Mark Decena // Director

MARK DECENA is a writer, director and producer of feature films, television programming, web films, and commercials. A three time Sundance alumni, Mark's first feature, Dopamine won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize. Decena's documentary work spans across themes of social justice, sustainable design and the environment. He wrote and directed the Redford Center’s latest film, Watershed, and was a writer and producer on Stand Up Planet, a Gates funded project currently on air on Participant Media’s channel, Pivot. Mark is also the founder of Kontent Films, a boutique production company based in San Francisco.

Rob Humphreys // Director of Photography

Rob began his filmmaking career freelancing in his hometown, Harare, Zimbabwe, where he worked on films with social and political themes. This experience focused his attention on broader issues challenging systemized belief and behavior. Most notably he lensed the environmentally conscious Design e2 series for PBS, where he travelled the world extensively, meeting many great innovators and thought leaders. In time he has come to realize that it is an innate sense of humility informs conscientious change. It is from this revelation that Rob finds the narrative style he infuses into story and visual design. 

Liz Decena // Producer

LIZ DECENA is a die hard New Yorker, and loathes to admit that she has lived half of her life in San Francisco. But that duality allows her to be a Producer comfortable developing and producing projects of similar opposing spectrums. Ranging from award winning narrative love stories at Sundance to documentary short films on the downside of rapacious capitalism at Philanthropy conferences, Liz has guided all aspects of Kontent projects. Her other full time job includes raising two children, holding down the fort, and making sure (her husband) Mark’s head doesn’t get too big to take out the trash. She’s a bad ass.

Sara Cortese // Associate Producer

SARA CORTESE'S childhood love of tap dancing has suited her well. Cortese is the official Hyphenate at Kontent. Although we all wear many hats, Sara may wear the most: associate producer, editor, development researcher, field sound recordist, social media voice, shooter, you name it. In her time at Kontent, Sara helped shepherd "Stand Up Planet," co-edited the short film "Our Power," which premiered at the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital, and also edited “Wilderness 50” which is playing in the Smithsonian. I guess they like her in DC, which is kind of weird since she’s from Kansas. We give her endless grief for that. So if you ever need anything, Sara has a hand in all Kontent projects in development, production and editorial. Considering the mountain of things we throw her way, her other love of rock climbing is a plus.

Jeff Boyette // Editor

JEFF BOYETTE is a freelance film and video editor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since his start in post-production in 2008 Jeff has worked on numerous projects ranging from short corporate videos to music videos to feature length documentaries. Not Without Us was Jeff's debut as a lead editor on a feature length documentary, but not his first collaboration with Mark Decena. Jeff has worked on many projects with Kontent Films, including as additional editor on their film Watershed, and shares their passion for social justice themed films. Since finishing Not Without Us Jeff co-edited Serenade for Haiti, which premiered at DOC NYC and edited a forthcoming PBS short about a classical music installation at Crater Lake National Park. Jeff is also an avid cyclist.