Mission
Breiner-Sanders Productions is a production company Dedicated to supporting films that explore the complexity of being human, championing stories from marginalized people, and creating a community of like-minded artists. And also fun and joy.
Originally founded in 2013 as BSB Media
Mélisa Breiner-Sanders Mélisa Breiner-Sanders is a Brooklyn-based producer and actor dedicated to telling bold, character-driven stories that explore the complexity of being human. She comes from a family of storytellers rooted in both Appalachia and New York City, a dual heritage that fuels her passion for layered narratives, emotional nuance, and deep human connection.
In 2013, Mélisa founded Breiner-Sanders Productions, a company committed to supporting inclusive, emotionally resonant films and fostering creative communities grounded in collaboration and care. She has produced two feature films—Seven Lovers (Amazon, Apple TV) and Greetings From Arizona—as well as over 15 short films that have screened at top festivals including Tribeca, and Cannes (Norma, Unsaid, Cupids, Beyond the Fog, Poreless). With a background in physical production, Mélisa is known for her ability to build efficient, values-aligned teams and deliver high-quality work from development through post.
As an actor, Mélisa most recently appeared in Law & Order: Organized Crime and has performed in more than two dozen film, TV, and theatre projects. Her viral sketch Interview with an Applicant has over 1.6 million views on YouTube. Additional credits include Out and About, We’re Breaking Up, and stage productions such as The Last Seder (Off-Broadway), As Wide As I Can See (Off-Broadway), and Birds of North America. She began her acting journey with strong instincts and later earned her MFA in Acting from DePaul University, deepening her craft and confidence. She also holds a BA from Georgetown University and is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity.
Part of the 2020 Sundance Co//ab Producing Cohort and currently serves as Board Treasurer of Aisle & Lens, a nonprofit supporting women and non-binary storytelling. She is currently in development on Apple, a magical realism feature, and remains committed to using storytelling as a tool for empathy, impact, and joy.
Testimonials
Breiner-Sanders Productions has a clear vision to further develop her dynamic platform to support the ambitious work of this artist-producer, as well as to support the ambitious work of other artists. With the match of the forward-thinking vision for the company and the solid foundation she has created for it, Breiner-Sanders Productions is a company with an important voice and a vital future.
Kitt Lavoie
Artistic Director of The CRY HAVOC Company
New York, NY
For most of my time as a filmmaker, I relied on close friends and acquaintances to get my projects shot. It was more a matter of convenience than practicality, but I made it work for me. My recent comedy webseries, CaucAsian, demanded something a little more structured and official than just a bunch of pals hangin’ around, havin’ a good time makin’ movies. When I approached Mélisa with the scripts for the series, she knew right away that an actual working crew was essential to getting my vision to the screen. She immediately took the reigns on the production, bringing on a seasoned crew, and leading our casting process. In no time we had gone from pre-production to principal photography. What we ended up with was an airtight schedule that not only proved effective in getting the shots we needed, it had the actors in and out of their respective scenes with enough time for me to do some improvising.
As an overall experience working with Breiner-Sanders Productions, I’d have to day it was top notch. Nothing was left to chance, yet nothing stifled my vision for CaucAsian. For me, that’s the true hallmark of professional film production.”
Joseph Patrick Conroy
Director, New York, NY
Melisa's hard work, diligence, attention to detail, and creative storytelling instincts are spot-on, hilarious, and embody what it means to be human in a decidedly fractured culture. The stories she is interested in telling on film are contemporary, hip, and devoid of cliche. It has been my privilege to collaborate with her.
Mark Snyder
Writer. Brooklyn, NY
Melisa was such a dream the day of our shoot. She had pulled together an entire production team, transportation, food, gear, and the rental of a black box theatre where we filmed the music video all within the small budget we agreed upon. She helped the day go by smoothly with a timeline and by anticipating the needs of the day.
Shenandoah Ableman
Lead Singer, Brooklyn, NY