CHARLES J. D. SCHLISSEL (Co-producer) studied film and media at the University of Washington and San Francisco State University before moving to Los Angeles to complete his education at UCLA. To pay his way through school, he worked on independent films, music videos and commercials, and did legal research for an entertainment law firm whose clients included Marlon Brando and Orson Welles.

The son of an aircraft designer, Schlissel grew up in various sites around the country. Following his graduation from UCLA with a degree in Economics/International Finance and Arbitrage, he was accepted into the AFI's producing program and, two months later became Mel Brooks' assistant on the comedy "Spaceballs". He went on to work as a production assistant on various projects before commencing a long-term association with producer Stuart Cornfeld as a development executive.