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Agape Media International - Film/TV Division

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Mark R. Harris

Mark R. Harris’ extraordinary career as a pioneer in talent management and production packaging evolved from his personal experiences in finance. With a background on Wall Street, Harris has been involved in all aspects of the entertainment industry.

In 1965 as an agent for Ashley Famous (AFA), Harris started in television and music representation. Later he expanded into actor representation for talents including Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight and Burt Lancaster.

In 1981 Harris started his own agency, where he represented writers and directors. Among his clients was Emmy-winning writer Paul Haggis (Thirty-Something). By 1983, he formed The Artist Group, where he pioneered the concept of representing independent producers to form their own television production companies in owning the negatives in their movies to create film libraries for companies. Harris also initiated U.S. syndication and foreign sales for the most successful television series of all time, Baywatch.

Harris sold his company to Metropolitan Talent Agency, where he launched vast output deals with Showtime to produce and distribute programs internationally. Among his clients were the Neufeld/Rehme Company (The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, The Saint, and Clear and Present Danger) and IRS World Media (Tom and Viv, One False Move, and My New Gun). The latter association led to his partnership at Regent Entertainment.

While under Mark’s auspices, Regent launched several successful films including the Academy Award winner for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gods and Monsters. Other awards bestowed upon Gods and Monsters included Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Sir Ian McKellen (Best Lead Actor) and Lynn Redgrave (Best Supporting Actress), in addition to winning Best Feature Film at the 1999 Independent Spirit Awards amongst others.

Maintaining his partnership with Paul Haggis, Harris Co-Executive Produced two critically acclaimed series for CBS: EZ Streets and Family Law.

In late 2001 Harris began his latest endeavor, The Harris Company, in order to produce larger budget films. Amongst others, he produced the 2005 Academy Award winner for Best Picture; CRASH which also won for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing. In addition, the highly acclaimed film was awarded the 2005 Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature Film, the 2005 A.F.I. Award, the Screen Actors Guild award for Best Ensemble, the 2005 NAACP Image Award for Best Picture and numerous others for writing, directing and acting. And while filmmaking is where Harris devotes the majority of his time these days, he was Co-Executive Producer for the 2007 NBC series, The Black Donnellys along with Academy Award winning writers of CRASH Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco.

Harris lives in Los Angeles with his wife, television journalist and Producer, Lisa Blake. He has two children and enjoys spending time with his two granddaughters and his two step boys.

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Stephen H. Powers

Educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stephen Powers has 34 years of business and production experience. Powers has served as founder, President or CEO of many prestigious companies, including Miller & Kreisel Sound, a renowned consumer electronics manufacturer; Drive Entertainment, an audio, video and music publishing company affiliated with Universal Music; Chameleon Music Group, a trend-setting alternative rock label distributed by Capitol-EMI; Mountain Railroad Records, a folk, blues and country label, Charlotte’s Web, a performing arts center, school and professional repertory theater. In addition, he was formerly Director of A&R (Artist & Repertoire) at Capitol Records in Hollywood and was Director of Entertainment for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

A 27-year member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Powers has produced, engineered or served as executive producer of more than 100 record albums, including work with Tina Turner, Duran Duran, Joe Cocker, Holly Near, The Beach Boys, Bonnie Raitt, Santana, Bob Hope and Brian Setzer Orchestra. He has earned numerous gold and platinum records that generated four #1 pop hits. In 1991, his million-selling John Lee Hooker album, “The Healer”; won a Grammy® for Best Contemporary Blues Recording. Other recognition includes Producer of The Year (1982 Wisconsin Music Award), Music Executive of The Year (1991 LA Independent Music Assoc.) Independent Label Of The Year-1991 (National Assoc. Of Independent Record Distributors), and Lifetime Achievement Award (Rockford Area Music Assoc.). Powers also garnered an Emmy® nomination for producing the PBS television special, “Swing Alive,” starring Bob Hope, Les Brown, Sheena Easton, Suzanne Somers, Tex Beneke and other big band stars.

In addition, Powers is currently President of the Board Of Directors of the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga, a professional repertory theater and drama school, and a member of the Music Ministry board at the the Agape International Spiritual Center in LA. He launched Powers Communications & Media to provide media production and consultation services.

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Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith

Dr. Michael Beckwith’s life is a living testament to building spiritual community. In the 1970’s he began an inward journey into the teachings of East and West, and today teaches universal truth principles found in the New Thought-Ancient Wisdom tradition of spirituality. Gifted with a vision of a trans-denominational spiritual community, in 1986 he founded the Agape International Spiritual Center upon his faith in that original vision.

In a personal letter to him Coretta Scott King wrote, "I greatly admire what you are doing to bring about the Beloved Community, which is certainly what my dear husband worked for and ultimately gave his life."

Recently described in “What Is Enlightenment?” magazine as a "non-aligned trans-religious progressive," Dr. Beckwith shares his powerful conviction of creating the Beloved Community through his participation on international panels with other peacemakers and spiritual leaders including His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet, Dr. T. Ariyarante of Sri Lanka, and Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas K. Gandhi. He is co-founder of the Association for Global Thought, an organization dedicated to planetary healing and transformation.

Dr. Beckwith is the originator of the Life Visioning Process, which he teaches throughout the country along with meditation, scientific prayer, and the spiritual benefits of selfless service. He facilitates retreats, workshops and seminars. His books include: “Inspirations of the Heart”, “Forty Day Mind Fast Soul Feast”, and “A Manifesto of Peace”.

Dr. Beckwith’s achievement as a humanitarian and emissary of peace have been widely acclaimed. In 2003, his activities were enumerated when he was written into the Congressional Record of the 107th congress. He is the recipient of numerous humanitarian awards, some of which include: The 2004 Africa Peace Award, Thomas Kilgore Prophetic Witness Award, Howard Thurman Stained Glass Window Award by Morehouse College, a commissioned oil portrait for Morehouse’s prestigious Hall of preachers, and the Humanitarian Award of the National Conference for Compassion and Justice.

Thousands gather weekly to receive inspiration from Dr. Beckwith at the Agape International Spiritual Center in Culver City, California. Together, Drs. Michael Beckwith and Rickie Byars Beckwith have written lyrics and music performed by the Agape International Choir in concert venues worldwide. Always in demand, their performances inspire peace and goodwill in the global community. They share their lives with their four adult children and six grandchildren.

For more information please visit:

www.agapemedia-film.com