PASSIONATE PROFESSIONALS

The Queens World Film Festival, New York Women in Film and Television, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, The Gaia Zine and Epicenter – NY proudly announce PASSION in ACTION, a day-long mentoring event to bring high school and college students together with Passionate Professionals in the Arts, Sciences, Finance, Women’s Sports, Nonprofit Sectors and More.

The morning session of this day long event will concentrate on developing personal professionalism related to the arts including developing a mission statement, compiling ideas on how to promote your work and creating your back pocket networking tool kit. The afternoon is devoted to a round robin speed networking event so that all attendees have the opportunity to spend 30 minutes with 3 different Passionate Professionals.

The morning will concentrate on developing personal professionalism related to the arts with the afternoon devoted to a round robin networking event so that all attendees, have the opportunity to spend 30 minutes with 3 different Passionate Professionals.

Thank you to J. ANTHONY ROMAN for being one of our Passionate Professionals!

J. Anthony Roman

Writer/Director/Assistant, Sikelia Productions/No Matinees Enterprises

Anthony started his career in High School as an actor. After high school, Anthony skipped college and started his own theater company. He ran, wrote, and acted with the company for 5 years before they disbanded.

To provide for himself, and fund his projects, Anthony kept day jobs which included educational theater artist, counter-terrorism supply salesman, marijuana delivery, bartender, retail, busboy, residential real estate assistant property manager, dog walker, and exterminator.

In 2016 he was accepted into Tisch’s School of the Arts (Film and TV Program), and graduated with honors with a degree in writing and directing in 2019. His short film, Scarfaced, was accepted into the 2019 HBO New York Latino Film Festival, as well as the 2019 Dominican Film Festival in New York City, BLVD IV, The Latinx21 Festival, the Lift-Off Global Network Film Festival, and a Semi-Finalist in the 2019 Los Angeles CineFest.

In 2020, Evelyn Torres in the ICU was presented by Nosotros as part of their annual monologue collection. It was presented worldwide on Facebook Live and presented by NBC. In 2021, Anthony completed Burn, Baby, Burn, a short film that was accepted into 20 film festivals. In the Summer of 2022, Anthony filmed two short films, The Journey of Malcolm Miracle and Dave, and Destiny.

Anthony works for Sikelia Productions, Martin Scorsese’s production company, as assistant to three time Oscar winner, Thelma Schoonmaker, as he pursues a career as a writer and director for film and television. Anthony is also a published fiction writer.

Question & Answer

What is a personal character trait that you have leaned on in your career?

Hard work above all else

What is your best advice for young creatives who are thinking about college?

Just go.

What is your best advice for young creatives who are beginning their careers?

Work hard.