About Us

Eternal Lion Studios is an independent film studio consisting of  diverse individuals who seek to inspire and entertain the masses. We love movies, comics and all things pop culture. Apart from our own projects, we offer services in video & photography for clients seeking to tell their stories.

History
Eternal Lion Studios was founded by Jake Ramos, Vincent Bonfanti and Nash Ramnauth - all friends from high school who had one thing in common: a love for film. Before its launch in 2005, it all began with a small, extremely low-budget, fan film called "The Matrix: Training Simulation", which was Jake's final for his film appreciation class during senior year of high school. The film, which starred Jake as a new recruit within The Matrix Universe, gave him the recognition he hoped for among his peers as well as an A+ from his film teacher. His teacher loved it so much that she invited him back to present the short film in front of her next class. After the screening, it gained the attention of one of the students, Vinny, who approached Jake after class and they soon realized that they had something in common - a love for film. During this time, Jake was currently working on another film project called Espionage - Operation: Falcon Arrow, which starred both him and Nash as two Government Agents trying to take down a terrorist organization. Jake brought his new friend Vinny onboard, and together with Nash, created their first film as a team under the production company name, DragonHeart Entertainment.

Jake went on to film school, acquiring new skills and techniques as well as getting his hands on a professional camera and film equipment, which he then used in their many short films. With Jake and Vinny both having a background in Martial Arts and Nash having the desire to learn, it was only fitting that the first couple of short films they produced were in the action genre. However, that didn't stop them from delving into drama, comedy and suspense. In 2005, right before Jake's graduation, they decided that it was time for a name change. They didn't just want to have a cool name, but a story and meaning behind it. Acknowledging Jake's beliefs as a Christian, they wanted to have the word "Lion" as part of the name, which represented the "Lion of Judah". This, however, resulted in several variations including New Lion Productions and New Lion X3 Productions (the X3 standing for Xtreme Xperience in Christ). However, they soon realized that "New Lion" sounded like "New Line Cinema", a major Hollywood studio. Finally, Vinny came up with using the word "Eternal" which represented the eternal God of the Christian faith. Finally, Eternal Lion Studios was born!

As word of mouth grew about their projects, they began collaborating with other filmmakers on their film projects. Independent and unsigned artists have also come flocking in wanting to have their music videos produced through Eternal Lion Studios. Such artists include singer-songwriter Justina Soto, pop-rock band Bright & Loud, indie-alternative band The StereoType, and hip hop artists Yahiness and K-Prime. In recent years, Eternal Lion Studios added photography and graphic design to their line of work as well as shooting live events such as weddings and sweet sixteens to gain financial support on future projects.

As their passion for film continues to grow, the Studio has also grown by adding more people to the team. Wanting to become a major player within the independent circuit, they decided to take on a more serious direction. They submitted their films to many festivals which garnered an even bigger exposure to their line of work. In 2011 and 2012, their short films "Sampaguita Boy" and "Espionage [Prologue] (a reboot to the very first film they worked on together nine years prior) became official selections at the International Film Festival of Manhattan.

Today, Eternal Lion Studios is working hard on developing and creating high quality videos that would take them to the next level. They are more than just filmmakers... they are storytellers that create captivating moments through a single lens. Eternal Lion Studios hopes to inspire young filmmakers alike that it's not about the success waiting for us at the end, but it's about the journey getting there.

The Team

JAKE RAMOS

Jake Ramos co-founded Eternal Lion Studios with Nash and Vinny back in 2005. He is a film school graduate and has went on to direct and produce many short films and collaborated with many independent and aspiring artists on their music videos ranging from many different genres including Jazz, Hip-Hop, Rock and Contemporary Christian. Apart from being behind the camera, Jake also works in front of the camera as an actor. He has acted in several short films as well as played extras for The Bourne Legacy (2012) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
VINCENT (VINNY) BONFANTI

Vinny Bonfanti is a co-founder of Eternal Lion Studios. He is an experienced Martial Artist with a Black Belt in Chinese Kenpo as well as choreographed many action sequences for films produced by Eternal Lion Studios. Vinny has experience working on set as a Production Assistance as well as worked in the set design department for I Am Legend (2007).
NASH RAMNAUTH​

Nash Ramnauth is a co-founder of Eternal Lion Studios. He and Jake have been friends since junior high and started out shooting home movies together. After gaining a small following for their low budget films, they met Vinny during their senior year of high school. Nash is an avid musician and plays mainly the guitar. He usually serves as a cameraman during production and has also shown interest in directing.
JUSTIN FESTEJO

Justin Festejo is a talented photographer and cinematographer. He is a graduate of the Art Institute of New York and has gone on to work on projects for P. Diddy's REVOLT, MTV/VH1, as well as many independent productions. He continues to grow and master the craft of cinematography by challenging himself everyday to keep on shooting.
JAN BODETA

Jan is a talented writer and currently enrolled in John Jay College of Criminal Justice majoring in Police Science. Jan is an expert in weapons and firearms and currently holds a green belt in Sentou Jutsu. He is also part of the stunt team of Eternal Lion Studios.