Miranda Bailey, CEO: One of Film Arcade's founders, Miranda Bailey, is a multi-hyphenate filmmaker, producer and actress whose films have garnered several Spirit and Gotham awards and nominations. Her latest film, BY DESIGN, written and directed by Amanda Kramer, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, 2025. Bailey was recently nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for producing JAZZY, her second film with director Morrisa Maltz, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Bailey’s producing career spans over two decades and is known for producing Noah Baumbach’s Oscar-nominated film THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, James Gunn’s SUPER, the Daniels’ SWISS ARMY MAN, and Marielle Heller’s THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL. In addition, her company Cold Iron Pictures recently made its television debut with the release of Revry Original Series UNCONVENTIONAL, created by Kit Williamson, which features Bailey’s producing, acting and television directing debut.
Bailey has directed multiple documentaries and feature films, including her narrative directorial debut BEING FRANK, starring Jim Gaffigan which premiered at SXSW and won Best Feature at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Bailey’s next film, BUMPIN’ INTO STARDOM, will also feature her writing and directing, and was awarded first place in the StoryPros Screenwriting Awards for comedy and was a Quarterfinalist in the Screencraft Comedy Screenplay Contest. As an actress, Bailey is known for her roles opposite Richard Gere in Joseph Cedar’s NORMAN, opposite Kristen Wiig in THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, and alongside Ben Stiller in Mike Birbiglia’s DON’T THINK TWICE. For her role in HINDSIGHT, opposite Jeffrey Donovan, Bailey was awarded the Best Actress Award at the First Glance Film Festival.
Bailey is well-known as a mentor and speaker in the independent film community and has spoken on panels at Cannes, AFM, and the Bentonville Film Festival. Aside from her multi-faceted film career, Bailey is also the founder of www.TheCherryPicks.com which she created to highlight female and non-binary critics in film and television.
Natalie Whalen, Vice President of Production: Spirit Award nominated producer Natalie Whalen currently serves as President at Cold Iron Pictures l Film Arcade. Most recently, Whalen produced Amanda Kramer’s BY DESIGN starring Juliette Lewis which will premiere at Sundance 2025 and produced Kit Williamson’s independent TV Series UNCONVENTIONAL which will be distributed by Revry in February 2025. Whalen executive produced THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY directed by Morrisa Maltz starring Academy Award-nominee Lily Gladstone and produced Maltz' follow up feature JAZZY which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2024. JAZZY will be released theatrically by Vertical in February 2025. She is nominated as a producer on JAZZY for the 2025 Spirit Awards. Previously, Whalen served as co-executive producer on the Sundance western thriller GOD'S COUNTRY starring Thadiwe Newton, as co-producer on Jake Paltrow's JUNE ZERO, and as associate producer on Hulu’s THE AMAZING JONATHAN.
Julia Stier, Head of Development: Recently named as one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 on the Hollywood & Entertainment List for 2025, Julia Stier serves as the Head of Development for Cold Iron Pictures. This award-winning indie production company is best known for producing Noah Baumbach’s Oscar-nominated THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, the Daniels’ SWISS ARMY MAN, Spirit Award-winner THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, James Gunn’s SUPER, and most recently JAZZY – a follow-up to Spirit Award-nominee THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY – with Oscar-nominee Lily Gladstone and the Duplass Brothers. Most recently, Cold Iron’s film BY DESIGN, starring Juliette Lewis and Mamoudou Athie, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Stier is also an award-winning writer, whose work has been seen on stages from Alaska to New York. Select playwriting credits include LAST NIGHT IN TOWN (Off-off Broadway, Manhattan Repertory Theatre), HOME GIRLS (Ophelia’s Jump Productions, CA), PEACH PIE (Queen’s Theatre, as a part of their THEATRE FOR ALL Program), and CALLBACK (Valdez Theatre Festival, Alaska; later adapted into a short film by Whole of the Moon Productions). She is an alumna of The University of Southern California.