A Multi-hyphenate talent:

Executive Producer/Producer of “Shoot The Hero” Denise DuBarry has come full circle now having begun in the film industry as a regular in “Black Sheep Squadron”, guest roles on “Charlie’s Angels,” among others and in the classic feature “Being There.”  She started her feature film production company in the early 80s but was sidetracked into the newly emerging and highly profitable infomercial world. With husband Bill Hay, she founded Thane International, a global direct response company. DuBarry was chief creative officer for 15 years green lighting projects and overseeing production. Projects that DuBarry personally developed (Play The Piano Overnight, California Beauty, OrbiTrek Total Body Trainer among many more) have grossed over one billion dollars.  She has a powerful sense for what works in the market and a track record to prove it. She received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Inland Empire, California. DuBarry is now applying her business acumen, production skills, and intuition to the feature film industry with her first feature film venture, “Shoot the Hero.”  While lending her producing talents to “Shoot The Hero,” DuBarry continues her philanthropic work for Olive Crest of the Coachella Valley (for abused and neglected children), her board responsibilities to Marywood-Palm Valley School, product development for her infomercial company Kaswit and to PS Women In Film. 

HOW “SHOOT THE HERO” SHOT IN PALM SPRINGS

A resident of La Quinta, California, DuBarry was introduced to Christian Sesma, the writer/director of “Shoot The Hero” by her actress/daughter Samantha Lockwood (samanthalockwood.com), who was cast in one of the lead roles.  Sesma, a native of Palm Springs, coupled with DuBarry’s knowledge and connections in the Desert; meant that this project was destined to become a Blue Moxie Entertainment project, and shoot in the backyards of both principals, using locations, crew and accommodations locally.  This made perfect sense, as DuBarry is also the president of Palm Springs Women in Film and Television (womeninfilm.com) and it’s subsidiary psfilmoffice.com and had the local connections necessary to get “Shoot The Hero” off the page and onto the silver screen.

“SHOOT THE HERO” SYNOPSIS

An action-adventure story, Shoot The Hero tells the story about a young couple (Jason Mewes and Samantha Lockwood) who, reluctantly shopping for wedding rings unintentionally become the only eyewitnesses to a jewelry store heist gone awry as rival gunmen (Paul Sloan, Nick Turturro) turn on each other. Desperate to rectify the botched job, an underground mob boss (Danny Trejo) dispatches a mysterious hitman to find the soon-to-be husband and wife and clean up the mess. Seemingly random, two brothers find themselves stranded on their way to work after a series of misfortune leaves them in a precarious predicament. Forced to eventually hitch-hike they find a ride from none other than our young couple on their way to happily ever after. But when the night unfolds everyone quickly discovers that their lives are seemingly connected. And as bullets fly and plots thicken, what follows is a night of thugs, guns, laughs and love in an action packed romp through the eyes of writer/director Christian Sesma.

President, KASWIT

DuBarry sold her company Thane International and remains a majority shareholder. Her current infomercial production company, Kaswit established in 2005, has produced “Don Sullivan’s Secrets to Training the Perfect Dog” and “The Pilates Power Gym.”  Here are testimonial letters from each of them:

I was introduced to Denise DuBarry Hay through mutual contacts who believed strongly that if I were to team up with her to produce an infomercial for marketing my “Secrets to Training the Perfect Dog” System that I would have great success.
 
After my initial meeting with Denise I was very pleased to find that her interest in working with me was not just to promote another product but that she actually shared my passion for helping people to understand how to have better control over their dogs because of her own personal struggles in this area. She had experienced the emotional pain of having to give up a dog her family loved because of the dog’s aggression issues.
 
Denise is driven. She is probably the hardest working person I have ever met. After working closely with her for even a short period of time I could see why she became so successful in the infomercial business. Her years of experience in the business are invaluable. She has a clear understanding of what works and is a creative “out of the box” thinker.
 
Working with Denise and her company, Kaswit, has been like working with family. (I mean that in a good way!)
 
   Don Sullivan
“The DogFather”

I have known Denise DuBarry-Hay both personally and professionally for many years.  Denise is one of the most knowledgeable and well respected people in the Direct Response business.  Denise does not sacrifice her integrity for a buck and is one of the few people in the industry that I can say I trust.  Her skill as a producer and her ability to recognizing and draw out product potential enabled her to create one of the most successful DR Marketing companies in the world. Through her abilities and connections in manufacturing and the industry Denise took a product of mine from nothing to approximately $15 million in consumer sales in the first year.  Denise has taken products that have failed with other DR companies and turned them into home runs.  I know many people in the DR business and Denise DuBarry-Hay is my first choice to shop a DR product. 

Sincerely,
Kevin Abelbeck
President (The Pilates Power Gym)
Kevlaur, Inc., Fort Collins, CO

President, Palm Springs Women In Film & TV

Philanthropist and Board Member, Olive Crest

Denise DuBarry contributes much to local charitable organizations; Olive Crest for abused and neglected children (www.olivecrest.org) and Palm Springs Women in Film and Television. Here is just a sampling of what she has done for PSWIFT in the years she has served as President:

• With Denise’s leadership Oscar Night® America, the grassroots fundraising arm of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has selected PSWIFT as one of the 50 entities nationwide to hold a sanctioned Oscar party.  Denise has now produced three Oscar Night America parties with funds raised going to the PSWIFT education programs.
• Developed the Broken Glass Awards honoring women who have paved the way in the arts and entertainment industries; in 2008 honoring Gena Rowlands, Donna Mills, Jennifer and Suzanne Todd and Patti Daly Caruso
• Created networking, mentoring and work opportunities for members
• Pswift.org; womeninfilm.com websites have evolved, providing a tremendous service to members, prospects and interested parties
• Psfilmoffice.com website is the only resource for film/TV producers listing cast, crew and locations in the Palm Springs/Coachella Valley
• hosted industry movers and shakers to the Desert for PSWIFT brunches such as Gale Ann Hurd producer of the Terminator Series & The Incredible Hulk; Tony Shalhoub of Monk; CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler; CAA agent Rob Kenneally; agent and past Women in Film President-LA Iris Grossman; producer and past Women In Film President-LA Bonny Dore; Palm Springs International Film Festival Director Darryl Macdonald; Jacqueline Bissett, Diane Ladd and many more.
• Fortified PSWIFT with the very influential and prestigious Palm Springs International Film Festival, hosting and sponsoring select events.
• Built membership exponentially.

Family

Samantha Lockwood (samanthalockwood.com), Denise’s eldest daughter has indeed, taken after her mother as she is an actress and entrepreneur. Her creation, Fleurings, is a creative piece of jewelry which holds water to contain live flowers.  Youngest daughter, Whitney, at eleven years old, has already modeled for a fashion show and Fleurings. Three stepsons round out DuBarry’s family; Kyle a student at Academy of Art University, Adam, student at CSULB, and Aaron property manager in Canada.  Husband Bill Hay spends his time on several entrepreneurial projects.