Our Team

Christopher Tuffin is an experienced executive who draws from a diverse career as a sports agent, talent manager, sportscaster/sportswriter, and producer. He began his career working freelance for ESPN and Fox’s “A Current Affair,” the former of which led to a 1993 Sports Emmy. This recognition led him to develop his own talk show for HBO Downtown/ESPN2 and subsequently produce and host his own nationally syndicated golf series. In 1997, Tuffin transitioned into film, working under Peter and Bobby Farrelly on the Fox blockbuster “There’s Something About Mary.” He then segued into producing independent films such as “Chapter Zero” and the award-winning documentary “Open Mic,” featuring Dave Chappelle. In 2001, he joined manager Rick Dorfman to build a production business around a comedy roster that included, at the time, Ed Helms, Greg Giraldo, and Richard Jeni. The company had a deal at NBC, where it produced “The Greg Giraldo Show” pilot with Conan O’Brien’s Conaco. The company produced four network pilots and one series. In 2003, Tuffin formed the horror shingle BloodWorks with former Houston teammate (and two-time Denver Broncos Super Bowl-winning linebacker) Glenn Cadrez and Jive/Zomba music executive Jonathan McHugh. They produced genre titles such as “2001 Maniacs” (Lionsgate), “Hood of Horror” (Xenon), and “2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams” (Nu Image). During his tenure, he also acquired the Jerry Lewis-controlled feature film library. In 2005, Tuffin became the head of the film finance and production company Social Capital, where he financed and produced films such as “Tell Tale” (alongside Ridley and Tony Scott), “The Countess” starring Julie Delpy, Daniel Brühl, and William Hurt, and “Dark Tide” starring Halle Berry. In 2012, Tuffin joined former ICM agent Renée Tab to form the production and management company Sentient. The list of filmmakers the company has represented over the years includes David Cronenberg (“A History of Violence”), Pierre Morel (“Taken”), William Friedkin (“The Exorcist”), Shekhar Kapur (“Elizabeth”), Atom Egoyan (“The Sweet Hereafter”), Alejandro Monteverde (“Bella”), Harald Zwart (“The Karate Kid”), and many more. The company has produced hit TV series such as “Feud: Bette and Joan” for Ryan Murphy (co-created by their clients Zam and Cohen), starring Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon. The show garnered 18 Emmy nominations, 4 Golden Globe nominations, and a BAFTA nomination. On the feature film side, they have produced or executive produced films such as STX’s “Peppermint” starring Jennifer Garner (for their client Pierre Morel), David Cronenberg’s “Maps to the Stars” starring Julianne Moore (who won at Cannes and garnered a Golden Globe nomination), “Line of Duty” starring Aaron Eckhart (from a screenplay they developed with their client Jeremy Drysdale), “Overdrive” starring Scott Eastwood and Ana de Armas (from their client Antonio Negret), “Freelance” starring John Cena and Alison Brie (for their client Pierre Morel), and the surprise Summer 2023 blockbuster “Sound of Freedom” starring Jim Caviezel, Bill Camp, and Mira Sorvino (from their client Alejandro Monteverde). In addition to managing filmmakers, writers, and authors at Sentient Entertainment, Tuffin was also a Managing Partner at Sentient Pictures International (SPI), a motion picture production, sales, and finance company with offices in Dallas, Los Angeles, and London. He also helped structure the company’s finance/distribution deals in Russia, Germany, the Middle East, Greece, Turkey, India, Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, and Eastern Europe. Tuffin most recently produced “Canary Black” starring Kate Beckinsale, which was released on October 24th at #1 on Prime Video. In addition, he is post-production on the high seas actioner, “Alphas”, starring Martin Henderson. In 2024, Tuffin left Sentient to form the global media company Strong Island, which seeks to embody the values, toughness, heart, and commercial craftsmanship of his home region of Long Island, NY.

Chris Ochs is a Southern California native and seasoned sales leader who brings more than 20 years of experience in sales and business development to his role as a Hollywood producer. A three-time founding member of executive teams for internet startups with successful exits, Chris combines deep industry knowledge with a passion for innovation to drive growth and deliver results within the film sector. His executive producing credits include three forthcoming films from Strong Island Entertainment: Martin Villeneuve’s “Merciless” (currently in post-production) staring Jonathan Majors (2025), “The Butler” (2025) and “Princess” (2025). Most recently, Chris served as Vice President of Sales at Switchfly, a global enterprise software platform powering some of the largest travel booking sites worldwide, including white-labeled platforms for Fortune 1000 firms in travel e-commerce, loyalty, and ancillary services. In this role, he built a business-to-business sales infrastructure from the ground up, generating millions in new annual recurring revenue and maintaining a pipeline valued at millions more. Previously, as Vice President & Head of Sales for Factoreal (acquired by Satisfi Labs), Chris led the company’s sales team and created a professional sports channel, securing multi-year agreements with organizations like the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and the Rajasthan Royals of the Indian Premier League. At 250ok (now part of Validity’s Everest platform), he developed the company’s outbound sales program and closed its largest individual deal, showcasing his ability to understand and leverage sales cycles and exceed profitability targets. Chris’s academic and athletic background reflects his drive and versatility. A proud alumnus of the University of Houston Honors College, he was the first Honors student to play on the university’s nationally-ranked football team. He later earned his master’s in business administration (MBA) from UCLA Anderson School of Management, graduating with concentrations in Finance, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship. When he’s not producing films or building and leading sales teams, Chris embraces the lifestyle of his home along Colorado’s Front Range, where he enjoys enjoying skiing, fly fishing, and competing in local road races. A dog rescue advocate and proud dog dad to his Irish Wolfhound, Guinevere, Chris approaches both his personal and professional pursuits with energy, commitment, and an unshakable sense of curiosity.

Amanda Delaplaine is the COO and Vice President of Operations for Strong Island. She previously served as creative executive at Sentient Entertainment, where she oversaw the development of projects such as LAST MEALS, MERCILESS, PRINCESS, and ALPHAS.  Since joining Strong Island, she has overseen physical production on ALPHAS for the company in South Africa. Delaplaine also oversaw the recent acquisition of the Ken Bruen Inspector Brant literary franchise.   She came up under Emmy nominee Renee Tab and Christopher Tuffin as their personal assistants on FREELANCE, CANARY BLACK, and several other film and television projects, including the upcoming THE OTHERS remake at Universal.   Prior to joining Sentient full-time, Delaplaine worked as a freelance script coverage writer for Sentient, Sentient Pictures International, and several other film and television companies.   She also previously handled digital campaigns for several production and new media companies. Prior to the entertainment business, she ran Hibiscus Gallery in Miami, which represented several highly sought-after in-house artists.  She began her career in the entertainment industry as a casting associate at Ed Arenas Casting in Miami, the agency best known for its work on the "Bad Boys” movie franchise.  In addition to development and production at Strong Island, she also oversees the company's digital initiatives and new media ventures (including, but not limited to, podcasting, documentaries, unscripted, soundtracks/music publishing, merchandising, and video game licensing).   Delaplaine serves as an executive producer and/or producer on the upcoming films LAST MEALS, ALPHAS, MERCILESS, THE BUTLER, and PRINCESS. She holds a B.B.A. in Business Technology from the University of Miami and is also a former world-class rower.

For over 25 years, John Baca has been a driving force in the global entertainment industry, navigating the intricate worlds of feature films, television, and intellectual property. From his early days working with industry stalwarts to his current role as a producer and visionary strategist, Baca's career is a story of innovation, collaboration, and unrelenting ambition. Baca's journey began with a foundation in finance, management and strategy with the Federal Reserve Bank in Denver. This background instilled a keen understanding of business strategy, a skill he would later use to transform the entertainment landscape. His expertise became evident during his tenure at The Steel Company, where he helped broker thousands of territorial licensing deals for blockbuster films like La La Land, John Wick, Twilight, Paddington, The Hunger Games, and Slumdog Millionaire. It was here that Baca's ability to see beyond the immediate horizon became clear. Perhaps one of his most groundbreaking achievements was his role in Marvel Entertainment's evolution. While at The Steel Company, Baca recognized Marvel as a "sleeping giant." Collaborating with Gordon Steel and Relativity, he approached Marvel with an audacious idea: to transition from a licensing model to owning and producing its films. The plan required securing substantial financing, but the results redefined the entertainment industry. Marvel Studios was born, paving the way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe - a multi-billion-dollar franchise that has become a global phenomenon. Building on these successes, Baca founded Artificial Intelligence Entertainment (AIE), a consultancy that partners with international distributors to acquire films and develop content across the globe. Under AIE, Baca worked with leading companies like All Media, Atlantic, Bocek, Captive, Carmen Film, Cathay, Corbi Media, D Films, DNA 2002, Dutch Filmworks, Film Rise, Hi-Show, IMAGEM, Koch Media, Ledafilm, Leone Film Group, Lots Home, Medyaviyzon, Pinnacle, Prime Pictures, Remstar Films, TF1, UA Films, and Weltkino forging relationships in every corner of the world. His ability to broker deals for films like Crash, Drive, Dallas Buyers Club, The Hurt Locker, Magic Mike, and Taken established him as a key player in the industry. Baca is also a founding member of Bedrock Entertainment, a television production studio helmed by Emmy Award-winning creatives Tony To and Daniel Sackheim. Together, they've built a slate of premium television series and films that reflect their shared vision of bold, emotionally resonant storytelling. What sets Baca apart is his unparalleled ability to think outside of the box, secure exciting intellectual properties, attract top-tier talent, and with his deep understanding of the media business on a global scale, has the ability to architect a pathway to continued success with his creative collaborators. Whether it's brokering deals for global distribution, spearheading the adaptation of innovative IP, or developing content that resonates with diverse audiences, Baca approaches every project with a fearless commitment to excellence. He has proven time and again that he has the vision to anticipate the next big opportunity and the tenacity to make it a reality. John Baca's story is one of passion, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of storytelling that matters. With every project, he continues to shape the future of entertainment, leaving an indelible mark on the industry and inspiring a new generation of creators.