The Film Makers
Kevin Derek
KEVIN DEREK- DIRECTOR | EDITOR
Kevin attended Columbia College in Hollywood, California, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Motion Pictures in 1990. At the age of 20 he produced his first low-budget feature “The Final Incident” that ran for two weeks at the Laemmle Santa Monica Theatre. Film critic Emanuel Levy from The Village Voice called it “Emotionally Gripping.” And Kevin Thomas from the L.A Times said it was,”Charged with passion…”
Kevin has extensive experience in the movie industry both as producer, director and editor. Kevin’s 2nd credits as a producer, was “The Ultimate Game,” an action adventure, produced for the video market that sold worldwide. -Kung Fu Cinema "Excellent Fight Sequences"
Derek also produced and directed two documentary films about martial arts called “Empty Hand” that premiered at the Academy Awards accredited film festival DOC NYC, and “The Real Myiagi,” about the man behind the biggest action star legends in Hollywood such as Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris . Starring Steven Seagal, Dolph Lundgren, Michael Jai White and many others.
Derek is currently The Festival director for the Irvine International Film Festival. Last year alone, 11 of the festival’s Official Selections were shortlisted for Academy Awards, with nine Oscar nominations between them. Seven-time Emmy winning actor Ed Asner (Up, The Mary Tyler Moore Show) and Academy Award winning director John G. Avildsen (Rocky), both of whom received Lifetime Achievement Awards at IIFF.
Oscar Alvarez
OSCAR ALVAREZ- PRODUCER
Oscar began his career in the entertainment industry as an actor and has been a member of SAG/AFTRA since 2000. He has starred in National Commercials for WalMart, Miller Lite, Toyota, 24 Hour Fitness, Dell and more. He also co-starred on several T.V. sitcoms. It was his time as an actor when he realized his true calling was behind the camera.
In July of 2004, he had an amazing opportunity to work with OSCAR Nominated Director, David O. Russell (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook, The Fighter, I Heart Huckabees), and came aboard his Iraq war documentary, SOLDIERS PAY as Production Manager.
Oscar continued on as Head of Production for the shooting of all the I HEART HUCKABEES supplemental materials, foreign and domestic, including the Jon Brion music video, KNOCK YOURSELF OUT with Mark Wahlberg/Jason Schwartzman, and the Dustin Hoffman/Lilly Tomlin infomercial, HOW AM I NOT MYSELF? All the while Oscar managed and oversaw the day-to-day
operations of David O. Russell’s production company KANZEON.
In late 2008, Oscar founded NicoBella Films. In December of that year, he produced the independent short film by Writer/Director Peter Chen, CHILD REDUCTION ACT.
In 2011, Oscar teamed up with documentarian, Kevin Derek to produce the award winning feature documentary film, EMPTY HAND: THE REAL KARATE KIDS currently written up in Black Belt magazine as “A MUST SEE...the first real Karate movie in years".
In 2012, Oscar teamed up with Producer, Todd Jeffery to produce a comedy short film by Writer/Director Dustin Thomas Cartmill, THE WOLF starring Zach Cregger, Caitriona Balfe and Frank Rautenbach as the Wolf.
In 2013, he teamed up again with Kevin Derek to produce his second feature documentary film, THE REAL MIYAGI featuring Dolph Lundgren, Steven Seagal, Michael Jai White, Tamlyn Tomita, Fumio Demura and the late Pat Morita.
In 2014, Oscar teamed up again with Producer/Writer/Director, Todd Jeffery in his Feature Thriller, NO ESCAPE starring Gabe Fazio (The Place Beyond the Pines) and BoJesse Christopher (Point Break)
which is currently in post production.