TONY BENNIS

At a fairly young age, Tony Bennis realized he had no real talent as an actor, cinematographer, production designer, or virtually any of the other positions associated with filmmaking, so the obvious path to take was that of a producer.

Bennis has worked in a producing capacity at the CBS and ABC affiliates in Boston. He created and produced numerous original programs and specials for both Time Warner Cable and Cablevision, earning several ACE Award nominations. In the early 1990's he formed his own production company, Synergy, and created and produced programs that aired on both national cable networks and in broadcast syndication, earning several Emmy Award nominations (but no winners!).

He has also produced numerous live special events in Boston and Los Angeles - including musical festivals that were early showcases for bands such as No Doubt, and The Mighty-Mighty Bosstones. In the late '90s, he focused on developing, launching and promoting several internet sites, mostly dealing with online dating.

In addition to functioning as the line-producer on BY THE SEA, he has recently been the production manager on projects for HBO's documentary unit.

A career highlight occurred in 1992 when he produced a one-hour special for FOX TV in New England on Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. It was the first television program Mr. Carter had appeared on since moving to Canada in 1985 after being exonerated and released from his nineteen years of wrongful incarceration. That program served as inspiration for the film that was later produced about his life.