Palladium Pictures

Michael Pack is the President and CEO of Palladium Pictures LLC, as well a producer, director, and executive producer for Palladium’s upcoming films.

Michael is also President of Manifold Productions, Inc., an independent film and television production company, which he founded in 1977. Through Manifold Productions, he has written, directed, and produced numerous award-winning nationally broadcast documentaries as well as corporate and educational films.

His most recent film, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words, a two-hour documentary, opened in movie theaters on January 31st, 2020 and was broadcast nationally via PBS on May 18th, 2020. The Washington Post called it “a marvel of filmmaking,” and the Washington Examiner said it is “magnificent and necessary.” Also, upcoming, The Last 600 Meters, tells the story of the 2004 battles of Najaf and Fallujah, the two biggest battles of the Iraq War.

Michael’’s other major television credits include: RICKOVER: The Birth of Nuclear Power, starring Tim Blake Nelson and narrated by Joan Allen (2014); Rediscovering Alexander Hamilton, hosted by Richard Brookhiser (2011); God and the Inner City, narrated by Phylicia Rashad (2003); Rediscovering George Washington, hosted by Richard Brookhiser (2002); The Fall of Newt Gingrich, narrated by Blair Brown (2000); The Rodney King Incident: Race and Justice in America, narrated by Robert Prosky (1998); Inside the Republican Revolution: The First Hundred Days, hosted by Don Lambro (1995); Hollywood vs. Religion, hosted by Michael Medved (1995); Campus Culture Wars: Five Stories about Political Correctness, narrated by Lindsay Crouse (1993); America’s Political Parties, hosted by Ben Wattenberg and David Gergen (1988 & 1992); Fire from the Sun: The Search for Fusion Energy, hosted by E. G. Marshall (1990); Hollywood’s Favorite Heavy: Businessmen on Prime Time TV, hosted by Eli Wallach (1987); among others. All have been nationally broadcast on PBS, except The Rodney King Incident, which premiered on TLC.

From June 2020 to January 2021, Michael served as the first Senate-confirmed CEO of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees the government’s five international broadcasting networks: Voice of America, Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Together, they reach an audience of over 350 million people a week, in over 60 languages, with a budget of more than $850 million per year. Mr. Pack’s goal was to return the agency to its core mission: to offer objective, balanced news to oppressed people; to “tell America’s story” to the world; and to promote American ideals such as freedom and democracy.

From 2015 to 2017, he served as President and CEO of the Claremont Institute in Upland, CA, and Publisher of its Claremont Review of Books. During his tenure, Michael revamped its management and organizational structure, created a new communications department, which vastly increased its national prominence, and opened offices in DC to launch new programs and increase its profile in the policy world.

From 2003-2006, he served as Senior Vice President for Television Programming at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. He restructured the programming department and launched several new initiatives. These included: America at a Crossroads (a series of 20 documentary films addressing issues facing America in the wake of the attacks of 9/11) and the American History and Civics Initiative (innovative, new media designed to address the crisis of historical amnesia in middle and high school students).

In 2002, President Bush nominated and the Senate confirmed Michael to serve on the National Council on the Humanities, which oversees the National Endowment for the Humanities. He served from July 2002 to February 2005.

In 1993, he  served as Co-Chair of the International TV Council at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In this capacity, he oversaw the Council’s efforts to determine the feasibility of launching a cooperative program between American public television producers and stations and their counterparts in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Previously, he received a political appointment as Director of WORLDNET, the U.S. Information Agency’s global satellite network. WORLDNET produced, acquired, and distributed programs to over 127 countries and over 200 cities on all continents twenty-four hours a day. He oversaw WORLDNET’s 291 employees and annual budget of $23 million. WORLDNET, now called VOA-TV, has merged with the Voice of America.

Michael attended Yale College, the University of California at Berkeley, and studied film at New York University. Before launching Manifold Productions and Palladium Pictures, he worked extensively in production and post-production. He worked as a staff editor for RAI, the Italian TV network, and for Pathé News in New York. Michael and his wife, Gina, also at Palladium Pictures, have three sons and reside in Chevy Chase, Maryland.His favorite film is The Man who Shot Liberty Valance.

Gina Cappo Pack is an Executive Producer at Palladium Pictures and also handles a wide range of managerial tasks. She also serves as Executive Producer for Manifold Productions’ film and educational projects, which are on-going.

Gina’s recent background is in development and film promotion. In her past, she worked in corporate management, marketing, and personnel. Her early skills and experience as a corporate executive have lent direction to Manifold Productions, while helping to maintain an efficient use of resources.

She has worked in fundraising, promotion, and management since 1987 for Manifold Productions, and serves as an executive producer. She consulted in donor relations for the Claremont Institute in Southern California, while continuing her development work at Manifold Productions.

Previously, she worked in operations planning and new product development before she left corporate management at Pandick Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of a financial printing firm. Along with assisting the expansion of offices in twelve cities, she worked closely with regional sales and operations, while reporting to the president. Prior to this, Gina consulted for a variety of expanding businesses, both for-profit and not-for-profit. While still in college, she managed a division of TemPositions, Inc., a New York temporary help firm, where she was initially responsible for personnel interviewing and placement; later assisting the sales force, coordinating training, and managing departmental operations.

Gina is a graduate of Hunter College of the City University of New York. She is married to Michael Pack; they have three grown sons and reside in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Her favorite film is To Be or Not to Be.

Thomas’ lifetime of film experience began when he was born into the Pack family. He has worked as a Production Assistant on several films including Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in his Own Words, and Rickover: The Birth of Nuclear Power. Thomas has extensive experience working at educational organizations including in leadership roles, most recently as Director of Student Programs at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and as Head of Operations at the Upper Darby Arts and Education Foundation. Thomas is excited to take his education and management experience back to the family business to direct the Incubator Program, which will train the next generation of documentary filmmakers. Thomas received his Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from St. John’s College, and his Masters in Education Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former Hertog Foundation Fellow and a former Claremont Institute Publius Fellow. Thomas’ favorite film is Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.

Jim Hurson joined Palladium Pictures in 2023 as a researcher. He previously worked in real estate development, before leaving that industry to pursue an independent documentary film project in southwest West Virginia. Jim’s interest in documentary film began in high school when he first encountered Penelope Spheeris’ work on alternative music scenes in Los Angeles. He was exposed to documentary film more formally during his time in college, becoming familiar with the works of Wim Wenders, Werner Herzog, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Jim is a 2019 graduate of Davidson College, where he double majored in economics and German Studies, and earned the Bremer German Language Award. His favorite film is Paris, Texas.

Christine Ryan has been working in documentary film and television since her graduation from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. She has parlayed her love of reading into a career as an associate producer and researcher, as well as a single appearance on Jeopardy! Her favorite film is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Julia Manganello comes to Palladium Pictures with 7+ years of experience providing full-charge bookkeeping services with clients in information security, documentary film production, construction, and civil engineering. Prior to that, Julia has 15+ years experience in the field of climate studies. Julia has conducted independent research on tropical cyclone activity using state-of-the-art computer models of the atmosphere and ocean. Her favorite film is Orlando.