The Crew


		Malindi Fickle, Producer/Director Malindi is the founder of Hyperbaric Productions. BY THE PEOPLE, the company’s first film and Malindi’s feature film directing debut, is dedicated to the people who participate in keeping democracy alive. Malindi has been a director, producer and actor in New York City for over fourteen years. Directing/producing credits include: “Savior” at the Manhattan Ensemble Theater, produced by Beth O’Neal; “Escape From Happiness”; and the world premiere of “A Floating Roof Above Your Head”. As an actress, her feature films include: Sharon Pollack’s Everything Relative (Sundance Film Festival); Jacklight (Cannes Critic’s Selection) and St. Andrew’s Girls (TVA Films). Malindi graduated Summa Cum Laude from New York University.
		Kris Lienert, Director of Photography/Editor BY THE PEOPLE is Kris’ first feature as Director of Photography. He produced, directed and edited two independent shorts, “The Gift” and “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Bard?”. Kris graduated from the William Esper Studio in New York City in 1994 after a three year intensive study of the Meisner Technique and Shakespeare and is a professional actor with over 20 years of experience in theater, film, television and radio. His company, Inward Bound Films, produces music videos and promotional pieces for local bands, educational institutions and not-for-profits and teaches middle and high school students the art of digital film-making through summer camps and after school programs. Kris divides his time between New York City and Indianapolis and wherever Hyperbaric Productions takes him.
		Jennifer Fitzgerald, Producer BY THE PEOPLE is the first documentary film Jennifer has ever produced. She has been an actor, writer and producer in New York City and Los Angeles for longer than the medication allows her to remember. Jennifer has produced industrial films for clients such as Sports Illustrated for Kids and Travel and Leisure with her own production company, Butch Films. Jennifer has also been a production manager for many television commercials and short films. As an actor, Ms. Fitzgerald is beloved by intelligentsia and commoners the world over. She has appeared in many television commercials, sitcoms and comedy clubs, often on purpose. Recently she appeared in the Best of Slamdance 2004 winner, The Dry Spell, where she got to make out with a guy. Last year she was also nominated for an LA Weekly best comedic ensemble award for her role in the LA premiere of Adam Bock’s Swimming in the Shallows, in which she got to make out with a girl. Disappointingly, Ms. Fitzgerald made out with no one during the filming of By the People. Jennifer is the mother of a stunning Shepherd/Beagle mix and currently lives in Los Angeles, although she pretends it is New York. In her spare time Ms. Fitzgerald enjoys speaking about herself in the third person.
		John Blakenship, Sound With experience that spans three decades, John has done audio productions for several radio stations, was broadcast producer for a major Indianapolis advertising agency, designed recording studios, did audio editing and production for creative radio campaigns, and owned and operated a 24 track sound recording studio. In the early nineties, John began following his cinematic dreams and became involved in independent film. He developed his talents at writing and producing and later began adding cinematography to his skill set. In the late nineties, John called upon his long history and love of audio to learn the techniques of both location and post production sound for film and video. Over the last several years, a large portion of John's time has been dedicated to his services as a location sound mixer and post production sound supervisor as well as running his production company which specializes in independent film productions. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, John has contributed his talents to numerous independent films as well as a wide variety of network and syndicated television shows for outlets such as The Discovery Channel, National Geographic, HD-Net, ESPN, NBC and many other local, national and international companies. www.indyfilm.com
		Jeff Gerson, Original Music In an effort to control his penchant for emptying the cupboards of pots and pans and using spoons to 'play' them, Jeff Gerson's parents decided music lessons were worth a try. Subsequent to the first year spent playing the production of a musical that ran on Broadway for fifteen years, he chose to seek a graduate degree in music composition. Following its completion, he spent the next ten years in Los Angeles. There, as a player and/or composer, he worked on virtually every episode of such shows as Hill Street Blues, The A Team, Magnum PI, Greatest American Hero, among numerous others. He also brought his contributions to the record world (Bruce Hornsby, The Temptations), and feature films (River Rat, Rhinestone, Loving Couples). Finally accepting the reality that a position as (extremely) small forward with the Los Angeles Lakers was not to be, he relocated to the midwest in 1989. Since then, he has kept busy creating music for programming running on networks such as VH1, ESPN, TLC, and Telemundo. Additionally, writing music for advertising, corporate, and broadcast affiliate applications has been a part of the palette. In his spare time, Gerson continues to diligently practice the John Wooden hook shot drill.
		Liza Politi, Producer Liza is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of the Statement Arts (www.statementarts.org), a not for profit organization that believes in the power of art to inspire social and cultural change. StART’s most recent project, "The Bayou Tour 2005", traveled down to the hurricane - ravaged Gulf Coast with a busload of Broadway singers and performers to carol in the most neglected and forgotten areas, bringing music, a little Christmas spirit, toys and supplies to those desperately in need. From the success of the Bayou Tour, Liza was invited by the CULTURE PROJECT (www.cultureproject.org) to produce "IMPACT on the GULF," (www.impactfestival.org) is a four week multi-disciplinary art festival dealing with Hurricane Katrina and Rita and their aftermath, one year later. This festival will take place this fall in New York City. She has worked as an events coordinator for Kids with Cameras, an international arts program stemming from the 2004 Academy Award-winning documentary "Born into Brothels" and September Space; a 9-11 Community Center. In 2000, Liza was presented with the Joseph P. Reilly Award from the Screen Actors Guild in recognition for her efforts in resolving a national strike. In 2003, the FDNY honored her for a 9/11 community outreach program that she co-founded for them. Liza graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, winning the Lee Strasberg Award for acting in her final year. She has spent 15 years working as an actress and model in New York City. This is her first documentary film.
		Michael Bassett, Editor Michael Bassett had produced and directed a number of projects through 13Carat Productions including Dance, Theatre, Video, Photography, and Multi-Media installations. As a playwright his produced plays include Bleach, The Last Judgment, Cake, and Devoured in Chicago; The Four Horsemen and Triptych in New York where he received a commission to develop his play, Superstrings, from Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Sloan Science and Technology Fund. He was recently commissioned to write the inaugural play for IdleMuse Theatre Company. Some favorite acting roles include Eddie in Fool for Love, Pale in Burn This, Don Baker in The Star Attraction as well as work in television and independent film. Mr. Bassett is on faculty at Loyola University Chicago where he teaches in the Theatre Department. He is currently directing Rebecca Gilman’s Boy Gets Girl for Loyola.
		Chad Hudson, Graphic Art/Web Designer Chad Hudson, a native of Indianapolis, has been a working actor and proud member of Actors Equity in New York City for over a decade. He is co-founder/producing director of Dreamlight Theatre Company, a new theatre company devoted to the development and nurturing of musical theatre artists - www.DreamlightTheatre.org. As a designer, Chad has built and maintained web sites for many organizations including performance artists, restaurants and other companies. Chad is currently pursuing a Master's Certificate in Graphic Design from New York University. Chad is thrilled to be involved with this amazing and important film.
		Chris Lewis, Director of Outreach For the last six years, Chris has traveled across the Country as a member of the acclaimed vocal jazz octet, Pieces of 8. In addition to touring, he recorded three albums with the group, two for the jazz label Town Crier Records. Chris has also been heard on various recordings ranging from children’s stories to soundtracks for Disney feature films. Chris is excited to be working with Hyperbaric productions for the film, By the People. Having worked as a volunteer on political campaigns for the last 15 years, he is happy to be part of a film that not only shows the madness of elections but inspires people to exercise their right to get involved with the process.
		Bo Ranney - National Strategic Coordinator Bo hopefully pulled his last lever in a voting booth in the 2006 New York Primary Election. A proud voter since registering for the Selective Service at age 18, he’s almost always had to vote absentee: as a Political Science student at Vanderbilt University in Nashville he sent absentee ballots home to Marietta, GA; as a U.S. Navy officer he sent absentee ballots to GA from an aircraft carrier and a large deck amphibious assault ship; and as an actor he has generally been lucky enough to need to vote by absentee ballot because he was working and out of town on Election Days. He’s volunteered on numerous campaigns, served as the Deputy Field Director for one New York Times-endorsed candidate in 2005 and was moved by this movie. Bo is excited to be a part of this creative team and the non-partisan movement to boost election participation and to make elections a smoother enterprise.