ABOUT > TEAM
BILLY FRANK.
CEO & Executive Producer
Billy Frank is a tenacious, iron-willed perfectionist, driven to deliver- and not just as a USA Maccabi fast-pitch team member! Billy brings these same traits to Make It Happen Productions, a company he founded in 1994. Since then, MIHP has been acknowledged by winning numerous awards and has provided exemplary work for major brands and corporations. This success is a direct result of Billy’s leadership, his hands-on work ethic, his commitment to organic storytelling and his philosophy that personal independence is a necessity.
Billy began his career in music clearance for ASCAP and soon after moved to Dick Clark Productions, working on many hit syndicated shows for Mr. Clark. Coincidentally, Make It Happen Productions has been recently tapped by Music Choice to produce Inside Rising Star, a Dick Clark Production.
Before long, Billy was producing alongside some of the biggest names in the business. Partnering with Bank of America, he traveled the world for the international launch campaigns for the Olympic Games, worked with Les Moonves on spoof campaigns that assisted the sales of CBS’s Survivor to multi-million dollar advertisers and executive produced the main title open for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that ran from 2002-2010. Billy works with major networks and corporations and aids with their strategy and creative solutions, not only as an Executive Producer, but also as a DGA Director.
As a successful Executive and Creative Producer from 2009-2011, Billy shared his expertise with the next generation, not only how to make it in film and television, but also empowering them to do it for themselves as an Adjunct Professor for Carnegie Mellon University in the Heinz School’s Master of Entertainment Industry Management Program.
In 2012, inspired by his experience as executive producer and co-creator of the sustainable lifestyle show On Begley Street, Billy spurred a company wide objective to focus upon and deliver more transformational content – or projects with heart. This has led the company’s evolution into developing long format shows with meaningful messaging and the recent acquisition of LA's Summer Watts Games
In the summer of 2013, Billy traveled to Israel to compete in the 19th annual Maccabi Games, winning Silver.
Executive Vice President Marketing & Sales
Don Janklow, has a brutally honest, yet endearing business style and is an unstoppable force in creating and executing corporate marketing strategies and developing sponsorship activation programs.
Don enjoys vast expertise in Product, Service and Retail Marketing as well as in Licensing and Promotions. For over three decades, his distinguished career combines outstanding creative talents with high-caliber sales management abilities. An expert promoter, he specializes in developing new ventures throughout the entertainment and consumer product industries.
Both personable and persistent, he enjoys the challenge of working with our distinguished clients, from the sale to promotions on through project execution. Ever since his days attending Baruch College, he’s relished working with
“high profile” personalities, such as Joe Namath, The Bee Gees and Andy Kaufman. After the 1984 Olympics, he began creating ridiculously successful marketing programs for events such as the Los Angeles and New York City Marathons, The Indy500 and countless others. Making quality and corporate level opportunities available to any sized business has become his signature. Fearless and visionary, we consider Don a reckoning force to motivate decision makers, drive sales and elevate project potentials. MIHP encourages his ahead-of his-time thinking which has created significant success stories such as:
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Establishing, (what are now considered) standard applications for event sponsorships, as the Marketing Agency of Record for the City of Los Angeles Marathon – Inaugural through 20th Anniversary
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First person in VF Corporation's 100 year history to consummate a Licensing Agreement for its Lee Jeans brand
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Initiating Vera Wang’s first licensing program
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Found and managed the legendary comedian Andy Kaufman
Where others feel faint from the intensity of producing a show, Don is recharged by it. Not only is he a passionate promoter, but when it comes to making something appear “larger than life”, most businesses only wish they had a guy like him to paint that image.
MIHP is proud to welcome such an excellent consensus-builder that is consistently, positive, confident, fearless and persuasive to insure our clients marketing objectives are met.
Don resides on the outskirts of Los Angeles with his wife of 25 years, Christine, and has two adult children, Juliet, a film student at Brooks Institute and Danny an accomplished Jazz Saxophonist and Temple University Graduate.
Christine Janklow.
Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning
Most people happily (and discretely) enjoy when others do their dirty work. As MIHP’s Strategic Planner, she is most happy when she helps clients work through the mazes from ideation to implementation to take projects to their full potential. Addressing core issues, turning over the rock, to see what lies beneath is her specialty. Christine’s many years of expertise in marketing, planning, managing and handling adversity helps create winning business initiatives for our programs.
Brand experience with major corporations including:
Vera Wang, American Express, Hawaiian Tropic, Joseph Abboud, Costco, New York Life and the City of Los Angeles Marathon
Christine's role at MIHP, is to develop strategic marketing programs for major corporations in various industries, to increase awareness, enhance sales and broaden customer base. Christine is accustomed to activating programs through online, brick and mortar and event sponsorships. Since she joined MIHP, she translates successful campaigns for leading national companies has helped her adapt the “best practices” and scale them for any size business to utilize and thrive from. She is always ready to extend her professionalism and take on the heavy lifting to help clients succeed!
MARK EBERLE.
Consulting Director of Photography
Mark Eberle is an award winning cinematographer based in Los Angeles, Dallas and Miami who has enjoyed a prolific twenty-year career filming for commercials, network promos and feature films across the United States and internationally.
Passionate about his profession, Mark contributes to every project with exceptional energy and enthusiasm. Versatile and inventive, he strives to discover the most creative, yet effective solutions to any visual challenge. In addition to being a remarkable DP, Mark is also an impressive camera operator, utilizing his experience with a wide range of styles to provide for any project’s needs.
Mark began his career in the film industry in 1977 as a production assistant and flight instructor to Robert Conrad on the NBC Television program “Black Sheep Squadron”. He steadily graduated to higher-level production positions, eventually serving as Supervising Producer on several films for television (MOW’s). Through this period, Mark developed a keen interest in Cinematography and eventually he chose to obtain additional formal knowledge by attending the Maine Photographic Workshops. Later he devoted time as an intern at Pro Gear, a prominent Miami camera rental house at the time. Following his initial camera training in the early ‘90s, Mark began working on numerous productions in the camera department and subsequently advanced through the ranks of camera assistant positions.
The radiant, creative world of Latin Music Videos in Miami launched Mark’s career as a Director of Photography. A natural progression into commercials and feature films eventually convinced Mark to establish himself in Los Angeles. His ongoing commitment to high quality combined with his positive attitude keeps Mark’s satisfied clients calling him back for more.
CRAIG BARKER.
CREATIVE TALENT
Director
Craig is an award winning Director and a Director of Photography who has filmed hundreds of projects over the years. As is required in the entertainment industry these days, Craig can seamlessly leap from high-gloss national ad campaigns to micro-budget web spots.
On most of his projects, he collaborates with the agency and the production team to co-create and co-write treatments and concepts, helping to produce a project from its inception. During filming, he remains hands on, often serving as his own Director of Photography while paying close attention to art direction. This approach helps to guarantee the intended vision and fosters trust with the agency, as they feel Craig always has his eye on the prize. His involvement doesn't end when "wrap" is called. Craig is very involved in the editing process and final shaping of the project.
Awards include Clio nomination and honors at the New York Film Festival, American Film Institute, and the Ad Club.
SHRADER THOMAS
CREATIVE TALENT
Director/Editor
After graduating Magnum cum Laude from the USC School of Cinema, Shrader dove right into the industry, cutting commercials for Palomar Pictures and Red Car LA for clients including Apple, BMW and Hot Wheels.
Shrader enjoys the challenge and diversity of working on a wide variety of projects. Branching out into the world of on-air promo and trailers, Shrader has spear-headed campaigns as diverse and The Ultimate Fighter for FX and Vampire Diaries for The CW. As a preditor, editor and director, Shrader has worked on movie trailer campaigns that include HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, TRUE GRIT and SEX AND THE CITY. As well as Network shows, including several seasons of the ESPY Awards and NFL Honors for NBC.
With his wide-reaching background in all areas of the entertainment industry, Shrader enjoys moving from behind the camera to the editing suite. He has won several Pro Max awards for projects including NASCAR for FX and 24 for FOX, and been nominated for a Sports Emmy for the Monday Night Football tease. Recently, Shrader has directed commercials for VA is for Lovers, The Boys and Girls Club, The YMCA and the Cleveland Indians.
NASAR ABICH, JR.
CREATIVE TALENT
Director
Born in New York City and raised in Miami, Florida, Nasar spent the first ten years of his professional career as a film editor, working alongside talented directors, including Oscar-winner Alan Arkin. As a Director, Nasar specializes in branding and integrated marketing, working continuously with major cable networks including Discovery and OWN. In addition to his directorial skill set, Nasar is also a talented Director of Photography with visual effects and graphics expertise.
Nasar’s work has been honored with Promax, BDA, New York Film Festival and Telly awards. His efforts have been featured at prestigious festivals including South by Southwest, Sundance and the Toronto Film Festival. While Nasar’s overall creative approach varies with each project’s specific needs, in general, his work seamlessly combines a strong storytelling narrative with clean and striking aesthetic imagery.
Nasar lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Sydney, and their son, Elliott.
LARRY ROSENTHAL.
MANAGEMENT
Head of Production/CFO
He moved out here from central New York after graduating college with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration(with a concentration in Finance) and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Bean counter extraordinaire with extensive on-set experience, Larry began his career as a Junior Accountant with the Walt Disney Company after graduating from college and within two years worked his way two steps up the ladder to Senior Accountant for Home Video with Disney. He continued on almost another year with Disney as a Financial Analyst in the Theatrical Production dept. When he left Disney, he then pursued a career as an independent Production Accountant on several TV shows and movies. After almost 4 years, he was asked to start up a finance department and served as its Director, Finance/Production Accounting for Shukovsky English Entertainment(SEE). Then after 4 ½ years he moved onto LMNO Productions, Inc. serving as Director of Finance while restructuring that finance department and eventually moved up to the position of VP Finance. In mid 2010, he joined MIHP and has been Line Producing most of their productions along with overseeing the finance department there currently.
JENNIE S. LAKE.
MANAGEMENT
Producer
What do skiing and shadow puppets have in common? Jennie Lake! Raised in the Colorado ski-town Steamboat Springs, Jennie grew up surrounded by the arts among a family of avid readers. Her love of stories and storytelling has taken her on journeys around the globe. She graduated in 2005 from the University of Hawaii with a Masters Degree in Asian Theatre with an emphasis on Indonesian forms Wayank Kulit (shadow puppetry) and Randai (Sumatran martial arts-dance-drama.) Jennie has also trained under master performers in Kabuki, Noh, and Jingju (Chinese opera). Throughout her training, Jennie focused on the mechanics of story development and storytelling.
Jennie spent fifteen years in the theatre world as an actress, director and producer, working on stages large and small. As a director and producer, she specialized in new works, actively developing projects with writers.
In 2008, Jennie graduated with distinction from the Carnegie Mellon University Master of Entertainment Industry Management program. A unique program that equipped her with the skills to bridge the gap between the arts and business. In 2007, Jennie had the privilege of working as an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon’s prestigious School of Drama. There she designed a class in theatre history that examined the world theatre traditions as well as Western, looking at theatre fro the sacred to the secular. As part of this experience, she worked at Warner Bros. Feature Development and Lifetime Television in the production department. She joined MIHP in 2008 and now works closely alongside the development department producing content as the company makes a major move into long form programming, with several television and feature film projects in the works.
DAVID PARKE.
MANAGEMENT
Post Production Supervisor
What began as a cluster funk of RCA cables and adapters Frankensteined between VCRs and CD players for fifteen-year-old editor David Parke has now grown into a career as Post Production Supervisor at MIHP!
David taught himself non-linear editing as a teenager, and went on to study editing at CSUN. He is proficient in FCP, Avid and Premiere, and he began his editing career cutting music videos, PSAs and working with NBC and Lionsgate, among others. David currently works with networks, studios and independents on an array of projects at MIHP, where he and CEO Billy Frank have a hands-on approach to post-production. They both personally scrutinize and approve every project before it goes out the door.
In his free time, David enjoys writing music, going to Disneyland, working on websites and computers, and spending time with his wife and their dog.
NOW AIRING
-Get The F Out Of Water Campaign
-On Begley Street - Multi award winning webseries, starring:
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Ed Begley Jr., Rachelle Carson-Begley, Hayden Begley
NEWS ON MAKE IT HAPPEN
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The MIHP development team had a good week at Realscreen East. More to come!
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MIHP gets tapped to brand Las Vegas start-up firm, TNMN
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Billy Frank directs Superbowl campaigns for Canada's leading Network, CTV
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MIHP's on-going efforts to launch the "City Games" (formally known as The Watts Summer Games), summer 2015, continues
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On Begley Street takes home two more awards from the 2014 LA Webfest!
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