About Westgate Films
Westgate Films, LLC is a production company founded by John Dennis and Ryan Roberson in Los Angeles, California. We produce real estate videos, corporate promos, commercials, as well as music videos and short films. With a combined 20+ years of video production experience, we are well versed in all aspects of the film-making process including writing, producing, directing, cinematography, editing, color grading, sound design, as well as grip and electric work on film sets. As a production company we are determined to meet your production needs with a friendly and positive attitude, while maintaining a professional working environment. Please visit our ‘Contact Us’ page for information on how to reach us.
John Dennis - Co-Founder - Writer/Director/Producer
Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, John picked up his first camcorder around the age of 12, fell in love with film-making and never looked back. While attending the University of North Texas, John studied both film theory and technical applications that fine-tuned his story-telling approach, and ultimately earned a major in Radio/Television/Film.
Over the following 10 years, John soon found himself working on countless reality shows, television shows, commercials, documentaries, promotional videos, corporate videos, web videos, and narrative films.
Experience in pre-production to post, gives John a solid understanding of the entire process of film-making.
He has driven and loaded G&E trucks, only to turn around the next day and edit a green screen scene for Chili’s Restaurants. Having been on productions of all sizes, from ENG reality shows to million dollar films, John is a professional on any set.
Ryan Roberson - Co-Founder - Cinematographer/Editor
Shortly after graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Film and Media Studies, Ryan refined his skills in cinematography at Prague Film School in the Czech Republic. During his academic year there Ryan wrote and directed two short films and served as a cinematographer on 12 other shorts, as well as working on 35 other films in the camera, grip, and electrical departments.
With more than 10 years of video production experience, Ryan has helped companies and individuals complete a wide range of video projects with his skills in directing, cinematography, editing, color grading, and technical consulting. He also worked as the lead Videographer/Editor for SurfMyAds.com Inc., an online-marketing company based out of Santa Monica, CA, for 3 years. There, he helped build several YouTube platforms that generated nearly 2 million video views from over 500 different videos.
In addition to his work with Westgate Films, Ryan currently works as a freelance cinematographer and editor in the greater Los Angeles area. Some of his latest projects include music videos, corporate/promotional videos, short films, and commercials. He has also worked on numerous film sets in the camera, grip and electrical departments. For more info on his personal work, visit www.ryanroberson.net
Michael Richman - Photographer/Producer
Born just outside beautiful Cleveland, Ohio, Michael began experimenting with cameras at an early age. He began shooting photographs and submitting them to a local photography competition, “Reflections,” around the age of 10.
In high school, Michael took both photography and filmmaking electives in which he became completely absorbed. And though he answered the call of the darkroom throughout high school, it was TV/Film/Radio that he found written on his diploma when he graduated from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
While at Syracuse, Michael shot and edited footage for a news program that aired on local news channel YNN. Since moving to Los Angeles, he has worked on a wide range of film sets in the grip and electrical departments, as well as most recently the camera department, which included being Camera Assistant on an Oscar nominated short film (Day One). For more information, visit www.MRichMedia.com
Sean Donovan - Producer / Business Strategist
Sean was raised in Seal Beach, California and went to the University of California at Santa Barbara to study Political Science. After graduating from UCSB, Sean worked as a Technical Recruiter for Robert Half in Los Angeles. There he gained invaluable training and experience with organizing talent for a wide range of companies, from tech startups to Fortune 500s. Since his work as a Technical Recruiter, Sean’s expertise in the corporate world has led him to produce projects for Westgate Films. Sean’s talents also include acting and voice over narration.
Rodrigo Retamoza - Producer
With over fifteen years experience combined as a realtor and a filmmaker, Rodrigo is a great communicator with real estate professionals who wish to showcase their properties and/or personalities on video. A Sonoma County native, Rodrigo moved to New York City in 2011 and worked as a realtor in one of Manhattan's top brokerage firms, receiving world-class training in marketing and branding. In addition to his real estate career, he's continued to work in the film industry for over a decade, wearing all hats from grip to writer/director. His highlights include directing a segment for "The Montel Williams Show" and producing/directing "Late for Never," a short film which premiered at the Sonoma/Napa Film Festival. Rodrigo studied at the Prague Film School in the Czech Republic, where two of his short films premiered at multiple film festivals.