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AnEMMETT/FURLA/OASIS FILMS
Production
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ENTERTAINMENT
JASONPATRICKBRUCE
WILLIS JOHNCUSACK
(insert
title treatment)
RAIN JESSICA LOWNDES JOHNATHAN SCHAECH GIA MANTEGNA
And CURTIS
“50 CENT” JACKSON
Produced
by RandallEmmett, GeorgeFurla, Samuel Y. Ha,
Huh Soo
Young,Adam Goldworm
Written
by Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore
Directed
by Brian A.Miller
THEPRINCE
AboutTheStory
& Characters
JASON
PATRIC (My Sister’s Keeper),BRUCE
WILLIS (Red 2) and JESSICA LOWNDES (90210) lead a venerable group of veterans
and newcomers in The Prince, an unrelentingaction film that forces a retired
crime boss back into the seedy underworld he’d left behind. For twenty years
Paul Brennan (Patric), a retired New Orleans crime boss, has lived a quiet life
off the grid, running an auto repair garage in remote Mississippi. When his teenage
daughter goes missing, Paul is forced to return to the city and face his former
enemies. With the help of his daughter’s friend Angela (Lowndes),Paul comes
face to face with Omar (Willis), the city’s most powerful man whose family he
mistakenly took out, in an explosive final standoff that may offer redemption
for Paul’s past mistakes. Starring alongside Patric, Willis, and Lowndes in The Prince are JOHN CUSACK (2012), RAIN (Ninja Assassin), JOHNATHON SCHAECH (The Legend of Hercules) GIA MANTEGNA (The Frozen Ground), and CURTIS “50 CENT” JACKSON (Escape Plan).
Prolific
producer, Randall Emmett read the script and immediately knew it was a winner
in the vein of his previous action packed dramas like The Frozen Ground, Catch .44,
or Narc. “Bruce really fell for the
material, as well as Jason, and then John came on board and I felt that actors of
this caliber would bring something really special to the characters and to the
storyof a man having to face his old demons when his daughter disappears in the
same crime universe that he used to live in.” says Emmett.
Writing
partners Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmorewere looking to explore the concept
of whether the person you are inside is inevitably who you are. "That
thought brings up questions like, do you
have the will and determination to change who you are," explains Fabrizio.“Much
like Eastwood's Unforgiven, The Prince exploresthat but in a modern
setting.” “The story began to take shape
when we were back in film school,” adds Passmore, of the duo’s first script
they wrote together. “The Prince is
about a man becoming this monster that he once was in order to save to the one
thing that he cares about which is his daughter."
Director
Brian A. Miller dives headlong into the gritty underworld of territorial
gangsters and revenge in the action-thriller, The Prince.Paul Brennan is a former mob enforcerwith two decades
between him and an awful mistake that took the lives of a very powerful man’s
family. “When Paul’s daughter goes missing in the city where he is a wanted
man, he has to go back into this past,” begins Miller. “Bit by bit, as we pull
that string, it leads us to all these new dimensions, back into the sins of his
past life as he seeks redemption for the mistakes he had made. It’s a genre
story turned upside down on its head, and that really attracted me to the
script.”
Several
cars are parked in front of Royal Automotive,the business Paul opened when he
moved to a small town in Mississippi to escape his past. He is looking forward
to his daughter Beth’s upcoming Christmas break visit and quickly flips open
the shop’s large bay doors while thumbing through a stack of bills,when a
letter from State College catches his attention.Confused by the Past Due Notice,
Paulopens his computer to Skype Beth. A man answers, his face partially
blocked, and in the background other people talk and there is a faint pulse of
techno music. Paul asks for Beth and after a pause the man laughs and the line
goes dead. Beth’s cellphone goes straight to voice mail,leaving Paul clearly
unnerved.
“I play a
single father who all of a sudden finds out that his daughter has disappeared,
and in searching for her discovers she has a secret life,” explains Patric. “As
the story unfolds, you find out Paul also had a secret life.I think we all have
our pasts, parts of ourselves that we hide, for our betterment we believe.With
every character I always find those parts of myself that I understand or that I
have lived.In this case there is a darkness that this man has buried because he
wants to have something better.”
Wasting
no time, Paul is soon peering apprehensively out a taxi window as it pulls to a
stop in front ofBeth’s apartment where he searches for clues. His eyes come to
rest on a bunch of photos stuck to her bedroom wall: in addition to Beth, the
common thread is an attractive blonde and a neon sign for the Brickyard Bar. Paul
works his way through the crowd, scanning faces,when a group of kids enter from
the back door and he finally sees the girl from the photo, Angela. She’s drunk
and definitely wired, and would probably fall over if it weren’t for the
guywalking next to her.
Under
the fluorescent lights of the all-night diner across the street, Angela looks
like crap, pupils the size of Wyoming as she struggles to down some coffee and
explain that Beth has been partying pretty hard, and recently began dating a
guy from New Orleans. Paul noticeably tenses at the mention of the Big Easy and
details of the boyfriend’s drug-filled lifestyle. He stands abruptly, tosses
cash on the table and tells Angela they’re heading to New Orleans. She balks
but is the only one that can point out Eddie.
“When
Angela first meetsPaul he is just Beth’s dad, this mechanic from Mississippi; I
don’t really know what I got myself into,” begins Lowndes, whose character comes
off as the quintessential party girl, always chasing the next high.“Paul offers
up this road trip to New Orleans and Angela thinks why not,lets go party and
have fun. But it turns out we have people chasing us and he is this bad ass and
he’s killing people.”
After a
warning to leave town and a beat down and in a seedy strip club parking lot by
associates of Eddie’s, Paul slowly rises to his feet and insists no one’s going
anywhere until he finds Eddie. Almost stunned at what they’re seeing, the men
return to finish Paul off when he knocks out the first man, and in a series of
lightening fast moves he delivers bone-crunching hits on the other three.“As
they get closer to finding Beth, Angela is slowly unveiling who Paul is and we see
more and more of his past and what his character has gone through,” continues
Lowndes. “The arc of the story is following Paul, watching him change from the
man he has become since leaving the citytwenty years ago, back into the man
that he was twenty years ago,” adds Miller. “That’s really the mystery of the
story, watching it unfold through his eyes and through Angela’s reactions,as
the search for his daughter intensifies.”
Paul and
Angela find Eddie in an old-school hangout that hasn’t gotten a facelift since
it’s heyday. Eddie sizes up Paul and unwittingly suggests he look for Beth
spinning on a pole in the club across the street when Riley, who knew Paul back
in the day,invites himself to their table and recounts his last memory of Paul taking
down seven people in Stewarts. Through a slow, smoke-y haze, a young Paul
dressed all in black advances, pistol firing, muzzle flashes, bullets ejecting.
All seven bodies hitting the floor and I
went down too, but I wasn’t shot yet, recalls Riley. Eddie is uncomfortable
at what he hears but Paul just stares into Riley, who pours himself another drink.
A younger Riley closes his eyes waiting for the shot but, When I finally got the courage to open them again, you were nowhere to
be seen, Riley says to Paul.
Eddie
finally admits that he went out with Beth but dropped her when she got into
heroin. Last he knew she was with a dealer named Tony Martinez, also known as The
Pharmacy,who sells drugs out of an abandoned warehouse. Riley shakes his head
knowing that’s some serious trouble that even the cops know to stay away from. As
each new bit of information gets Paul closer to Beth, it also exposes him to Omar
(Bruce Willis), “avery powerful man in the city of New Orleans who put a price
on Paul’s head the day Paul mistakenly killed Omar’s wife and daughter,”
explains Miller. “Like Open Range or Unforgiven, this is a modern day western
where this gun slinger’s daughter goes missing in this city where he is a
wanted man.”
“Bruce isan
old school pro that can just turn on the charm; I would whisper in his ear and
wound him up a little bit, and then just let him go,” recalls Miller, of the
character thatdoes little to hide his thirst for vengeance. Omar, finely
dressed with an air of power about him, tightens his grip on the phone,as a car
follows Paul’s Explorer through an industrial part of town. The voice on the
other end assures Omar that everyone in the bar knew The Prince the second he
walked in the door.
Omar
instructs his henchmen to bring Paul to him, but Mark (Rain), measures his words
carefully before counseling, Let him do
whatever it is he came here for and crawl back to whatever rock he’s been
hiding under. “Mark is cool headed and charismatic,” says South Korean
actor and singer Rain, who plays Omar’s quick-on-the-draw, right hand man. With
finality, Omar glances at a photo of Susan and Rachel,sits down at his desk and
declares, If The Prince is here, he’s
mine.“Brucejust turns it on and becomes this character that you will see
unfold on screen,” Miller says with a smile.
Paul is
able to evade Omar's men, sending their sedan crashing into a ditch and leaving
Angela trembling in her seat in a state of total shock. Sirens are heard in the
distance, as Paul slams a thug's head into the car doorjamb and sends a warning
to Omar that he's just passing through and it’s better that he lets him be.
Whether Angela wants to know or not, Paul's past as a trained killer eventually
spills forth, as he relives that moment standing at a bus stop, watching Omar’s
wife and daughter walk past their station wagon and getting into Omar’s sedan.
He runs toward them waving his hands, begging them to back away, but it’s too
late and Paul is illuminated as the car explodes.
“I play
Sam, an old friend or associate of Paul’s, and when he comes back to town and
gets into trouble he asks Sam for a favor because of their prior relationship,”
begins John Cusack, whose character is reminiscent of Rickin Casablanca.“It’s a
troubled relationship because of Paul’s past.” Paul and Angela make their way
through the luxurious lobby of the Sam’s Goldmine Casino and Hotel. In the
presidential suite, Paul explains that his daughter has gotten herself in with
a bad crowd and someone called The Pharmacy. Sam knows the lunatic and can’t
get involved, much less even be seen with Paul, who understands and explains he
just needs a safe place for Angela. As Paul leaves, Sam warns that a lot of
their guys are now with Omar.
A
blinking neon sign thatreads Mike’s Gun
Store illuminates the barred windows of a run down building. Paul asks for
Big Mike and Frank nods his shaved head toward a photo indicating that his dad
passed away a few years ago. Forewarned that anyone who walks in with tattoos
like Paul’s brings hell with him, the young man levels a sawn-off pump shotgun
at Paul’s gut,declaring he’d better be ready to draw. “When this former
gunslinger comes into town we really needed to establish for the audience that
when The Princewalked into the room he could literally can take you down in a
millisecond,” explains Miller. “We brought in Jonathan Schaech to play Frankbecause
we needed somebody that could give us the intensity while at the same time
conveying to the audience the fear.Frank one of those characters who knows who
this guy is and that when you draw on this guy you’re drawing on Doc Holliday.”
Paul
pulls up in front of the abandoned factory. A security guy tells him he’sgot
the wrongaddress, but Paul yanks the door and insists that he has some life
saving information for The Pharmacy. He relinquishes his Glock and waits in a
dimly lit hallway, side rooms filled with young junkies and prostitutes. A
steady stream of twenty-something girls file past, zombie-like, and for a
second he thinks he sees Beth’s face. The Pharmacy sits sprawled on a sofa
surrounded by four toughs and a handful of girls. On a nearby couch, a girl
seems to be asleep but track marks run along the inside of her arm and The
Pharmacy innocently claims he didn’t do anything that Beth didn’t ask for. A
dark, bottomless rage rises within Paul, as he moves to take Beth home. But
Paul’s Glock appears at his temple, held by the security guard, and with
taunting glee The Pharmacy reveals that Omar has requested he keep Paul and his
daughter on ice till he gets there.
“The
factory is where it all goes down, where we make it and shake it and we bake it;
it all comes together baby,” says 50 Cent, who plays the powerful underground
figure known as The Pharmacy.“Everybody that’s here wants to be here, nobody’s
arm is being twisted, they love it. If they aren’t in love with the actual
scenery itself they are in love with what we have.”
With
almost inhuman speed, Paul twists the guard’s arm backwards and blows his head
off. Before the other three thugs can reach their guns, he gets shots off and
only The Pharmacy remains, frozen mid-reach for a gun on the coffee table. He
raises his hands in surrender, but Paul looks him in the eyes and pulls the
trigger.
Chaos
erupts in the hallway; Paul grabs a gun off the floor and when the door crashes
open he fires with both pistols, mowing down the gunmen. He holsters a pair of
guns from the downed men, puts an arm around Beth and leads her down a long
narrow corridor, blowing away gunmen as soon as they jump out in front of him.
There is muffled screaming as the music that filled the warehouse grinds to a
halt. Gunshots and flashes continue, then everything goes quiet. Finally the
warehouse door blasts open and two gunmen drop to the ground as Paul emerges
with Beth in tow. He carries her to the waiting Camaro and races off down the
street.
It’s
dawn and Paul stands in front of a bathroom mirror and barely flinches,
stitching himself up. He takes a long pull from a bottle of whiskey before
putting on a shirt and heading to the bedroom to find Beth with Angela by her
side. He knows it will get worse as the heroin wears off and Angela, realizing
they need a moment, takes her cue and leaves. Paul is ready to take Beth home,
but she’s not sure she even knows what home is anymore.
"Paul
is the ultimate father, a tough guy but also a teddy bear deep down
inside," explains Gia Mantegna who plays Beth, Paul's wayward daughter who
runs with the wrong crowd when she leaves home for college. "Beth is the
driving force for Paul’s return to New Orleans where he is forced back to his
old territory and faces his enemies."
"The
Prince is an incredible action thriller, but at the same time there is a heart
in there," concludes Miller. "There is the revenge that Omar has been
seeking over the last twenty years and has built up through to the big finale
at the end. And there's the very realistic father daughter relationship that I
think people are going to relate to. Like a lot of people, Paul and his
daughter had a very disconnected relationship. When he goes on this journey, it
brings them closer together. It’s also a wakeup for all the characters who go
through their own personal arcs. When people walk away at the end of this movie
they are going to be blown away."
BRIAN A.
MILLER (Officer Down) directs The Prince from a screenplay that is
written by Andre Fabrizio (television’s I
Shouldn’t Be Alive) and Jeremy Passmore (Red Dawn). Supporting Miller is a vibrant, young behind-the-scenes team
led by director of photography YARON LEVY (Getaway,
Universal Soldier: A Day of Reckoning), production designer NATEJONES (Getaway, Universal Soldier: A Day of
Reckoning), editor RICK SHAINE (The
Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn the Treader), costume designer CAMILLEJUMELLE
(ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2), and
composers The Newton Brothers (Oculus,
Setup).
The Prince is produced by RANDALL EMMETT (2 Guns, Lone Survivor), GEORGE FURLA (End of Watch, Rambo), SAMUEL Y. HA (War of the Arrows), HUH SOO YOUNG (Snowpiercer), andADAM GOLDWORM(Silent Night, television’s Masters of Horror).Executive producers
of the film are BARRY BROOKER, JEFF RICE, RICHARD RIONDA DEL CASTRO, STAN
WERTLIEB, PATRICIA EBERLE, FRED SONG, and HO-SUNG PAK.TIMOTHY SULLIVAN and BRANDONGRIMESare
the film’s co-producers, with casting for The
Prince done by ANNEMCCARTHY and KELLIEROY.
Grindstone
Entertainment and Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films in association with Union Investment
Partnerspresents an Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films Production in association with
Aperture Entertainment of The Prince.
The film is represented domestically by Grindstone Entertainment and
internationally by Hannibal Pictures. The
Prince has not yet been rated by the MPAA.
THEPRINCEAboutTheProduction
Director
Brian A. Miller plants the audience firmly in the gritty underworld of revenge
seeking gangsters with the action-thriller The
Prince, which shot on locations throughout Mobile, Alabama. “I have to say,
the production value that wegot from Mobile is quite spectacular,” says Miller
enthusiastically of the city that turned itself into a back lot and doubled as
New Orleans for a large portion of the shoot.Adds producer Randall Emmett, “Brian
fell in love with Mobile and thought it was just ideal for The Prince. The city worked with us and the community really
embraced us, so it made our production really work.”
“When I
first landed and started going through the city, it was important to find
locations that were distinctive,” explains Miller. “We were able to find a
richness in each of our locations that really elevated the production to the
next level: from the 35-story high-rise towers for Omar’s compound to Paul’s automotive
shop that looks like something from Gone
in 60 Seconds, filled with all these amazing automobiles and muscle
carsfrom the 60’s and 70’s.”
The task
of refining the film’s look and recreating New Orleans in Mobile went to
production designer Nate Jones. “Mobile was actually the first capitol of New
France, so some of the same architecture is available there,” explains Jones of
Mobile’s original name of Fort Louis de
la Louisiane. “The opportunity to tell a story about someone coming back
home to New Orleans really spoke to me because my Dad's family is from there. I
actually thought about my time outside of the traditional places people recall
when they think about New Orleans. The town has an energy all it's own and
sometimes people seem to forget that there is a very seedy underbelly to some
of it. It's like any major city, if you're looking for trouble, you're gonna
find it,” affirms the designer who is no stranger to the action genre with
credits like Transit and Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning.
“Brian
is action packed, so I usually put on my seatbelt and hung on,” recalls Jones
of his first experience working with Miller. “He has a very direct vision about
what he sees in every scene, so it made it easy for me to create his vision. Paul's
shop was a big one for us and I really wanted to convey how much he really digs
into his work in an attempt to forget everything he has done in the past. There
is something about working on a car that takes you out of everything else in
your life and forces you to concentrate on the task at hand. With Omar's we
were first showing the dichotomy of the two characters lifestyles and financial
levels. Secondly, I wanted to show the delicate balance, with patterns and
symbolism, of how one may wish to be perceived but the truth will eventually
show through in the end,” says the designer who focused on “vibrancy and
intensity on this film rather than a specific color scheme,” in this reteaming
with cinematographer Yaron Levy.
Sam’s
Goldmine Hotel and Casino was staged in Mobile’s historic Battle House
Renaissance Hotel. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the
building’s marble and brick façade, and lobby decked out with trompe-l’œil
paintings and a domed skylight set the mood for the showdown between Paul and
Omar’s thugs. Not far from the hotel is Dauphine Street, which “has a French
Quarter type feel,the architecture matches,” affirms Miller.“Mobile has that
big city feel and it’s a lot easier to shoot Mobile from New Orleans then a lot
of people would have imagined.”The Prince
shot on locations in and around Mobile Alabama for three weeks, with two days
of establishing exteriors shot in New Orleans.
BRIAN A.
MILLER (Officer Down) directs The Prince from a screenplay that is
written by Andre Fabrizio (television’s I
Shouldn’t Be Alive) and Jeremy Passmore (Red Dawn). Supporting Miller is a vibrant, young behind-the-scenes
team led by director of photography YARON LEVY (Getaway, Universal Soldier: A Day of Reckoning), production
designer NATE JONES (Getaway, Universal
Soldier: A Day of Reckoning), editor RICK SHAINE (The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn the Treader), costume
designer CAMILLE JUMELLE (ChromeSkull:
Laid to Rest 2), and composers The Newton Brothers (Oculus, Setup).
THEPRINCE AboutTheCast
Jason
PATRIC (Paul Brennan)
Jason Patric’s feature film debut came in 1987 when he
appearedin the comedy-thriller THE LOST BOYS, directed by Joel Schumacher. He then starred in the war drama THE BEAST OF
WAR; James Foley’s adaptation of Jim Thompson’s crime thriller AFTER DARK, MY
SWEET; and LiliFini Zanuck’s undercover cop film RUSH, which earned Patric
critical acclaim.
Patricfollowed up with starring rolesin GERONIMO: AN
AMERICAN LEGEND, THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING, SLEEPERS, and YOUR FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBORS, which was the first feature Patric produced for his production
company, Fleece.Additional featured roles for Patric include:Joe Carnahan’s
critically acclaimed drama NARC;THE
ALAMO for director John Lee Hancock; the thriller DOWNLOADING NANCY with Maria
Bello; the romantic comedy EXPIRED; opposite Cameron Diaz in MY SISTER’S
KEEPER, the audience-grabbing drama directed by Nick Cassavetes; and the CIA
special forces actioner THE LOSERS.
Patric
starred on Broadway in the revival of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play THAT
CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, with Chris Noth, Kiefer Sutherland, Brian Cox and Jim
Gaffigan, directed by Gregory Mosher. Originally presented in 1972,the play was
written byPatric’s father Jason Miller. Patricalso starred as Brick in the Broadway production of CAT
ON A HOT TIN ROOF, and some of his other theatre credits include: Neil LaBute’sBASH,
BEIRUT, OUT OF AST ON LOVER’S LEAP, THE TEMPEST, HENRY V, and LOVE’S LABOR
LOST.
Bruce
WILLIS (Omar)
Bruce
Willis has demonstrated incredible versatility in a career that has included
such diverse characterizations as the prizefighter in Quentin Tarantino's PULP
FICTION, 1994 Palme D'Or winner at Cannes, the philandering contractor in
Robert Benton's NOBODY’S FOOL, the heroic time traveler in Terry Gilliam's 12 MONKEYS,
the traumatized Vietnam veteran in Norman Jewison'sIN COUNTRY, the
compassionate child psychologist in M. Night Shyamalan's Oscar® nominated THE
SIXTH SENSE, for which he won the People's
Choice Award, and his signature role, Detective
John McClane, in the DIE HARDseries of feature films.
Following
studies at Montclair State College's prestigious theater program, the New
Jersey native honed his craft in several stage plays and countless television
commercials, before landing the leading role in Sam Shepard's 1984 stage drama FOOL
FOR LOVE, a run which lasted for 100 performances off-Broadway.
Willis
next won international stardom and several acting awards, including Emmy® and
Golden Globe® honors, for his starring role as private eye David Addison on the hit television series MOONLIGHTING, winning
the role over 3,000 other contenders. At the same time, he made his motion
picture debut opposite Kim Basinger in Blake Edwards' romantic comedy BLIND
DATE.
In 1988,
he originated the role of John McClane
in the blockbuster film, DIE HARD, one of the highest-grossing releases of that
year. He later reprised the character in four sequels: DIE HARD: Die Harder,
DIE HARD: With A Vengeance, 1995's global box-office champ, LIVE FREE, DIE
HARD, one of the box-office hits of summer 2007, and the recently releasedA
GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD.
His wide
array of film roles includes collaborations with such respected filmmakers as
Michael Bay in ARMAGEDDON, M. Night Shyamalan in THE SIXTH SENSE and
UNBREAKABLE, Alan Rudolph in MORTAL THOUGHTS, and BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS,
Walter Hill in LAST MAN STANDING, Robert Benton in BILLY BATHGATE and NOBODY’S
FOOL, Rob Reiner in THE STORY OF US, Edward Zwick in THE SIEGE, Luc Besson in
THE FIFTH ELEMENT, Barry Levinson in BANDITS and WHAT JUST HAPPENED, Robert
Zemeckis in DEATH BECOMES HER, and Robert Rodriguez in SIN CITY and GRINDHOUSE.
Other
motion picture credits include 2010's RED, where he originated the role of Frank Moses; THE JACKAL, MERCURY RISING,
HART’S WAR, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS and its sequel THE WHOLE TEN YARDS, THE KID,
TEARS OF THE SUN, HOSTAGE, 16 BLOCKS, ALPHA DOG, LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN, and
PERFECT STRANGER. He also voiced the character of the wise-cracking infantMikey in LOOK WHO’S TALKING and LOOK
WHO’S TALKING TOO, as well as the lead characters RJandSpike in the
animated hit features OVER THE HEDGE and RUGRATS GO WILD! In 2012, Willis successfully
added to his credits two critically acclaimed films: director Wes Anderson's MOONRISE
KINGDOM, for which Willis and the film received Independent Film Award
nominations, and director Rian Johnson's sci-fi thriller LOOPER, co-starring
Joseph Gordon Levitt.
In
addition to his work before the cameras, Willis produced HOSTAGE and THE WHOLE
NINE YARDS, and executive produced BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS, adapted from Kurt
Vonnegut's best-selling novel. With his brother David Willis and business
partner Stephen Eads, he co-founded Willis Brothers Films, a film production
company based in Los Angeles.
Willis
also maintains a hand in the theater. In 1997 he co-founded A Company of Fools,
a non-profit theater troupe committed to developing and sustaining stage work
in the Wood River Valley of Idaho, and throughout the U.S. He starred in and
directed a staging of Sam Shepard's dark comedy TRUE WEST at the Liberty
Theater in Hailey, Idaho. The play, which depicts the troubled relationship
between two brothers, was aired on Showtime and dedicated to Willis' late
brother Robert.
An
accomplished musician as well, Willis recorded the 1986 Motown album THE RETURN
OF BRUNO, which went platinum and contained the No. 5 Billboard hit Respect Yourself. Three years later, he
recorded a second album IF IT DON’T KILL YOU, IT JUST MAKES YOU STRONGER. In
2002, he launched a U.S. club tour with his musical group, Bruce Willis and the
Blues Band and he traveled to Iraq to play for U.S. servicemen.
John
CUSACK (Sam)
With an impressive body of work spanning the course of two
decades, John Cusack has evolved into one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and
respected actors of his generation, garnering both critical acclaim as well as
prestigious accolades for his dramatic and comedic roles. In April 2012, the
Hollywood Chamber of Commerce presented Cusack with the 2,469th Hollywood Walk
of Fame star, honoring his long, ground-breaking career in film.
Cusack first gained the attention of audiences by starring
in a number of 1980s film classics such as THE SURE THING, SAY ANYTHING, and
SIXTEEN CANDLES. Following these roles, Cusack successfully shed his
teen-heartthrob image and demonstrated his ability to expand his film
repertoire by starring in a wide range of dramas, thrillers and comedies including
THE GRIFTERS, EIGHT MEN OUT, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, HIGH FIDELITY, and GROSSE
POINTE BLANK.
Most
recently, Cusack starred in the independent film ADULT WORLD, which premiered
at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival and was released by IFC Films early in 2014.
He also starred alongside Robert De Niro in the crime thriller THE BAG MAN,
which will open on February 28, 2014. In 2013, Cusack was seen in the
psychological thriller THE FROZEN GROUND, in which he reunited with Nicolas
Cage, and in Lee Daniel’s THE BUTLER, as President
Richard Nixon.
Cusack
is currently on location in Atlanta filming the sci-fi thriller CELL. Adapted
from the Stephen King novel of the same title, he stars opposite Samuel L.
Jackson. Additionally, Cusack recently finished filming LOVE AND MERCY, in
which he plays iconic Beach Boys songwriter and musician Brian Wilson opposite Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti. Cusack
will also star in David Cronenberg’s latest film, MAPS TO THE STARS alongside
Julianne Moore, Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska.
In 2012,
Cusack appeared in Lee Daniels’ drama THE PAPERBOY. He co-starred opposite
Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron and Matthew McConaughey as Hillary Van Wetter, an inmate on death row. The film debuted at the
Cannes Film Festival in May 2012. That same year, Cusack starred in the
independent thriller THE RAVEN, where he portrayed the infamous author Edgar Allen Poe. The film, directed by
James McTiegue and produced by Marc D. Evans, tells fictionalized account of
the last days of Poe's life, in which the poet is in pursuit of a serial killer
whose murders mirror those in the writer's stories.
Cusack
also starred in HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, an R-rated comedy centered on a group of
adult men, portrayed by Cusack, Rob Cordry (WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS), Craig Robinson
(THE OFFICE) and Clark Duke (GREEK) who take a trip back to the ski lodge where
they partied as youths and are transported back in time to 1987 by the hot tub,
a bubbly time machine. Cusack produced the film through his New Crime
Productions banner. The film was released by MGM in March of 2010.
Additionally,
in 2009 he starred in Roland Emmerich’s apocalyptic thriller, 2012. Released by
Sony Pictures, the international blockbuster went on to gross more than $766
million worldwide. In this science fiction film, Cusack and co-stars
ChiwetelEjiofor, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Amanda Peet and
Oliver Platt face natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, typhoons and
glaciers as a result of the world and Mayan calendar ending in the year
2012.
In
spring of 2008, Cusack starred, wrote and produced the political satire, WAR
INC. The film also starred Joan Cusack, Marissa Tomei, Hilary Duff and Sir Ben
Kingsley and was produced under his New Crime Productions banner. The film was
shot in Sofia, Bulgaria, and was directed by Joshua Seftel. Cusack wrote the
screenplay with Jeremy Pikser and Mark Leyner. In the film, Cusack plays the
role of a hit man hired to kill the CEO of a major corporation. Set in the
future in the desert town of Turagistan, Cusack finds himself torn between
obligation and love. Additionally in 2008, Cusack’s voice was featured in MGM’s
animated feature IGOR.
In 2007, Cusack starred in GRACE IS GONE, which premiered
at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and was recognized with the Audience Award. In the film, Cusack plays Stanley Phillips, a
young father who takes his two daughters on an impulsive road trip upon
learning that his wife, Grace, has been killed in service in Iraq. The film was
written and directed by James C. Strouse, produced under Cusack’s New Crime
Productions banner and distributed by The Weinstein Company. That same year,
Cusack starred opposite Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, and Joan Cusack as a writer
who, crushed by the death of his fiancé, adopts a six year old boy who is
convinced he is from Mars in the romantic comedy MARTIAN CHILD. The film was
directed by Menno Meyjes and written by Seth Bass and Jonathan Tolins.
Cusack
also starred in the box office hit 1408 for Dimension Films. In this film, Cusack
plays the role of Mike Enslin, a
supernatural phenomena specialist who sets out to prove that a haunted New York
hotel is just an urban legend. As research for his novel, Enslin stays in the notorious room 1408 only to discover the hard
way that these myths and coincidences are in fact anything but. The film was
directed by Mikael Hafstrom, and the story was adapted by Matt Greenberg, Scott
Alexander and Larry Karaszewski from the Stephen King novel of the same title.
In 2005,
Cusack starred opposite Billy Bob Thornton in the dark comedy, THE ICE
HARVEST. Based on a Scott Phillips
novel, Harold Ramis directed the film for Focus Features. The previous year in
RUNAWAY JURY, he stared opposite Hollywood legends Gene Hackman and Dustin
Hoffman. The film was based on John Grisham’s best selling novel of the same
title and was directed by Gary Fleder. In 2003, Cusack joined Amanda Peet,
Alfred Molina and Ray Liotta in the thriller IDENTITY, directed by James
Mangold for Columbia Pictures.
In the
controversial film MAX, directed by Menno Meyjes and released by Lionsgate in
December 2002, Cusack portrayed Max
Rothman, an elegant, sophisticated former cavalry officer who returns to
his native Munich to set up an art gallery, when he meets another aspiring
artist, a young Adolf Hitler (played by Noah Taylor). The film, which Cusack
also produced, garnered strong reactions at the 2002 Toronto Film Festival and
has been debated extensively throughout the country because of its
controversial subject matter.
In 2001,
Cusack was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
for his role in the feature version of Nick Hornby's English novel, HIGH
FIDELITY, for Touchstone Pictures. In addition to starring in the film, Cusack
also co-produced and co-wrote the script with Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis.
The film also stars Jack Black, Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Joan
Cusack.
In 1999,
Cusack starred in the dark comedy BEING JOHN for USA Films. Cusack’s
performance earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination in the category
of Best Actor. That year, Cusack also
co-starred in CRADLE WILL ROCK, an ensemble drama written and directed by Tim
Robbins, portraying Nelson Rockefeller
opposite an ensemble cast that included Emily Watson, Cary Elwes, Angus
McFadden, Susan Sarandon, Hank Azaria, John Turturro, Ruben Blades and Vanessa
Redgrave. He also starred with Billy Bob Thornton, Angelina Jolie and Cate
Blanchett in Mike Newell’s comedy PUSHING TIN. In the same year, he starred in
HBO’s THE JACK BULL, a traditional Western written by his father Dick Cusack.
John served as executive producer on this film, along with Steve Pink and D.V.
DeVincentis under his New Crime Productions banner.
In December 1998, Cusack appeared in the World War II
combat epic, THE THIN RED LINE, based on the James Jones novel about the Battle
of Guadalcanal. Directed by Terrence Malick for 20th Century Fox, the ensemble
cast included George Clooney, Woody Harrelson, Nick Nolte, Gary Oldman, Sean
Penn, Bill Pullman and John Travolta.
In 1997, Cusack starred opposite Joan Cusack, Dan Aykroyd
and Minnie Driver in Buena Vista Pictures, GROSSE POINTE BLANK. He received
rave reviews for the comedy about a hit man who goes through a spiritual crisis
during his high school reunion, which he also produced and co-wrote. This was the
first project New Crime developed and produced under their banner. The same
year, Cusack starred with Nicolas Cage, John Malkovich and Steve Buscemi in
Buena Vista's blockbuster, CON AIR from director Simon West. Later that year he starred with Kevin Spacey
in the Warner Bros. feature, MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL, directed
by Clint Eastwood. Based on John Berendt's nonfiction bestseller of the same
name, Cusack portrayed John Kelso,
the movie version of the author/narrator. Additionally, Cusack lent his voice
to FOX's full-length animated feature ANASTASIA, opposite the voices of Meg
Ryan as Anastasia, Christopher Lloyd
as Rasputin and Kelsey Grammer as Vladimir.
In 1995,
Cusack starred opposite Al Pacino in Castle Rock's political thriller, CITY
HALL, directed by Harold Becker for Columbia Pictures. In 1994, he re-teamed
with Woody Allen, who cast him in the 1991 film SHADOWS AND FOG, to portray
playwright David Shayne in the
acclaimed BULLETS OVER BROADWAY for Miramax. The ensemble cast included
ChazzPalminteri, Jennifer Tilly, Dianne Wiest and Tracey Ullman. Some of his
other feature film credits include THE ROAD TO WELLVILLE, TRUE COLORS,
BROADCAST NEWS, STAND BY ME, and BETTER OFF DEAD. Cusack also starred in several romantic
comedies, including Miramax’s SERENDIPITY, directed by Peter Chelsom and
co-starring Kate Beckinsale; as well as starring with Julia Roberts, Catherine
Zeta-Jones and Billy Crystal in AMERICA’S SWEETHEARTS for Sony Pictures.
Cusack divides his time between Los Angeles and
Chicago.
RAIN (Mark)
Rain,
known as a superstar musician in Asia, crossed over into acting with his debut
in the hit South Korean television seriesSANG-DOO (Let’s Go to School). He
solidified his position as an actor with his lead role in the Korean
mini-series FULL HOUSE,and became recognized throughout Asia as not only as a
singer, but an actor as well. The drama was aired throughout most of Asia,
including Japan and China, with an average program rating of over 50 percent.
This was the start of Rain Fever that
seemed to cross borders throughout the east and Southeast Asia.
During
his latest Korean television mini-series, A LOVE TO KILL, Rain’s headstrong
approach to trials and challenges made him more versatile as an actor. One of
the most acclaimed filmmakers in Korea, Chan Wook Park, known internationally for
his VENGEANCE Triology (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady
Vengeance),choseRain to star in I’M A CYBORG, BUT THAT’S OK. It was a great
honor and opportunity for Rain to finally break into films, and he was featured
alongside stars Ji-Hoon Jung and SooJeongIm. The film won the Alfred Bauer Award for Particular
Innovation in Filmmaking, one of the eight main awards at the 57th Berlin
International Film Festival, andRain received the Best New ActorAward for his role in the film at the 43rd Baek Sang
Arts Award in Korea in 2007.
For his
Hollywood debut, Rain was cast as a rookie racer in the Andy and Lana Wachowski’saction
adventure filmSPEED RACER, based on the classic series created by anime pioneer
Tatsuo Yoshida. This movie boasted the kind of revolutionary visual effects and
cutting-edge storytelling that have become the benchmarks of the Wachowskis’
films, taking SPEED RACER into the 21st century and giving Rain his first
chance to leave his mark in the American entertainment industry. Impressed by
Jung’s work ethic and his huge talent, the Wachowskis’ chose Rain for the
leadin their next movie, NINJA ASSASSIN. In the 2009 release, Rain plays Raizo, one of the deadliest assassins in
the world.
Jessica
LOWNDES (Angela)
Award
winning actress Jessica Lowndes (pronounced Lounds) captivated audiences and
critics alike with her powerfully dynamic portrayal of drug addicted pregnant
teen actress Adriannaon the CW's hit
series 90210. Originally written as a three episode arc, Jessica's character
quickly became a series regular and a central character throughout the show’s
five-season run. Adriana became a pop star on the show and Lowndes wowed audiences with
her incredible vocal abilities, singing original pop songs on the show. In 2009
she received a Prism Award nomination for Performance
in a Drama Multi-Episode Storyline for the role.
Lowndes
was recently nominated for a 2014 Canadian Screen Award for her work in
Lifetime's A MOTHER'S NIGHTMARE. She will next be seen in the screwball comedy
LARRY GAYE: RENEGADE MALE FLIGHT ATTENDANT,opposite Mark Feuerstein, Stanley
Tucci, Jason Alexander and Molly Shannon,and the thriller GARDEN OF EDEN.
Lowndes
made her feature film debut alongside Chace Crawford in the 2008 horror film
THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY, and subsequently starred as the lead of the
supernatural thriller ALTITUDE. She also
starred as Tamara in Darren Bousman's
rock opera, THE DEVIL’S CARNIVAL.
The
Canadian actress was discovered in Vancouver in 2005 by the producers of
Showtime's anthology series MASTERS OF HORROR after she landed the starring
role of Peggy in Tobe Hooper's
apocalyptic installment, DANCE OF THE DEAD.
Johnathon
SCHAECH (Frank)
Ruggedly
handsome, talented and philanthropic actor Johnathon Schaech takes Hollywood by
storm this year starring in several films including the recently released
HERCULES 3D, alongside Kellan Lutz and the brand new CW series STAR CROSSED,
which premiered this February.
Schaech
recently starred in the Showtime smash hit series RAY DONOVAN as Sean Stevens, a major movie star with a
mysterious connection to Ray Donovan,
a professional fixer for the rich and
famous. Ray, played by Liev
Schreiber, comes to experience his own problems when his father, played by Jon
Voight, is unexpectedly released from prison. Schaech will also star in CBS
Films sci-fi thriller 7500 alongside Ryan Kwanten, Jamie Chung, Amy Smart,
Jerry Ferrara and Leslie Bibb. Directed by Takashi Shimizu (THE GRUDGE),
Schaech plays Captain Haining, the
pilot on a flight across the Pacific Ocean to Japan that suddenly encounters a
supernatural fource.
Born on
September 10, 1969 in Edgewood, Maryland, Schaech attended the University of
Maryland as an Economics major, but soon discovered a passion for acting while
filming various commercials in Baltimore. He decided to make the big move to
Los Angeles to pursue his dream and trained under legendary acting coach Roy
London. For his first film project, Schaech was sent to England to train with
teachers from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for the 1993 film SPARROW, and
soon landed his breakout role alongside Winona Ryder in the 1995 film HOW TO
MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT. Shortly after, he played the role of Xavier Red in Greg Araki’s 1995 indie
film THE DOOM GENERATION, and from there received his big break when he starred
alongside Tom Hanks and Liv Tyler as Jimmy
Mattingly in the 1996 hit THAT THING YOU DO. This finally put him on
Hollywood’s radar when he was featured as one of the most promising leading men
on a 1996 VANITY FAIR cover also featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Smith and
Benicio Del Toro.
Acting
has proved to be an extremely successful career path for Schaech and he has
since decided to use his stardom to further his philanthropic endeavors. His
unsurpassed passion, intelligence and devotion to saving arts education in
public schools have earned him a spot on the board of directors for the charity
Adopt the Arts, alongside Matt Sorum, Billy Bob Thornton, Juliette Lewis and
John Stamos. Schaech has partnered with A-listers Jane Lynch, Steven Tyler,
Matt Sorum, KISS and some of the largest YouTube sensations to create the short
film EPIC BATTLE SCHOOLin order to shed light on
arts education and to give children a voice. He also actively supports Talking
About Curing Autism (TACA), a national non-profit organization dedicated to
educating, empowering and supporting families affected by autism.
Schaech
also recently made an appearance in Tornado,
the music video of the critically acclaimed, platinum-selling country group,
Little Big Town.In his rare free time, Schaech enjoys reading, writing,
producing and directing and maintains his fit physique by boxing, spinning,
hiking, and practicing pilates and KravMaga. Schaech also frequently trains
with friend Bob Harper from THE BIGGEST LOOSER.
Gia
MANTEGNA (Beth)
American
actress, Gia Mantegna, was born on April 17, 1990 in New York, New York to
actor Joe Mantegna and Arlene Vrhel, relocating to Los Angeles at a young age. Despite
growing up around the Hollywood sets and influence of her father, Mantegna
originally had other career ambitions. With a fascination for scanners and
buttons, she aspired to become a cashier, but opted for training in ballet,
gymnastics, and music instead.
At age
13, Mantegna embarked on her acting career, making her debut in the 2003 film UNCLE
NINO, alongside Anne Archer, Trevor Morgan, and her father, Joe Mantegna.
Later, she appeared in 13 GOING ON 30, eager to act and gain experience on set.
Each year, she immersed herself in a number of films, for both television and
theater, and was cast as one of the main roles in the 2005 film MURDER BOOK for
Fox, and portrayed Grace Conrad in
Warner Brothers’ 2006 winter feature, UNACCOMPANIED MINORS. In 2008, Mantegna made a guest appearance in
a Season 3 episode for the television show, CRIMINAL MINDS, transitioning her
acting career towards television, where she was cast in a recurring role as Patty Mary on ABC Family’s THE SECRET
LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER. After a guest appearance on the television
series, MEDIUM, Mantegna landed a role in the TeenNick show, GIGANTIC, as the
character Vanessa King.
With
many impressive roles under her belt, Mantegna was announced as the 2011 Miss
Golden Globe on December 9, 2010 for the 68th Annual Golden Globe Award
Ceremony. After playing a lead role in the 2011 film, Getting That Girl, she
made her move back to film, acting in the 2013 film, EMPIRE STATE, opposite
Liam Hemsworth and THE FROZEN GROUND, alongside Nicolas Cage and John Cusack.
Playing another lead role as Chloe
Vandersteen in the 2014 filmCALIFORNIA SCHEMING, she has proven that her
acting repertoire and range of roles are broad and her persistence immense. With
two more films due to be released this year, Gia Mantegna has shown that she
has moved out from under the shadow of her Hollywood upbringing and made a name
for herself by playing by her own rules.
Mantegna
currently resides in Los Angeles.
Curtis “50
Cent”JACKSON (The Pharmacy)
50 Cent,
born Curtis James Jackson III, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor and
actor from Queens, New York. He rose to fame with the release of his 2003 album
GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’, which has sold more than 8 million copies. The Grammy
Award winner has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and has been
awarded numerous accolades including 13 Billboard Music Awards, six World Music
Awards, three American Music Awards and four BET Awards, to name a few. He was
ranked as the #1 rap artist and most successful Hot 100 Artist of the 2000s by Billboard Magazine, as well as that
decade's sixth-best artist and fourth top male artist of that decade. His fifth
studio album, ANIMAL AMBITION, will be released in summer 2014.
What
began as music chart dominance for the rap music phenomenon quickly transformed
to success in corporate America as a multi-tiered business mogul to be reckoned
with. 50 Cent has also carved out a successful and acclaimed career as an
actor, appearing in more than 21 films including THE FROZEN GROUND, with
Nicolas Cage and John Cusack; ESCAPE PLAN, starring Sylvester Stallone and
Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is currently serving as executive producer, and has a
reoccurring role on the highly anticipated series POWER, set to air on Starz in
2014. Recognized as one of the most talented and prolific music artists of his
time, 50 Cent has managed to leverage his star power into record breaking brand
extensions encompassing a broad spectrum of businesses including artist
management, film production, footwear and apparel, fragrance, video games,
publishing, headphones and health drinks and supplements.
THEPRINCEAboutTheFilmmakers
Brian A.
MILLER (Director)
Brian A.
Miller is a Los Angeles based feature film writer/director who began his career
in acting and theater in his hometown of Grand Rapids, MI. He later graduated
from film school at Grand Valley State University, and after several years of
traveling moved to Los Angeles. Miller focused his attention on writing and
developing projects that were both character driven and visually stylized,
merging the theater world in which he grew up with his love for movie making.
In 2011,
producer Jeff Most (THE CROW) broughtMiller on board to direct the feature film
OFFICER DOWN, a complex, film-noir action-thriller. The film gave Miller the
opportunity to work with a phenomenal cast of respected actors, including
Stephen Dorff, James Woods, Stephen Lang, David Boreanaz, Dominic Purcell,
Annalynne McCord, and Walton Goggins. OFFICER DOWN premiered at the 2012 Dubai
International Film Festival and later received a limited theatrical release,
before its DVD/Blu-Ray and On Demand release by Anchor Bay.
The
following year, Miller and British actor Craig Fairbrass developed a cutting
edge, action-thriller titled THE OUTSIDER. The film markedFairbrass' first
leading role in an American made movie, and boasted another great cast of top
actors, including Jason Patric, James Caan, Johnny Messner, and Melissa Ordway.
Andre
FABRIZIO (Writer)
Born in
Milan, Italy, Andre Fabrizio was raised in Australia where he graduated from
law school and practiced briefly before moving to Los Angeles to study film at
the University of Southern California.
Andre began his film career on the production side,
co-producing the Sundance hit SPECIAL, starring Michael Rapaport, before moving
into television as an associate producer on the popular Discovery Channel show,
I SHOULDN'T BE ALIVE.
Eventually Andre teamed up with fellow USC alum Jeremy
Passmore to write several studio features and TV shows. Building on a writing
career that began as a writer's assistant on the TV shows BUFFY THE VAMPIRE
SLAYER and ANGEL, Andre has several films in development and two films slated
to shoot this spring: SAN ANDREAS, starring Dwayne The Rock Johnson at New Line, and VICE starring Bruce Willis and
Thomas Jane.
Jeremy
PASSMORE (Writer)
Born and
raised in Washington State, Jeremy Passmore moved to Los Angeles to study
filmmaking at the University of Southern California. His first film, SPECIAL,
starring Michael Rapaport, which he co-wrote and co-directed, premiered at
Sundance in 2006 and was distributed theatrically by Magnolia Pictures. Since
then, he's been working as a screenwriter, primarily with his writing partner
Andre Fabrizio. Together they have several films in development and two films
slated to shoot this spring: SAN ANDREAS, starring Dwayne The Rock Johnson at New Line, and VICE starring Bruce Willis and
Thomas Jane. Passmore also wrote MGM's remake of RED DAWN starring Chris
Hemsworth. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.
Randall
EMMETT (Producer)
One of
the entertainment industry's most prolific film producers, RandallEmmett has
produced over 50 feature films since his start as Mark Wahlberg’s assistant in
the 1990’s. Combining financial acumen with an incisive creative sensibility,
Emmett is partner and co-founder alongside George Furla of Emmett / Furla
Films, a production company dedicated to the development, financing and
production of top tier filmed entertainment for the theatrical marketplace with
its own equity fund. Also, he is founder and partner of Curtis "50
Cent" Jackson's production company, Cheetah Vision Films.
In the
last decade, Emmett’s ability to package films with well-known actors and
filmmakers resulted in major box office success – netting more than a quarter
of a billion dollars in the US box office alone. He forged strong partnerships
with major Hollywood studios to finance and distribute commercial films
worldwide. Additionally, Emmett has produced smaller, critically acclaimed
indie features such as NARC andWONDERLAND, which played in renowned film
festivals such as Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, Venice, and Telluride.
Emmett’s
most recent films include LONE SURVIVOR, starring Mark Wahlberg; 2 GUNS,
starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg; ESCAPE PLAN, starring Sylvester
Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger; BROKEN CITY, starring Russell Crowe, Mark
Wahlberg and Catherine Zeta-Jones; and END OF WATCH, starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
He is currently shooting VICE, starring Thomas Jane, Ambyr Childers, and Bruce
Willis. On the slate for 2014, Emmett will start production of the highly
anticipated Martin Scorsese’s SILENCE, in addition to other high-profile titles
including TUPAC, EXPIRATION, and MONOPOLY.
George FURLA (Producer)
After
graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in business
administration, George Furla began his career with Cantor Fitzgerald and
Company. At Cantor Fitzgerald he served as an equity trader from 1982 to 1985.
After his run with Cantor Fitzgerald, Mr. Furla worked with Jones and
Associates for three years in a similar capacity. In 1988, Mr. Furla left Jones
and Associates to run a hedge fund, which he also established, specializing in
risk arbitrage and equity trading. Mr. Furla ran the hedge fund for ten years,
after which he jointly formed a film production company with his partner,
Randall Emmett.
At
Emmett/Furla Films, Mr. Furla utilizes his hedge fund approach to model out
film financing scenarios. Mr. Furla and Mr. Emmett share responsibility in both
concept development and arrangement of the financing of the films. Emmett/Furla
Films has produced a large number of films including BROKEN CITY, END OF WATCH,
CONAN THE BARBARIAN, RIGHTEOUS KILL,RAMBO, THE WICKER MAN, and 16 BLOCKS. They recently released: LONE SURVIVOR, ESCAPE
PLAN, 2 GUNS, and EMPIRE STATE.
Samuel
Y. HA (PRODUCER)
Samuel
Y. Ha has financed and co-produced over ten movies in Korea, including the hit
movies SCANDAL MAKERS and WAR OF THE ARROWS. He has also packaged and invested
in several international Korean co-productions, working with established
producers from the U.S., Korea and China. Currently, Ha is working as a fund
manager for Union Investment Partners, Korea’s leading private equity firm
investing into movies and various content.
Huh Soo
YOUNG (Producer)
Huh Soo-Young
has worked in the Korean film industry since 2000, covering every aspect of
moviemaking including production, investments and marketing. She has invested
and co-produced many films and animations both on a local and international
front. Huh’s most recent producing credits include the international hit movie
SNOWPIERCER, starring Chris Evans, and the biggest Korean co-production hit in
China, A WEDDING INVITATION, distributed by China Film Group.
Adam
GOLDWORM (Producer)
Adam
Goldworm is a literary and talent manager at Aperture Entertainment, a boutique
management/production company that he founded in March 2009.Goldworm is
currently producing several films including VICE starring Bruce Willis and
Thomas Jane, THE LAST WITCH HUNTER starring Vin Diesel, and LORE starring
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.He is also currently executive producing the NBC
miniseries NEMESIS: The Final Case of Eliot Ness, and JACKASS OF ALL TRADES for
TBS.
Prior to
Aperture Entertainment, Goldworm spent five years at Industry Entertainment,
ultimately serving as Executive Vice President, Television, and playing an
instrumental role in creating and overseeing the company's independent television
division. He produced several high profile television anthology series,
including Showtime's MASTER OF HORROR, ABC's MASTERS OF SCIENCE FICTION, and
NBC's summer series FEAR ITSELF.
Goldworm
obtained his MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and received a BA
from the UCLA School of Film & TV. He has also written numerous news
stories for Variety and Daily Variety, where he started as an
intern writing obituaries. Goldworm was one of the 35 executives under the age
of 35 selected for The Hollywood
Reporter's Next Generation 2008. Goldworm was born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, and he has no plans to change his name.
Barry BROOKER(Executive
Producer)
Barry
Brooker is President and Chief Executive Officer of Grindstone Entertainment
Group, a division of Lionsgate Films (LGF). Brooker started Grindstone in 2007
with his business partner Stan Wertlieb, and Mandate Pictures, which was
acquired in September of 2007 by Lionsgate. Since then, he has grown the
Grindstone business model significantly and their film production and
distribution library of over 300 films have become among the top performing ROI
divisions of Lionsgate. As well as overseeing all Grindstone operations,
Brooker has also executive produced over 25 films, several of which are
co-productions with Emmett/Furla Films, with whom Brooker facilitated two
ten-picture deals worth $200 million. Recent films in those mult-picture deals
include: THE FROZEN GROUND, starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and Vanessa
Hudgens; EMPIRE STATE, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Liam Hemsworth, and
Emma Roberts; and VICE,which begins shooting March 15, 2014, starring Bruce
Willis and Thomas Jane.
Mr.
Brooker began his career in the entertainment industry shortly after graduating
with a Business degree from the University of Manitoba, when he began working
for Astral Communications, Inc. After 12 years at Astral, where he held various
management positions including National Sales Manager and VP of Sales and
Marketing, Booker moved on to CFP/Lionsgate in Toronto. His tenure with
CFP/Lionsgate proved fruitful, as he was responsible for the set up and
oversight of U.S. Home Entertainment Operations and created Sterling Home
Entertainment, a joint venture between Lionsgate and Scanbox that successfully
operated for two years before being purchased outright by Lionsgate.
In 2000,
Mr. Brooker moved to Los Angeles with his family when he became the President
of Saturn Home Entertainment, and was instrumental in the startup and oversight
of the company’s North American Home Entertainment division, which included
distribution with Sony, Paramount, Fox, Lionsgate and Alliance in Canada. Four
years later, Booker’s balanced experience as a high level corporate executive
as well as a startup entrepreneur came together when he became the
President/CEO of Silver Nitrate Entertainment, a joint venture with Ash and
Sundip Shah. The company was responsible for releasing some of the most
successful independent films on DVD to date, including MEMENTO, THE BOONDOCK
SAINTS, and DONNIE DADRKO. Barry oversaw distribution channels with Sony and
Lionsgate of all new releases on DVD, TV and Digital until its significant
catalogue of over 200 titles was sold to Mandate Pictures in 2007.
Stan
WERTLIEB (Executive Producer)
Stan
Wertlieb is a Partner in and Head of Acquisitions of Grindstone Entertainment
Group, a fully integrated entertainment company releasing up to 40 films per year
for DVD/VOD/PPV and TV through its partnership with Lionsgate. As a partner in Grindstone
Entertainment Group, Wertlieb acts as a producer or executive producer for four
to six films a year, depending on the production schedule. His longstanding partnership
with Barry Brooker has led to a distribution library of over 300 films, and
productions outperforming company expectations in light of an economic
downturn.
Partnerships
with Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert in Ghost House Underground established a powerful
horror genre label. Presently a partnership with Emmett/Furla Films, as well as
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s Cheetah Vision, has led to two 10 picture deals
worth $200 Million, with the most recent productions including:THE FROZEN
GROUND, starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack and Vanessa Hudgens, and EMPIRE
STATE, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Liam Hemsworth and Emma Roberts.
VICE, the next film in the slate, is set to star Bruce Willis and Thomas Jane,
and begins shooting March 15, 2014.
Wertlieb
began his career in entertainment inMunich, Germany, during the video heyday of Europe, where heestablished
himself as a leading acquisitions executive and recognized figure at all
international film festivals and markets between 1985 and 1995. There, he
started and oversaw operations for two independent video distribution
companies: Summit International Pictures and Paradise Visuals Entertainment. He
also acted as acquisitions consultant to leading German film distributor VPS FilmEntertainment.
During this time, Wertlieb also expanded into television distribution for the
German speaking market by co-founding RRS Entertainment GmbH, a supplier of
film product to all of the leading German broadcasters.
Having
moved back to Los Angeles in late 1991,yet continuing his European businesses
for another five years, Wertlieb also became an acquisitions consultant to the
Home Entertainment division of Lionsgate between 1996 and 2000. He then began
his working relationship with Brooker as an acquisitions consultant, acquiring
films for Saturn Home Entertainment and Spartan Home Entertainment, seeing
these films through to distribution in North America via Sony, Paramount, Fox,
Lionsgate, and Alliance in Canada. When Brooker formed Silver Nitrate Home
Entertainment in 2004, Wertlieb continued as an acquisitions consultant and
played a major role in building their library of films that was later sold to
Mandate Pictures in 2007. In May 2007, Wertlieb became a Partner in and Head of
Acquisitions for Grindstone Entertainment Group, a distribution and production
entity that was set up with Mandate Pictures. When Lionsgate purchased Mandate
in September 2007, Grindstone became a wholly owned subsidiary of Lionsgate.
A native
Washingtonian, Wertliebgrew up in Chevy Chase, MD, graduated from Bethesda
Chevy Chase High School in 1971, and began his college education in the Theatre
Arts Department of Emerson College in Boston. He graduated in 1976 from UCLA
with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts and Acting. Before becoming
involved in filmed entertainment, Wertliebwas a leading restaurant and nightclub
management figure in Beverly Hills, California.
Yaron
LEVY (Cinematographer)
Yaron
Levy left Israel at the age of 21 to pursue his dream of working in the film
industry. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Film and a Masters of Fine Arts from AFI
in Cinematography, he jumped head first into the Los Angeles independent film
community. Working both as a director of photography and as a gaffer on various
small productions, Yaron soon met director Ted Smith and was brought on to
shoot Ted’s feature film GUARDIAN OF THE REALM. From there, he went on to serve
as gaffer and additional cinematographer on the smash hit thriller SAW, as well
as the cult hit THE GRAVEDANCERS.
More
jobs quickly followed and Yaron further expanded his arsenal of cinematography
credits shooting westerns, action, drama, and thriller features. Yaron recently
wrapped production on Bob Castrone’s comedy FLOCK OF DUDES, as well as Juan
Luna’s crime thriller TELL. Other recent credits include: Paul Soter’s DARK
CIRCLES; UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: Day of Reckoning, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme;
Tom Elkins’ THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2; GHOSTS OF GEORGIA; GETAWAY, starring
Ethan Hawke; FRIGHT NIGHT 2; and FAVELA
Levy’s
other credits as cinematographer include the films NIGHT OF THE DEMONS, SECONDS
APART, FLYPAPER, FERTILE GROUND, TRANSIT and EL GRINGO, to name a few.
Nate
JONES (Production Designer)
Setting
the stage to create dynamic movies, Nate Jones has taken the forefront of
design by producing spaces that flow with the imagination of the sets, the
actors and the story. Jones designs environments that elevate the movie and
moviegoer’s experience, and has had several projects in the film festival
circuit like. He has worked in several countries and finds the impact of
taking new challenges as a positive and necessary movement.Jones’ sharp eye and
ability to create worlds that bring the viewer closer in to the moment is what
drives him to continue his journey in the world of Production Design.
Camille
JUMELLE (Costume Designer)
Camille
Jumelle was born and raised in New York City. She attended the Fashion
Institute of Technology and later, Parson's School of Design. After graduation,
Camille went on to work for Ralph Lauren and then the Ann Taylor clothing
company in New York City.
In 1995
she moved to Los Angeles and started selling her sportswear and elegant hand
beaded evening gowns to the ABC soap opera GENERAL HOSPITAL. Soon after, she
started receiving offers to do costume design for films, and was later inducted
into The Costume Designer's Guild, of which she has now been a member for 14
years. Her designs have been featured in countless celebrity photo shoots and
have been worn to The Golden Globes and The Academy Awards. Jumelle has dressed
such Hollywood Icons as: Sophia Loren, Steven Spielberg, Kevin Costner,
Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams and Bruce Willis. The E! Entertainment network once aired a special segment that featured
her award-winning gowns and many celebrity customers.
Jumelle was recently offered the opportunity to design all
the costumes for IN CHARACTER: A Tribute to Preserving American Cinema. The Art
Deco inspired coffee table book will feature 50 top celebrities dressed as
their favorite film icons, and will pay special tribute to how they became
movie stars. A percentage of the proceeds from this book will go to the Martin
Scorsese Film Preservation Fund.
Couture
Junkie is Jumelle’s clothing brand for which she creates custom gowns,sportswear,
and accessories. She is represented by the Gersh Agency.
AboutEMMETT / FURLA / OASISFILMS
Founded
in 1998 by company principals Randall Emmett and George Furla, Emmett / Furla /
Oasis Films is an independent film production company, dedicated to the
development, financing and production of top tier filmed entertainment for the
theatrical marketplace. The company is a major supplier of quality commercial
projects for the studios and major independents worldwide, and has produced 75
films, which have generated over $600 million in worldwide box office dollars
to date.
Films
produced by Emmett / Furla/Oasis include: 2 GUNS, LONE SURVIVOR, THE FROZEN
GROUND, ESCAPE PLAN, END OF WATCH, ALEX CROSS, BROKEN CITY, EMPIRE STATE, THE
AMITYVILLE HORROR, RAMBO, RIGHTEOUS KILL, 16 BLOCKS, and BAD LIEUTENANT, amongst
many other titles.
AboutGRINDSTONE ENTERTAINMENT
Grindstone
Entertainment Group operates in partnership with Lionsgate to release over 30
acquired and/or produced films per year. As a fully integrated company with
marketing and technology expertise, Grindstone excels in turnkey acquisitions
while utilizing the Lionsgate brand to maximize results on all platforms. A
leader in high-quality filmed entertainment, Grindstone's production
partnerships enable them to enlist the highest-caliber talent, resulting in
such recent successes as FIRE WITH FIRE, starring Bruce Willis, Josh Duhamel
and Rosario Dawson; THE FROZEN GROUND, starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack and
Vanessa Hudgens; EMPIRE STATE, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and
Liam Hemsworth. Upcoming releases include VICE, starring Bruce Willis, Thomas
Jane, and Ambyr Childers.
About
HANNIBAL CLASSICS
Hannibal
Classics, founded in 2010 by Richard Rionda Del Castro, specializes in the
production, financing and distribution of feature length theatrical motion
pictures with budgets starting at $20 million US.
The
independent studio’s forthcoming release slate includes TOKAREV, starring Academy
Award® winner Nicolas Cage, and RATCHET AND CLANK 3D, based on Sony’s worldwide
best-selling family video game. Upcoming films are: RED SQUARE, directed by
John McTiernan; USS INDIANAPOLIS: Men of Courage, directed by Mario Van Peebles;
and SLEIGHT OF HAND. Earlier features include SET UP, starring Bruce Willis and
Curtis “50 Cent”Jackson, and the inspirational TOUCHBACK, starring Brian
Presley, Kurt Russell.
Hannibal
Classics sister company, Hannibal Pictures, filmography includes the
award-winning CASINO JACK, ALL THINGS FALL APART, GIALLO, THE BIG BANG, and
GIVE ‘EM HELL MALONE.
(Insert
Title Treatment)
GRINDSTONE ENTERTAINMENT
& EMMETT / FURLA / OASIS FILMS
In Association with UNION
INVESTMENT PARTNERES Presents
AnEMMETT/FURLA/OASIS FILMSProduction
In Association WithAPERTURE
ENTERTAINMENT
Directed by
BRIAN A.MILLER
Screenplay by
ANDRE FABRIZIO and JEREMY
PASSMORE
Produced by
RANDALL EMMETT,GEORGE FURLA,
SAMUEL Y. HA,
HUH SOO YOUNG, ADAM GOLDWORM
Executive Producers
BARRYBROOKER, JEFFRICE, STAN
WERTLIEB
RICHARDRIONDA DEL CASTRO, PATRICIA
EBERLE
FRED SONG, HO-SUNG PAK
Co-Producers
BRANDONGRIMES, TIMSULLIVAN
Line Producer
BILLSTEAKLEY
Director of Photography
YARONLEVY
Production Designer
NATEJONES
Edited by
RICKSHAINE
Costume Designer
CAMILLEJUMELLE
VisualEffects Supervisors
FirstLast
Composers
THE NEWTONBROTHERS
Casting by
ANNEMcCARTHY, KELLIEROY
JASONPATRICK
BRUCEWILLIS
JOHN CUSACK
RAIN
JESSICA LOWNDES
JOHNATHON SCHAECH
GIA MANTEGNA
And CURTIS “50 CENT” JACKSON
THE PRINCE
A Film by BRIAN A.MILLER
