Jo Super

JO SUPER is a superhero mystery drama show with elements of comedy and eldritch horror. We follow Julie Magana, a small town teenager, immigrant, and superhero who’s struggling to accept the chaos of “otherness,” adult squabbles, and the dark secrets small town America keeps to feel safe.

Where is our money going?? 

Our project is entirely donation funded! Every dollar we raise will go towards:

• Casting super actors!
• Booking beautiful locations!
• Feeding our spectacular cast and crew!
• Our art department's extraordinary vision!
• Our camera department's professional-level gear!
• Hiring professional stunt coordinators, casting directors, and studio teachers!

A message from the series creator:

What does it mean to save someone, let alone help them? “Jo Super” poses a reality where someone is able to help problems before they cause pain, but is unable to connect with the people she helps to make meaningful change. On the anniversary of their father’s death, introverted teenager Julie and her selfless-but-guilty brother Michael are faced with strange grief and must find a way to manage it. Meanwhile, Julie as Jo Super must find a way to help a situation that strangely parallels her family’s pain. Having been presented with a problem more nuanced at its surface than immediate danger, Jo Super must figure out what it means to really help someone. 

Contributions made here to Jo Super are 100% tax deductible. The California State University, Northridge Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) public benefit California corporation.

Meet our SUPER crew below:

Rene Liera - Showrunner/Director/Writer

My name is Rene Liera, and I am the showrunner/director of Jo Super. I love stories about hurt families, stories about people so selfless it causes them pain in their personal lives, and stories about people dealing with a problem that is way beyond their understanding. “Jo Super” is the brainchild of my love for those concepts in storytelling. It is also the brainchild of my love of goofy small towns with weird people and strange secrets. It is important to note as well, I am still an enjoyer of seafood boils.

KeiLana Wall - Producer

Hi! My name is KeiLana Wall and I am one of the Producers for Jo Super. I have always been a big fan of superheroes, so when Rene pitched this project about a woman of color, I knew I wanted to be on board! Showcasing diversity has always been something I thrive to normalize, especially when it comes to women of color. Producing is something I heavily enjoy, and I had to solely produce my previous two projects, Third Best and Dead Exposure, due to having a smaller class. It has taught me a great amount of lessons and I am excited to work with a fantastic group of people before finally graduating from CSUN.

Tom Hommel - Line Producer

My name is Tom Hommel and I’m the Line Producer of Jo Super. I grew up in Burbank, CA and my unwavering passion for television came from a childhood obsession of sitcoms and my teen years being molded by streaming. However, my love of superheroes came first— long before I could even read comic books, I became obsessed with action figures and cartoons at an early age. My previous producing experience includes True Crime, The Last Voicemail, and showrunning Handyman at CSUN. As the Line Producer of this project, I plan to organize the funds for our extraordinary team and tackle all the important paperwork that appear behind the scenes. 

Asia Villani - 1st AD

My name is Asia Isabella Villani, and I am the 1st Assistant Director on Jo Super. My previous work includes being the 1st AD on Dead Exposure, as well as Showrunner and 1st AD for the episodic series Third Best. My enthusiasm only grows bigger with every production I’m on and everything I get to learn from each experience. I’m passionate about organization, using our time properly and safely during production so that we create the best project we can. I’m especially excited for us to try a new concept that hasn’t been tapped into before at CSUN. With the creation of a new superhero, this will be a fresh experience for everyone to see!

Nathan Cayanan - Director of Photography

Hello, I'm Nathan Cayanan, the Director of Photography for Jo Super. Growing up watching action comedies like Video Game High School, Kickass and Rush Hour, I knew Rene's story was the perfect project to DP for. I believe cinematography is a way to translate emotion into imagery by crafting visuals that feel motivated and deeply human. Honoring the story of Jo Super on a visual scale will be the perfect way to conclude my time studying cinematography at CSUN.

Anthony Ramirez - Sound Mixer

Hello! My name is Anthony Ramirez, and I am dual specialized in both the Audio and Video fields. I normally find myself operating in the camera department, but for this project, I will be the dedicated department head of sound. My job is to capture the actor’s performances to the best of my current abilities and make sure their audio sounds clean and balanced. I’ll be handling the sound work as needed and keeping things straightforward.

Dustin Phan - Production Designer/Post-Sound Mixer

Hey! My name is Dustin Phan and I am the Production Designer of Jo Super and I could not be more honored to bring this project to life. I am so excited to work on this project because it represents a story that is very dear to me, one about family and solidarity and how important my family is to me, thankful that they always have my back. The town of Rapture, Missouri and the people, places, and story that takes place there is an opportunity to make something that can express that gratitude.

Christian Chavez - Prop Master

I’m Christian Chavez, the prop master for this project. Pretty much means I handle all the important items seen on screen. I ensure every character and set has the props they need to come to life. I’m usually not much of a superhero guy, but the wit and charm of Jo Super won me over. And hopefully it can win you over as well. 

Jason Thorne - Co-Editor/Co-Writer

My name is Jason Thorne, I’m from Winnetka CA, and I am an editor for Jo Super. My college journey started aimlessly, choosing a path into computer science with no real passion or reason. But through my love of Dungeons and Dragons, I began editing videos for social media and discovered that not only did I enjoy it, it was something I was good at. From there on, I pursued this path to the full of my extent, taking risks and finding myself at CSUN to learn even more. Since then I have helped on projects including Man Scouts, Flowerhead, and even showrunning Side Quest. I plan to take the vision and work by this amazing crew, and bring it to life through the edit.

Eve Clark - Co-Editor/Post-Sound Mixer

I’m Eve! I’m an editor and will be working on post-production sound for Jo Super. Ever since I was a kid, making videos with my stuffed animals, I was interested in storytelling. Since then I’ve edited other projects at CSUN like Man Scouts, and showran Gifts, Cake, Repeat. I’m excited for Jo Super as it combines elements of different genres into a unique hybrid, and tells an important story about family and relationships. And most of all, we have a very capable and super team behind it!

Jennifer Inatomi - Assistant Editor/Locations Manager/Casting Assistant

I’m Jennifer Inatomi, the Location Manager, Casting Assistant and Assistant Editor for Jo Super! With my emphasis in editing, I’m really interested to get a look at more Pre-Production work to put on my belt. I’m looking forward to this fun superhero story and all the exciting things that will be happening! Can’t wait to begin casting and assisting in Post Production! 

Thank you for your continued support! Please consider sharing this project with friends, family, co-workers, and personal supers you know! 

Follow us on Instagram: @JoSuper.CSUN