About Us
1st Reel Entertainment
Founded in 2005 by award-winning producer Kerry Moynahan, 1st Reel Entertainment was built on a passion for independent film-making and impactful television storytelling. With a dynamic portfolio that includes television magazine shows, travel series, behind-the-scenes features, short films, and documentaries, the company is known for its cinematic style and authentic voice.
1st Reel Entertainment has earned nine Telly Awards and the prestigious WOW Award for Best Spirits Influencer/Podcaster, recognizing its excellence in both creative production and thought leadership in the spirits and lifestyle space. The company also has a strong footprint in docu-reality television, delivering compelling, character-driven content across platforms.
Expanding into the world of branded content, 1st Reel Ads now offers commercial advertising services through a dedicated division specializing in high-impact campaigns for TV and streaming. In partnership with Spectrum Reach, these campaigns reach audiences both locally and nationwide—combining professional storytelling with strategic distribution.
Whether producing long-form documentary work or cutting-edge commercial spots, 1st Reel Entertainment continues to craft content that connects, inspires, and performs.
About the Founder
Kerry Moynahan is an award-winning producer, filmmaker, and whiskey journalist whose career bridges the worlds of entertainment and spirits culture. Born and raised in San Jose, California, she earned a B.A. in Cinema Production from San Francisco State University before relocating to Los Angeles to launch her career in television.
Kerry quickly rose through the ranks of unscripted and scripted production, becoming a producer at the E! Network and earning membership in the Producers Guild of America. Over the past two decades, she has contributed to a wide range of acclaimed series, including The Taste, Dancing with the Stars, Better Things, and Lawmen: Bass Reeves, many of which garnered Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and Emmy nominations.
A passionate spirits advocate with a focus on whiskey, Kerry has combined her talents in storytelling and production to elevate voices within the global drinks industry. She is a Certified Bourbon Steward, a Certified Bartender, and holds a certificate from the prestigious Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh, Scotland. She is also an active member of respected spirits communities including Women Who Whiskey, the Scotch Club, and The Los Angeles Whisk(e)y & Spirits Guild.
In 2021, Kerry launched Barrel Room Chronicles, an award-winning podcast and video series dedicated to uncovering the people and stories behind the world’s most fascinating spirits. The show takes viewers and listeners on a journey through distilleries, historical archives, and intimate interviews with distillers, blenders, historians, ambassadors, and authors. It has been recognized by Million Podcasts and Goodpods as one of the Top Whiskey and Spirits Podcasts globally, and earned multiple Telly Awards in 2023 and 2024 for excellence in branded content and nonfiction storytelling.
In addition to Barrel Room Chronicles, Kerry also produces The Cocktail Guru Show, where she collaborates with renowned mixologist Jonathan Pogash and his father Jeffrey to explore cocktail culture, interview industry legends, and spotlight the latest trends in mixology and hospitality.
Through her production company, 1st Reel Entertainment, Kerry continues to develop original content across film, television, podcasting, and commercial platforms. In 2025, she helped launch a new branded ad division in partnership with Spectrum Reach, expanding her award-winning visual storytelling into local and national television advertising.
With nine Telly Awards and a WOW Award for Best Spirits Influencer/Podcaster presented by the Bourbon Women Association, Kerry Moynahan is a true force at the intersection of storytelling, media, and spirits culture.
Editor in Chief
Margaret Howell is a skilled video and story editor known for her ability to shape compelling narratives with a strong eye for pacing, tone, and emotional impact.
She began her career in newsrooms around the country, where she earned an Emmy for her work in News Promotion. She successfully increased the ratings of every show she was assigned to, and her experiences reinforced the value of viewer relevance. As she likes to say, “if I can get them to watch the news, I can get them to watch anything!”
Now she works with corporate and entertainment clients, like MGA Entertainment and 1stReel Entertainment, where she edits dynamic, engaging content that brings creative concepts to life. Her work has garnered 2 Telly Awards. She places strong emphasis on defining brand identity and crafting video and copy that reinforce brand messaging with clarity and consistency.
Her professional foundation is enriched by her studies at the Bookshop School for Ads, where she deepened her understanding of advertising strategy, brand storytelling, and creative copywriting. This training sharpened her focus on consumer relevance, ensuring that every piece of content she creates not only captures attention but also aligns with the target audience’s needs and expectations.
Margaret is passionate about the art of editing and the power of story to connect, inspire, and inform. She continues to expand her creative toolkit and is dedicated to delivering content that’s not only visually polished but strategically effective.
About the Line Producer
Trina DeMattei has worked in Production for over a decade on numerous televisions shows, feature films, commercials, and music videos. Currently Trina resides in Los Angeles and Produces digital content for Conde Nast Entertainment. She loves the challenge of working in the various forms of entertainment. Trina's main hobby is world travel. She has backpacked over 29 countries, and has worked in 30 U.S. States and in 4 countries.
About The Producers
Louise Leonard is a chef, food personality, stylist, booze lover, and bon vivant, living the bi-coastal life between Los Angeles and New York. She was crowned the winner of Season 2 of ABC’s prime time hit, The Taste, where she was chosen from a nation-wide search to compete with professional chefs and home cooks. She is also works with Kin Community, YouTube’s #1 multi-channel for women, as host, recipe developer, and stylist.
Other work includes styling for the Emmy-award winning Top Chef, as well as styling for Top Chef Masters, MasterChef, The Chew, Access Hollywood, and Next Food Network Star. She also styled celebrity Chef Antonia Lofaso’s The Busy Mom’s Cookbook and is a regular contributor to Vegetarian Times.
Louise specializes in cooking with wine and spirits and is a staunch advocate of supporting local breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Often led by her love of food, she loves to travel and explore and is known for her ability to pull elements from cuisines around the world that will pair well with her favorite libations.
Careers
1st Reel Entertainment is always looking to for great crew members and interns for our projects. Employment is usually based on a project by project basis. Internships are for school credit only and usually last as long as is needed to fulfill school requirements.