Phil and Kathleen Cooke
Founders
As the founders of Cooke Pictures, Phil and Kathleen Cooke have assembled a remarkable team of forward thinking media professionals that span every phase of traditional and emerging media. CNN's Paula Zahn has called Phil the only working producer in Hollywood with a Ph.D. in Theology. Kathleen's experience in front of the camera as a commercial actress, casting director, and interviewer bring balance to their media perspective. As producers and media strategists, Phil and Kathleen lead a team that advises many of the largest and most effective non-profit and faith-based social media organizations in the world. The Cooke's enjoy educating others with the power of niche media and speak nationally and internationally at workshops, seminars, and conferences. Cooke Pictures' consulting clients include a virtual "who's who" in the faith-based and non-profit niche markets.
Matthew Phillips
Chief Operating Officer
As the COO, Matthew Phillips is responsible for Cooke Pictures' day-to-day operations and Digital Media Strategy. Matthew works with all our media clients to help them find their ‘promised brand’ through the repentance of bad brand behavior. On the creative side, as Executive Producer, Matthew oversees our biggest budget projects.
Matt's expertise involves interactive media trends and the convergence with traditional media production. His career has been established converging digital media with television and film for companies like Digidesign, Avid, Loudeye, Warner Bros, Disney, Universal Studios, Paramount, NBC, ABC, and CBS. Past digital media successes include opening and operating the Santa Monica office for $500 million dollar startup Loudeye Technologies (now Nokia) as General Manager and Director of Production, and nearly 7 years with Avid Technology, managing Support Engineering Operations and Critical Accounts with responsibility for the West Coast/Hollywood Studios, Asia, and Latin American efforts.
Phillips holds a Masters Degree in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University. He spent four years researching and developing online social media networks, blogs, and user generated search: Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Azusa Pacific University with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Management. Matt continues efforts to bridge physical communities with social interactivity on the Internet. He is quickly becoming a leading thinker and speaker in the creation and distribution of social media.
Truett Hancock
Sr. Producer | Director | Writer
Truett has spent 29 years working almost exclusively within faith based television. Truett has been involved with several large ministries including Oral Roberts, Morris Cerullo World Evangelism, PTL Television Network, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Guidelines Television and most recently he served as Vice President of Television for Benny Hinn Ministries. Truett has travelled extensively and has directed production efforts in over 55 countries around the globe. He has been in charge of television production requirements for covering live events where crowds numbered at close to one million in attendance. He is also an accomplished studio director and as a former musician he has a keen eye and ear when it comes to covering live performance recordings.
Truett has also worked with ESPN covering various sporting events and has produced stories for CNN International. He has a played a key role in producing and directing literally thousands of hours of broadcast television that have aired globally.
Truett has a B.S. in Telecommunications from Oral Roberts University including a minor in marketing. He has written several articles concerning television production which have been published by National Religious Broadcasting magazine and Technologies For Worship magazine.
J. Brian Mead
Producer | Director | Editor
Brian's television experience includes producing, directing, and editing numerous nationwide programs and music videos, as well as promotional and corporate projects both in the United States and internationally.
An accomplished Avid Editor, as Senior Producer, Editor, and Motion Graphics Animator at Cooke Pictures, Brian's primary responsibilities lie in Post Production. But he is also a primary member of the creative team and from time to time also works in the capacity of producer/director. While continually maintaining a high level of creativity he keeps projects visually diverse and stylistically innovative.
Joey Legé
Producer | Editor
Legé brings to Cooke Pictures over 14 years of production experience ranging from sports television, to broadcast news and corporate video. For the last 6 years he has worked in faith-based media as both an editor and videographer for such organizations as Life Outreach International (James Robison), God TV (based in the UK), and Jewish Voice Ministries in Phoenix. During that time he has produced programming in countries as diverse as Africa, India, South America, and China. Joey’s talent and passion is editing. He believes video and film can be the ultimate storyteller, and his gift is finding the heart of a story and telling that story through the power of images. His excellence and desire to always approach his work in a new and fresh way make Joey a consummate and lifelong student. Although a Texan at heart, he is excited about living in California and being a part of the Cooke Pictures team.
Alison Hinds
Head of Production
Alison Hinds is the Head of Production with Cooke Pictures in our Santa Monica office. She comes from an industry background in series development and documentary programming, where she worked with companies like HBO and 20th Century Fox. Alison focuses on client development, project coordination, and client services, to ensure that we have the best possible communication with our clients for producing projects. Our goal is to help you reach your greatest potential through media, and Alison has the kind of industry background that will help make that happen.
Kimberly Robinson
Financial Account Manager
Kimberly Robinson's fascination with working in the entertainment industry was sparked at the age of sixteen through an opportunity to personally interview Celine Dion. Wanting to combine her faith in God with her desire to work in entertainment, she landed the lead role in a community theater production while obtaining her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from North Greenville College in Tigerville, SC. As a student, her three-year involvement as a volunteer at the National Religious Broadcasters Conference moved her interests more toward faith-based media. Kimberly demonstrated her passion for developing quality programming by creating NGC Vision, North Greenville's Campus Television Station.
Kimberly completed her college with an internship through the Los Angeles Film Studies Center as an assistant for the popular television shows Extra and Celebrity Justice. Since then, she has worked for Audiences Unlimited on such shows as Everybody Loves Raymond, That 70s Show, The Peoples Choice Awards, The American Music Awards, and The Oprah Show: After the Oscars before joining the Cooke Pictures Team.
Cheryl Cashman
Office Manager
Cheryl Cashman brings to Cooke Pictures both knowledge and experience in Christian education and entertainment. Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education from Biola University, Cheryl first worked as a youth minister and taught both elementary and middle school. After several years in education, Cheryl ventured into the entertainment industry where she worked in production, film finance, product placement and royalties. Employers included Comedy Central, Turner Broadcasting, and Universal Music Group. Cheryl is now able to fuse all her talents and experience working at Cooke Pictures.
Chris Perry
Art Director
Chris is passionate about excellence in graphic design and its strategic application. A master at visually interpreting client aspirations, Chris has created identities for many large secular and christian organisations globally including Hillsong Church Australia. Chris' abilities ensure creative material conceived at Cooke Pictures are successfully translated across all aspects of our clients marketing activity. Having designed for print for 20 years and digital for 10, Chris brings a strong, fresh corporate approach to the design of logos, brochures, web sites, packaging, signage and corporate identity guidelines.
Benjamin Shell
Web Developer
Ben is the Internet guru behind Cooke Pictures' web presence, and has exceptional expertise in the design and coding of interactive websites. Ben assumes responsibility for the essential "behind the screen" details for the Cooke Pictures websites and PhilCooke.com. His work enables the Cooke Pictures team to easily publish blogs, send e-mail newsletters, distribute digital media, and move toward media convergence. In a world where “connectivity” is critical, he is also developing powerful web-based organizational tools that help the production and consulting team stay connected across the globe.
Network
Coast to coast, Cooke Pictures has established a unique network of consulting producers and creative directors. Each an experienced industry professional, they are the "point people" for many of our media projects and client relationships. Their advice, consultation, leadership, and production expertise is a key element in creating the best program or project. More important, their award winning experience provides our clients with the breakthrough thinking and creative strategy that leads to success.
Darren Moorman
Producer
In 1997 Darren relocated to Los Angeles, after being invited to help start Second Image Studios, based on his business and investment skills as well as his talent for networking. Two years later he produced a feature length film, All Over Again, winner of the Santa Clarita Film Festival starring Craig T. Nelson and Robert Loggia.
Darren has worked for industry leaders such as: MGM, National Geographic, Shoreline Entertainment, and DIRECTV, and has gained the trust and respect of many key players and companies in the entertainment industry. He has been mentored by the acclaimed Producer Howard Kazanjian (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, Return of the Jedi). He has also worked with some top actors such as Denzel Washington, Danny Devito, John Goodman, Marisa Tomei, Julia Stiles, Chris Evans, Robert Carlyle, and David Strathairn. Darren was a producer on the feature film “Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing and Charm School” which was an official selection of the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically. Darren re-teamed with Morris Ruskin of Shoreline Entertainment, and Produced the “The Fifth Patient” shot in Mexico. His latest feature film to produce is called Sensation of Sight, starring David Strathairn, shot in New Hampshire, and is presently moving around festivals.
Consulting Producer
Dwayne Gates
Director | Set Designer
When you first meet Dwayne, one word comes to mind,….passionate. He is driven with the desire to turn what he calls “soup kitchen programming” into a 5 course dining experience. Over the last twenty years of broadcasting, he has achieved multiple Telly Awards for both film and television, along with the “Best National Talk Show” award from the National Religious Broadcasters. Dwayne specializes in development of both long and short form television programs and commercials beginning with the concept, program infrastructure and formatting, down to the final polished look. Along with producing, he has capitalized on years of seeing life through a camera lens, and used it to become a highly regarded and respected set designer, maximizing both the look and functionality of the program environment.
Graphic Animation and Design
Steve Taylor
Producer | Editor
Steve is one of our longest relationships for a reason - he is highly creative, and gets results. An award winning graphic designer and animator, Steve has been the a key creative element in some of our most talked about and remembered projects. His program openings, commercials, and graphic elements have taken our client's projects to new levels of visability, and he leaves a strong creative mark on everything he does. He is also founder and Creative Director of Digital Spatula in Los Angeles.
Stephen Yao
Editor | Technician
Graduating from Biola University with a degree in Motion Picture Production, Stephen joins the Cooke Pictures team as editor and technician. His strong work ethic and desire for excellence make him an important part of Cooke Pictures. Although Stephen's passions lie in editing, his experience ranges anywhere from grip to camera operator. With offices located in Santa Monica, just blocks from the beach, and a love for surfing, Cooke Pictures seems to be a perfect fit for Stephen.
Our Mascots
Maggie Mae and Oakley
Co-Vice Presidents of Morale
Trusty, loyal, and slightly off center, Maggie Mae and Oakley give the office a much needed jolt of inspiration and are our Executives in Charge of Morale, Recreation, and Chewing. After all, every employee needs to throw sticks now and then, and Maggie and Oakley are there to bring them back without fail.
Sure they have a few weird habits, (although their salary and benefit packages are pretty cheap), but the best thing about this team is that they think every project is fantastic, and every client is their best friend.
...and where else can you find that kind of pal?
