Jim Tomlinson – Executive Producer / Executive In Charge of Production
Jim Tomlinson currently holds the position of “Executive in Charge of Production” for DISNEY/ABC TV, SONY Pictures TV and Endemol Shine /FOX Television. Programs include the “2022 Earthshot Prize Awards Show” with the Prince and Princess of Wales, “$100,000.00 PYRAMID”, “Katie Couric Show”, “Sunday’s with Alec Baldwin”, “Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris”, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”, Page Six TV, Trivia Crack and The Nick Cannon Show. On these programs he was responsible for program budgets, contracts, operations, and management of show staffs and getting the shows on air.
Jim Tomlinson served as Vice President of Production & Operations at AETN from 2004 to 2012 where he directed the production units for A&E,History, Biography, and Lifetime cable channels in creation of more than 300 hours of internal programming content on an annual basis. Including: Live By Request, Breakfast with the Arts, 60th Anniversary of VJ Day, Sting & the Royal Philharmonic at Red Rocks Colorado, Private Sessions, Chriss Angel Live broadcast events, among a number of other programs. From 1994 to 2004 Jim worked at ABC News, overseeing production on Good Morning America, and in dealing with program budgets, union negotiations, supervision of daily live network broadcasts, field packages, live remote operations, full show live originations both domestic and internationally for GMA, and Special events coverage of Super Bowls, Princess Dianna Funeral coverage, 2000 Millennium Coverage, 25th Anniversary Walt Disney World, and 9/11. Jim also oversaw production on ABC News Magazine shows, 20/20 & Primetime Live, managing all operational, financial, and production elements of over 300 hours of programming per year. He also developed and implemented operational and financial policies and procedures to improve ABC News competitiveness and efficiencies managing a staff of 300+ and on-air talent. Jim has also spent 15 + years in the commercial, documentary, music videos, and feature production worlds. He has received several, Emmy Awards, Peabody, and Columbia DuPont Award for ABC & AETN. Jim holds an MBA and BS degree from St. John’s University, and is a member of both the Directors & Producers Guild of America.
Lynn Hoffman - Executive Producer
Most recognized as host of A&E Television Networks Emmy Award winning show Private Sessions, a music performance and interview cable series airing in the U.S. and 17 other countries, Lynn has interviewed, produced and worked with many of the top names in contemporary music and film. From Ringo Starr, Bon Jovi, Sting, Dustin Hoffman, Mary J. Blige, Michael Douglas, Seal, Ricky Martin and many more have fallen under the spell of Lynn’s engaging warmth, quick wit, and authentic sincerity.
Lynn started her career as the energetic co-host of a morning radio show at CBS Radio’s flagship music station, MIX 98.5 FM in Boston. Along with her side gig as fill-in entertainment reporter on WBZ TV 4, the morning show went to number #1 with adults 25-54. Lynn freelanced hosting gigs from E! Entertainment Television, TLC and VH1. In early 2002, Lynn moved to NYC and quickly became the first on-camera TV host to launch MTV’s new digital tv channel, VH1 Classic. Her duties included VJ, hosting artist interviews, music specials and eventually she would host what would become the highest rated show on the network, The VH1 Classic All Request Hour. In 2004 WNEW 102.7 NY offered Lynn her own morning show that she happily accepted. In 2007, Lynn landed the coveted gig as host of A&E’s weekly music performance interview series Private Sessions, where she not only helped produce the show but was also nominated for her first Emmy award. The show became cable television’s most-watched music and interview series during its 5 1/2 year run. Still capturing listening audiences across North America from Vancouver to Hawaii, New York to Dallas and Nashville to West Palm, Lynn’s voice can be heard as the imaging, promo, news, comedy, award show, commercial voice for some of TV and Radio’s largest media broadcasting companies, including CBS Radio, iHeart Media, Sinclair Broadcasting, Audacy, NextStar Media, LIN-TV Corp., Stingray Media and Premiere Radio.
Vinny Steves - Senior Producer/Line Producer
Vinny is a production executive with 25 years’ experience in lifestyle, variety, talk, game shows and multi-camera studio formats. He has been both an independent producer and a network executive. He is currently Line Producer for the 2022 Earthshot Prize Awards Show with the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Throughout his career he has supervised successful large-scale productions - from concept through completion and he has held staff production positions at Nickelodeon, Sundance, Food Network and most recently, NBC Universal.
Vinny has broad expertise in managing live-action physical productions; creating and vetting budgets and managing costs. Recent productions include Misery Index for TBS, Talking Evil for Discovery, and ABC’s The $100,000 Pyramid. He’s a multi-Emmy nominee with a strong track record of advising production partners and stakeholders, with a knack for leading, mentoring, and inspiring creative and technical teams; fostering an open culture that celebrates original thinking, innovation and creative risk taking.
Mark Rivera - Music Director
Billy Joel’s saxophonist for the last 40 years, Rivera has performed before millions of fans with a ‘who’s who’ of music’s elite, including John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Simon & Garfunkel, Don Henley, Tony Bennett, Rivera worked with Robert John “Mutt” Lange, who produced the classic Foreigner 4 and introduced Mark to Mick Jones and Lou Gramm who brought him into the band. He has worked with Hall & Oates and Peter Gabriel on the classic track Sledgehammer. As Ringo Starr’s Musical Director for the last 26 years he’s worked with such music legends as Jack Bruce (Cream), Peter Frampton, Billy Preston, John Entwistle (The Who), Gary Brooker, Roger Hodgson, Colin Hay (Men At Work), Simon Kirke (Free), Rod Argent (The Zombies) Greg Lake (E.L.P), Ian Hunter (Mott The Hoople), Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, Richard Page (Mr. Mister), Greg Rolie (Santana), Todd Rundgren and Steve Lukather (Toto).
In 2010, longtime friend Joe Walsh asked Mark to put a band together in celebration of Ringo Starr’s 70th Birthday at Radio City Music Hall — a band featuring one Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney, was joined at the finale by a second, Ringo himself, as Mark put it, “It was like watching the dream come full circle.”
In 2007, Mark was asked to lead a fantastic line-up of guests gathered at the Roundhouse in London to pay tribute to the late Jim Capaldi of Traffic and to raise money for his children’s charity The Landmark Trust. “It was a Joy working with Traffic colleague Steve Windwood, Pete Townshend of The Who, Jon Lord of Deep Purple and many more of my British Idols.” As well as being passionate about his music, Mark cares deeply about giving back. He takes great pride being on the Board of Directors for Give An Hour (helping returning veterans with PTSD) and most recently joining Scott Shannon CBSFM at The Blythdale Children’s Hospital and most recently he headlined the event for the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. It’s just his way of “never forgetting where you come from.”
Marc Ribler - Co-Music Director
Guitarist, Singer-Songwriter, Producer. His latest album, “The Whole World Awaits You” is on Wicked Cool Records/Sony/The Orchard July 2021 and was produced by Stevie Van Zandt and Marc Ribler. Musical Director for Stevie Van Zandt , Little Steven and The Disciples Of Soul 2016 to Present Musical director for Darlene Love 2015-2017. Marc has performed with Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Ian Anderson(Jethro Tull) , Roger McGuinn, Carole King, Rick Springfield, Peter Wolf (J.Geils), Mary Wilson Lulu, Steve Forbert , Gary US Bonds, Bettye Lavette, Southside Johnny, Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick) and many other greats. He has produced and written over 50 songs for major label recording artist’s. His songs have charted in The Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hits in Canada and abroad… Marc also writes, sings and produces for TV and Film.
Mike Ramsdell - Senior Producer
Mike is the founder of Under the Hood Productions, a film company specializing in unscripted and documentary content with an emphasis on engaging stories about individuals who strive to overcome, create and excel.
Directing credits include The Anatomy of Hate: A Dialogue to Hope, When Elephants Fight executive produced and narrated by Robin Wright, Set Apart: The Jim Abbot Story in partnership with FOX and MLB, Ukweli in partnership with Google, and We Can Be Heroes (Rainmaker Content/executive producer Peter Berg).
Story producer credits include Boys in Blue, a new limited docu-series for Showtime, produced by Film45.
He has also directed unscripted brand work for Amazon:Behind the Box, Ford: On the Line and commercials for Chevy Camaro and Carvana.
Justin Barrett - Senior Producer
Justin Barrett is a producer and development executive with Under the Hood Productions.
Executive Producer/Producer film credits include: Anatomy of Hate: A Dialogue to Hope (feature documentary), Montclair (narrative feature), We Can Be Heroes (feature documentary)(Rainmaker Content/Executive Producer Peter Berg). He has worked commercially in New York City as a producer, performer, editor and writer for 25 years. Major agencies, brand partners and networks include: BBDO, Ogilvy, Saatchi, Publicis/AT&T, American Express, Dunkin Donuts, Audible/Tvland, A&E, CNN, NBCSports, Bloomberg.
Marissa Sommerville - Business Affairs
As an industry expert and entertainment law attorney, Marisa advises and oversees critical business functions such as business and strategy development, contract negotiation, and new project oversight for award-winning film and TV production companies.
Critically acclaimed films projects include the famed "Twilight Saga” franchise where she negotiated and finalized the film rights agreement, talent agreements and marketing partnership agreements.
Television projects include ratings giants such as "American Idol", “America’s Got Talent” and "Project Runway,”. She provided day to day legal expertise and handled relations between production and the NFL for Emmy nominated NFL Network Series “Good Morning Football.” Additionally, Marisa advised on and oversaw the set up and launch of several television series such as NBC’s “Best Time Ever” and Fox Network’s “The Four: Battle for Stardom.” Marisa’s passion, knowledge and experience cultivated from fifteen years of production work in film and television has garnered relationships and contacts with the best of the business across film, television, and professional sports.