We embrace challenges with ambition and adaptability as a team — striving to create nothing short of exceptional entertainment
James Dalessandro
James Dalessandro is Co-Creator, Executive Producer, Writer, and Director of Way Cool World. A working screenwriter and producer for over 30 years, he authored two #1 national bestselling books — 1906:A Novel (Historical Fiction) and Citizen Jane (True Crime). He is the award-winning writer/director/producer of the documentary “The Damnedest Finest Ruins” (KQED/PBS now on Youtube) and screenwriter/producer of the film adaption of Citizen Jane also now on Youtube. In 2022, his theatrical musical “27” - about the musicians who created the counterculture - ran for 122 shows in Las Vegas. He has written for numerous publications including Playboy, San Francisco Magazine, Hearst Newspapers and Medium.com. After 20 years of discussions, the pandemic gave him and pal Antsy McClain the opportunity to collaborate on Way Cool World. James holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Italy.
Ken Estin began his career as a freelance writer whose first professional script was a Taxi episode that earned him a Writers Guild Award. Ken became the showrunner (head writer-producer) of Taxi two years later and won his first Emmy when he was twenty-eight. After Taxi, Ken became the showrunner of Cheers, and ran the series until leaving to create and run The Tracey Ullman Show, which earned Ken two more Emmys. He developed short animation segments for the show with Matt Groening, whose vignettes evolved into a spinoff series, The Simpsons, which became television‘s longest running, most profitable comedy. Ken took a brief hiatus from TV to transform a troubled Sylvester Stallone dramedy project into Eddie Murphy‘s comedy blockbuster, Beverly Hills Cop. Ken created seven network pilots, five of which became prime time series. He ran several award-winning series, earning him eleven Emmy nominations, three Emmys, nine Writers Guild Award nominations, and two Writers Guild Awards. He created and taught television writing courses for a decade at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco before irresistible ventures brought him home to LA.
Credits: Writer-story editor, Taxi (Paramount, ABC) – Writer-producer-showrunner, Taxi (Paramount, ABC &
NBC) – Writer-producer-showrunner, Cheers (Paramount, NBC) – Writer-consultant, Goodtime Girls (Paramount, ABC) – Writer-creator-executive producer-showrunner, Shaping Up (Paramount, ABC) – Writer-consultant, Beverly Hills Cop (Paramount) – Writer-creator-executive producershowrunner,
The Tortellis (Paramount, NBC) – Writer-creator-executive producer-showrunner, The Tracey Ullman Show (Fox) – Writer-creator-executive producer-showrunner, Help (Disney) – Writercreator- executive producer-showrunner, Buck & Barry (Paramount, NBC) – Writer-consultant, Flesh
& Blood (Paramount, NBC) – Writer-consultant, Delta (Universal, ABC) – Writer-creator-executive producer-showrunner, LAX 2194 (Universal, Fox) – Writer-creator-executive producer-showrunner, Minor Adjustments (Witt Thomas, NBC, UPN) – Consulting writer-producer, Almost Perfect
(Paramount, CBS) – Consulting writer-producer, Single Guy (Castle Rock, NBC) – Writerconsultant, Kid Notorious (Comedy Central) – Writer, feature films (Paramount, 21st Century Fox) – Writer-creator-showrunner, Made in Vietnam pilot (Sandler Films) – TV writing instructor and course creator (Academy of Art University)
Awards: Eleven Emmy nominations, three Emmys, nine Writers Guild Award nominations, two Writers Guild Awards.
Antsy McClain
Antsy McClain’s music and characters converge to create the enchanting world of the Way Cool World. As a gifted singer-songwriter, his Americana-infused melodies and clever lyrics resonate deeply with audiences. Through his animation series, the Way Cool World comes alive with lovable characters, heartwarming stories, and profound life lessons. Antsy’s songs serve as the soundtrack to the adventures of his animated friends, forging a beautiful bond between music and storytelling. Step into this magical universe, where joy, kindness, and imagination reign, and let Antsy McClain lead you on an unforgettable journey of music and camaraderie.
Sergey Martinov, the creative powerhouse leading Artenergy, fuels the success of the Way Cool World animation series with his artistic brilliance. As an experienced art director, graphics designer, and technology expert, Sergey infuses his artistic prowess into every aspect of the project. His expertise drives the project from character-to-scene development to a web presence. Sergey’s proficiency extends beyond animation and entertainment, as he has collaborated with various technology companies to help them discover their unique brand and voices. Among his remarkable accomplishments, he worked with many companies, such as Charles Schwab, Dow Corning, Hewlett Packard, Novanta, Paramount, PX5, and Microsoft. Sergey’s vision and leadership propel the Way Cool World to new heights, captivating audiences with its enchanting storytelling and animation.
Jeryl has been social networking since the day she was born; it is rumored that she arrived with a telephone in her hand. Having always had a knack for connecting people, she has leveraged her extensive networking and communications experience into social media marketing. She has successfully built communities for a diverse range of clients, from films in production to authors and TV shows.
Social Media Darling Productions is known for Bringing the Social to production, taking projects and their social media from inception to premiere and beyond. Jeryl has been the Social Media Producer for the award-winning RAISE HELL: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins and the Netflix original documentary FEMINISTS: What Were They Thinking?; NC Heikin’s recently released Life & Life; The Manhattan Transfer Story (in production); LAEMMLE’S LIST; and NEVER LET ANYONE STEAL YOUR DREAMS - The Sammy Nestico Story (in production).
