CHERNOBYL DIARIES Production Notes - Visual Hollywood

CHERNOBYL DIARIES (2012)
PRODUCTION NOTES
BRIAN WITTEN (Producer) and Oren Peli recently formed Oren Peli/Brian Witten Pictures to
produce "Chernobyl Diaries." The pair met when Peli arrived in Hollywood with his first feature
film, the horror success "Paranormal Activity."
Witten served as executive producer on the successful "Friday the 13th" update, which opened at
number one at the box office, and as producer on the upcoming horror films "The Barrens" and
"Silent Night," both due out this year. He is currently producing a remake of the Japanese hit
film "Death Note," to be directed by Shane Black, and has several other projects in development.
Previously, Witten spent five years at Paramount Pictures as Executive Vice President of
Production, where he oversaw such films as "The Longest Yard," "Mission: Impossible III,"
"Four Brothers," "Vanilla Sky," "Elizabethtown" and was responsible for bringing in
"Transformers'. Prior to working at Paramount, he was at New Line Cinema for five years, where
he ultimately served as Senior Vice President of Production. While there, he oversaw
development and production of such films as "The Wedding Singer," which began his
relationship with Adam Sandler, "American History X," "Dark City" and "Final Destination."
A graduate of New York University, Witten began his career as an assistant to producer Joel
Silver. Witten also wrote comic books, which lead to a partnership with Image Comics founder
Rob Liefleld at Extreme Studios.
CAREY & SHANE VAN DYKE (Screenwriters) grew up in an entertainment industry family
as the grandsons of legendary actor Dick Van Dyke. Prior to beginning their writing partnership,
the brothers acted in several TV series and movies. Carey appeared on the long-running
"Diagnosis Murder" several times and also penned an episode. He also had parts on "Clueless,"
"JAG," "ER," and in the Hallmark Channel's "Murder 101: New Age," "Meet My Mom," and
Syfy's "Mega Python vs. Gatoroid." Shane had a regular role on "Diagnosis Murder," and
appeared in the TV movies "Murder 101: If Wishes Were Horses," "Murder 101: New Age" and
"Shark Swarm" for the Hallmark Channel.
Their writing career took off in 2011 with the sale of their horror/thriller script "The Watching
Hour."
The Van Dykes are currently at work on the script for their upcoming sci-fi project "Dreamland,"
for Will Smith.
RICHARD SHARKEY (Executive Producer) began his film career working the foley stages
and transfer bays of London's post production facilities. Craving daylight, he made moves into
the art department and then onto assistant directing and location management, spending more
than a decade working in the UK and globally as a location manager. From 1999 to 2001, he
worked on Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in New Zealand, as supervising
location production manager.
© 2012 Warner Bros. Pictures 12