Meet Our Team

Fiona Mackenzie - Founder

Writer, Director, Executive Producer

Fiona Mackenzie is a former studio executive and investigative journalist with over 15 year experience in the development, casting, financing and production of studio films, television movies and series television. She founded Ascent Media Group to develop and produce entertainment content with a female focus and an international perspective. Launched in 2017, Ascent Media Group has a slate of features and scripted series in development with US and European production financiers. Ascent recently completed the indie feature Tell Me I Love You, which Fiona wrote and directed, being released in 2020. Prior to Ascent Media, Fiona held senior level, producing and creative executive positions at Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Lionsgate and developed projects ranging from 2 to 80M USD. At Sony Fiona was the Vice President of Features and Television at Turman Morrison (American History X, Oscar Nominee) and later held an in-house producing deal at 20th Century Fox/Davis Entertainment. She developed “Warrior Queen” now at Paramount Pictures, an epic, female led 60 M USD action film, and worked in France on “The Highlander” series. Fiona began her career as a journalist for CNN, ABC and CBS based in Paris. She earned a BA from U.C. Berkeley and her Masters from Georgetown University's Graduate School of Foreign Service. She lives between Los Angeles and London.

Chris Rolfe - Executive Producer

Finance & Production

Also from the UK and with a background of over 15 years in commercial investment, retail development and business finance structuring, Chris moved into feature film investment via a business opportunity in 2007, which allowed him to manage the business process on several productions across film and music production. Over the past 10 years Chris has actively invested, developed and produced several productions with his expertise in the area of finance, music publishing, business planning and technical acceptance. Chris has invested and run several entities, including a UK film distribution company alongside Fremantle Media, one of the largest television companies in the world. He has also established a successful music publishing and record label with the distribution being handled by Universal Music Group. Chris is currently attached to several high-end film productions in a Producer capacity and on average produces four films a year.

James Morel - Advisor

Operations, Finance

A seasoned entrepreneur and CEO who has launched several US companies and franchises, Mr. Morel provides strategic advice and financial counsel to Ascent Media Group in all aspects of the company’s growth trajectory, investment partnerships, and corporate expansion. Mr. Morel coordinated the Seed, Angel, Series A debt and equity financing rounds for start ups leading them to an IPO. With a passion for building and growing companies Mr. Morel is working closely with the team at Ascent Media Group providing the company with financial consulting and comprehensive advisory services. Mr. Morel lives between New York City and Los Angeles. 

Marya Meyer - Advisor

Marketing, Talent Relations

Marya brings over 25 years of experience in entertainment marketing and artist relations, and holds a wealth of industry contacts with all the major talent agencies. An expert in the Latin American Market, Marya has presided on the Latin Grammy selection committee, and has held senior executive positions at Sony, BMG, Sony, and Universal Music. Over her extensive career she has worked closely with international artists such U2, Metallica, Sting, Bon Jovi, and Gloria Estafan, and with distributors specializing in the Latin market including Telemundo and  Univision. Bilingual in Spanish and English, Marya resides between Miami and New York City.

Steven Beer, Esq. - Legal Counsel

Steven C. Beer represents industry-leading film production, film finance and film distribution companies and has acted as legal counsel to numerous award-winning writers, directors, producers, and multi-platinum musical artists. Mr. Beer has represented films at Cannes, Sundance, South by Southwest and Tribeca and negotiated distribution rights deals for numerous, award winning independent films. Prior to FWRV, Mr. Beer practiced at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, and was a founding partner of Rudolph & Beer. He received his B.A. from Washington University and his J.D. from The Villanova University School of Law.

Nick O’Gorman - Advisor

Producer, Unscripted Television

Showrunner and Emmy Award winning producer, Nick O'Gorman brings over 30 year of network experience to Ascent Media Group's television slate. Nick holds an extraordinary list of credits as Executive Producer, Supervising Producer and Showrunner on major hit series for internationally known networks including Discovery Chanel, Nat Geo, History Channel, A & E and Disney. In addition, Nick was Producer on the Award Winning hit series, House Hunters International, shot on location around the world.

Bill Chamberlain - Advisor

Producer, UK Film Production

Bill Chamberlain has produced features for Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Thames Television and others with locations including Spain, China, South Africa, Hungary and the United Kingdom. Bringing decades of production experience and relationships in film financing and tax incentives, Bill is supervising several of Ascent’s Media’s current feature film projects out of Europe.

Freeway Entertainment - Accounting

Revenue Collection

Freeway Entertainment Group specializes in collections, account management, revenue sharing and distribution for the global entertainment industry. Having worked on over 4,000 film productions in twenty years, they can support clients in every aspect the revenue chain including studios, mini majors, production companies, film financing institutions, equity investors, completion bonds, unions, guilds, talent agencies, sales agents and broadcasters. Recent films Freeway worked for include The Imitation Game, Lone Survivor, Selma, 12 Years A Slave, Blue Jasmin and The Dallas Buyers Club. Their services ensure transparent reporting and timely payment of revenues. With offices in China, the United States, the UK, Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands, France and Germany, Freeway have the expertise and resources to work across the US, China, Europe, Australasia and Latin America. https://www.freeway-entertainment.com