James Mackenzie is a graduate of Loyola Marymount's School of Film & Television in Los Angeles. His MFA thesis, Audrey Makes a Mixtape, was recognized on the US BAFTA Student Awards shortlist, and as a member of the Film Independent Incubator Lab, he helmed his award-winning first feature, American Zealot. He brought his web series Tough Love to the Tribeca N.O.W. Creators Market, and premiered Three Men Named Mantas, an international co-production shot in Lithuania, at the Atlanta Film Festival. These and other projects have been featured by Variety, Revry, WABE, and the University of North Georgia, where he serves as the Associate Director of the Film & Digital Media program.

Yuki (Yi Meng), a filmmaker from Wuhan, China, is currently based in Los Angeles. A UCLA Art History graduate, she transitioned to filmmaking, initially focusing on stop-motion animation before expanding to narrative and documentary formats. Her films explore female relationships, synesthetic connections between memory and reality, and themes of displacement. They have been featured in numerous Oscar-qualifying festivals worldwide. 

In 2022, Yuki founded Salon de Paprika, a boutique production company inspired by "Salon de Paris" and the Japanese animation "Paprika," dedicated to tell stories that explore the gray-area beyond any rights or wrongs, to create characters that invites empathy beyond any villain/victim dynamics, to connect with the unheard and the unseen, and to support boundary-pushing artists and filmmakers through the formulation of a safe and inclusive space, both virtual and physical. Yuki is currently working on her first long-form documentary, "White Birds", which examines the intergenerational dynamics among women from a distance.

Aubrie Canfield is the cofounder and managing producer of Actuality Abroad, where she leads service-learning documentary expeditions that connect emerging filmmakers with global changemakers. Through immersive, on-location collaborations, she helps aspiring storytellers hone their craft while producing films that elevate social impact initiatives worldwide.

With a background in film production and international storytelling, Aubrie has spent over a decade designing hands-on experiences that blend documentary filmmaking, ethical storytelling, and global engagement. Prior to launching Actuality Abroad, she worked in feature film production, managing logistics for projects worldwide.

She is passionate about rethinking how documentary storytelling is taught—emphasizing collaboration, responsibility, and impact. Through Actuality Abroad, she has guided filmmakers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, mentoring them in crafting stories that foster connection and change.