Leadership
Paul S. Eckstein
(1954‑2023)
Founder
Paul S. Eckstein, a visionary in the realms of writing, producing, and acting, left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry over his four-decade-long career. Born in 1954 in Brooklyn, New York, Paul’s passion for the arts was nurtured through his studies at Brown University, where he majored in International Relations and Creative Writing. His post-graduate life saw him deeply engaged in the New York City Theatre scene, where he was a founding member of the Naked Angels Theatre Company and graced stages such as Broadway, Shakespeare in the Park, and the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis.
Throughout his career, Paul was renowned for his versatility and dedication to his craft. He spent over a decade shaping the landscape of theater, film, and television, contributing as a writer, director, and producer. His work consistently highlighted historical narratives and stories that emphasized the experiences and cultures of people of color.
One of Paul’s most notable achievements was the co-creation and production of the critically acclaimed series “Godfather of Harlem” (2019), starring Forest Whitaker and Giancarlo Esposito on EPIX. This project followed his influential role as the lead writer for the first season of Netflix’s hit drama “Narcos” (2015). His diverse range of writing and production credits also includes the Disney/ABC epic “Of Kings and Prophets” (2016), filmed in South Africa, as well as contributions to shows like “Street Time” (2002) on Showtime, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” (2001) on NBC, and “The Dead Zone” (2002) on USA. In the film industry, he made a significant impact as the co-producer of “Hoodlum” (1997), a film starring Laurence Fishburne and Andy Garcia.
Paul passed away in 2023, leaving behind a legacy of artistic excellence and a profound commitment to storytelling that resonates with truth and cultural richness. As the founder of the Jamaica Media Alliance, his vision was to transform Jamaica into a globally recognized hub for film, TV, and event productions. He was deeply committed to the development of local talent, fostering their growth through mentorship and training programs. His legacy continues to inspire and guide the organization, embodying his dream of placing Jamaica at the forefront of the global creative arts scene.
John Buffalo Mailer
Chairman
John Buffalo Mailer is an award-winning screenwriter, journalist, playwright, actor, producer and director.
After graduating from Wesleyan University in 2000, he co-founded Back House Productions in New York City with Thomas Kail (Director of Hamilton), Anthony Veneziale (Creator of Freestyle Love Supreme), and Neil Stewart. Back House became the 1st resident theater company of The Drama Bookshop’s Arthur Seelan Theater in 2001, where they developed plays by Beau Willimon (House Of Cards), Sam Forman (Station 19), Anne Nelson (The Guys), the 2008 TONY Award Winner for Best Musical In The Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Buffalo’s first play, Hello Herman, which premiered in New York in 2002 and was subsequently adapted into a movie directed by Michelle Danner and starring Norman Reedus in 2012. The play went on to be used as an educational project to promote anti-bullying, utilized by high-schools and colleges across the country to encourage students to be kind to one another, as well as spotting the signs of trouble coming before they manifest into violence.
As a Writer, Actor, and Producer, Buffalo has made over 20 movies, is currently developing a series based on his father Norman Mailer’s life with Director James Gray (Ad Astra, The Lost City of Z, Little Odessa), is a producer on the upcoming Amazon series Harlot’s Ghost with Showrunner Eric Rochant (The Bureau) and Mark Gordon of eOne, and is directing Shia LaBeouf in an upcoming feature he wrote, Storyteller, loosely inspired by the life of Jerzy Kosinski.
Buffalo has been an editor for three national magazines – High Times, Tar, and Stop Smiling, and has written for Playboy, New York, ESPN, Provincetown Arts, Lid, Corriera De La Sera, The Norman Mailer Review, The American Conservative, and Vector. In 2012, he published a tattoo memoir called Lord’s Eye, serialized over twelve issues of Inked Magazine.
As an actor, he grew up at The Actors Studio and was in his first play there at the age of twelve, going on to major in Theater at Wesleyan University, performing in dozens of plays in New York, including the notorious 2011 revival of Dracula starring Thora Birch (American Beauty, Ghost World). That same year he appeared opposite Shia LaBeouf in Oliver Stone’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, and has had the honor of acting opposite Paul Giamatti and Ellen Burstyn in Matthew Barney’s River Of Fundament,Tony Sirico in Friends and Romans, Alec Baldwin, Demi Moore, and Dylan McDermott in Blind (which he also wrote the screenplay for), Sienna Miller in An Imperfect Murder, Eden Epstein (Leopoldshtadt) in The Second Sun, directed by Jennifer Gelfer, and Peter Cambor (CSI LA) in the feature adaptation of his play about 9/11, Crazy Eyes, retitled American Terrorist, directed by Charles Kopelson and released by Lions Gate in 2020.
Buffalo can most recently be seen playing opposite Luke Wilson, Abigail Breslin, Andy Garcia, Donald Sutherland, Ryan Phillipe, and Kyle MacLachlan in Miranda’s Victim, directed by Michelle Danner and released by Vertical in 2023.
In addition to being a Lifetime Member of the Actors Studio and Playwright Directors Unit, Buffalo is a member of The Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity Association, and The Dramatists Guild of America. He has lectured at the University of Notre Dame, Wesleyan, the University of Athens, Syracuse University, The New York Society for Ethical Culture, The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Long Island University, and NYU.
Buffalo has appeared on several talk shows including Fox News, Air America, Democracy Now, WNYC, TheBigThink.com, CSPAN’s Book TV, WPIX New York, HuffPost Live, and Justice with Judge Janine.
He is executive producer for How To Come Alive with Norman Mailer, a feature documentary about the life of his father, Norman Mailer, directed by Emmy Award-Winner Jeff Zimbalist (Remastered) and Produced by Emmy-Award Winner Vicki
Marquette (Road Runner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain).
As the Chairman of the Jamaica Media Alliance, John Buffalo brings a wealth of experience in the arts and a passionate commitment to fostering talent in the film and television industry.
Founding Advisory Board
Natalie Thompson
With over four decades of experience in advertising, film, and television production, Natalie Thompson is a renowned figure in the Jamaican film and television industry. As the owner and managing director of Cinecom Productions Ltd in Jamaica, she has directed more than 500 commercials, industrials, and short videos for local, regional, and international markets.
Natalie’s extensive international work includes roles as Line Producer and Production Manager on renowned feature films and TV shows like “Cocktail,” “Cool Runnings,” “Prelude to a Kiss,” “Instinct,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” “Knight and Day,” “Third World Cop,” “Ghett’a Life,” and “No Time to Die.” She has also been involved in producing, directing, and participating in several documentary films, including the track and field doc “Jus Run.”
Her production credits are vast, including Co-producer and Production Manager for “Sprinter,” and Line Producer in Jamaica for Idris Elba’s “Yardie.” Collaborating with Roy Anderson, she co-produced “Nanny of the Maroons” and “African Redemption,” a definitive documentary on Marcus Garvey. In television and streaming, she has contributed as Production Manager and Production Services Supervisor for “Small Island,” “Top Boy,” Marvel’s “Luke Cage,” “Get Millie Black” (2024) for HBO/Channel 4, “Black Cake” (2023) for Kapital/Hulu, “Champion- Ep6” for BBC TV and Netflix (2023), and “Bob Marley: One Love” (2024) for Paramount.
Natalie has also directed award-winning short films, including “Shoot the Girl,” “Sink or Swim,” and “Lightning Bird,” in collaboration with writer/producer Tony Hendriks through THE Picture Company Limited.
Recognized by the Government of Jamaica with the Order of Distinction for her contributions to the film and television industries, Natalie has also been awarded the Silver Musgrave Medal for her cultural achievements. A former Executive Board member of Women in Film and Television International, she continues to develop a range of film and television projects in the region, driven by her strong conviction that these stories possess the potential for global acclaim, mirroring the international triumph of the region’s music.
Marlon James
Marlon James is a renowned Jamaican writer and influential literary figure. He has authored five novels: “John Crow’s Devil” (2005), “The Book of Night Women” (2009), “A Brief History of Seven Killings” (2014) – which won him the prestigious 2015 Man Booker Prize, “Black Leopard, Red Wolf” (2019), and “Moon Witch, Spider King” (2022). James currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the U.S., where he teaches literature at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is also a faculty lecturer at St. Francis College’s Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing.
Raised by parents who were both in the Jamaican police force, Marlon grew up with a strong foundation in literature and law. His mother, a detective, and father, a lawyer, fostered his early love for prose and literary greats like Shakespeare and Coleridge. James graduated from the University of the West Indies in 1991, where he studied Language and Literature. He later received a master’s degree in creative writing from Wilkes University in Pennsylvania in 2006. His decision to leave Jamaica was driven by the desire to escape anti-gay violence and economic conditions that he felt would limit his career opportunities.
Marlon’s novels often explore themes such as religion, the supernatural, sexuality, violence, and colonialism, reflecting the struggle to find identity in a postcolonial Jamaican context. His influences include not only authors but also musicians like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, who he credits for legitimizing the Jamaican voice in fiction and poetry. Marlon’s commitment to representing authentic Jamaican experiences is evident in his narrative style and thematic choices.
In addition to his literary accomplishments, James received a Silver Musgrave Medal from the Institute of Jamaica in 2013 and was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2019. That same year, his novel “Black Leopard, Red Wolf” was recognized as one of the best books of the year by The Guardian, Kirkus Reviews, and Shelf Awareness.
Justine Henzell
Justine Henzell is an esteemed independent film producer, known for her pivotal role in overseeing the legacy of “The Harder They Come.” This award-winning movie, co-written, produced, and directed by her father Perry Henzell, continues to captivate global audiences 45 years after its release. Henzell is recognized as the go-to person for anything associated with the film, which celebrated its 50th anniversary recently. She manages various aspects of the movie’s legacy, including merchandise and a stage adaptation in the United Kingdom.
Justine has directed two feature-length documentaries that highlight the history of Jamaica: “OnePeople – The Celebration” and “Jamaica Arise.” She is a founding member of the Jamaica Film & Television Association (JAFTA) and initiated JAFTA Propella! in 2016, a project that supports the production of five short films by Jamaican filmmakers annually. Her passion for nurturing emerging talent led to the formation of the Creatrix Collective, focused on producing content exclusively directed by Jamaican women.
In addition to her contributions to the film industry, Justine is a Co-Founder and producer of the Calabash International Literary Festival, first staged in 2001. The festival, held in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth, has attracted major names such as Sir Derek Walcott, Salman Rushdie, and Linton Kwesi Johnson, establishing itself as a significant event in the literary world.
Justine has dedicated a significant part of her career to promoting “The Harder They Come,” one of moviedom’s most acclaimed works. She views maintaining her father’s legacy as an honor and emphasizes the importance of protecting the legacy without being overly precious about it. Her commitment to the film’s history is evident in her efforts to keep its memory and significance alive in the global context.
Wayne Jobson
Born and raised in Jamaica, Wayne received a Master of Laws in Entertainment Law from Kings College in London and went on to forge an illustrious career in music, film and radio. As an artist himself, Wayne was spotted by Clive Davis’ Arista Records and with his band, “NATIVE”, who went on to record albums for RCA, A&M and MCA Records. “NATIVE” opened shows for Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and David Bowie As both writer and producer of the Peter Tosh movie “RED X”, Wayne was awarded with a nomination for a Canadian Academy Award and produced VH1 “Behind the Music” episodes on Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Wayne helped put together the music for the most successful Jamaican film of all time, Disney’s “COOL RUNNINGS” as well as Adam Sandler reggae soundtrack for his ’50 First Dates’ movie which went gold and was #1 on Billboard soundtrack charts. Wayne helped Irving Azoff put together and is featured in the Netflix Bob Marley documentary Who Shot the Sheriff which was nominated for an Emmy. As Producer of GWEN STEFANI and NO DOUBT’s multiplatinum album ‘ROCK STEADY’, Wayne’s singles ‘HEY BABY’ and ‘UNDERNEATH IT ALL’ both went to #1 in America and won him two Grammys.
Wayne has recorded, produced, written or remixed: Keith Richards of “The Rolling Stones”, Jimmy Cliff, Ziggy Marley, Toots and the Maytals, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, Chrissie Hyde (The Pretenders), Paris Hilton, Garth Brooks, Shaggy, Donovan, Bush, Jason Mraz, Magic, John Oates, Sugar Ray.
Diving into the world of radio, Wayne was both producer and DJ at the #1 modern rock station in the world, KROQ 106.7 FM in Los Angeles, on which he had the #1 reggae show in America for seven years. “Native” Wayne was Program Director at XM Satellite Radio and helped Jimmy Buffett launch his Radio Margaritaville.
Wayne was producer and DJ at modern rock powerhouse Indie 103.1 Radio in Los Angeles which Rolling Stone magazine voted ‘The Best Station in America’. Wayne produced with Zak Starkey (Ringo Starr/The Who) the Toots and the Maytals ‘Got to be Tough’ album on BMG which won the Reggae Grammy in 2021. Wayne worked on UB40s Unprecedented Universal album and produced a song with UB40 and Idris Elba. Wayne is currently producing the upcoming Disney film Cool Runnings 2 the follow up to the smash hit Cool Runnings, and is helping to produce the soundtrack.
Founding Friends
Vanessa Ballesteros
Vanessa Ballesteros is an Emmy Award-winning television producer and showrunner with a career spanning nearly 20 years in the television industry. With a reputation for crafting compelling narratives, orchestrating logistically complex productions, and fostering high-performance teams, Vanessa has spearheaded operations for large-scale, high-profile shows across prominent broadcast and cable networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNBC, ESPN, and MTV.
In her capacity as an executive producer and showrunner, Vanessa specializes in developing innovative show formats and transforming nascent ideas into fully-realized prime-time series. She oversees high-level creative decision-making and takes a collaborative approach to produce content that is meticulously executed and delivers narratives that captivate and entertain.
As a producer, Vanessa has overseen all stages of the creative and production processes: from concept development and field management to post-production. Her early career at Mark Burnett Productions during the infancy of reality TV played a seminal role in molding the genre. Vanessa has worked on a diverse portfolio of shows across the unscripted genre, including iconic adventure shows like “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race,” popular competition series such as “The Apprentice” and “Hell’s Kitchen,” game shows like “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” and sports-centered series including “The Contender.”
Internationally, Vanessa has made significant contributions to developing the entertainment industry in markets such as Singapore and Dominica. She has led initiatives to train local producers and expand the talent pool, strengthening production capabilities in these regions. Committed to mentorship, Vanessa champions a culture of high performance built on positivity, collaboration, and inclusivity.
Beyond her extensive television career, Vanessa is also a successful entrepreneur. In 2015, she founded Sunbox, a venture focused on the distribution and operation of smart kiosks stocked with health-conscious, locally-sourced food options for busy professionals. In less than a year, she secured a patent, rolled out kiosks across Los Angeles, and forged strategic partnerships with organizations such as Disney and The Honest Company. Her alliance with local businesses, artisanal suppliers, and nonprofits aimed to address food scarcity and empower at-risk communities, culminating in prestigious contracts with the cities of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, as well as accolades such as the Small Business Association Award for Innovation.
Vanessa’s entrepreneurship extends to advisory roles in tech and education start-ups, including NexusEdge, a Techstars-backed company with parters that include Google, LinkedIn, Citi, Shopify, Snapchat, Nasdaq, the United Negro College Fund, and the California Community Colleges. Utilizing her narrative skills, she advises on strategic business initiatives, helping organizations articulate their missions and connect meaningfully with clients and users.
An alumna of New York University and the University of Southern California, where she earned her BA in Communication, Vanessa’s recognition includes an Emmy Award for “The Amazing Race,” multiple PGA Awards nominations, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s SBA Award for Innovation.
Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie
His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, is the only son of His late Imperial Highness Prince Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie and Her Imperial Highness Princess Mahzente Hapte-Mariam. The late Prince Sahle-Selassie was the youngest son of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen of Ethiopia. Prince Ermias in many ways represents the unity of Ethiopia: he is of Amhara, Oromo and Guragé background.
Prince Ermias was born in Addis Ababa on June 14, 1960, and lived in Ethiopia for a considerable part of his early life, where he underwent his primary education. He continued his studies at the Old Ride Preparatory School, and then at Haileybury College, in England. He undertook a BA in Social Studies, with an emphasis on economics, at the University of California in Santa Barbara, from 1978 to 1981, and continued his education at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy between 1983 and 1985.
His Imperial Highness is the father of twin sons — Princes Sahle-Selassie (Christian) and Fesseha Tsion (Rufael) — born on February 20, 1992.
Prince Ermias has a diverse professional background, and has been deeply involved in the development and institutionalization of democratic principles and market economic philosophies in Africa, particularly in the Horn of Africa. He is a vocal member of the expatriate Ethiopian community in the United States and actively follows issues related to the Horn of Africa.
In 1993, Prince Ermias was invested, in exile, as the President of the Ethiopian Crown Council, the body which acts during an interregnum as the custodian of the Crown, and which, during the reign of an Emperor, acts as the principal advisory council to the Crown. The appointment was made by Emperor Amha Selassie I. Since this appointment, Prince Ermias has travelled extensively and met with a dozen Heads-of-State promoting the welfare of Ethiopia and Ethiopians. In 1998, he briefed the United States Congress on two occasions regarding the prospects for peace in the Horn of Africa. This included a special briefing to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on October 14, 1998.
In 1997, His Highness was named recipient of the ISSA Silver Star Award for Outstanding Contributions to Strategic Progress Through Humanitarian Achievement by the worldwide NGO, the International Strategic Studies Association, for his work for Ethiopian refugees in Africa.
Prince Ermias serves, on the Board of Directors for Tuition Credit Exchange Inc., a US-based organisation which helps facilitate education. He has served as Chairman of the Advisory Board of Bezant Corporation, as well as Patron of the Haile Selassie Fund for Ethiopia’s Children, Inc., a US-based non-profit charitable trust which raises funds for causes which aid Ethiopian children.
Prince Ermias is fluent in Amharic, English and German, and lectures and travels frequently on Ethiopian issues to help the process of the restoration of democracy under a Constitutional Monarchy in his country.
George Jarkesy
Entrepreneur, Hedge Fund Manager former host of nationally syndicated radio show, George Jarkesy is a money manager and professional investor, respected financial and corporate advisor and a dynamic public speaker.
George has founded, invested in and helped to build companies engaged in a broad range of industry sectors, including financial consulting, media, real estate, employee leasing, manufacturing, livestock management, technology, natural resources, mining, healthcare and biotechnology.
Arthur Gorson
A veteran producer, Mr. Gorson’s extensive feature film screen-credits include: “Cronos” by Guillermo Del Toro; “No Place Like Home” by Perry Henzell (2019); “Better Watch Out”, and “Road to Nowhere” by Monte Hellman; “Night Watch” by Timour Bekmambetov, and “Cabeza de Vaca” by Nicolas Echevarria. Among his documentary films are: “The Roots of Reggae,” (produced with Wayne Jobson); “A Filmmaker’s Odyssey” (produced and directed with David Garonzik); and “The Kitty Owens Spence Story” (with Jefferson Miller.)
Mr. Gorson’s long-standing relationship with Jamaica began when he, and writer Michael Thomas, travelled to the Island to experience and create the groundbreaking article for Rolling Stone Magazine “The Wild Side of Paradise.” During that trip Chris Blackwell and Dickie Jobson introduced him to Bob Marley, who allowed Gorson special access – resulting in iconic photographs on the eve of his London tour to promote “Catch A Fire”. Perry Henzell, just coming off the release of “The Harder They Come,” introduced him to Countryman and the vision for his next film “No Place Like Home”. Thus began lasting relationships with these legendary characters, and a love for Jamaica that continues to this day.
Mr. Gorson had the honour of collaborating with the late-great storyteller, Paul Eckstein, in creating unique projects – with a focus on those that could be shot in Jamaica. He currently has several episodic television series in active development, including: High Hope: The Series, a tropical noir, set in Jamaica during the hight of the cold war, and ablaze with spy-craft and sexual liberation; and High & Outside, based on former L.A. Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti’s stories of the underbelly of sports. He is producing and co-directing (with Jefferson Miller) The Monty Alexander Story, a documentary on the life of the Jamaican-born jazz great, in production and set for 2024 completion.
Arthur Gorson was born and raised in New York, and was lured to his current home of Los Angeles to take a position as feature film producer for Dreamstreet, Inc., with offices at Universal and Paramount Studios. He developed projects with prominent directors such as Taylor Hackford, and Tony Scott.
Following on feature film activities he added short-form production to his portfolio, enjoying the fast pace, rapid gratification, and creative demands of commercials, music videos and concert DVD’s; working with prominent directors such as: Zack Snyder, Dean Karr, Patricia Riggen and Alejandro Toledo. After production stints at RSA-USA (Ridley Scott and Associates) and A Band Apart, he became a founding partner and head of production at The Mine, LLC.
Mr. Gorson has worked with artists such as: Damian and Stephan Marley, Toots Hibbert, Lisa Marie Presley, Evanescence, The Dave Matthews Band, Tommy Lee, Velvet Revolver, Willie Nelson, Stevie Nicks, Iron Maiden, Cypress Hill, Ozzy Osbourne, Dr. Dre, Duran Duran, and X-Japan. He was producer (Jamaica segment) on the epic video “Infinite Love”, for Oscar Æ winner AR Rahman. As of 2024, music videos Mr Gorson produced with director Dean Karr have received over 690 Million combined views on YouTube.
His work has received international recognition, including: Cannes Film Festival, Gran Prix Semaine de la Critique; Telly Award; Saturn Film Award: MuchMusic Award “Video of the Year”; VMA/MTV Awards; and Kodak Awards. Mr Gorson is the recipient of multiple RIAA gold and platinum awards, as well as the BVA Award (British Video Association) for long-form DVD.
He is currently owner/producer at Wild Indigo, LLC. www.wildindigo.tv; and creative director/partner at Obelisk Media, LLC. www.obeliskmedia.net.