It was a good omen: Within five days of opening their production company, Gloria Lewis and partner Bill German had their first job. “We had no idea how it would end up,” admits Lewis, who is president and executive producer of the Haverford-based Cornerstone Pictures.
In the more than two decades since the launch, Lewis has produced everything from national commercials for Conair and Kentucky Fried Chicken to six seasons of the CBS show, Cold Case, which shot many of its key scenes in Philadelphia. “I like the change that comes with my job,” says Lewis. “Every project is different from the last. We may be considered a little company, but we get to do big stuff. Whether it’s a $50,000 budget job or $2 million, I put the same amount of care, effort and energy into it, because this is my passion.”
One of the Cornerstone projects that made the biggest impression on Lewis was a series of long-format educational films she produced for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “I feel so blessed to be able to work with a place that does such good,” she says.
The experience inspired her to start the nonprofit Medical History Pictures, with a focus on educational projects aimed at teaching children about science and medicine. Lewis recently received funding for her first film, which will be distributed to schools nationwide. “You can use your talent and skills for so many things,” she says. “This is one way I can use mine to do good.”
