THE RENEGADES
David Christopher Loya
FOUNDER - RENEGADE LENS ARTISTS GROUP
FILMMAKER - SCREENWRITER/DIRECTOR
David Christopher Loya is a second-generation Mexican American filmmaker whose stories reflect his thematic brand of diverse renegades shattering status quos. As an award-winning screenwriter-director, his extensive portfolio consists of hundreds of completed productions for broadcast and cable networks, Fortune 500 companies, ad agencies, major universities, and international non-profits.
David is a “Conscious Filmmaker” who believes in using the power of storytelling to inspire social change. His work is marked by a commitment to elevating the voices of the underrepresented and championing the rise of the marginalized.
Growing up in an inner-city housing project, David overcame adversity and learned the value of unrelenting determination fueled by a passion for excellence. His success is a testament to the support and belief of an exceptional mother, who raised him to know that circumstances alone do not define an individual, nor their potential. Because of her steadfast devotion to his education, David was awarded a UCLA Alumni Scholarship and was the first in his family to graduate from a four-year university.
David's most recent screenwriting honors include a listing in the TOP 1% on Coverfly and a #1 ranking on Coverfly's Red List, as well as a spot in their Top 50 out of over 15,300 one-hour pilots. His screenplays have been recognized by over 50 WINS/PLACEMENTS in industry competitions, including a coveted SEMIFINALIST placement in the 2022 Austin Film Festival (Top 2%), as well as a FINALIST nomination for The Warner Bros TV Pilot Award, and a FINALIST placement in the Creative Screenwriting Television Pilot Screenplay Competition.
David's directorial and post-production expertise has served a wide array of major clients including Sony Pictures, The Walt Disney Company, Columbia Pictures, CBS, NBC, ABC, MGM, Bravo, A&E, The History Channel, PBS, Harvard University, Mayo Clinic, Microsoft, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, among many others. His fundraising films have generated over $1 billion in donations within development campaigns for educational institutions and international non-profits, including UCLA, Amnesty International and The Salvation Army.
With nearly two dozen additional production awards and a writing style that is powered by hope, love, and perseverance, David is a powerful, yet kind, collaborative creative force. He has a deep understanding of film production and its ever-changing landscape.
David would welcome hearing from industry decision makers seeking to collaborate with a transcendent commercial storyteller committed to representation and inclusion. They should not miss the opportunity to connect with him.
Contact David:
MELANIE J. ARDEN
Senior Vice President/Producer
Original Content
Melanie Janine Arden was born in Toronto to a family of soldiers, musicians, and writers. She began her career as a production assistant in New York City. Following graduation from the University of Toronto, she spent six years employed as a senior producer/director where she was responsible for directing 1,500 hours of live multi-camera broadcasts.
Melanie transitioned to producing films with Rain from Stars, starting French Stewart, James Karen, and Claudia Black. She caught the attention of a prominent U.S. distributor for her talent and skilful negotiation abilities. A gifted producer with a strong creative and business sense, she effectively balances investors' interests with an eye toward profitability. Her high standards and transparency puts her ahead of the pack.
Through her company, Norlane Motion Pictures, Melanie develops and produced an active slate of film and television projects. She works closely with international financiers, talent agents, distributors, and other production companies. She is highly regarded for her professional edge, team spirit, and impeccable credentials.
In her spare time, Melanie enjoys the great outdoors taking part in adventures that include rappelling, travelling, yoga, and swimming. Her compassion for underprivileged children is demonstrated through her generous humanitarian efforts to help them lead fulfilling lives.
Beverly Cole
Executive Producer
Business Affairs and Film Finance
A former executive with the Walt Disney Company, Beverly Cole is currently a Board Member of Bank OZK, $22.2 billion, total assets as of June 30, 2018. The bank is recognized as the #1 bank in the nation in its asset size for eight consecutive years. She is also the CEO of Cole Renwick, LLC, a multi-state property management company and is the retired CEO of CR Foods, the largest Southern Florida woman-owned Church’s Chicken franchisee.
Beverly holds an MBA from The Wharton School of Business and a J.D. from Fordham University. She is a member of The Wharton School Angel network, Belle Capital LLC seed fund, and board member of Founders First LLC, a small business accelerator and revenue backed fund.
She was a Wall Street institutional sales person and an investment banker. She managed all areas from financial modeling, structuring, advertising development and marketing asset-backed investments. She was hired by Eastman Kodak’s Real Estate Department as an executive where she structured complex estate transactions and managed corporate divestitures. She received national recognition for her supplier diversity achievements.
While at Kodak, she received the State of California’s recognition for her public and private economic development partnership. She was tapped by Disney’s executives to lead Disney’s supplier diversity program, taking it to national prominence, advising Disney’s CEO, CFO and General Counsel, earning Walt Disney national recognition for its economic development efforts. She took Disney’s Procurement program to a cost-focused inclusion based program garnering US Congressional Record recognition, awards from several Governors, Congressmen, multiple state, city and county recognition throughout the country.
Her past positions have also included Senior Federal Regulator positions with the Office of Thrift Supervision and the FDIC. She conducted safety and soundness, CRA and Commercial Lending examinations on the top 20 US financial institutions. While at the FDIC, Ms. Cole led a multi-state marketing effort selling billions of failed financial institutions’ assets. In addition she had oversight over billions of Loss Share Agreements held by financial institutions. Her last Federal position was with the Small Business Administration’s Liquidation Division where she managed over $2 Billion in Small Business Investment Corporation (SBICs) assets. During each Federal tenure, she was awarded Federal performance merit awards. While at the SBA, the porolio companies managed included medical, health care companies. Ms. Cole has been an advisor to Asian and European companies seeking expansion and strategic opportunities into US markets.
When Ms. Cole was an attorney, with Union Carbide Corporation, she was responsible for SEC and regulatory legal matters and she practiced real estate law.
Paula Moreno
Head of Productions
Paula Moreno has earned a place in the forefront of new producers within international cinema. Her 2010 feature film IJE, The Journey, has broken records in the Nigerian film industry, becoming the No 1-grossing film of all time for Nollywood. When IJE was released, it out-grossed both "Shrek Forever" and "Inception" in the West African film market. The project has made Moreno the first Hispanic producer to establish credentials in Nollywood.
Moreno produced, wrote and directed her first film in 2004, a short titled Planet Far Away, for which she won awards for best director and best writer at a Tokyo film event. She followed that success with more award-winning films, the short, Lost Lives - and the feature length, Maquillaje.
Her passion for social justice was developed during her 12 years as a case manager and public relations manager at a California law firm. Drawing on that experience, she partnered with a notable criminal defense attorney to produce a series of documentaries examining the lives of death row inmates. She also has worked closely with Emmy Award-winning and Humanitas Award-nominated writer director Micki Dickoff on the documentary The Legacy: From Gary Graham to Shaka Sankofa.
In addition to her film experience, Paula has produced numerous commercials and written numerous commercial jingles for radio. She has also served as the theatrical distribution and marketing executive for numerous film releases. Including The Tales of Halloween, Turbo Kid, the $10 million Caesar Chavez biopic, Under the Rainbow and many others.
CORA STIEVEN BABIN
International Co-Producer
As the International Co-Producer for Renegade Lens, Cora works as a creative liaison to the European, Middle Eastern and Asian markets in both the promotion and production of our slate of film and television productions.
An elite triathlete, Cora began her career as a professional skier and snowboarder, competing in regional and international events. She has also trained and coached executives from around the world in some of Europe's most prestigious winter resorts. Fluent in five languages, including English and French, Cora earned her Masters degree from the University of Savoy specializing in International Trade, Communication and Management. Cora interned in the United States with Citicorp in Dallas, and also at the International Center of Lafeyette, Louisiana. Returning to Europe, she served successful international trade internships in Holland and Denmark as well.
Cora subsequently spent two years in the Sorbonne studying filmmaking and later worked as a production manager and film editor for prominent French production companies and government institutions. Additionally, she is a screenwriter with five completed scripts - with two in early film production development.
Besides working with Renegade Lens, Cora is the CEO of both Earth Productions Films, a theatrical motion picture production company, and Earth Energy Productions, a media company focused on the therapeutic sector. She is also a personal development coach with expertise in cognitive reprinting, and an expert in Neuro Linguistic Programming having received her master certification from CQPNL, Montreal Canada. Her other areas of specialization include Neurological Repatterning, Transactional Analysis, Process Communication Management (PCM), Systemic Analysis, and Hypnosis-Coaching.