Devorah Cutler-Rubenstein is a former studio exec who has produced films, plays, and television including the feature franchise The Substitute and most recently Tattoo U for FX Channel. Her writing credits include a variety of genres for indie and major companies, including ABC and Columbia Pictures.
 

After graduating Cal Arts Film School (Paul Rubens aka Peewee Herman & Ed Harris were among her graduating class), Cutler-Rubenstein started her career as assistant to legendary Agent-turned-Producer Jerome M. Zeitman at 20th Century-Fox, where she assisted in the development of numerous projects including her first produced studio feature, the sci-fi thriller DAMNATION ALLEY.

Following her experience at 20th-Fox, she held various executive positions including Director of Literary Acquisitions for Mona Moore & Associates, Director of the Story Department for Marble Arch Productions, Director of Literary Affairs for Columbia Pictures Television and Vice-President, Promotion and Marketing for Connoisseur Video.

Always the filmmaker, she completed several short films while still a studio executive, including TEA BREAK FOR MRS. PENROSE starring Annie Potts (DESIGNING WOMEN). Her first foray into Indie Producing was a series of international and domestic theatrical premieres, including a revival of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at the Odyssey Theatre starring Ed Harris. Her production DUSA, FISH, STAS & VI was lauded by L.A. Times critic Sylvie Drake as one of the year’s best productions in Los Angeles. Returning to film, in her first Indie feature, she partnered with actor-turned-director John Saxon co-writing and assistant directing the feature thriller DEATH HOUSE for Nick Moreno Productions. Set inside a prison in the grim after math of a viral plague, the film starred John Saxon, Dennis Cole and Tony Franciosa.

Cutler-Rubenstein teamed with producer Steven Bakalar to form H2 Productions, responsible for four produced films including THE SUBSTITUTE a $15 million-feature for Live Entertainment. She served as Executive Producer for the action-drama, which starred Tom Berenger, Ernie Hudson, Diane Venora and William Forsythe. The movie garnered the number two spot its opening weekend. THE SUBSTITUTE was directed by Robert Mandel (FX, SCHOOL TIES). She was also Executive Producer for HBO's SUBSTITUTE 2, starring Treat Williams.

 

On the heels of exec producing the successful SUBSTITUTE franchise, Cutler-Rubenstein co-wrote and directed PEACOCK BLUES, a gritty love story set in the world of tattooing. The short film was shot on 35MM for ShowTimes’ prestigious Discovery Program starring William Forsythe (THE UNTOUCHABLES, WATER DANCING, DEVIL’S REJECTS) and Poppy Montgomery (BLONDE, WITHOUT A TRACE) that won Best Film and Audience Favorite at Moondance International Film Festival 2000. Following her success with PEACOCK BLUES, she was hired by Academy Award nominee Ross Spears to help produce & direct multiple narrative sequences for the award-winning PBS documentary TELL ABOUT THE SOUTH.

Forming Noble House Entertainment, Inc. to produce movies that ‘enliven, entertain and enlighten, she exec produced and wrote NOT AFRAID TO LAUGH, co-produced with Emmy award-winning producer Roberta Cantow. The innovative documentary about using humor to heal won an Award of Distinction from the Communicator Awards 2000 and was invited to be archived at the Museum of Broadcasting. As a celebrity guest, her comedy writing & performing for THE POWER TO HEAL contributed to the program winning two coveted Tellys in 2002. She has a number of projects in development and pre-production ranging from Sci-fi to comedy. She is also partnered with Rhonda Lipnicki for projects that empower teens with Jonathan Lipnicki set to star.

A respected screenwriter and writing coach, she has collaborated with Emmy and Academy Award-winning writer-producers Roger Lewis (THE PAWNBROKER, SHAFT) and comedy veteran Everett Freeman (MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR, SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY) among others. As a writing coach her clients have written SUGAR SHOCK and the soon to be released Indie UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

Her produced writing credits include episodic TV where among others she worked with Heather Locklear and William Shatner on ABC's TJ HOOKER. Her feature and television writing projects have been optioned by numerous companies, including INTERSCOPE COMMUNICATIONS, CHARLES FRIES ENTERTAINENT, and TRIMARK PICTURES. Most recently she was hired to pen the family feature BEST FOR LAST which she is also attached to direct. And to co-write CONFIDENTIAL CONNECTION, which is, set to be shot in the Ukraine with her directing fall 2007.

Cutler-Rubenstein continues to nurture her extensive creative and business relationships within the industry worldwide both as a filmmaker and as a teacher. Her relationships with acquisitions executives at major and minor distribution companies include Dreamworks SKG, Miramax Films, Columbia-Tri-Star Motion Picture Company, Twentieth Century Fox-Searchlight, TNT, USA Films, and HBO among others.

Most recently, she was hired to write/direct & produce a reality show for the FX Channel, which was filmed on location in Los Angeles and Vegas. Her involvement in developing reality shows lead to a workbook/DVD “HOW TO DEVELOP AND SELL A REALITY SHOW.” Additionally, she travels around the world, lecturing, speaking and teaching at film festivals and film markets about the creative and business aspects of moviemaking. Her DVD, THE INSIDER’S GUIDE TO FILM FINANCE is distributed through Creative Screenwriting and her textbook WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? WRITING SHORTS is used at USC among others. Cutler-Rubenstein is a visiting lecturer and Adjunct Professor at USC and formerly at California State University at Northridge.