Jonni Masella

Jonni Masella is a Brooklyn, New York native who's career began when she was 18yrs old working on broadway as a performer ("Joseph and the Amazing...", "Jerry's Girls") as well as a featured performer and choreographer in regional productions ("Chicago" as Velma Kelly, "West Side Story" as Anita). For her theatrical directorial debut of "The Pirates of Penzance" she was reviewed in Backstage as "a 21 year old wunderkind". While studying at The Actors & Singers Academy at Carnegie Hall, Jonni was invited by founder Susan Slavin to join her faculty and went on to direct Ms. Slavin in her autobiographical play "Dear" at the Nat Horne Theatre on Theatre Row. In 2001 Jonni joined the team at the award winning advertising agency TAG Creative LLC where she worked on a wide range of creative films for the fashion and beauty industry as both a director and producer. Jonni has received both a CINE Golden Eagle and a Telly Award for her outstanding soundtrack work for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Closing Ceremony Video "Thank You For Walking" and a Telly Award for her work as Creative Producer for "I Am Cosmo", a docu-style branding film for Cosmopolitan Magazine. She was honored again as Producer/Director for the documentary short "The Advancement of Women", a five segment historical video developed for the Commemoration of the United Nations efforts of thirty years to promote gender equality, for which she received a Remi Worldfest Bronze Award. In 2007 she worked as a producer and writer on Sheryl Crow's socially conscientious music video "Shine Over Babylon" and in 2008 she was part of the Tag team to win a Cine Golden Eagle Award for Excellence in Film & Video, an award also won by such recipients as Stephen Spielberg and Ron Howard. Looking for an independent project of her own Jonni was introduced to the Hyde Rugby story by her nephew and his wife. Both had attended college with Coach Tal Bayer, knew of his work with inner city kids and thought it would make a great documentary. In August of 2008 she met with Tal Bayer and three weeks later she was filming her first rugby game. Today, Jonni continues her collaboration with TAG Creative overseeing their music department serving as soundtrack producer/music supervisor and composer. Her music work includes national commercials for Movado, Maybelline, Soft Sheen Carson, Sally Hansen and Carol's Daughter. "PRIDE OF DC: the hyde rugby odyssey" is Jonni's first feature length film. It's dedicated to her amazing mom Lucille, and in loving memory of her dad Joseph. She's thrilled to have the world premier of "PRIDE OF DC: the hyde rugby odyssey" in the 13th Harlem International Film Festival in May, 2018.