Bios

Kam Miller • Writer

Kam Miller wrote for the Emmy-winning show Law & Order: SVU. Before joining SVU, she landed a pilot development deal with Paramount Television. Currently, she is developing a pilot for Fox Television.

A graduate of USC’s MFA Screenwriting Program, Kam received the prestigious NBC Fellowship and was selected for the FOX and CBS TV writing programs. While at USC, Kam completed her first produced feature, the supernatural thriller The Iris Effect starring Oscar-nominated Anne Archer. Kam also created the highly successful USC First Pitch, the official pitch festival for the USC SCA writing division.

Barbara Stepansky • Director

On the heels of her first feature film, Hurt, starring Melora Walters and William Mapother, Barbara Stepansky is currently locking her second film, Fugue. She is set to direct yet a third psychological thriller Hysteria.

With MFAs from both the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Production and American Film Institute in Directing, Barbara’s short films have garnered several awards including the DGA Student Film Award in the women’s category for Blueberry Pancakes, which screened at the Kodak Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Program in Cannes. Her film Trojan Cow won the Student Emmy for Best Director as well as the Grand Jury Prize at the USA Film Festival National Film and Video Competition. In 2007 it was on the short list for the Live Action Short Academy Nominations.

Stu Pollard • Producer

USC SCA adjunct professor Stu Pollard has produced seven feature films, including the 2010 Sundance premiere Bass Ackwards; a comedy titled True Adolescents starring Mark Duplass and Melissa Leo; the SXSW 2007 Audience Award Best Music documentary about country singer Larry Pierce; and the 2006 LA Film Festival Audience Award and Best Feature winner Ira & Abby.

Stu has several projects in development, including an adaptation of Chris Bohjalian's bestseller The Buffalo Soldier as well as a thriller penned by bestselling author Joel Engel. Also on his development slate is a drama written by USC alumnus Brad Riddell. As a consultant, Stu specializes in private equity financing, investor relations, and distributor delivery. So far, his business plans have raised more than $7 million in development and production funds.

Please note:

USC First Team does not sign on as producers on First Team projects. We don’t receive monetary gain from your projects. The First Team leaders don’t get paid by the school to do the program. First Team is a passion project. We run the program on a completely voluntary basis. That’s the way we want it because we love our day jobs. We’re working industry professionals, just like you.