top of page
MEET THE FILMMAKERS
Claire Panosian Dunavan MD (Producer, Co-Writer), a UCLA specialist in infectious diseases and past-president of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, spent several years as a writer, reporter and co-anchor for Lifetime Television. Her print journalism has appeared in major newspapers and magazines. Dr. Panosian first met patients with rat lungworm disease while working in Asia in the 1980s. Four years later, she met her husband Patrick after answering an ad in the The New England Journal of Medicine and joining his staff for a nationally-broadcast medical special.
James W. O’Keeffe (Director, Cinematographer) has worked on theatrical, documentary, commercial, promotional and educational programs filmed in 26 countries. Notable projects include co-producing and directing GO PUBLIC—A Day in the Life of an American School District, which aired on PBS. Jim has also taught at USC for 20 years.
%20copy_edited_edited.png)
Liz Mitchell (Co-Writer), a Los Angeles-based journalist, has written and produced news broadcasts, documentaries, television magazine shows and other non-fiction and medical programming for more years than she likes to think about. For several decades, Ms. Mitchell also taught classes in broadcast newswriting and reporting at USC.
Susan Hoskins (Editor) edited picture and sound for the entire 12-year run of Unsolved Mysteries, then edited non-fiction programs broadcast on Discovery Networks, NBC, CBS, KCET, Lifetime, UPN, HGTV, PAX, TLC and PBS. Her most recent project prior to Accidental Host was Another Child, an indie-doc that won multiple film festival awards.
Doug Quade (Animator) is an editor and animator in Boston and New York who has worked on award-winning shows for NOVA, Frontline, American Experience, and ABC News. During his 30-year career in TV and film, he has covered biography, history and science dealing with health, medicine, biology, ecology, evolution and space.
Cameron Michael Parkes (Composer) has scored independent films and TV documentaries (PBS, A&E, Biography). His musical theater credits include "TANZI" (Drama-Logue Award for Best Musical 1984) and "Happy Birthday, Mr. President." As a recording artist, he is best known for producing and arranging the critically acclaimed solo album "A Tribute To Brian Wilson.”
Patrick Dunavan (Creative Consultant)
launched his career as a documentary filmmaker in the mailroom of CBS Television City in Los Angeles. He then worked as a film editor and producer, earning his first of 8 Emmys by age 30. In recent years, he has produced roughly 50 medical shows for audiences in the U.S. and beyond.
bottom of page