Dean Hyers began making movies as a teenager, and became an entrepreneur in his twenties, directing electronic promotions for Hollywood blockbusters like Godzilla, Jumanji and Die Hard III. Selling Digital Café to Campbell Mithun Advertising in 1999, Dean returned to the director’s chair with his debut feature, Bill’s Gun Shop, released through Warner Bros. In 2001, Dean was hired by the US Government to train undercover agents in acting skills for deep cover operations, after which Dean was inspired to apply his expertise to speaking and helping business professionals manage stage fright. Author of The Chemistry of Presence, Dean is rising as a top keynote speaker while developing independent movies.
Pete Machalek began making film and video shorts as a teenager, and in college fell in love with the process of communication that film and television represents so well. After receiving his BA in Speech & Communications from Gustavus Adolphus college, Pete earned a Master’s degree in Film Production and Communication Theory at the University of Iowa. Pete wrote, produced and directed the comic film-short An Existential Ennui, and ended up with an Academy Awards semifinalist in 1991. Since then, he has led a colorful career in marketing, publishing, writing, teaching, and training. Pete is past Director of Communications for the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Society of Training and Development.
HISTORY
Dean and Pete first came together in 1999 to create and lead a unique improvisational screen acting workshop that helped actors develop their ability to tap their authentic emotions at will, to connect powerfully with each other, and to think on their feet, to achieve their scene goals. Then, two game-changing events occurred:
First, the actors in the workshop reported that they were taking what they were learning into their day-jobs, and they were experiencing some profound reactions: Their boss was recognizing them, they were getting asked to represent the company, and to present to clients. They were rising in their careers, and they were giving all the credit to the workshop. They said that the training wasn’t just for actors, it was for anyone who wanted to win people over.
Second, Dean and Pete were tapped by a federal agency to train their covert agents in on improvisational acting, to help them win their way into their target communities. After a three-day intensive training process was met with rave reviews by the hiring agents, Pete and Dean recognized that they had something very special to offer.
In 2001, they founded SagePresence, and dedicated the company to help professionals and organizations face their make-or-break moments and win their audiences over with confident stage-presence and winning story structure.