Cinematographer: DARREN LEW

Darren Lew brings artistic excellence to everything he touches. The award-winning cinematographer has grown an impressive and diverse filmography, applying his talent and creativity to produce an array of acclaimed commercials, short films, and documentaries. He’s recently received attention for the visually stunning, black-and-white Levi’s American “Go Forth” commercial, for which he was the 2010 AICP Show Winner for Cinematography and Visual Style and the 2010 Cannes Lions Festival Bronze Winner in Cinematography. Darren’s first project was working with Steven Meisel on Madonna’s SEX book, and he has since photographed commercials for Lacoste, Nike, Clinique, Versace, VW, HBO, and Calvin Klein, among others, and has worked the camera for notable short films including BUGCRUSH directed by Carter Smith, Bastard and Welcome directed by Kirsten Dunst, and Streak directed by Demi Moore. Darren also contributed his cinematographic talents to the recently released documentary Freakonomics, adapted from the best-selling book and directed by Oscar-winner Alex Gibney.
 

Experience Darren’s cinematography first-hand (above), then catch a glimpse into his thoughts (below).

 

Pistols Kill Ponies: LENA DUNHAM

Sharp, tongue-in-cheek comic filmmaker Lena Dunham singlehandedly founded the independent film production company, Pistols Kill Ponies:  "We like to make ourselves sound like a collective, but in truth we only consist of Lena Dunham and whoever is kind enough to work with her." At just 23, Lena already has an impressive collection of films, including webseries Delusional Downtown Divas for Index Magazine and Tight Shots for Nerve Video. She has been featured in New York Magazine, Interview Magazine, and Scarlett Cinema, among others, and has been named one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Film (2009). Lena hails from an artistic family, and as a proud older sibling, she insists that she got her talent from her younger sister.

Whether as a director, producer, writer, or actress, Lena's charm, pizazz, and quirky sense of humor shines in all her artistic endeavors.
 

Brooklyn Academy of Music: KAREN BROOKS HOPKINS

The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) featured its first performance in 1861, and has been a fixture of Brooklyn and New York City culture ever since. Now, more than ever, BAM is bursting at the seams with international drama, art, music, dance, and film, as home to the Howard Gilman Opera House, Harvey Theater, and Rose Cinemas. The woman at the helm is none other than its president, Karen Brooks Hopkins. And what does the president of such a prestigious cultural center do? The answer, in short, is: everything. From managing finances to pleasing clientele, Karen is the force that has brought BAM into the spotlight over the past couple of years. 

Karen is committed to delivering cutting-edge art while leveraging all of the creativity and character that Brooklyn has to offer. For more information about BAM, please visit www.bam.org.
 

Actor: SPENCER CLARK

Spencer Clark has evolved from a child actor to a burgeoning movie star. He's our personal favorite--not only because he's our friend, but also because he explains so well what it feels like to watch yourself on screen (and is wholly unaffected). You may remember him as the young Lucius Verus in the Academy Award winning film Gladiator, or know him as the (all grown up!) teen son of the bad guys in The Last House on the Left .  He has also appeared in Unbreakable, Mystic River, and on the television show, The Good Wife. But these days, Spencer has been focusing on playing the role of "college student," attending Columbia University full-time and majoring in political science. He's talented both on screen and in the classroom. When asked what his upcoming projects were, he duly responded: "My only project right now is somehow making it through this next week of school!" We feel your pain, Spence. 

Insider tips: If you camp out in Morningside Heights, you might spot Spencer riding his bicycle around Columbia. And if you want to see his baby pics, click here.