CONNIE BOTTINELLI, Executive Producer/Director/Screenwriter

As co-founder and executive producer of Grinning Dog Pictures, Connie is an innovative producer/director of exceptional talent and energy, winning 10 awards in one season alone. In her career she has received diverse national and international awards including four Emmy awards, several Gold, Silver and Bronze Stars at Worldfest Houston, the San Francisco International Film Festival, Angel Award, New York International Film Festival, Cine Eagle, Worldfest Flagstaff, Moondance International Film Festival, was nominated for a CableACE Award and chosen for the Independent Feature Project (IFP) in New York. Her diverse network production experience covers a wide range of programming, from primetime news magazine, television drama and documentary films, feature length IMAX projects, to entertainment specials, network children's shows and global science series.

In combination with Grinning Dog Pictures, Connie is also president and executive producer of an independent production company, Bottinelli Productions, Inc. As an independent producer, she has worked with CBS, Fox, Lifetime Television, The Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Group W, NBC, Hearst Entertainment, The New York Times and others. Through her company, Connie secured deals with HOllywood companies as producer/screenwriter for several of her original TV feature concepts. Her achievements as an independent producer/director/writer are extraordinary. She brought back to CBS, forthe first time in two decades, live primetime dramatic production with Academy Award winning director, Delbert Mann and acclaimed actor Jack Klugman.

Her latest screenwriting project, CYA, is based on true stores of state police. Los Angeles based production companies have optioned this feature project, and three of her original TV movies. Connie optioned several non-fiction novels that are in various stages of development, pre-production and production with her company. They will be produced as documentary films, features and IMAX films, sone with accompanying mini-series. The subjects range from a secret mission during WW2 -- a critical turning point for America in the Philippines yet to be shown on film, to the unknown private life of Hollywood's Humphrey Bogart, to the most famous Geisha whose incomparable story lead her to a monastery. The magnificent IMAX screen is the focus of several long form projects, with mini-series attached. From a visually sweeping story of American's most revered hero of the West, to the spectacular tale of what befell a famous ship and her crew in the South Pacific. Two other IMAX films in development are in collaboration with an award winning IMAX director.

Connie is often invited as a guest speaker to Universities and film conferences to discuss documentary filmmaking and writing. She is the featured interview in the book Life in the Lens.

Before filmmaking, Connie's career was a professional painter, sculptor and still photographer. A background in fine arts gives her the insights of an artist using the medium of film and video. She also served as President of Artists Equity and was featured in trade magazines, frequently giving lectures to audiences of professional artists. As a fine artist, she received many national awards, museum purchase prizes and fellowships. Connie's involvement in the performing arts spans a decade, and ranges from theatrical directing to choreography to lighting and set design. She has knowledge of four musical instruments and four languages.