Filmmakers: Project Involve Fellows
JACOB COMBS
Director
Jacob Combs is a director, writer and producer based in Los Angeles. He is a 2025 Film Independent Project Involve Directing Fellow, and a recipient of the Cayton-Goldrich Family Foundation Fellowship. His previous short films as writer/director include THE ORANGE AT THE SEDER, which screened at Seattle International Film Festival, BFI Flare London LGBTQ+ Film Festival, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, and HollyShorts, and WITHOUT. Jacob was part of the writers room for the Netflix comedy BLOCKBUSTER, and before that spent several years with Pixar Animation Studios in a variety of writing, development and production roles. At Pixar, Jacob wrote on an untitled feature in development and was part of the writers’ room for the series DREAM PRODUCTIONS. He also wrote several episodes of the Emmy-nominated Disney+ documentary series INSIDE PIXAR.
LAURA HUNTER DRAGO
Writer
Laura Hunter Drago is a writer and producer based in Los Angeles. Recently named one of the Austin Film Festival’s “25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2025,” Laura is a Film Independent Project Involve Fellow, and a recipient of the Sony Pictures Entertainment Fellowship. Laura’s screenwriting has won awards at the Austin Film Festival and WeScreenplay Labs, among other accolades. She wrote and produced the Webby Award Honoree podcast THE CRIME AT CAMP ASHWOOD. Laura also produced the award-winning film, TO THE NEW GIRL, which is featured on Little Dot Studio’s Created By Women Channel. Laura is an alumna of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and even though she now considers herself a retired (and recovering) actress, she remains a proud SAG-AFTRA member.
CASEY NARANJO
Producer
Casey Naranjo is an Irish-Ecuadorian filmmaker in Los Angeles. Her producing career unofficially began as a curious 8-year-old with a video camera in her home state of New Jersey. She earned her BFA in Television Writing and Production from Chapman University. Naranjo has collaborated with A24, FX, MAX, The Montecito Picture Company, and Partizan. She currently works as Production Manager for digital media companies Jubilee Media and Nectar, creating short-form content with over 3 billion views. She is a producing fellow in Film Independent’s 2025 Project Involve and her creative work aspires to tell authentic stories that are deeply human.
JAYCIE LUO
Executive Producer
Jaycie Luo is a competitive ice hockey player turned film producer who is passionate about shedding light on stories from historically underrepresented communities. She has extensive experience championing stories across a diverse film slate, having executed global marketing campaigns for Academy Award and BAFTA nominated films such as AMERICAN FICTION, SALTBURN, and KNIVES OUT. She has collaborated with renowned filmmakers on their debut features which include FAIR PLAY, THE BLACKENING, SELF RELIANCE and ALL OF YOU. Jaycie is a 2025 Film Independent Project Involve Fellow.
OMER LOTAN
Cinematographer
Omer Lotan is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles, originally from Tel Aviv. A graduate of Minshar School of Art, his work spans narrative and documentary films, commercials, and music videos. His narrative work has been selected and awarded at prestigious festivals, including Cannes, Camerimage, and the Jerusalem Film Festival. He has shot commercials for global brands such as Wix, Visa, and Doritos. In 2020, Omer moved to LA to further engage with the international film industry. A 2025 Film Independent Project Involve Fellow and a 2025–2026 ASC Vision Program participant, Omer continues to pursue meaningful and artistic cinema, bringing innovative visual storytelling to diverse projects.
AMY ROSENBERG
Editor
Amy Rosenberg is an award-winning editor and 2025 Film Independent Project Involve Fellow, represented by Cut+Run. Known for blending technical precision with emotional depth, her work spans commercials, branded content, and narrative projects. Her edit of Dove’s The Code earned an Anthem Award and a Cannes Titanium nomination, showcasing her ability to merge storytelling with advocacy for diversity and inclusion. Driven by her heritage and a deep commitment to representation, Rosenberg tells nuanced stories of human perseverance and resilience—crafting narratives that are both artful and deeply human.
Filmmakers: Department Heads
EVAN BLACK
Production Designer
Evan Black is an award-winning Los Angeles-based Production Designer and Set Decorator who works across all genres and formats of film. Hailing from a background in Visual Arts and English Literature, he loves character-driven designs that emphasize quirky, whimsical visuals and will always use his platform to hire and advocate for more LGBTQIA+ representation in the art department. His recent narrative work received the 2024 Sundance Jury Award for Best U.S. Fiction. Outside of the narrative world, Evan has designed for clients including Paris Hilton, Benson Boone, Iggy Azalea, and global brands including Absolut Vodka, Lancôme Beauty, Emporio Armani, and more.
THEODORE MORRIS
Composer
Theodore Morris is a composer and pianist currently pursuing an M.M. in Composition and Music Scoring for Visual Media at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He holds a B.M. in Composition from the Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Arts. He is constantly striving to expand his musical palette, drawing influences from a variety of musical cultures and traditions while creating music for the concert stage, film, and video games.
LISA ZAMBETTI, CSA
Casting Director
Lisa Zambetti, CSA is a three-time Artios-nominated casting director for tv, film, commercials, and video games. (“Criminal Minds”, “Beyond Borders”, “Reservation Dogs”). Her short film “The Hicks Happy Hour” just won an Emmy and premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in June. She’s cast projects for NBC Universal, ABC Studios, CBS Paramount, Netflix, FX, Amazon/Audible, and Skydance Interactive. Lisa is an active member of the Equity in Entertainment committee for the Casting Society. As an acting teacher, Lisa is on the faculty of UCLA, Chapman University, and Pace University and has also taught for USC, UC Santa Barbara, Cal State East Bay, Whitman College, and The Actors Studio M.F.A. program in New York. Lisa has a podcast “Killer Casting” where she discusses her favorite films, TV, and issues in our industry.