Your indie film crew
About Us
New 32 Productions was founded in 2021 by Raven Angeline Whisnant, Stan Monroe, Peter Zale, and Charlie Monroe. All four of us are artists—actors, cartoonists, screenwriters, novelists, cinematographers—who have been frustrated with how few real career opportunities exist in the Arts.
We’ve all been forced to work with toxic, even dangerous people to try to get something off the ground. We’ve all worked for free, or for “exposure”—and we’ve all come to the conclusion that it simply isn’t sustainable for people.
In response to this, we decided to create a sustainable production company that pays people to make the art they want to make, without having to go through the traditional industry channels that represent a barrier of entry for so many. Our core goal is to help talented and creative people make the stuff they’re actually excited about making! To that end, we’ve started a discord server for like-minded filmmakers.
Raven Whisnant
Raven Whisnant (she/her) began her career in independent film as a child, focusing on acting, her first true love. Growing up on sets Whisnant was always fascinated by the crews working all around her, and before long acting wasn’t enough, and she picked up a camera. As a filmmaker she has experience in many aspects of movie making, including directing, cinematography, editing, and writing. Her wide-ranging love of all aspects of film has of course led her to her current role as Producer, and she opened New 32 with her partners (and dear friends) in 2021.
As Executive Producer she oversees all the content the company produces, ranging from short and feature films, web series, writings, and podcasts. Her films have been featured in festivals across the country and internationally, and she has received awards for her work both directing and writing. Most notably, her most recent screenplay ‘Bernard gets famous’ has received 12 festival wins for ‘best screenplay’. In 2022 she was selected to participate in a Sundance lab, with her upcoming vintage Sci-fi comedy ‘Marsha: Astronaut Princess’. She is extremely grateful to all the people who have helped her along the way, and she loves being able to now pay it forward to new creators, particularly creating meaningful roles and opportunities for women, and LGBTQIA+ folks! In her free time Raven enjoys finding new walking adventures with her tiny dog, over committing to plants, and doing DIY renovations on her home and the New 32 bus.
Her favorite thing about filmmaking is collaborating with fellow artists, and nothing makes her happier than grabbing a coffee and brainstorming a project.
Stan Monroe
Stan Monroe (he/him) comes to TV and film from an eclectic background in the arts, law and business. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music in ‘81 and played the drums in an all-original rock band in Boston that released one full-length record plus an EP and many demos during the late 80’s. During this period, he started his first business: an indie record label and promotion company called Vanishing Point Records. In 1990, Mr. Monroe switched gears, getting his law degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and co-founded a business in North Carolina that ended up being among the largest behavioral health care companies in the U.S. He led this company for 27 years as CEO, President, and General Counsel, all while staying happily married, raising three children, playing guitar in a bluegrass band, writing scripts and executive producing a TV pilot called Helen, Sweetheart of the Internet. Mr. Monroe sold his company in 2021 to two large private equity firms from California and there was only one choice as to what to do with some of the proceeds of that sale: to found and capitalize a serious TV and film production company with a bunch of talented partners.
This company is called New 32 Productions, LLC, which is anticipating the release of its first full-length feature film, Bernard Gets Famous (projected release date November, 2022).
Cecilia Keirstead
Cecilia Keirstead (she/her) is a boom operator, sound mixer, writer, and producer. She began writing and acting at a young age, working on independent films, stage productions, and live festivals. After getting a degree in film at the University of North Carolina – Wilmington, she produced an original short film and joined the sound department for other productions like Halloween Kills, Eric Larue, and the TV series Hush. She has also worked on documentaries, commercials, and a variety of shorts.
At New 32, Cecilia is the sound director and a producer for the films Bernard Gets Famous and Biters & Bleeders. In addition to recording sound during production, she oversees the final sound design and coordinates production details for projects. Her on-set experience and passion for collaborating with other artists has led her to create educational materials for aspiring filmmakers, and to encourage young women to pursue their dreams in a male-dominated industry. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and — of course — watching movies.
Molly Stein-Seroussi
Molly Stein-Seroussi (she/they) was born and raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where they acted at The Artscenter and Playmakers Repertory Company throughout middle and high school. During her time in college–first at North Carolina State University and later at Western Carolina University–she stage-managed community theater productions, including Doubt and The Receptionist. Molly holds a degree in early childhood education and worked as a teacher for students with disabilities for eight years, before leaving her beloved school to focus on creative pursuits. They are passionate about creating and establishing relationships with like-minded brands, developing educational materials for filmmakers, and supporting other screenwriters with the New 32 Writer’s Table. In her spare time, Molly writes novels for young readers, and enjoys lifting weights, spending all her money on coffee, and spending time with her spouse and three dogs, Nikko, Rosie, and Avi.
Charlie Monroe
Charlie Monroe (they/she) is a writer, actor, podcaster, and improviser who has worked a variety of odd jobs across the Southeast. Professional appearances include the series finale of CBS’s MacGyver (2021), as well as stage performances in the 2018 Atlanta Fringe Festival. As an improviser, she has performed several improv comedy shows with Amanda Roundtree and Friends. In 2021, Charlie moved back to her hometown of Chapel Hill to work with her father and longtime friends and collaborators Peter Zale and Raven Whisnant to launch New 32. Alongside her childhood friend Ari Noble, Charlie is currently running a podcast called Yes, Androgyny—which uses improv comedy as a way to talk about the experience of coming out as transgender.
Charlie is currently studying literature and creative writing in college. Their ultimate goal is to combine their passion for academic analysis and media criticism with their love of performance to create online projects (both creative and commentative) that feed their obsession with storytelling. A longtime fan of horror, Charlie is very excited to be working on several horror screenplays for New 32, including the upcoming 40-minute short Biters & Bleeders.
Peter Zale
Peter Zale (he/him) first appeared on television when he was 14. He was cast in two roles in the University of Michigan’s Charles Dickens educational series for public television. Before that, Peter performed and worked on numerous productions for the Ann Arbor Junior Light Opera, including playing the Lion in a production of The Wizard of Oz. The show was attended by the show’s lyricist E.Y. Harburg, who complimented Peter on his performance. Peter did more theater at the University of Chicago, playing the lead in Godspell. It was in college he got the bug to do comic strips and eventually created Helen, Sweetheart of the Internet while working as an art director at a Cleveland ad agency. The online strip attained a large following and earned write ups in print and online publications around the world, eventually resulting in worldwide newspaper syndication and several books. Peter has been friends with fellow New 32 owner Stan Monroe since 1986.
Ari Borhanian
Ari Borhanian (he/they) is a nonbinary Iranian-American screenwriter, author, and musician who has been telling stories for over a decade. He has been performing music across the country since 2012, and currently develops original music and scores for New 32 projects. Along with his work in music, Ari also writes for the webcomic Mothorial, and works as a story consultant on multiple other webcomics. He currently serves as co-host on the New 32-produced podcast Yes Androgyny with Charlie Monroe. Storytelling is Ari’s passion, and he enjoys finding new and interesting ways of combining various forms of art to best tell those stories, whether it’s through film, art, writing, music, or a combination of them all. He is also passionate about the horror genre and animation medium. Ari lives with his husband Andy and 3 cats in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Aida Courtenay-Smith
Aida has been in love with the filmmaking medium her whole life. After working on numerous student projects, wearing a variety of different hats, her first experience on a bigger set was as a Grip/Swing for the New 32 film Biters and Bleeders. Aida loves the chaotic energy of film sets and when she’s not there she can be found going on photo walks with her film camera or exploring the outdoors. With a passion for having fun and personal empowerment, she hopes to further New 32‘s mission of changing the industry through feminine leadership and a playful attitude!
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