Rona Edwards

RONA EDWARDS runs RONA EDWARDS PRODUCTIONS (REP), a production company that produces and develops projects for feature film and television. She Co-Produced and/or Executive Produced a musical, OUT OF SYNC (VH1), ONE SPECIAL VICTORY (NBC), THE COMPANION (USA/SCI-FI CHANNEL) which marked the long-form debut of director Gary Fleder, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID (ABC) and for German television DER MURDER MEINER MUTTER (SAT.1). She also developed and produced a number of films for Lifetime including BLIND TRUST, and two movies based on Ellen Byerrum's successful CRIMES OF FASHION mystery book series, KILLER HAIR and HOSTILE MAKEOVER. She served as Executive Producer on the documentary, SELLING SEX IN HEAVEN which aired on the CBC about sex tourism in the Philippines and which won the Beyond Borders award. It was narrated by Kiefer Sutherland and executive produced the second follow up film by filmmaker, Meredith Ralston called SELLING SEX about high-end escorts and sex workers. She also produced another award-winning documentary for screenwriter/filmmaker Eric Williams called UNFORGETTABLE, about his brother who has hyperthymesia; he can remember every day of his life. She is currently producing and directing a documentary on Military Nurses and is in development on an animated feature as well as several television and feature film projects. She set up a feature at Warner Bros. titled MATCHMAKERS based upon an article she found in People Magazine. Ms. Edwards was Vice President of Creative Affairs for John Larroquette's Port Street Films, Michael Phillips Productions and Brookfield Productions. Edwards has had projects made and/or in development with many of the major networks and studios including a script deal at ABC movies at CBS, ABC, NBC, Hearst Entertainment, VH1, HBO, Phoenix Television, Edward R. Pressman, Motor City Films, Warner Bros., and Wilshire Court, to name a few. She developed a television series entitled ZOMBIE SQUAD for USA Network with producer Judy Cairo. She has been on panels, guest lectured and presented workshops all over the world. A contributing writer to THE LOS FELIZ LEDGER and THE BEACHWOOD VOICE, Edwards was also the newspaper's restaurant reviewer. In addition, she's a contributing writer for PRODUCED BY, the official magazine of the Producers Guild of America. "Rona's Reel Take" was her column in the New York newspaper, NEWORLD REVIEW & SCRIPT magazine. She continues to publish on various websites and has been interviewed by USAToday, Digital Buzz, Your Hollywood Pro, Rolling Tape, Write On and Reel Women, to name a few. Edwards teaches Creative Producing/Screenwriting at Chapman University's Dodge College of Film & Media Arts. In addition, she was Assistant Professor at Chapman University Singapore campus for four years, where she taught Creative Producing & Development, Basic and Advanced Screenwriting, Survey of International Film, Feature Film Analysis and Transmedia Producing for Creative Producers and Storytellers, Producing for Television, Producing the Corporate Video, to name a few. She also teaches at Columbia College Chicago, Studio School and has taught Finance in Media for University of Miami. With Monika Skerbelis, she is the author of the critically acclaimed book, "I LIKED IT, DIDN'T LOVE IT (SCREENPLAY DEVELOPMENT FROM THE INSIDE OUT)," in its 3rd edition. The book is used as a textbook at universities and colleges worldwide and is the quintessential book on the development process in Hollywood. Another book, THE COMPLETE FILMMAKER'S GUIDE TO FILM FESTIVALS (YOUR ALL ACCESS PASS TO LAUNCHING YOUR FILM ON THE FESTIVAL CIRCUIT) was published by MWP (Michael Wiese Productions) and is also used as part of film school curriculums and senior thesis projects at schools around the world. Together they teach "The Story Development Process" at Riverside Community College's distant learning program and created "Introduction for Feature Film Development" for UCLA extension. Partnered in a production company, ES Entertainment (ESE), they are also the co-founders of ESE Film Workshops Online, nurturing filmmakers and screenwriting talent worldwide by offering such online courses as Creating a Production Company, Finding & Developing New Ideas, Maneuvering Film Festivals, and Screenplay Development From the Inside Out. ESE Film Workshops Online offers close and personal guidance from industry pros throughout the length of each online class. Edwards is a proud member of the Producers Guild of America, SAG/AFTRA, Film Independent, International Documentary Association, University Film & Television Association and The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. For more information visit, www.esentertainment.net or ESEFilmWorkshopsOnline.com