Production Team
Diem Van Groth - Director, Producer, Writer
Diem Van Groth is a seasoned executive and trailblazer with twenty-plus years of global experience and expertise in corporate strategy, metaverse technology, business development, urban development, enterprise sales, and project management. Diem has worked across the US and globally.
Diem is the founder of www.DigiMC.com, one of the pioneers in MetaCampus development and developers of interactive mobile college and university experiences.
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Diem is the manager for the late blues legend JJ Bad Boy Jones, www.jjbadboyjones.com, producing JJ's "Last Man Standing" album.
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Diem and his son created www.gvback.com to promote one-hour service projects globally and highlight community organizations and people working to build communities where everyone can thrive. Diem is the executive producer of the independent feature film Trace The Line, the producer and director of the feature documentary 612, and the producer of Heart Beats Film, which is set for release in 2025.
David Massey - Producer
David Massey is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications & Education from Ohio Dominican College and a Master of Fine Arts degree in advanced film & television studies from the American Film Institute. His 1992 film, "Last Breeze of Summer", was nominated for an Academy Award making Massey the first African-American to be nominated in the Live-Action Short Film category. Massey has been the recipient of several prestigious awards. The Martin Ritt Scholarship, Eastman Kodak Second Century Honoree, inductee at The Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, The National Education Association for the "Advancement of Learning through Broadcasting", 2011 PBS Innovated Teacher Award, the National Black Programming Consortium "Prized Pieces". Heartland Film Festival's Crystal Heart, and is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Executive Producers
Sarah Brokaw
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Sarah Brokaw, Executive Producer, holds a master's in social work from New York University and is a licensed clinical social worker in New York and California. With eight years of specialized training in family and couple therapy at the Ackerman Institute, a two-year postgraduate program at Fielding University, and professional coaching certification, Sarah is well-versed in various therapeutic approaches.
Her extensive training includes completing the National Institute for Psychotherapy's psychoanalytic year-long program and three levels of Gottman Method Couples Therapy at the Gottman Institute. Sarah is also trained in the Trauma Resiliency Model and received instruction in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy under Marsha Linehan, Ph.D., ABPP.
Inspired by women she met while researching Fortitude, Sarah initiated the Wise Women of LA discussion series, fostering support among women of diverse backgrounds in achieving their professional and personal goals. She also launched Shared Secrets, a podcast highlighting the healing power of shared vulnerability.
In her volunteer work, Sarah has contributed to communities in Rwanda, Bosnia, and Haiti, enhancing her professional development by challenging herself in unfamiliar environments. Currently, she serves as a volunteer therapist for Homeboy Industries, offering support to formerly gang-involved and incarcerated individuals.
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Kokayi Ampah
Kokayi began his career at the Inner City Youth League in 1968, where, with Bobby Hickman and Mahmoud El Kati, he got a sense of community awareness and cultural heritage. That same year, he was introduced to the world of television at KTCA, a PBS affiliate in the Black Voices Training and Production Program.
Kokayi visited the film sets of Bobby's uncle Gordon Parks, Shaft's Big Score in 1972, and 1974 Leadbelly through Bobby Hickman.
In 1977, Kokayi moved to Los Angeles, and in 1978, Kokayi Ampah became the first African American union Location Manager in Los Angeles. His television credits include A-Team, Cagney & Lacey, Knight Rider, and Women Of Brewster Place.
His feature film credits include The Color Purple, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Poetic Justice, Space Cowboys, Mars Attacks, and 22 other feature films. He served as Associate Producer and Location Manager on the Five Heartbeats and Production Supervisor / Location Manager on Shawshank Redemption.
In 1995, he was awarded the Feature Location Manager of the Year award for the state of California. In 2015, the Location Managers Guild of America awarded him the Life Time Achievement Award. In 2016, Kokayi became the second Location Manager inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science.
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In 2018, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the African American Film Market Place.
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Clint Schaff
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Clint Schaff, Executive Producer, is a highly accomplished professional in audio, television, film, and live events, recognized by Adweek in 2020 as a Creative 100 honoree. Formerly Vice President of Strategy and Development at the Los Angeles Times, Clint oversaw developing and programming projects for L.A. Times Studios, including the acclaimed Dirty John podcast and T.V. series franchise.
His extensive portfolio includes successful podcasts like Man In the Window, Larger Than Life, Room 20, Chasing Cosby, It Was Simple: The Betty Broderick Murders, The Trials of Frank Carson, Asian Enough, and The Times: Daily News from the L.A. Times.​​​