Who We Are

We give back 10% of our profit to support social causes.

Burn A Light Productions. Social Impact. Creative Studio. Documentary. Narrative. Video. Film. Web Design. Marketing. Photography. Inspire.

Our team consists of critically-acclaimed filmmakers and talented creators.

We come from storytelling backgrounds including film, photography, multimedia, journalism, advertising, and marketing.

Our team consists of critically-acclaimed filmmakers and talented creators.

We come from storytelling backgrounds including film, photography, multimedia, journalism, advertising, and marketing.

Burn A Light Productions. Social Impact. Creative Studio. Documentary. Narrative. Video. Film. Web Design. Marketing. Photography. Inspire.
Core TEAM
Director. Producer. Editor. Cinematographer. Burn A Light.
APO BAZIDI
FOUNDER & CEO
Director. Producer. Creative Development. Editor. LA Times. CNN. Goran Zaneti. Burn A Light.
GORAN ZANETI
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE
DEVELOPMENT
Create Director. Art Director. Marketing Director. Burn A Light.
MATTHIEU BRAJOT
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Director. Social Impact Producer. Activist. Burn A Light.
AMBER ALLEN-PEIRSON
IMPACT PRODUCER
Director. Producer. Editor. Cinematographer. Social Impact. Advocacy. Burn A Light.
CASSIDY FRIEDMAN
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
Post Production Manager. Editor. Production Sound. Burn A Light.
IZABEL JUSINO
POST PRODUCTION MANAGER
Creative Technology. Producer. Tech. Marketing. Social Media. Industry Leaders. Burn A light.
MARK GOPEZ
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE
TECHNOLOGY
Documentary. Film Composer. Music. Burn A Light.
VICTORIA BEITS
COMPOSER
ANGELA HSIEH
COMPOSER
ATHARV SAINI
COLORIST
Film. Documentary. Production. Burn A Light.
JOSEPH DELLA VEDOVA
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Our Collaborators
Filmmaker. Director. Producer. Editor. Burn A Light.
YUTA OKAMURA
DIRECTOR
EMILY MCDONALD
DIRECTOR
TOSHIKAZU HOSOKI
EDITOR
Cinematographer. Photographer. Filmmaker. Burn A Light.
DONATO BRAGAGNOLO
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Editor. Director. Emmy. HBO. Netflix. CNN.
JASON ROSENFIELD, ACE
SUPERVISING EDITOR
Artist. Creative. Photographer. Burn A Light.
COURTNAY ROBBINS
PHOTOGRAPHER
VFX. GFX. Artist. Post-Production. Filmmaking. Video. Burn A Light.
AKAM REZAEE
VFX ARTIST
Film Editing. Post-Production. Hollywood. Color Correction. Colorist. Burn A Light.
RUSTAM VAKILOV
COLORIST
Film. Documentary. Producer. Burn A Light.
KATHERINE BLAKELEY
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
READY TO SHARE
YOUR sTORIES?

Whether you want to create a film, videos, or looking to improve your branding and digital presence, reach out to us and we will help you achieve your goals.

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APO BAZIDI
FOUNDER & CEO

Apo W. Bazidi was born in Eastern Turkey to Kurdish parents. He grew up amid the social injustices and inequality that beset his community. These experiences drove his desire to become a storyteller so he could shed light on these important issues. After high school, he immigrated to the United States and went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Television Production from the University of Southern California in 2011.

Apo's films are primarily concerned with social issues and the importance of global cultural interactions. His feature film, Resistance is Life, won eight festival awards including six for Best Documentary Feature. Apo believes in making a positive change through visual storytelling. His lifelong motto is to "be creative and inspire”.

Director. Producer. Editor. Cinematographer. Burn A Light.
APO BAZIDI
FOUNDER & CEO
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GORAN ZANETI
DIRECTOR OF Creative DEVELOPMENT

Goran Zaneti is a documentary filmmaker, producer and journalist committed to telling the stories of marginalized and at-risk communities. His strengths include careful attention to detail about relevant cultural nuances and historical issues. He pulls from his Kurdish roots and experiences as a second-generation American and activist to tell compelling personal stories that highlight the broader issues facing underrepresented people.

Goran studied documentary at the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley where he earned his Master of Journalism. His first directorial film is featured in Los Angeles Times and he has contributed to projects for CNN, KQED and The New York Times.

Goran also has extensive experience in Silicon Valley working for organizations in a wide range of technical roles. He has a keen interest in the future of visual storytelling and technologies that can enable a more immersive experience.

Director. Producer. Creative Development. Editor. LA Times. CNN. Goran Zaneti. Burn A Light.
Goran Zaneti
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
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Matthieu Brajot
Director OF MARKETING

Matthieu Brajot is a San Francisco-based Art Director. His love of film and storytelling began at an early age and have greatly influenced his creative approach to advertising and content creation. From cooking a chicken in the stratosphere to exposing the plight of migrating snowmen, Matthieu loves finding inventive and compelling strategies for telling stories, and knows a little humor can go a long way.

His passion has allowed him the opportunity to work with top brands like eBay, Clorox, and Intel creating work that has won awards and accolades at Cannes Lions, Communication Arts and The Webbys.

Create Director. Art Director. Marketing Director. Burn A Light.
Matthieu Brajot
Director OF MARKETING
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Cassidy friedman
Director OF PRODUCTION

Cassidy makes films that prioritize relationship, employ collaboration between filmmaker and film subject, and veer away from antiseptic plot lines in order to complicate narratives, and capture the authentic lived experiences of the characters.

His award-winning first feature, Circles (2018), was called "powerful" by Mother Jones, "must-see" by The Mercury News, and is being distributed by Lionsgate. He produced the documentary feature, Voices Beyond the Wall (2017), with Executive Producer James Franco. He has directed a score of documentary shorts, including Detroit Rising (2020) and, Finding Hope (2021).

Director. Producer. Editor. Cinematographer. Social Impact. Advocacy. Burn A Light.
CASSIDY FRIEDMAN
Cinematographer & Director
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Courtnay Robbins
Documentary photographer

Courtnay Robbins is a Los Angeles-based documentary photographer. She received her BFA in Photography and Media from the California Institute of the Arts. Courtnay’s work has been featured in TEMA,Tricycle, OURS Magazine, Viewfind, The Argonaut, Pasadena Weekly and Playa Vista Direct.

She was shortlisted for the 2017 Lucie Foundation’s Emerging Photographer, was awarded Honorable Mention in the 2017 International Photography Awards and was recently featured in the Emerging Women in Photography Exhibit, sponsored by Canon, at Gré Gallery in Palm Springs. She is a 2018 Hermitage Artist Retreat resident.

Artist. Creative. Photographer. Burn A Light.
Courtnay Robbins
Documentary Photographer
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Jason Rosenfield
Supervising editor

Jason Bruce Rosenfield, ACE, is a three-time Emmy Award-winning film editor, producer, director and writer and member of the faculty of USC's School of Cinematic Arts. Recognized for his storytelling skills in feature films, television series and character-based, story-driven long-form documentaries, Jason's narrative credits range from Robert Altman's classic Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean to the improvisational television comedy Free Ride.

His documentary credits include the Oscar-nominated Blues Highway, HBO’s Emmy-winning Memphis PD and Teen Killers, Dick Wolf's groundbreaking NBC series Law & Order: Crime & Punishment and CNN’s The Seventies. Jason has collaborated with Oscar-winner Mark Jonathan Harris and Joshua Rofe on Netflix's award-winning Lost for Life and Swift Current, and Harris's Breaking Point: Ukraine’s Fight for Democracy. Additional production awards include a Robert F. Kennedy Award, DGA Award, Peabody Award, numerous Emmys and Emmy nominations and major prizes at film festivals globally.

Editor. Director. Emmy. HBO. Netflix. CNN.
Jason Rosenfield
Supervising Editor
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Akam Rezaee
Colorist & VFX Artist

Akam Rezaee was born in September 1989 in Mahabad, Iran. He began his career in film and production when he was 16 years old by making two short films. Those projects lead him to go to the institute of young filmmakers of Iran, to hone and enhance his technical and aesthetic skills. Akam now lives in Los Angeles with his family. He is an award-winning VFX artist and colorist.

Akam hosts his own Kurdish language podcast, The Last Word with Akam, which features guests including filmmakers, artists, and activists.

VFX. GFX. Artist. Post-Production. Filmmaking. Video. Burn A Light.
Akam Rezae
Colorist / VFX Artist
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Rustam Vakilov
Colorist

Colors, when used correctly, can guide the viewers' eyes to what's important; help to tell the story and completely change the mood and tone of the viewed artwork.

While studying at USC School of Cinematic Arts, Rustam dwelled into the world of visuals: cinematography, colors, and lighting. He directed, edited, and produced a dozen of music videos and narrative works which is where he learned the advanced craft of color grading.

Rustam has colored music videos for artists such as Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, TY Dolla $ign, Ice Cube, and Justin Bieber’s protégé, Madison Beer. Among the feature film actors, Rustam colored for Ashley Greene (Twilight), Lamorne Morris (New Girl/FOX), Guillermo Diaz (Scandal/ABC), James Earl Jones (Star Wars), David Spade (Grown Ups), Bruce Dern (Nebraska), and Eugenio Derbez (How to Be a Latin Lover). Rustam has also colored for YouTube stars including Lilly Singh, Lele Pons, Joey Graceffa, Colleen Ballinger, Tyler Oakley, and Grace Helbig.

Film Editing. Post-Production. Hollywood. Color Correction. Colorist. Burn A Light.
Rustam Vakilov
Colorist
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Izabel Jusino
POST PRODUCTION MANAGER

Izabel is a graduate of San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema. As a visual storyteller, Izabel is passionate about creating socially conscious content that spreads awareness of mental health and women’s issues. She was previously involved in creative development work for BAYCAT in collaboration with San Francisco’s Bayview Anti-Abuse Coalition.

Her most recent personal projects include Dress Code (2021), an experimental film that sheds light on sexist dress codes that women are subjected to nationwide, and Housewife (2021), a film that challenges the traditional gender roles in society.

Post Production Manager. Editor. Production Sound. Burn A Light.
Izabel Jusino
Production AssistanT
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KATHERINE BLAKELEY
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

Katherine graduated from the Savannah College of Art & Design in 2019, with a B.F.A in Film & Television. After graduation, she interned at Florentine Films with Ken Burns. Since then, she has worked as a Production Assistant, Production Coordinator, and Assistant Producer for companies like VICE Media, Planned Parenthood, and Citizen Film. She continues to pursue social impact documentary filmmaking & social media content creation in the San Francisco Bay Area.

One of Katherine's most recent personal film projects, “Pathfinders” (2019), is about a community for people with Down syndrome in upstate New York, that provides their residents extended learning and independent living opportunities they wouldn't have otherwise.


Film. Documentary. Producer. Burn A Light.
KATHERINE BLAKELEY
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
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Joseph Della Vedova
production assistant

Joseph Della Vedova is a graduate of Lewis and Clark College with a B.A. in Rhetoric and Media Studies. After writing a star study on enigmatic actor, Nicolas Cage, for his undergraduate thesis, Joseph became interested in telling visual stories based around zany, erratic individuals who come from complicated backgrounds. He also aspires to continue his studies in film theory and criticism. Joseph has also done assistant editing work with Big Picture, a live event studio based in San Rafael.

Joseph’s recent projects include Concrete Surfing (2022), a short documentary centering on the process of making a film about downhill skateboarding, as well as the friendship between its collaborators. Outside of his film work, Joseph holds a 3rd degree black belt in Taekwondo and spends his time as an instructor.


Film. Documentary. Production. Burn A Light.
Joseph Della Vedova
Production Assistant
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VICTORIA BEITS
COMPOSER

Victoria Beits is a music composer for films, TV, documentaries, games and other visual media. She was born in Russia and studied scoring for films at the prestigious Russian film studio, Mosfilm. She developed her skills further by studying under the London-based composer Michael Price, the composer for BBC's Sherlock series.

Victoria's professional skills include orchestration for full symphonic orchestra, sound design and sound mixing. She is passionate about blending orchestral instruments with synthetic sounds to achieve interesting, modern cinematic vibes, and explores experimental work in a search for new ways to bring emotion to picture.

Victoria has written music for top labels including Universal Production Music, RedCola, and APM and her music has been distributed for visual media all over the world.

Documentary. Film Composer. Music. Burn A Light.
Victoria Beits
Composer
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Amber Allen-PEIrson
IMPACT PRODUCER

Amber Allen-Peirson (also known by "Clarity") is a storyteller, a visionary, and a community activist.  Her life experience gives her an incredible sense of intuition, empathy, and creative healing skill. Amber is a poet who traverses between polarized worlds as a biracial woman, between Oakland and Marin County. Her background as an educator and a public speaker focused on supporting self-development and working in black and brown communities with youth to cultivate health, communication, and empowerment.

As a director, Amber is adept at inspiring individuals and communities to find the stories within their own experience and extract the wisdom and the power from their own narratives through workshops, lectures, and interviews. Amber sees the stories that few others can and focuses our attention on a full human experience.

Director. Social Impact Producer. Activist. Burn A Light.
Amber Allen-PeIrson
Director
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Mark Gopez
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE
TECHNOLOGY

Mark Gopez is a seasoned Silicon Valley growth executive and startup advisor. He's a builder of brands, products, and technology stacks. He's worked through several acquisitions and was also at One Medical before being traded on the NYSE.

His roots stem from Indonesia and the Philippines, where he's seen the crippling effects of socio-economic disparity throughout Southeast Asia. More recently, he's worked with Latin American healthcare startups and off-shore services, where he's seen similar inequities in Latinx communities.

Mark currently volunteers at not-for-profit organizations such as CASA, Sweet Farm, and Operation Surf. He's passionate about social justice and storytelling through the use of emerging technologies and new media.

Creative Technology. Producer. Tech. Marketing. Social Media. Industry Leaders. Burn A light.
Mark Gopez
Head of CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY
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Donato Bragagnolo
Cinematographer

Donato Bragagnolo is a cinematographer, photographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. Originally from Veneto, Italy, Donato came to the United States to study filmmaking at the University of Southern California and shortly after began a career in the film industry.

In addition to his experience on film sets, Donato has worked on award-winning documentaries such as Resistance is Life and Storied Streets.

He has also worked on projects for non-profit organizations such as Emergency, Blacksmith Institute, and the Himalaya Culture and Tradition Preservation Society.

Cinematographer. Photographer. Filmmaker. Burn A Light.
Donato Bragagnolo
Cinematographer
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Yuta Okamura
Director, Cinematographer

Yuta Okamura is an award-winning filmmaker born and raised in Japan. At the age of the 3, Yuta saw Godzilla for the first time and became fascinated with the magic of cinema.

Without access to a camera, he started painting his own one-frame monster films, which later developed into visual storytelling through filmmaking.

In 2007, he moved to the U.S. to study and graduate in film production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He directed several short narrative films including The Lost Samurai and Waking Up and is editor of the award-winning documentary feature, Resistance is Life. Yuta is a cinematographer and co-producer for Black Box Diaries, an Oscar-nominated film for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards.

Filmmaker. Director. Producer. Editor. Burn A Light.
Yuta Okamura
Director, Cinematographer
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TOSHIKAZU HOSOKI
DIRECTOR, EDITOR

Toshikazu Hosoki is a Tokyo-born director, editor, and cinematographer with a background in TV production in Japan. His 2020 short film, Silent Rider—a compelling story of a bold and talented young skateboarder in Tokyo, featuring music by Grammy Award-winning artist Flying Lotus—was praised by the renowned skateboarding publication The Berrics as “an exquisite film.”

His 2023 short, Circle of Donuts, was officially selected for screenings at prestigious film festivals such as Mill Valley Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival and an Academy Award-Qualifying Festival, SSFF & ASIA.

TOSHIKAZU 
HOSOKI
Director, EDITOR
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ATHARV SAINI
COLORIST, Cinematographer

Atharv Saini is a filmmaker and visual storyteller based in San Francisco, specializing in cinematography, color grading, and editing. Born in Dehradun, northern India, his love for images began with a point-and-shoot camera and long evenings watching nature documentaries with his father—moments that planted the seed of wonder in storytelling through light and landscape.

Atharv blends technical precision with a poetic eye, crafting visuals that explore emotion, environment, and the human journey. With a BFA in Cinematography and a growing portfolio across narrative, commercial, and documentary work, he brings a global voice to every frame. Whether behind the camera or in the color suite, his work seeks harmony between the real and the surreal—capturing not just what is seen, but what is felt.

ATHARV SAINI
COLORIST, CINEMATOGRAPHER
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ANGELA HSIEH
COMPOSER

Angela is a composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Raised between Shanghai and Taipei, she developed a deep love for films early on, paying close attention to how music shapes emotions on screen. This passion for musical storytelling led her to study classical piano and violin, eventually earning a certificate in Music Composition for Film/TV from Berklee College of Music and pursuing music and business studies at UC Berkeley.

Angela’s work focuses on narrative films and documentaries, often weaving together live violin, erhu, and keyboard to explore themes of social impact, nature, and the depth of human emotions. Beyond composing, Angela shares her music on streaming platforms and recently returned from a music tour in Japan and Taiwan, performing with ONIKHO and live-scoring for the Resident Island Dance Theatre.

ANGELA HSIEH
COMPOSER
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EMILY MCDONALD
DIRECTOR

Emily is a director with an ability to blend the authenticity of documentary filmmaking with the craft of scripted storytelling. This distinctive approach has earned recognition across both genres, including a Grierson Award nomination, a Gold Young Director Award at Cannes, and a British Short Film Award for Best Documentary Short.

Most recently, Emily directed the second series of BBC One’s Am I Being Unreasonable? Across both documentary and scripted, her work focuses on uncovering honest, unique stories that explore cultural ideals and broaden our understanding of humanity.

Her films have been selected for leading festivals, including the BFI London Film Festival and Flare Film Festival, where she was named one of six emerging LGBTQ+ filmmakers.

EMILY MCDONALD
DIRECTOR
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