Team
A Better Half started as an idea on the set of a commercial shoot in Vancouver between Pete Johnson and Adam Jones. It rocketed into script form, and then quickly became a real-deal production when Joe Calabrese (Head of Production at Deutsch New York) joined the team. Along the way we’ve managed to put together an amazing squad.
Pete Johnson
Writer/CO-Director
Pete is currently an Executive Creative Director at Deutsch NY where he currently oversees the creative product of clients such as Reebok, Booking.com, Spectrum Cable and Draftkings. Prior to Deutsch, Pete was a Managing Partner and Executive Creative Director at Arnold Worldwide in Boston where he helped steward the entire portfolio of clients. Pete has written 10 feature length screenplays, is an avid illustrator and cartoonist and when he’s not doing any of that you can find he and his wife raising three kids, a dog, two cats and a bearded dragon.
Adam Jones
CO-Director/WRITER
Adam has directed hundreds of TV commercials and branded content projects for national and international brands around the world. He’s developed a wheelhouse in comedy dialogue, improv and visual storytelling. Along the way his spots and shorts have won a bunch of awards including Cannes Lions, Clios, CA Annual, FWA Site of the Year, Tellys and Addys, as well as a handful of film festival awards. His web series, “The Stay-At-Home Dad”, was lauded by Comedy Central and viewed over 4 million times.
Joe Calabrese
Executive producer
Joe’s production career began in 1994 at Chiat/Day NY. He worked his way up at several advertising agencies gaining experience in every facet of production from Broadcast Business Affairs, Talent and Traffic to Editing and, of course, producing.
Currently, Joe serves as EVP, Director of Integrated Production at Deutsch NY. He oversees and unifies production across broadcast, experiential, interactive and print. Major industry awards include: 7 Cannes Lions, 3 AICPs, 2 One Show Pencils, 1 D&AD, 3 Clios, 3 Webbys, and 2 FWAs.
Joe lives in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn with his wife Jamie and his best two productions yet – his children Talia and Niko.
STEVE MARCHESE
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
As the Executive Producer of The Webby Awards, Steve has spent the last decade overseeing production, creative and tech for “The Internet’s Highest Honor” — NY Times.
As a journalist (Flavorpill, XLR8R and Stash) and first-wave music blogger with his long-running blog scissorkick.com, Steve’s columns, mixes and features identified the earliest nexus of motion graphics, web design and electronic music. He also enjoys writing the occasional screenplay.
Nicholas Bupp
Director of Photography
Nicholas originally hails from central Pennsylvania. At a young age he developed a strong passion for the visual and performing arts.
After receiving a graduate degree in Cinematography at American Film Institute he quickly established himself as a DP on various short films, commercials, and music videos projects. He has shot various formats spanning from film to digital and seeks to provide a unique vision on every project he shoots.
Daniela Clementi
Production Designer
Telling stories through objects, colors and atmospheres is all I want to continue doing the rest of my life. Sometimes in the art department, sometimes as a storyteller. It is a life mission for me, to narrate through production design, what is going on in this crazy, beautiful world.
I have been working as Production Designer and Art Director in the advertising industry, and films since 2002.
Minji kim
Costume designer
Minji Kim is an entrepreneurial creative with over 20 years of experience in fashion design, costumes and wardrobe. She has worked in advertising, theatre, television, and film including HBO’s “The Deuce” and “Vinyl”; Netflix’s “The Get Down” and “Sneaky Pete” and feature films including “Windows on the World,” “Tallulah,” and “Windows on the World.”
Minji also has spent significant time in the fashion world, owning her own Park Slope boutique, Min-K, and designing for Club Monaco, Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, and Armani Exchange.
Joshua bergasse
choreographer
Joshua Bergasse is a New York-based choreographer and master teacher. Joshua won the Emmy Award for his choreography on NBC’s musical drama SMASH. He also choreographed multiple segments on So You Think You Can Dance and PBS's Sinatra: A Voice for a Century.
On Broadway, Josh choreographed the revival of On The Town, which opened to rave reviews. He received an Astaire Award and was nominated for TONY, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Awards. Also on Broadway, Josh choreographed the revival of Gigi, and most recently, choreograph the Broadway debut of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
JIM HELTON
EDITOR
Jim Helton is known most notably for his editorial work on the features Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines. He’s an amazing talent with a gift for storytelling and pushing the boundaries of how a narrative idea can come to life on screen.
MARY EGAN CALLAHAN
CASTING DIRECTOR
New York commercial casting director Mary Egan-Callahan, of House Casting. Her credits include the indie films "Life in Short" and "El Segundo," the MTV series "Damage Control," and commercials for Bank of America, Bud Light, Amtrak, Diet Coke, Levi's, FedEx, AT&T, Verizon, and Gillette.
HALLEY MANGANO
PRODUCER
Halley is a graduate of University of Buffalo, force of nature and film and commercial producer living in New York city.