About Us
THORNBYRD FILMS
Thornbyrd is a boutique female led production company with branches in the US and Australia that focuses on telling unique and inclusive stories featuring female protagonists.
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The Legend of The Thornbird
There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. The whole world stills to listen, and the Goddess in her heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain, or so says the legend.
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Meet the
T-BYRDS
Stacy Schneiderman
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Creative Development STACY SCHNIEDRMAN is a producer and hair stylist specializing in character design and wigs, with a career spanning television, film, and theatre. Her work can be seen on hit shows such as Euphoria, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and Station 19, collaborating with top networks including HBO, ABC, and CBS. A passionate supporter of independent film, Stacy has worked alongside celebrated creatives like the Duplass Brothers, Charlie Day, and Amy Poehler. She was instrumental in launching the indie production company Thornbyrd Films, where she serves as a associate producer. Stacy began her career in the hair rooms of Broadway, contributing to legacy productions like Phantom of the Opera, Wicked and Mamma Mia after graduating form theJuilliard School.
CONSULTING PRODUCER Creative Development ERIN CAHILL is a producer and actress with over two decades of experience in the entertainment industry. She launched her producing career with Every Time a Bell Rings—the first film chosen to premiere on Hallmark Movies Now—and has since produced Christmas on the Range and A Taste of Love, with multiple projects currently in active development. Erin is also a passionate humanitarian, having helped build schools in Nepal, Malawi, and Guatemala through her work with buildOn. She serves as a spokesperson for The Kindness Campaign, a non-profit focused on youth mental health, and splits her time between Los Angeles and Nashville. As an actress, Erin has appeared in over 130 television and film roles across nearly every genre. Best known for her leading work in romantic comedies, she has headlined over 25 features, building a loyal international fanbase. She can next be seen as a series regular on Holidazed for Hallmark+, starring alongside Virginia Madsen, Dennis Haysbert, Loretta Devine, and John C. McGinley. Erin began her career as Jen, the Pink Ranger, in Walt Disney Pictures’ Power Rangers and has since worked with major studios including Netflix, Amazon, ABC, NBC, CBS, Sony, and Lionsgate.
Erin Cahill
Paul Bertolino
CONSULTING PRODUCER Creative Development PAUL BERTOLINO is a producer, cinematographer and visual artist based in West Hollywood, CA. Originally from Setauket, New York, Paul began experimenting with filmmaking at age 7 and went on to earn a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, where he trained in both digital and analog formats. His highly stylized work reflects his fine arts background and interest in how cinematography affects the human psyche—particularly in darker, dramatic narratives. Paul has worked across feature films, shorts, series, music videos, and branded content, with his work screened internationally and recognized with multiple awards for Best Cinematography. He continues to straddle the line between creative vision and technical precision, with experience ranging from production to film equipment rental houses.
Shantell Yasmine Abeydeera
Executive Producer
Founder/CEO
Shantell Yasmine Abeydeera is an Australian-born, Sri Lankan made actor, director, writer, and producer who now occupies a small slice of Los Angeles, where she is committed to amplifying diverse and female-driven narratives.
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She is the founder of Thornbyrd Films, and led the production of its debut feature, ‘HEALED’, that earned the prestigious REFRAME STAMP from the Sundance Institute and Women in Film for its dedication to gender-balanced hiring.
Before establishing Thornbyrd, Shantell served as the Director of Content for queer female channel, OML.tv. She played a pivotal role in launching OML on Revry, the first 24/7 live TV channel dedicated to queer women and non-binary individuals. During her tenure, she created noteworthy LGBTQ+ titles like 'GIRLS LIKE MAGIC' and 'DATING IN PLACE.'
In addition to her work behind the camera, Shantell has appeared in various television shows, including HACKS (MAX), IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (FX), THE LINCOLN LAWYER (NETFLIX), GOOD GIRLS (NBC) and GENERAL HOSPITAL (ABC).
CONSULTING PRODUCER Creative Development PETER PAUL BASLER is a Swiss-American director and producer who has been practicing the art of filmmaking since his start in the mid-nineties. Basler grew up on the east coast where his early films would go on to become darlings of the festival circuit and announce him as a filmmaker of note. Today, his films have played both domestically and internationally earning him awards as both a director and producer.