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MEET THE FOUNDERS

Jason Swain

Co-Founder | Executive Director

Jason Swain's pursuit of a film career took root when he left the Bronx, New York and headed to Atlanta, Georgia.

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Swain attended Clark Atlanta University (CAU) and was elected President of 4 Reel Productions, the first film and television company chartered by the University.  Shortly after, he received a Kodak Film Stock Grant after being named CAU Film Festival Overall Winner for his first film "Down 4 Whatever".

Swain graduated from CAU in 1999, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media.  

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Two years later, he moved to Los Angeles, California to advance his film career.  He then wrote and directed a stage play, "I Choose 2 Be Me" and soon after, wrote, directed, produced and starred in his Docu-drama, "City Jewelz"- based on the last days before his brother's untimely death.  

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This filmmaker also has a passion for helping his community. In 2009, he founded The Dirk Swain Foundation (DSF). One of the programs in this non-profit organization is "Makin' Room at the Top", a Film and TV after school and summer intensive program that aims to help students learn about the Film and TV industry.  In the same year Swain directed short film THE DATING GAME which screened at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival in France.  Two years later Swain went into development for the feature film version of the short titled SAVE ME FROM LOVE.  Save Me From Love was co-produced by participants of the Dirk Swain Foundation.  The film is now on Amazon Prime. 

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Swain is currently in a Master's program studying Internet Marketing at Full Sail University.  He is set to graduate Spring 2019.    

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Barbara Swain
Co-Founder

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Barbara Swain, Owner, CEO and CFO of Smilee Productions is also a Co-Founder of The Dirk Swain Foundation. Barbara has a wealth of experience and knowledge having recently retired from Citigroup after twenty-five years of experience in marketing, financial budgeting, project management, program management, direct marketing and production management.

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