion picture production, financing and distribution. Markus Baettig Markus A. Baettig has extensive experience and expertise in the areas of accounting and financial management, strategic planning and analysis, and legal affairs.The last ten years of his careerhas have been spent in the entertainment industry, most recently as co-founder of BlueVision Media Inc., an independent production and distribution company.Having worked as an consultant for a number of otherindependent film distribution companies, Mr. Baettig holds a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA. As aformer banker with Credit Suisse,he was able to utilize his accounting expertise and experience in the corporate and banking worldand, along with a partner, buildandthen operateEfficient Funding Corp., a start-up mortgage bank. Dr. Alan Ross |
