If you’re thinking of becoming a film producer, you won’t find much insight here. I never thought about becoming a film producer. In fact, I was happy lying on the beach in Puerto Vallarta. Of course, I had thought a lot about films and filmaking much of my life. Especially all those years I was an advertising copywriter/creative director type. And really big-time, I suppose, when we would come to Hollywood to shoot a commercial. So in all honesty I am indebted to my nephew, Tom O’Leary and Marc Saltarelli for this new title. (Sometimes I think debted to.) I already knew Tom, of course. I had followed his writing career over the years. And when he showed me the script for Where We Began, I liked it a lot. (Except for a third character which I finally made him exorcise.) Tom told me that he had a filmmaker friend who was eager to turn it into a short film. I said to Tom that I would love to meet him and help out in any way. So we took a meeting. I liked Marc instantly. His passion for filmmaking and his talent were obvious. Then in one of those life-altering moments over which you seem to have no control, I agreed to be the Executive Producer and take care of the mundane details--like funding. Then I began to take it very seriously and decided to call myself “Out of the Park Productions.” One thing I’ve learned since becoming a film producer is that no-one ever asks about how to become a film producer. Also I don’t have time to lie on the beach in Puerto Vallarta as much.

Marc Saltarelli is a writer, director and film editor living in Los Angeles. Along with writer Tom O’Leary, his short film WHERE WE BEGAN won a 2007 PlanetOut Short Movie Award and ranked #1 on season 3 of logo’s “The Click List: Best in Short Film.”  His new short film “Nourishment” will premiere next season on Logo.  “Wingtips”, a noir style surreal thriller was a finalist in the 2007 PlanetOut Short Movie awards.  The short was created with writer/actor Alex Boling and has played in festivals worldwide and will debut on logo in April, 2008.  In 2006, Marc directed the horror comedy feature “Dead Boyz Don’t Scream”, currently on the TLA bestseller list.

Marc co-produced, wrote, shot and edited the documentary feature FATHER G AND THE HOMEBOYS (Narrated by Martin Sheen), which profiles the lives of former East Los Angeles Latino gang members. IN THE SHADOW, his screenplay inspired by the documentary, won best latino themed short screenplay in the 2007 Latino Screenplay Competition and will begin production in 2008.

Marc has worked in post production on syndicated television programs and began his career working in the art department for Cannon Films. He has a film degree from Loyola Marymount University with additional training from USC School of Cinema.

TOM O'LEARY - Writer

Tom O'Leary is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and humor writer. He wrote the screenplay for the short film WHERE WE BEGAN, which won a 2007 PlanetOut Short Movie Award and tied for the PlanetOut Audience Choice Award based on online voting. The film will also play at the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film festival in April of 2007. MTV’s Logo network recently acquired U.S. television rights and it will premiere on the new season of “The Click List: The Best in Short Film” starting in March, 2007. In June, the film will screen at the Provincetown International Film Festival along with a live staged reading of Tom’s full-length screenplay based on the characters from the short. The film premiered in 2006 at Image+Nation: The Montreal Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and was selected for the 2007 Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival in April. It has recently been selected for the prestigious London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and will screen in London’s National Theater in March of this year.

With writer Cathy Crimmins, Tom O’Leary co-authored the best-selling humor book THE GAY MAN’S GUIDE TO HETEROSEXUALITY. His play DAVID is the Provincetown Theater Company Best New Play of 1998. DAVID received its world premiere at the Theater on the Square in Indianapolis where it played to sold out houses.

BREATH, an evening of one-acts by O’Leary was performed in both New York City and Los Angeles. His play THE NEGATIVE ROOM won the Best New Play Award at the Towngate Theater in 1994 and played to sold out audiences in Provincetown, MA. His play THE GUEST HOUSE DIARIES was also a smash in Provincetown.

Tom O’Leary received an MFA in Playwriting from Temple University. He was Playwright-in-Residence at Playwrights Horizons Theater School. He lives in Los Angeles.