About Us | Executive Bios

Steven Paul | Chairman and CEO

Steven Paul has over four decades of film industry experience. He began his career as a spirited young actor at the age of six. An active singer/dancer role in Kurt Vonnegut’s first Broadway play, “Happy Birthday Wanda June," (which he performed for Columbia Pictures in Hollywood California) gave Steven the Hollywood bug.  

The New Yorker recognized Steven as the youngest playwright on Broadway after he wrote his first play. He founded his first production company at the age of 12. He then went on to write, direct, produce and star in his first feature film at the age of 20, entitled “Falling In Love Again”, which also debuted Michelle Pfeiffer. Steven was recognized by The Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s youngest producer, which still stands today.

Steven’s dynamic talent for both business and art in filmmaking led him to the creation of his company in 1977.  To date, Steven has established Crystal Sky as a leading Hollywood independent entertainment company that specializes in development, production, finance, distribution, talent management and visual effects creation.

New York natives, Hank and Dorothy Paul are the parents of three successful entertainment industry entrepreneurs including Steven Paul, President & CEO of Crystal Sky, Bonnie Paul, successful actress, and Stuart Paul, accomplished writer and director.  Hank and Dorothy’s children are strong testimonies to their love for one another, which is reflected in their marriage of 52 years.

Hank has been an active community member since his days in the Bronx where he began a night center for kids 12 to 16 years of age, which became home to more than 500 children.  In 1959 he received the “Outstanding Bronx Citizen Award” for his community “home building” fund raising program.

Hank’s early career included financial planning, insurance sales, investments and property development.  Building a strong financial background gave Hank and his family the capability to successfully fund their first film production in the early seventies. The Paul’s moved to Los Angeles in 1972 and made their movie-making mark with their first feature film success, Falling In Love Again.  As casting director, Dorothy Koster (Paul) made a fast name for herself in the industry by discovering and casting Michelle Pfeiffer in her first feature film.

Today, Hank and Dorothy continue their active role in the family business as Co-Chairman’s of Crystal Sky.  Hank plays a strong role in the financial activities and continually works on the development of new projects for Crystal Sky.  Dorothy is Casting Director for all of Crystal Sky’s productions.

Benedict Carver | President of Crystal Sky Pictures

Benedict Carver is President of Crystal Sky Pictures and oversees its slate.

Crystal Sky Pictures focuses on producing bigger budget films with studio partners in North America .

Together with Marvel Studios Crystal Sky Pictures is co-producing movie versions of several Marvel comic titles. GHOST RIDER, directed by Mark Steven Johnson and starring Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, and Wes Bentley, for Sony Pictures. DEATHLOK, an action-adventure written by David Self, and Werewolf By Night.

Crystal Sky Pictures is also producing the film adaptations of the highly successful video games from Namco, TEKKEN. TEKKEN, which has sold over 20m video game units worldwide.

Crystal Sky Pictures is in post-production on the comedy BIG STAN, starring Rob Schneider and in production on the thriller DOOMSDAY for Rogue Pictures. It is also adapting Richard Branson's autobiography LOSING MY VIRGINITY for the big screen. Will Osborne (The Scorpion King) is penning the draft.

Daniel Diamond | President of Crystal Sky Worldwide Sales

Daniel is the International Sales Consultant for Crystal Sky Worldwide Sales.

He has been an executive in the Motion Picture Industry since 1986 and has represented dozens of motion pictures for distribution and exploitation.  Also, he has been an advisor in the areas of marketing, distribution, financing and packaging of feature films.

From 1997 until 2004 Daniel served as the President of Fireworks Pictures, the motion picture division and wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian media giant CanWest Global. While in his position at Fireworks, he oversaw Production, Distribution and Marketing of a vast slate of pictures which include titles that were number one at the US Box office and winners of many prestigious awards.

Among these motion pictures were RULES OF ENGAGEMENT directed by director William Friedkin; HARDBALL, starring Keanu Reeves and Diane Lane; RAT RACE directed by Jerry Zucker and THE BELIEVER, starring Ryan Gosling and winner of the prestigious Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and named one of the 10 most outstanding achievements of television in 2001 by the American Film Institute.

Before joining Fireworks, Daniel served as President of International Distribution for Franchise Pictures where he was instrumental in the financing, distribution and marketing of a diverse slate of movies. Among these were, CONFESSION – starring Alec Baldwin, Ben Kingsley and MURDER OF CROWS – starring Cuba Gooding Jr.

Daniel’s tenure at Franchise Pictures was preceded by his position as Vice President of Capella International where he was responsible for the co-financing as well as the International distribution and marketing for an impressive slate of pictures, the first being of one of the successful comedy film franchises in film history, AUSTIN POWERS, INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY. Other pictures include CARLITO’S WAY and NOBODY’S FOOL.

Eric Breiman | Vice President, Production

Eric is a seasoned film production and post-production professional with expertise in the US, Canada and Europe.  Since 1984, Eric has been line producer, production manager and post-production supervisor for Crystal Sky, overseeing more than fifty productions.  Prior to Crystal Sky, as an independent producer, Eric produced the first 35MM live- action filmed video game for Atari.

Today, Eric actively consults and volunteers his time in the industry, recently serving as Vice-Chairman and Secretary for the Independent Producer's Association.  In addition to his active filmmaking career, Eric spends his free time piloting his Bellanca Super-Viking and Piper Twin Comanche.

Jacques Stroweis | Visual Effects Supervisor

Visual effects supervisor and twenty-year film veteran, Jacques Streiwes is well versed in all aspects of his craft, from design to stage photography to digital post-production.  He has successfully dealt with simulation of natural phenomena, fur, performance enhancement, lip-sync animation and character animation.  He is very seasoned with all facets of physical production, as well as the current digital techniques of integrating digital imagery with live-action. 

An alumnus of the pioneering NYIT CG Lab, Jacques holds advanced degrees in physics and solid modeling.  He continues to keep abreast of advancements in research and technologies and brings his skills as a highly trained problem-solver to the arena of visual effects.  In 1995, Jacques was nominated for an Academy Award® for his digital supervisory work on Jim Cameron’s “True Lies”.  Jacques has worked as a 2nd Unit director and is a member of the DGA.  His clients include:  Digiscope, PDI, VIFX, CIS, PTM, Riot, Cinesite. 

He is the cofounder of CFVX, a visual effects boutique known for pushing the envelope of challengingly complex visual effects work on tight budget constraints.  His photography has been exhibited at galleries in Paris and New York and his CG work is among the Smithsonian’s permanent collection of pioneering computer graphics.  Jacques holds a European Union passport.