Alec has been President of IMAGE (Independent Media Artists Group), a peninsula-based nonprofit group for filmmakers — since October 2001. Prior to that he was the Program Director for a year and half, responsible for booking the guest speakers for the monthly IMAGE meetings. He is currently working on a documentary on electric vehicles and has several feature projects in various stages of development. Prior to his burgeoning film career, Alec worked in many varied fields of engineering on such diverse items as The Swift (the world's highest-performing rigid-wing hang glider), the prototype for GM's current EV1 electric vehicle, and ophthalmic surgical implants and instruments.

Jim Tierney shepherds BAMG, a group meeting once a month at the Graphic Arts Institute in San Francisco. Their focus is predominantly effects and they have had some great After Effect speakers as well as outstanding 3D gurus. He also produces some great After Effects plugins under his company, Digital Anarchy.

Kevin Monahan, aka "Telly," is a video editor, motion graphics artist and educator from San Francisco, CA. Kevin has a degree in Radio, Television and Film from San Jose State University and has been working professionally in radio and television for over ten years. He is an Apple Certified Instructor for Final Cut Pro and teaches both privately and at the Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) in San Francisco. Kevin co-founded the San Francisco Final Cutters, the world's first Final Cut Pro User's group and runs a small video post-production house called Shadowcraft Studios.

Sharon Franklin, together with Kevin Monahan and Liza Seybold, started SFCutters in Spring 2000. SFCutters is primarily a Final Cut Pro-centered user group. Sharon recently returned from the Mediterranean, where she cut an independent feature.

Alex has been involved in computer graphics for more than 15 years. He has extensive experience in digital production including print, real-time games, multimedia titles, forensic animation, television, and film. Alex spent several years working on the production of Star Wars: Episode 1, at JAK Films, then at Industrial Light and magic, and was a member of ILM's 'Rebel Mac Unit.' Alex has written for 3D Magazine, DV Web Video, 3D Gate, Design Freak and teaches Visual Effects at San Francisco State University - Multimedia Studies Program. Alex is the founder and Chief Vision Officer of dvGarage.com.

Dan Gomes is currently a Technology Coordinator (aka, their techno-nerd) at the Film Arts Foundation, headquartered in San Francisco. The Film Arts Foundation is a nonprofit leader in the media arts field, providing comprehensive training, equipment, information, consultations, and exhibition opportunities to independent filmmakers. It has been in existence for over 25 years.

Michael Rubin received a degree in neuroscience from Brown University and a month later was part of the George Lucas team introducing cutting-edge computerized tools to Hollywood. For the next ten years, he worked as a product designer, consultant, educator, and the editor in the film industry, on projects ranging from The Twilight Zone and Lonesome Dove to The Sheltering Sky. In 1991 he authored the seminal film and video text Nonlinear; now in it's fourth edition. Rubin has lectured at conferences internationally, from NAB and IBC to DV Expo and Macworld; his online seminar Introduction to DV is available from The American Film Institute (www.fathom.com). In 2001, Rubin penned The Little Digital Video Book - his first work for consumers. Oddly enough, he is also founder and CEO of Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge. His website is an essential resource for digital filmmakers: www.nonlinear.info.

Liza Maine Seybold has been working in post-production since 1997. After spending two years as an AVID assistant, she was invited to beta test Final Cut Pro 1.0 at Apple Computer and never looked back. In early 2000 she opened her own FCP studio, Wild Blue Yonder and began to teach ‘Intro to FCP’ at Film Arts Foundation. Liza was also a co-founder of the first FCP user group, SFCutters. After finishing a 14-month contract with the development department of Pixar Animation Studios in June, Liza joined SF-based DVD Production House Circa 9 as a staff editor. In her spare time she cuts home movies with her partner Suzanne and runs Cinema Chicks, a group for Bay Area women in film.