Instructors
Rich Text
Instructors at The Picture House are professional filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, and documentarians from Westchester and New York City. They are experienced classroom teachers, registered with the New York State Department of Education, who bring their professional knowledge and creativity to meet students wherever they’re at in their exploration of film and media.
JEFFREY COBELLI holds a BA with a Concentration in Film and TV from Emerson College. He was awarded the Young Professional of the Year by The Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce in 2020 and also awarded the Rising Star 40 Under 40 Award by the Business Council of Westchester in 2021. His wife Wendy, 3 children, Mindy Steven, Xavier and dog Pepsi live in Putnam County, New York.
You’ll often hear me saying “Livin’ the dream.” as a greeting. And while this is entirely true I could have never predicted being in such a position.
I formed Good For You Productions in 2009 and this company is my life; I live to tell stories and I strive to make other people’s lives better. This includes our clients and their audience as well. Add up working with Natalie and Chris, and producing amazing stories for amazing clients, and you’ll find the equation for my dream life.
For the last 15 years I have been telling stories and making films for non-profits, corporations, small businesses and fundraisers. Combining storytelling with a unique style Good For You has produced powerful, socially impactful films, videos, and documentaries.
What I love most is being able to make a difference in people’s lives doing something I love.
KEVIN MAHER is an Emmy-nominated writer and award-winning filmmaker, who has taught at the School of Visual Arts, ReelWorks Brooklyn and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Kevin is a graduate of the Vassar College American Culture program and he’s worked as a masked wrestler on TV. You can see samples of his short films, web-series and video essays at www.LoveKevin.com
“You think grown-ups have it all figured out? That’s just a hustle, kid. Grown-ups are making it up as they go along, just like you. You remember that, and you’ll do fine.”
– Lawrence Woolsey (played by John Goodman) in MATINEE
FRANK FANELLI JR.is a graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology with an AAS in Communication Design and a BFA in Computer Animation & Interactive Media. He has been working as a graphic designer and animator for over 6 years. Frank has been running various animation workshops for students in Pelham for over 4 years. He enjoys film, cartoons, voice acting, movie making, writing, music and of course teaching.
“Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.”
JANA SMITH is a Gary, Indiana-bred, New York-based screenwriter, documentarian, and programmer. She studied filmmaking and African American Studies at Sarah Lawrence College.
In 2018, her pilot Melissa for Mayor was a semi-finalist in the MACRO Episodic Story Lab. She has also been nominated for several screenwriting competitions, including ChicagoShort100 and the SLCReelies. Smith has directed independent documentary projects in the US and abroad. She’s worked in the casting department for hit shows such as The Good Wife and Madam Secretary, and has lent her helping hand to shows such as HBO’s Random Act of Flyness and WorldChannel’s America ReFramed. Smith has strived to use film as a means to further social justice in her role at American Documentary with the PBS series POV. She continued this effort in her most recent role on the programming team at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival. During the quarantine, Smith created “Relax, Relate, Release”, a meditation series of various themed audio tracks featuring empowering messages from Dr. Angela Davis, Dr. Maya Angelou, Lena Horne, Tabitha Brown, Nina Simone, Denzel Washington, and many others over soothing soundscapes.
Most recently, Smith wrote for an American Express visual podcast highlighting small Black-owned businesses. You can listen to Built to Last, hosted by The Talk co-host and former editor and chief of Teen Vogue, Elaine Welteroth, on all major podcast platforms.
Ms. Smith also works as a Teaching Artist for The Picture House, where she teaches documentary and narrative filmmaking to school children. She’s made it her mission to create consciousness — elevating content that centers women and girls of color. Jana’s passion for storytelling is not something she takes lightly. With every project, she aims to revolutionize the way stories are told!
“When you learn, teach, when you get, give.” – Maya Angelou
JOSH WALLACH has been performing in improv groups and theater since college. He has also taught middle school. Put that together and you have someone molded into the finest improv teacher of high school kids this side of the Hudson. He has performed all over NYC including the Upright Citizens Brigade, The PIT, and various very off Broadway venues.
“Step into the light, Carol Anne”.
A native of Mount Vernon, New York, and an Annapolis graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Jeff Watkins’ path into media production has been dynamic. Named as one of Merrill Lynch’s most promising young talents by Research Magazine in 2009, Watkins served as the brand’s advisor to some of the most talented athletes and entertainment artists throughout the country.
Through his continuous involvement and crossover in both the finance and entertainment industries, Watkins quickly found and married his passions. Watkins founded Condreal, a global transmedia production and distribution company based in New York City. As chief executive officer, Watkins handles all aspects of development, financing, and distribution of the company’s projects, and oversees company operations. 2019 marks the tenth year of operation for the company that has produced content for recognized brands and global media partners such as Fox, Universal, One Race Films, AOL, and CBS.
In 2011, he created, developed, and executive produced the series My Hero, with production partner and star actress Zoe Saldana, which featured celebrities such as Idris Elba, Nick Cannon, Gina Rodriguez, Adam Tyler, and others. The show was later sold to AOL for one of the biggest web series buys in history at the time and headlined on the AOL On digital entertainment lineup. In 2013 he led his company to the Dominican Republic to develop and produce Restaveks, an action-thriller feature film based on true events of child organ trafficking after the Haiti Earthquake of 2010. Watkins then commenced production and direction of Four Square Miles to Glory, a feature basketball documentary which includes a roster of notable NBA greats, ESPN and Fox Sports on-air talents, and entertainment personalities. In 2018, Watkins then directed, The Blackout Game, a short documentary in partnership with Toyota and American Legacy Network, and the Talento Total series of videos leading multinational educational activism campaign across South America. In 2019 he began production of Hallowed Grounds, a six-part documentary series which tells the stories of unique black communities, overachieving excellence, and youth mentorship. In 2020, he created, hosted, and produced the first twelve-episode season of the live reality show Quartship, in partnership with Maxim Magazine.
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