TEAM
TEAM
Sarah Minnie (She/Her)
Founder | Director | Creative Executive Producer
About Sarah
Sarah Minnie is a storyteller - a video witch - a digital artist. Sarah operates on the belief that filmmakers have the privilege of changing the world through the age-old magical practice of story sharing. Whether it be her own or someone else's - fiction or factual - it is Sarah’s duty to create a healthy and brave atmosphere for everyone collaborating. This practice was the framework for Sarah when creating Minnie Productions nearly 10 years ago. Through Minnie Productions, Sarah not only gets to create work that is femme focused and intersectional but she was able to develop - a coven - that uplifts and motivates; whether it be on set with cast/crew or mentoring creatives to actualize their dreams.
Sarah’s magic as an Emmy-nominated Producer, award winning Director and editor has led her in “bippity boppy boop-ing” content such as; documentaries, commercials, fashion films, music videos, web series, pilots, short films, features and more. Her work has been published in VOGUE, The Chicago Tribune, Hyperlink Magazine, Women & Hollywood, and in film festivals such as DC Black Film Festival, NYC Web Fest, Austin Film Festival - just to name a few.
The devotion to continuously serve the marginalized community she represents and loves, has led her to partnering with organizations that align with her missions to support the Chicago intersectional filmmaking community. Most recently Sarah partnered with Open Television (OTV), as the first ever Development Officer in 2020. And, in 2021, OTV’s Head of Artist Development and Production.
Sarah’s work illuminates the power of being authentic - creating bold and unapologetic content.
about Rudy
Rudy Rubio is an Emmy-nominated Director of Photography, specializing in documentaries, music videos, commercials, and narratives.
He earned his BS/MS in Computer Science from DePaul University, followed by several years of professional experience.
Inspired by the impact of visual storytelling, he earned a degree in Cinematography & Editing from Tribeca Flashpoint Academy in Chicago.
Rudy takes pride in utilizing the power of film to better a global community through stories rooted in social impact.
His most recent production work includes The Obama Foundation, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Amazon, and Oprah's 2020 WW Vision Tour.
Rudy Rubio (He/Him)
Technical Director | Director of Photography
Stephanie Jensen (She/Her)
Art Director | Freelance Photographer
About Stephanie
Stephanie Jensen graduated from Southern Illinois University with a degree in Paralegal Studies. A couple of years into the field, she realized there was more she wanted to accomplish. In search of adventure and a fresh perspective, Stephanie moved to Malaysia in 2013 and spent a year teaching English and backpacking throughout South East Asia. Stephanie's eagerness to understand and connect with people of different cultures, coupled with her desire to embrace beautiful landscapes, led Stephanie to uncover her natural talents for travel and photography.
Upon returning to her hometown of Chicago, Stephanie began a certificate program at the Chicago Photography Academy, which allowed her to master the more technical side of photography and broaden her creative skills. Stephanie has a passion for street, event, and fashion photography, while also being a master of corporate head shots and behind-the-scenes photography.
About Alison
Alison Townson graduated with a degree in Elementary Education - after one year of teaching, she decided to stop finding every excuse in the book to watch films in the classroom and pursue a career in the film industry instead. Since then, Alison has dedicated most of her spare time to studying the art of filmmaking, and has loved each moment of the learning process.
Alison’s time spent as an educator has helped her flourish creatively in unexpected ways. Years of creating diversified lesson plans for her students has helped Alison learn to format scripts. Establishing and maintaining an open discussion forum for students and their family members has made Alison a great communicator. More than anything else, Alison believes that her sheer determination and desire for growth will continue to propel her forward.
Alison is currently putting her newfound creative skills to good use primarily through photography, videography and screenwriting. Alison recently finished writing a script for a television pilot, which she hopes to submit to various competitions later this year.
Alison Townson (she/her)
Mentee Alumn ‘21
Otito Greg-Obi (She/Hers)
Mentee Alumn ‘21
About Otito
Otito Greg-Obi is a Washington D.C.-based writer who believes in the power of storytelling and making people feel seen and heard on screen. She’s currently writing a feature called Cherry Blossoms. Her passion for film, tv, media and pop culture led her to be a content contributor at Unpopcultr, a media publication and platform dedicated to amplifying the voices and work of BIPOC creatives. Her poetry appears in "small poems for the masses," a quarterly zine by Post Ghost Press. When she’s not writing, Otito is a Production Coordinator in the Development Department at Pixar, where she provides creative research and production support to 3 unannounced features films. She also supports Minnie Productions as a Producing Associate and mentee. In 2017, Otito graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations focusing on gender and Sub-Saharan Africa.