DAVID S. DANESH (Pittsford, NY) joins the IDA with an ambitious documentary film series in pre-production. The Effect of Education is a project that will set the stage for meaningful change in the American education arena by following the lives of nine children-from age 4 through age 17-as they navigate through their educational journey. Inspired by Michael Apted's Up series, the writings of 20th century philosopher J. Krishnamurti, and the ineffective attempts at education reform in the United States, Danesh has been developing the project for over two years, bringing aboard a strong production team and a prestigious board of advisors that includes educators, academics and documentary filmmakers. The project, which will begin production in the next five to ten months, is currently interviewing public and alternative schools in Santa Clara, Calif. As a writer, director, cinematographer and editor, Danesh has screened his narrative shorts and features at numerous festivals, including the 2003 IFP Los Angeles Film Festival. After 10 years in Los Angeles, Danesh moved back to his roots in Western New York, where he currently lives on a five-acre farm and has been active in boosting the film community in Rochester. He still frequently engages in projects on the West Coast, including The Little Death, an independent film noir thriller currently in post-production. Danesh left a successful management consulting career to become a filmmaker, though he continues to consult large corporations on issues of performance management and rewards. He received a B.S. in mathematics from Colgate University.

WILLIAM SUSMAN (San Francisco, CA) recently scored the acclaimed and controversial documentary Oil on Ice, which won the 2004 IDA Pare Lorentz Award. Oil on Ice is screening at hundreds of college campuses nationwide and film festivals around the world. It was broadcast on PBS affiliates in April. Joan Jeanrenaud, reknowned cellist and former member of the Kronos String Quartet, performed on the lyrical and poignant soundtrack. Susman originally made his mark on the contemporary music scene in Europe and the US with a number of award-winning orchestral works. His compositions are frequently performed throughout world.

JILL WIGGINS (Pittsburgh, PA) is a late-budding documentary filmmaker. She began film school at the age of 42, and is currently an independent student at Pittsburgh Filmmakers. In her time there, she has worked on approximately 10 films and videos. She produced, directed, shot, and edited her first official documentary last year called Don's Diner. The film was selected to show at "Film Kitchen," a monthly event that features local filmmakers. Through film and video, Wiggins loves to show the extraordinary that exists in the ordinary. Wiggins recently received a First Works Grant from Pittsburgh Filmmakers to help fund her next documentary, which is about the oldest record store in Pittsburgh. Wiggins earns a living teaching digital imaging at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh, and she works primarily with high school students teaching them programs like Photoshop, Premiere and Flash. She also teaches video production.