Who We Are

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Host / Executive Editor / Executive Producer 

A student of the William Esper Studio and Deena Levy Theatre Studio, Marissa is a fashion model, former NCAA Volleyball player, actress and broadcast and media host. She is featured in the ABC News Studios docuseries Grails, focused on the rise of hype sneaker culture in golf with Eastside Golf and Jordan Brand.

Marissa was a featured speaker for YouTube at VidCon 2023 in Anaheim regarding monetization best practices on the platform.  Marissa has interviewed a diverse group of talent on and off the red carpet including Benedict Cumberbatch, Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Chloe Sevigny, Elijah Wood, Jennifer Lopez, H.E.R.,  Jason Schwartzman, Diane Warren, Lucy Lawless, Sue Bird, Coco Gauff, Perry Farrell, Finn Cole, John Roberts, and more.

Marissa is a member of the Online Association of Female Film Critics (OAFFC).

Executive Editor / Executive Producer

A cinematographer and editor on the Shade Studios creative side his work has been featured on Hulu documentaries, client work for Fortune 500 companies as well as self-produced documentary features and numerous pieces of work on ShadeTV.  He is an active principal in Shade Studios' overall strategy with extensive experience working with startups and publicly-traded companies. He also leads Shade Studios’ editorial desk including press coverage for film and music festivals.

Host / Anime Editor

@majoemiri

Emily is a veteran in all things cosplay, manga and anime. A frequent con-goer, Emily has handcrafted over 10 years worth of costumes and props. She lends her talents to Shade Studios, utilizing her deep expertise in shojo and josei properties (with over 300 titles in her personal library), coupled with her academic background in cinema, to craft candid reviews and hot takes of the latest releases.

Culture Editor

@sirkarlo

A consummate performer based in New York, he’s fronted acapella groups and bands as a lead vocalist and participated in television and Broadway shows.  He is a cosplay connoisseur with a deep historical background on a variety of pop culture topics and trends.

Sneaker and Footwear Editor

Based in New York, he maintains a uniquely historic perspective on the evolution of the sneaker industry and is highly adept at spotting trends.  He is also a sneaker restoration specialist, serving many VIP clientele from the music and sports worlds.  

Film Editor, Screenwriter

@afreemthedream

Based in New York, with a varied background in film, gaming and entertainment, he has co-hosted podcasts, written and edited documentary works and gushes over music and American muscle cars.  He is the lead covering editor for film and television on the entertainment division and is the chief screen writer for creative projects.

Film Editor

A lifelong movie lover, Steve has watched more than 2000 films since 2016.  He has a special interest in horror, but above all, he is drawn to indie and microbudget productions of all kinds, including schlock and exploitation films. Steve loves sharing his passion, enthusiasm, and observations about movies and creative arts with others; especially when he gets to introduce people to a whole other side of cinema. 

Fashion and Lifestyle Editor

An experienced fashion writer, editor and stylist, Dawn brings decades of experience.  She's worked as a creative producer Indianapolis Monthly Magazine, GO, AirTran Inflight Magazine and then later in London, for an online fashion magazine. In the States, Dawn's worked for Louis Vuitton and as a freelance writer and stylist for several publications including Boston Globe, The Improper Bostonian, as well as for AskMissA.com, Lovelyish.com, and Team Artist Representatives, After a few years, she edited and styled for Asterisk San Francisco Magazine, Levis’ Strauss & Co., Piperlime.com and was in charge of selling and organizing the garments created on the show Project Runway via Delivery Agent. Dawn also writes for The Bite Magazine. 

Staff Writer

@bestevebrown

Steve first studied in Japan in 2009, and returns often for cycling, hiking, festivals, and nerdier subcultures. Nearing 1,000 anime, manga and manhwa consumed since the early 2000’s, he loves introducing newcomers to the breadth of these mediums, and the boundless possibilities for storytelling outside of live action.