Melwood Pictures Company Profile

Melwood Pictures was formed by seasoned entertainment executive Max Howard.
The Company was created to develop and produce high-quality live action and animated films for theatrical release.

Max Howard is a veteran executive and producer in the animation film industry. He spent twelve years at the Walt Disney Company as one of the highest level architects of that Company’s animation renaissance. He was involved at a senior level in the making of a number of Disney’s animation successes, including The Little Mermaid, The Prince and the Pauper, Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Pocahontas

In the mid-90’s he became President of Feature Animation at Warner Bros., overseeing the award-winning animated feature The Iron Giant and the international hit Space Jam and Quest for Camelot. Recently he was Executive producer at DreamWorks on Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron, until he left to set up his own independent production company, Melwood Pictures.

He is currently producing three films for Exodus Film Group. Igor, with the voice talents of Steve Buschemi, John Cleese, Jay Leno, Steve Buschemi and Christian Slater, The Heroes of Color City and Amarillo Armadillo.

Under Melwood’s banner, their picture, Pavlov’s Dog is to be produced in conjunction with Exodus Film Group. Max is also consulting with Redsting Productions, the home of the legendary Sherman Bros., the songwriters who created the music and lyrics for Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, on their new animated musical Inkas and the Ramferinkas.

John McKenna joined Melwood Pictures in 2000. He had originally worked in live theater, but joined the Walt Disney Company in 1989, to head up their London animation studio. After Disney he went to Warner Bros Feature Animation as Vice President of their London studio. He then joined 20th Century Fox’s Feature Animation Division where, as Senior Vice President of their Phoenix studio, he was responsible for overseeing Titan AE and Bartok the Magnificent.

Prior to joining Melwood Pictures, Sandra was head of Marketing and Publicity at Fireworks Pictures where she was responsible for the international marketing and distribution of such films as Rules of Engagement, Rat Race, Hardball, The Believer (Winner of the Grand Jury Prize Sundance 2001) and An American Rhapsody. In her fourteen years in the cable television industry, Sandra has produced, written and directed commercials for such networks as MTV, HBO and ESPN. While working at Viacom she created and produced in association with NBC a cable TV series Only On Cable for national syndication. With HBO she wrote and produced semi-annual telethons to broaden the public's awareness of cable TV programming. Sandra has won numerous awards of excellence from the NCTA and CTAM for her multi-media marketing campaigns to promote cable TV.

Jay worked for many years in the Disney Studios, beginning in digital color and planning on such films as The Lion King, before turning to animation where his drawings graced such films as Pocahontas, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Hercules and Mulan. Jay next went to Warner Bros, to animate on the modern classic The Iron Giant. Then he became a story artist for MTV, and later a writer. Jay made the transition to digital effects, combining artistry and computer techniques to creating film magic on such films as Star Wars Episode 2, Minority Report, Jurassic Park 3, A.I. and Peter Pan.

Ro came to Melwood Pictures three years ago in support of the making and/or development of Spirit Bear, Natural Hazard, Par From Earth and Silverwing. She has worked at several of the major motion picture studios in support of Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron and Sinbad at DreamWorks SKG, Space Jam, Quest for Camelot and The Iron Giant at Warner Bros. and The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, The Prince and the Pauper, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and two Roger Rabbit shorts, Roller Coaster Rabbit and Trail Mix Up, and the short film Off His Rockers at The Walt Disney Company. While at Disney, she also supported the Super Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Citrus Bowl Half-time Shows, Candlelight Ceremonies, Grand Openings of Magic Kingdom Attractions, EPCOT Center Pavilions, and the Orlando International Airport.

Ron Collins is a seasoned executive with an expertise in the marketing and distribution of major feature films. He has spent the past 12 years working with major entertainment companies, such as 20^th Century Fox, Turner Pictures Worldwide Distribution, and Rysher Entertainment. Ron has contributed to the marketing and distribution of over 150 feature films, which has helped generate over $2 billion in worldwide theatrical box office. His efforts have contributed to the success of such films as Mrs. Doubtfire, Home Alone 2, Speed, The Beach, Anna & The King, Fight Club, Primal Fear, Big Night, Fern Gully, The Pagemaster and many more. He has managed P&A marketing budgets in excess of $25 million and films with production budgets between $5 million and $100 million. While working in the entertainment industry, Ron has lived in Europe, Latin America, Australia and Asia, and has marketed films in over 50 countries throughout the world. In addition, he spent the first 10 years of his career working with two major multi-national advertising and media agencies – J. Walter Thompson and McCaffrey & McCall (a division of Saatchi and Saatchi). Over the years, he has contributed to the advertising and media campaigns for a wide range of companies, including the United States Marine Corps, R.J. Reynolds, Courvoisier, Tia Maria, Burger King, Kodak, Epson, MGM/UA, PGATOUR, ATP Tennis Tour and Scott Paper. Ron has also been involved with a start-up company that specializes in international distribution, and provides film producers with P&A funding and strategic marketing advice. Currently, he is the principal of his own consulting company with a focus in the creative marketing, distribution and management of entertainment and professional sports companies. During his career, Ron has been an active participant in the activities of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the American Film Market Association (AFMA), and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA). Ron is also a regular attendee at the Cannes Film Festival in France and the American Film Market in the United States.