Sammy Jackson
Executive Producer - Director - Writer - Cinematographer - Editor
Multi-award-winning filmmaker, Sammy Jackson, has been at the helm of some of the most critically acclaimed documentaries/series on History, A&E, Discovery & PBS. His work on the Emmy-winning WWII in HD was ground-breaking in its use of cinematic narrative and editorial style, setting the bar for unprecedented use of sound design. Known for producing, directing, writing and editing compelling, emotional storytelling on films and series such as The Rape of Nanking, Eyewitness In Iraq, The Day The Towers Fell, Vietnam in HD, Homecoming, One Giant Leap and Against The Odds. His current projects, The Dirty Boys Club and What Happened to Dakota Jones & Melanie Strong?, further showcase Sammy's ability to present timely, relevant, unfiltered films that examine the human condition in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances.
Tracey Connor
Executive Producer - Story Development
For the past twenty-years, award-winning filmmaker, Tracey Connor, has helped craft some of the most critically-acclaimed archival based specials and series on History, Discovery and PBS. Known for scouring the world to discover rare and never-before-seen footage, Tracey's love for history and storytelling instincts, has given an international audience, undiscovered imagery, that has since become iconic to our visual understanding of the world we live in. Her ground-breaking work on series such as WWII in HD and Vietnam in HD, unveiled for the first time, fresh, vivid color HD imagery that not only made them two of History’s most successful series, but ushered in a new era in archival programming.
Elaine Sharp
Executive Producer International - Story Development
Elaine Sharp is a Producer/Director on films spanning the globe. Her universal broadcast career spans two decades and she has been based in the UK, USA and Italy. She has worked on documentaries and factual content for major international Broadcasters including the BBC, ITV Network, Channel 4 Television, Discovery Channels International, A&E Network USA, ABC Network, WNET/PBS, Mediaset/RTI and Fox Channels International Italy. After graduating from Columbia University, she began her career in investigative journalism at PBS/WNET in New York working with the twice Oscar-nominated Producer, Roger Weisberg. She has since acquired diverse production expertise and specializes in international co-productions and overseas location filming. She has led creative and production across continents and multiple cultures chasing relevant, often shocking stories that impact our world today.
Shelley Steagall
Producer - Story Development
Shelley Steagall's love of storytelling, research and fact finding can be traced back to her "inquisitive, question everything" grammar school days right through high school and college years. After college, where she majored in Journalism, she spent years in the profession working her way up to producer for CBS and FOX affiliates producing daily newscasts and a wide array of specialty programming from sports to community affairs. But it would be the stories of bravery, strength and survival she worked on as a daytime talk show producer at ABC that put her career in focus. Her film, The Most Crippling Condition, brought national attention to the life-changing effects of Arthritis and would win the prestigious Russell L. Cecil Award and confirm her path as a producer of merit and unwavering passion.
John Ligato
Producer - Writer - Story Development - Historical Consultant
As a Producer/Consultant, John Ligato’s diverse background in the military and law enforcement make him an integral member of the 43Films’ creative team as he is uniquely qualified to ensure authenticity and accuracy in every story we bring to the screen. A South Philly native, John is a former Marine who fought in Vietnam and was involved the 1968 TET offensive. He has three Purple Hearts and has been inducted into the Marine Corps Museum. Upon leaving the service, he joined the FBI and became a deep undercover agent for 20 years, 8 of which were spent working on organized crime and narcotics investigations. The 2006 movie 10th and Wolf was loosely based on his life. He is the author of multiple books detailing his undercover experiences including, Lerza’s Lives and Dirty Boys. He has also flown missions for the FBI’s special operations group, hosted a radio talk show for nine years, been a motivational speaker for the US Marine Corps, and has appeared on television series such as A&E’s Runaway Squad, and The American Hero Channel’s series, Against The Odds. John has also spent the last eleven years teaching college students the in’s and out’s of Homeland Security, Organized Crime, Covert Operations and Constitutional Law.