who we are
Hi, we're Copper Fern 👋🏽
Remember when Hollywood wasn’t afraid to take risks with storytelling?
Yeah, we want to get back to that.
We tell original stories that put Black people and people of color in roles and positions we haven't traditionally seen.
We love to subvert and expand the idea of genre — often combining our favorites to create refreshing hybrids.
Most importantly, we have fun.
We're here to break bread, make good sh*t, and give people something to talk about.
You can say “hi” by emailing us at copperfernproductions[at]gmail.com
behind the curtain.
Copper Fern was created in 2021 by queenmother mastermind Imani Vaughn-Jones, who serves as the company’s lead creative and producer. From script development and coverage to marketing, production strategy, and the actual making of films, Imani is the creative vision—shaping, sharpening, and shepherding projects from a spark of an idea to the screen.
She’s selective about what she takes on, but when a project speaks to her, she knows how to make it better.
A robust multi-hyphenate, you may have seen her work as a playwright showcased by theatres across the country. Or maybe you’ve seen her work as an actress, anywhere from ads for Sprite and Ford, to recurring on NBC’s Ordinary Joe. Maybe you saw one of her award-winning films out on the festival circuit. Or maybe you know her from social media, where she shares entertainment news commentary with her thousands of followers.
She’s kind of a big deal.
Matt Stauffer is the kind of person every creative company needs and no one quite knows how to put on an org chart. At Copper Fern, he is equal parts sounding board, problem-solver, emergency backup, business brain, and “don’t worry, I’ve got it” guy. He helps pressure-test ideas, navigate the inevitable chaos of production, and get projects across the finish line—whether that means providing a last-minute financial push, handling logistics, making sure the crew gets fed, or stepping in to hold boom or babies (he’s had to do both.)
Outside of Copper Fern, Matt brings years of experience building and operating a multimillion-dollar tech company. But his most important role may be serving as Imani’s trusted creative and moral sounding board—the person she can call when she needs to talk through an idea, solve an impossible problem, or just hear “We’ll figure it out.”
Basically, if something needs doing, Matt is probably already doing it.