mobile logo

 

Our Team 

Hammad Zaidi – Founder & CEO

Hammad Zaidi founded The Lonely Seal Company Group, Lonely Seal Releasing The Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay & Music Festival Lonely Seal Streaming, and Hourglass24. He is one of about 2,800 Certified Content Buyers Worldwide, allowing him to initiate and close international content deals. Most recently, Hammad accepted positions to serve on the Board of Directors of Cinema Without Borders and the Advisory Board of the new Masters in Entertainment Leadership and Management—MELM—at Loyola Marymount University (LMU). 

Zaidi is an award-winning member of The Producers Guild of America and served as a member of the Video Game Caucus for the Writers Guild of America during its existence.  

Hammad has produced, written, and directed many films and media content over the last 30 years. These include executive producing several feature films, documentaries, and 29 video games, creating and hosting Limping On Cloud 9, a successful podcast about his life that is being developed as a motion picture, and writing nearly 300 published articles for Going Bionic, his film distribution, and his career strategy column. 

Hammad also created the concept for “Ogreachiever,” a national Shrek-based billboard campaign designed to inspire children to achieve. He won a Telly for writing “Generosity,” a national PSA, and he wrote, produced, and directed “Champions of Hope,” a White House-endorsed national PSA made for the first anniversary of September 11. Champions of Hope played on 5,001 theatrical screens, television networks, and major sporting arenas. It was paid for by Disney and Verizon and released theatrically by Regal Cinemas. 

Zaidi has been a jury member, filmmaker advisor, curator, panelist, advisory board member, and world cinema screener at several major film festivals, such as Sundance, SXSW, Slamdance, and many more.  Hammad has served as an adjunct professor, guest lecturer, and panelist at several universities, including but not limited to his alma mater UCLA, USC, Vanderbilt, Chapman, Avila, The Watkins Film School (acquired by Belmont University), San Diego State, The University of Kansas, The University of Missouri, and numerous others. Hammad Zaidi received his Master of Fine Arts from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television 1994.  

Hourglass24 Facebook Page

Erin Smith-Carlson – Producer

Erin’s mission is to connect humor with heart to unlock purpose and elevate organizations and communities. Specializing in a clear and conscious communication approach to change initiatives, she is widely recognized for infusing core values with solution-focused strategies that create a culture of accountability and inclusivity and ultimately increase an organization’s financial and talent currency. Most recently, she led a global biopharma company’s North American internal communications and DEI function, including designing meaningful experiences to support senior and mid-level leaders through strategic transformation and large-scale change. She has a proven track record of leading nationwide cross-functional teams while developing and executing uniquely curated programs that become pillars of company culture. As a certified professional coach, she elicits authenticity and provides an emotionally intelligent space, enabling clients to align to purpose as a critical path to transformation. This internal focus is externally balanced by 10+ years of sales and commercial planning expertise and a decade in journalism, production, and storytelling with Walt Disney, ABC, and NBC affiliates.

Alexsiya Flora – Consulting Producer

Alexsiya Flora has 20+ years of experience in the film industry. Producing nine and directing five independent feature films. Her divine purpose is to inspire others to live an artistic life. Her most notable documentary is about Oscar-nominated animator Bill Plympton, Adventures in Plymptoons!

 

James Hourigan – Festival Director – Lonely Seal Tecnology Guru

James Hourigan is the creator and owner of the Destauch YouTube brand. He was born in New York and spent most of his early life in Florida. He later attended Valdosta State University in Georgia, pursuing a Mass Communications degree, before returning to Florida and attending the University of South Florida, where he continued his studies. James has also worked in graphic design and is a seasoned video editor.