Our Workteam
MONTE YOUNG
Writer, Producer
Monte is an independent producer, writer, and director. He has written numerous screenplays, two of which have been produced, Billy Todd's War and Hitters Anonymous. Monte also produced a film in Beijing, China, entitled Gasp. Gasp was funded by China's CCTV. Production wrapped in December 2008 and the film was released in Chinese theaters in 2009.
Monte is currently developing a number of film and television projects in both Asia and the U.S., including the adaptation of Earnest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast, (script by Michael Hirst - Elizabeth, The Tutors, The Vikings), and China Black Chamber (script by Steven Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson - Nixon, Ali), funded and co-produced with Fundamental Films of Shanghai.
Prior to entering the entertainment industry Monte worked as a project finance attorney. In that capacity he assisted in developing and securing financing for power and water infrastructure projects worldwide. After ten years as an attorney Monte made a career change. He utilized his business contacts in China and partnered with individuals and organizations in the entertainment industry to produce films in both China and the U.S.
ALEX SISKIN
Producer
Alex Siskin has been a producer at Sony Pictures since 1996. In his first decade at Sony he was a partner with Sid Ganis at Out of the Blue Entertainment, where they produced the Adam Sandler films Big Daddy and Mr. Deeds. He is currently working with Escape Artists, and just recently wrapped production on The Equalizer, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington.
Alex began his film business career at Amblin Entertainment in 1987, after graduating from UC Berkeley and pursuing graduate studies in English literature. He worked on numerous Amblin projects including Jurassic Park and Schindler's List. In 1991 he worked at Witt-Thomas Productions, before arriving at Sony. His literary blog can be found at zhiv.wordpress.com.
TITUS HO
Producer
Titus worked for the legendary Hong Kong film studio, Shaw Brothers (HK) Ltd for 20 years where he held the office of Director of Production and Planning. During his time there, he was in charge of production, distribution, film library management, the construction of the new studio and theme park development. Titus's film credits as a producer are too numerous to mention, but highlights included Twin Bracelets (1991), Justice My Foot (1995), and The King of Masks (1997), a Chinese drama that received the most accolades (over 30 International Film Awards) than any other Hong Kong movie to date.
In 2001, Titus took his expertise over to Mediator Raintree Pictures in Singapore, and was responsible for managing and supervising all aspects of production, acquisition, sales and distribution work. During his 3.5 years stint with Raintree, his producer credits include: Jack Leo's I Not Stupid, Homerun (Asian remake of the internationally acclaimed Iranian movie-Children of Heaven, Winner of Best New Performer-Megan Zheng, 40th Golden Horse Awards), Best Bet, I Do I Do, Kelvin Tong's The Maid (highest horror movie box office in Singapore), Max Makowski's One Last Dance and Danny Pang's Nothing to Lose. He also set up a series of co-productions including the Pang Brothers' extremely successful Asian horror film, The Eye and The Eye 2, Warner Brothers' first Chinese language film, Turn Left Turn Right directed by Johnny To, Media Asia's Infernal Affairs 2 directed by Andrew Lau and Mak Siu Fai.
Titus' extensive production experience with Hollywood includes English language film such as Shanghai Surprise (a Handmade Production-Madonna and Sean Penn), Rescue (a Disney Production-Barrie M. Osborne supervising producer), Red Corner (an MGM-Production-Richard Gere and Bai Ling), To Be The Best (Gemmy Productions-Anthony Hopkins and Lindsay Wagner) and the video game The Ultimate Warrior (Digital Pictures).
Titus directed the truly bizarre horror film Red Spell Spells Red (Gong Gui Zai) in 1983.
In 2007, Titus produced his first CG animation feature Legend of the Sea for Cubix Pictures, Singapore. He was the Content Consultant for M2B World Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Singapore and was appointed by the Taiwan Government as the advisory committee member of the Film Industry Development Council in 2007. He was further appointed by the Hong Kong Film Development Fund as the consultant in 2011.
In 2013, Titus produced Enthralled, a debut feature drama written and directed by renowned Hong Kong writer, columnist, TV and radio host Chip Tso and Little Medium Boy, a comedy drama, written and directed by Singaporean director Meng Ong.
MEL MARON
Producer, Distribution Executive
A graduate of CCNY, Mr. Maron started his career as an office boy at MGM. In 1962, he became MGM's road show manager, a position in which he distributed a long list of hit films including: Dr. Zhivago, Gone With the Wind (70 mm re-release), 2001: A Space Odyssey, How the West was Won, Mutiny on the Bounty, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Far From the Maddening Crowd, and Grand Prix.
After leaving MGM, Mr. Maron served as the Senior Vice President of Commonwealth United. Later, Mr. Maron served as President of Cinema Shares Theatrical from 1975 until 1980; building that company up to become the second most important independent Distribution company in the U.S., After New Line Cinema.
In 1980, he became President of World Northal, where he worked on several important independent features, most notably "Quadrophenia," featuring music by the Who.
In 1981, he acquired a library of Hong Kong martial arts titles from the Shaw Brothers, becoming the first to bring these titles to the U.S. television market with his nationally syndicated "Black Belt Theater" programming block.
Mr. Maron was recently elected into the Executive Division of the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences. Since moving to South Florida, Mr. Maron has been active in the Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival, and has served on the Committee for Young Filmmakers with the Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission.
He has also been named to the Advisory Board of the South Florida Motion Picture & Television Film Society.
DR. XIAODI WU
Producer, Writer
Xiaodi is a member of the China World Trade Association and the China World Economy Association and has extensive experience with Sino-US business, including the development of a number of large U.S./European-financed infrastructure projects in China.
Xiaodi is the current Chairman and CEO of China Holding Company. The Company is multi-divisional, with one sector focusing on television production. China Holding's productions include a 32 episode television series entitled, "Li Wei of the Imperial Court."
Xiaodi will manage Vesta's Chinese operations, as well as assisting with creative aspects such as script development.
GRANT RICHARDS
Executive Producer
Grant produced and directed in Florida 53 weekly half hour episodes of a popular television show "7 Seas" shown on WSVN Channel 7 and the Sunshine network.
Grant was born in Sydney, Australia where after attending Sydney University Law School and then proceeded into the business world.
Grant was Managing Director of a group of companies bearing his name ranging in activities from advertising agencies, real estate, construction, convention centers, financing, car rentals & food products with annual revenues of $585 million.
After implementing an employee buyout of the group of companies Grant moved to the United States and became the CEO of National Mortgage Investment Corporation Limited (NMIC) an investment bank.
NMIC invested in mortgages and numerous startup businesses, including most recently the EMIT Worldwide Corporation a medical and pharmaceutical company where Grant held the position of Chairman of the Board for 5 years prior to its successful sale.
