Our Mission
Help local filmmakers make a living telling Miami stories.
Our Vision
MIAMI FILM LAB is a nonprofit film production company dedicated to fostering a sustainable filmmaking community in South Florida. We are increasing visibility for local work, raising money for productions to be able to pay all their crew a living wage and providing career advancement for filmmakers in all crew positions. By increasing the economic opportunities for our local filmmakers we will keep talent living and working in our community on projects they care about. Our vision is to create great works of art and support all the collaborative voices that make a film exceptional.
Our Team
Executive Director/Founder
Jennifer Orta Castellanos
A Miami native, Jen has been a filmmaker for over 15 years. Her work includes Directing and Producing digital shows Better with Age and Carnivorous for Discovery Networks, Location Coordinating for productions like Pain and Gain, Iron Man 3, Bloodline, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and helping put together several editions of the renowned Miami Film Festival and the Brazilian Film Festival of Miami.
In 2021, Jen founded Miami Film Lab to support local filmmakers as they work to make a living telling Miami stories.
Jen graduated Cum Laude from New York University with a degree in Cinema Studies with minors in Film Producing and Broadcast Journalism.
Board of Directors
Silvia Royer
Permit & Copyright Expert
Silvia Royer has been in the entertainment industry for over 25 years. Starting at MTV LATAM and Nickelodeon LATAM in the early 90’s, then moving into the Music Publishing field at Sony/ATV LATAM and later licensing music for the Chris Blackwell owned record label, Palm Pictures. Silvia worked in the Miami Beach Film office for 13 years working with filmmakers to permit films, TV shows, commercials, and music videos.
Joanne-Rose Kravitz
Producer/Director
Joanna-Rose Kravitz has two and a half decades of experience in the TV and creative industry. Producing and Directing full time (Disney /Jetix, Comedy Central, formerly Paramount Comedy, Nickelodeon, Flextech TV – Living, Bravo, Trouble) and Freelance work for various clients in London & Miami. Active community member participating in several Miami Beach Boards including the Chair of the Production Industry Council.
Carla Berkowitz
Producer
Carla Berkowitz is the Executive Producer of the independent feature film Critical Thinking, directed by and starring the Emmy-award winning actor John Leguizamo. Fitness Video industry Producing over 15 Internationally sold Fitness Videos from 1991-2005.
Anyone who watched BET’s Caribbean Rhythms in the 1990’s knows her Jamaica Me S’wet Fitness Video series. She’s also an Audio Engineer, graduating from SAE and specializing in “Demos in a Day”.
Isabel Custer
FilmmakerRaised in Miami, Isabel Custer Is a Peruvian and Chilean filmmaker. A Graduate of Tisch School of the Arts, La Sorbonne and Miami Ad School, Isabel has written, directed and produced short films and music videos, such as her short Night of the Living Data and Sau Sau, a music video shot in Easter Island and selected for many international festivals. Currently based in Miami, Isabel has various projects in development such as a documentary on the NFT Cryptoart boom and her first narrative film in Spanglish, Success en tu Life.