Production Notes PDF - Visual Hollywood

SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT PresentsAn ESCAPE ARTISTS ProductionIn Association with MYSTERY CLOCK CINEMAStarringNicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, and Chandler CanterburyDirected by Alex ProyasStory by Ryne PearsonScreenplay by Ryne Pearson and Juliet Snowden & Stiles WhiteRunning time: 1 Hours, 55 MinuteRated: PG-13In Theaters March 20, 2009

Todd Black knew they had an unforgettable story to tell.“We spent eight years developing the script,” recalls Blumenthal. “We bought it as an originalpitch. Ryne had an idea that started with a time capsule that was buried in the 1950s andunearthed in the present day. The capsule contains a series of predictions that would come true.We knew immediately we had something very special.”For the last five years, the partners have been working with Alex Proyas, the acclaimed directorof I, Robot, to develop the idea into a feature film. “With a pitch, you never know how the finalscreenplay is going to turn out,” says Blumenthal. “The story has changed in small places, butthe larger overall themes have always remained the same. The idea of the time capsule and thepredictions was such an intriguing and unique idea that we knew we had something to build on.It‟s as exciting to us today as it was eight years ago. And seeing it come to life is amazing.”Proyas was chosen to direct Knowing based on the singular filmmaking style he has honed sincehis 1994 breakthrough film, The Crow. “We knew we found the right director in Alex,” saysBlumenthal. “His vision for this picture far surpassed anything that we could ever realize on thepage. He brought in a whole host of scientific, spiritual and philosophical ideas that helped bringthe script together.”For Blumenthal, real-life events of the past eight years have caused a shift in what he sees as themost compelling aspects of the film. Initially he was intrigued by the concept of the timecapsule: “I remember hearing about them as a kid. It sounded so sci-fi and out there, and when Irealized that it was something that was going to be opened many years from that date, I washooked. When I‟m looking at ideas I want to develop, I look for things that have an emotionalconnection for me, and that one did it for me.”Then during the development period, Blumenthal‟s life changed dramatically. “Eight years ago Iwas not a father. I have two young children now. And at its core, the movie has become a parentand child story. That central family issue is very important to me and many other people on thisfilm.“Knowing is an edge-of-the-seat psychological thriller with special effects that are going to blowyour mind,” he says. “But it‟s more than that. This movie poses the ultimate question: How farwould you go to protect your child? Would you be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice? That‟san intense idea.“It‟s an emotional rollercoaster that leaves you guessing at every turn. It‟s a story that peoplewill want to talk about because it poses many questions that will stay with them when they leavethe theater. And for me, those are the best stories to tell.”For Proyas, that meant finding a balance between the over-the-top action and visual effects of atop-flight thriller and the nuanced emotional journey of his characters. “For me, every film is abig film,” he says. “I, Robot was a hugely complex technical exercise, but every film has its ownlevels of complexity. The great thing about Knowing is that is it has this bedrock of emotionsand human interaction. Reality is what this story is all about what. We don‟t ask you to suspend

disbelief. Everything that we‟ve addressed in this could possibly happen.”Actor Nicolas Cage, who plays Professor John Koestler, compares the script to an enduringAmerican icon. “The script reminded me of one of Rod Serling‟s “Twilight Zone” teleplays, andthe powerful feeling that those shows had,” he says. “It‟s a science fiction-mystery-thriller, butthere are also some intensely dramatic moments.”Rose Byrne, the actress who plays Diana, agrees that it is hard to place Knowing in a singlegenre, a quality she sees as one of the film‟s strengths. “The storyline unfolds really cleverly andthe time capsule is fascinating. This is not just a straight thriller or a straight horror or a straightscience fiction film. It‟s a dead-even combination of those things.”“It‟s a movie that has the ability to change people‟s minds,” says Cage. “I remember seeing TheChina Syndrome as a boy and it made me very aware that nuclear energy was a power to berespected. This calls people‟s attention to issues that we can all affect in some way.“The end of the world is on people's minds,” he goes on. “We have the power to do it ourselves.The question is, what do you do with that responsibility?”Movies with apocalyptic themes are particularly resonant with audiences because of theenvironmental issues the world is dealing with, says Byrne. “It‟s a constant human desire to wantto understand as much as we can about how long we're going to be around,” she says. “Peoplehave been trying to figure it out forever. And whether it's Mayans or Muslims or Hindus,everyone has a theory on what's going to happen.”The filmmakers hope that Knowing will be the kind of film that starts conversations thatcontinue long after audiences have left the theater. “People go to movies to see something big,something fun, something kind of special that they haven‟t seen before,” says Blumenthal. “Andwe think we‟re giving them that.“I believe audiences want to be challenged to come to their own conclusions,” he adds. “Thismovie has a definitive ending, but it leaves a lot open for debate. A movie that ends when thecredits roll is not as important to me as one that keeps you talking when you get in the car. I wantpeople to talk about this movie, and ask themselves, „Would I have done that?‟ This is a storythat I believe people are going to want to talk about. And that‟s the kind of movie that I want tomake.”

ABOUT THE CASTINGWith their ideal director lined up, a finished script in hand and a studio ready to finance theproject, the filmmakers set out in search of their lead actor. “At that point, the most importantpart became finding our hero,” says Blumenthal. “Who‟s the guy who will carry us through?”Academy Award winner and international superstar Nicolas Cage brings the air of an event toevery project he tackles. His commitment and dedication have made him one of the most soughtafteractors in the world. “We always knew that Nic Cage was the perfect person to play thispart,” says Blumenthal. “Nic brings an intensity, but at the same time an accessibility, to thischaracter that most actors couldn‟t deliver. I also think Nic believes in many of the themes weaddress in this movie.“I also believe there‟s something about the role and the story that speaks to him emotionallybecause he‟s the father of a young son,” continues Blumenthal. “He has a solid understanding ofwhat a father would have to go through and the kind of decisions a father would have to make inthis situation.“Plus, he‟s an amazing person, he's an amazing actor and he brings real humanity to every rolehe takes on,” adds Blumenthal, who produced The Weather Man, which also starred Cage. “Itwas also perfect because Nic was a fan of Alex‟s and Alex was a giant fan of Nic‟s. Sometimesthe planets align properly and everything seems to come together. That‟s what happened on thisfilm.”Cage and Proyas both jumped at the chance to collaborate on the project. “I had wanted to workwith Nicolas for a long time,” says the director. “It is always exciting to finally get to work withsomeone you‟ve always wanted to work with.”For Cage, the combination of the unique and provocative script and Proyas in the director‟s chairmade Knowing an irresistible opportunity. “It can be a challenge to find original stories andoutlooks. Alex is an original, an artist with a different point of view.”The Oscar-winning actor found the role of John Koestler particularly satisfying from anemotional standpoint. “He‟s remarkably devoted to his son and he has the added pressure ofraising him alone. We don‟t see the concern that fathers have for their children often enough inmovies. That‟s another one of the reasons I wanted to do this film.“John's only priority is keeping his son safe,” says Cage. “There's a very emotional moment inthe movie when Caleb asks, „Am I gonna die now?‟ And my character says, „That will nothappen. I will not let that happen to you.‟ He will stop at nothing to fulfill that promise. At thatpoint, the film becomes largely about what John can do to keep his promise.”Australian actress Rose Byrne‟s career has included big-budget blockbusters such as Troy aswell as acclaimed small-scale projects such as I Capture the Castle. She was recently nominatedfor a Golden Globe for her role opposite Glenn Close in the award-winning television series“Damages.”

“Rose and I had wanted to work together for a while,” says Proyas. “She brings such depth toeverything she does on screen. That‟s especially important in this film because much of whatpeople are thinking and feeling is not always expressed with words.”Long an admirer of Proyas‟ work, Byrne says the chance to work with the director was “a hugedraw.” “I‟ve really enjoyed working with Alex. He knows exactly what he wants, and he‟s verycompassionate towards his actors. He‟s very much about the story and the characters.”“Also, the fact that it‟s a very intimate story between these four characters in this larger-than-lifesituation makes it very attractive to me as a performer,” says the actress. “My character, Diana, isin such a complicated position. She has a really dark personal history and it all comes crashingdown on her. She tried to run away from this thing her whole life and it ends up right in her face.It was quite a challenging part. It‟s a big responsibility to make it as real and as powerful aspossible.”Byrne was selected after an audition process that spanned several continents. “There was justsomething about Rose,” says Blumenthal. “She has a freshness. From day one, Alex was sure shewas the right choice. As he says, she has a real humanity. You can feel the pain and emotion thatshe's going through as she is discovering that these predictions that have set this story in motionstarted with her mother years ago.”Working with Cage, Byrne says, always carried the promise of the unexpected. “It was a blast.Nic is incredibly passionate about what he‟s doing. You don‟t really know what to expect. Hereally threw a curveball at me in our first scene. We rehearsed it and discussed it, and then hecame at it another way, which was really thrilling to figure out. It turned the scene from beingquite gentle and subtle into something that was really his character losing it a little bit. It‟sexciting to work with Nic because his mind is always one step ahead.”For his part, Cage was impressed by his leading lady‟s onscreen authenticity. “Rose istremendously real,” says the actor. “She has the emotions required to make the situations in thefilm so palpable that people in the audience have to go with it. Rose has that ability to draw it asthough it‟s actually happening.”Two very young actors, Chandler Canterbury and Lara Robinson, shouldered critical roles inKnowing.The filmmakers went on a major talent hunt for the young actor who would play Caleb Koestler.Chandler Canterbury was nine years old when he shot Knowing. He had already won a YoungArtist Award for his appearance on the television drama “Criminal Minds” and worked withBrad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Jude Law and ForestWhitaker in Repossession Mambo. “I did my first audition on video and my mom sent it on theInternet like every other audition that I have done,” he says. “Then they asked me to read thewhole script so I could learn more about my character. Caleb is very sad because his mom isdead. He can't see eye-to-eye with his dad, but he really loves him. He's smart and he's obsessedwith animals.”

The challenge, says producer Blumenthal, was finding a child actor who didn‟t come off onscreen like a child actor. “He had to be real. There was just something special about Chandler. Itwas something that we hadn‟t seen before. It‟s not that precociousness that you get with a lot ofkid actors in Hollywood. Chandler lives in Texas and there's something about not growing up inHollywood that translates to who he is as an actor.”Ten-year-old Lara Robinson took on two challenging roles in Knowing. She plays both Lucinda,the little girl who starts everything, as well as Abby, who is Lucinda‟s granddaughter and one ofthe keys to the mystery. “I liked playing two characters in the movie,” the Aussie youngster says.“They were totally different. Lucinda was fun because she‟s scary and sad and weird. AndAbby‟s fun because she‟s normal.”About her costar, she says, “I would describe Chandler as a good actor. But he‟s definitely a boy.He would ask me things like, would I shave my head for a movie? Or would I want to take myeyebrows off for a movie? Would I want to get rid of an eye for a movie? And I would say no toall those questions.”“Lara and Chandler both were amazing in the way they understood what it takes to make amovie,” says Blumenthal. “They‟re great because they‟re real kids. The minute we yell cut,they‟re back to just being kids. They‟re playing and having a good time and they enjoy it. Andthere's something so exciting about watching these kids enjoy what they do.”

MAKING KNOWING—STEP BY STEPThe Australian city of Melbourne, which stands in for the Koestlers‟ hometown of Boston,provided the Knowing filmmakers with first-rate production professionals and facilities.“It was my first time working in Australia, and the crew was excellent,” says Blumenthal. “Topto bottom, the technical know-how was equal to anywhere we‟ve ever shot a movie. And theseare people who have worked together before, so they have a shorthand. There‟s a lot of movingparts on a film set and if they aren‟t synchronized it can cause problems.”For Proyas, who has worked often in Sydney, Melbourne was a treat. “It was exciting to besomewhere where I could see some new stuff and work in some new places,” he says. “It‟sactually a bit easier to work here than Sydney where‟s there‟s so much traffic and everythinggets a little crazy. It‟s a very amenable city for filmmaking right now.”Production designer Steven Jones-Evans was charged with the task of transforming Melbourneinto Boston. “Melbourne has been in a drought for the last five years, so the grass was totallybrown,” he remembers. “It was very hard finding anything when we needed gardens or anythinglike that. We used Melbourne University for MIT, and the lawn there was totally parched, so theweek before, we went there and sprayed the whole lawn green.“Luckily, a lot of the film was set in autumn and the shoot coincided with that season inMelbourne. It‟s not the autumn that you get around the Boston area, which is a lot more colorful,so we were constantly lugging around these huge bags of colored leaves that we‟d spread outeverywhere.”For the Koestler home, Jones-Evans wanted an archetypal New England house. “The idea wasthat he and his wife bought it in a slightly dilapidated state, planning to bring up a family in it, torenovate it, and return it to its former glory. There were a lot of personal things that we built intothe house, like Caleb‟s room. We decided to make it an attic room with one circular windowright in the front, which is a motif that Alex has used often.”The production designer also included lots of items related to nature, like toy animals or imagesof landscapes. “The idea was that Caleb was interested in things that connected him to theEarth.”Jones-Evans also was responsible for creating the item at the center of the film‟s mystery: thetime capsule. The idea goes back to the 1939 World‟s Fair, whose organizers hit upon the idea ofburying a sort of message in a bottle for future generations. The metal container, which wasburied on the fairgrounds as part of the Westinghouse Company‟s exhibit, contained such staplesof contemporary life as a needle and a spool of thread, a newsreel and microfilm copies of both adictionary and the latest Sears Roebuck catalog. It was meant to be unearthed in the year 6939.“We looked at other time capsules,” says Jones-Evans. “There were so many different designs.The Westinghouse capsule was a missile-shaped thing, which we decided was too militaristic forour use."

The designer went back to 1958 for his inspiration. “The design is informed by that era, but it isnot a pure vintage thing. It‟s a little more classically shaped and made of stainless steel. It has alid on it that screws down with two wing nuts. We kept it simple because it was more about whatwas going inside the capsule, rather than the capsule itself.”Working in 1950s design vernacular for the first part of the film was a pleasure for the designer.“It was an interesting time. There was a lot more hope and a lot less cynicism in the world.Pollution and other environmental problems were only just becoming issues. So it was a muchmore pure, hopeful age. We went for a slightly brighter color palette in those scenes to make thatfeel a little bit more cheerful and hopeful.”One of the film‟s most challenging sequences, the airplane crash, required both Jones-Evans‟design skill and some help from the visual effects team. “Alex wanted to do it as a single shot.He wanted to bring the plane in, fly it through a telephone pole and hit a car with its wing. Thecar flips up and it crashes into a field and breaks into pieces. We built the actual wreckage of theplane, but it wouldn‟t have been possible to get everything in one shot without a lot of help fromthe effects department.“I enjoy working with visual effects in order to complete or augment something we‟ve done,” headds. “The visual effects supervisor was on from the early stages of preproduction, so there‟sbeen quite a bit of information and dialogue and chatting about how to solve certain sequences orproblems that we have.”Knowing is one the first feature films to be shot with the Red One Camera, the latest inlightweight high resolution digital technology. Simon Duggan, the film‟s director ofphotography, says the Red One Camera has filmmakers looking at digital cameras in a new light.“The skin tones are soft and look fantastic. There‟s hardly any noise or grain in the images. Wewere looking for a very immediate quality for our picture and this is virtually identical to film.”Proyas and Duggan conducted extensive tests before deciding to go with the digital format.“They were both excited about the potential of using the camera,” says Blumenthal. “It madethings move very quickly. We were able to do so much more on set than when we used to haveto wait to do it in post, like tweaking color.”“Alex hates for anything to look lit,” notes Duggan. “With the Red One Camera, we didn‟t haveto wait overnight just to see if a lighting scheme worked out. It‟s all immediate, and we ended uphaving more confidence in pushing the limits of what we were doing.”As a producer, Blumenthal had to balance the excitement of being a digital pioneer and theanxiety of feeling like a digital guinea pig, he says. “But we try to be as forward thinking aspossible, and this was a real learning experience. This technique provided us with an opportunityto present our story with a unique new look. With the way technology is advancing, what used tobe science fiction is now science fact, and we used it because it could give us the best qualityproduct.”

WHAT WOULD YOU PUT IN A TIME CAPSULE?Like most people, the cast and crew of Knowing have never had the opportunity to put anythingin a time capsule, but all of them had unique suggestions.Lara Robinson: Well, I‟ve never seen a time capsule, but I have heard about them. I‟d put in myfavorite songs. I‟d probably put in some classical music and some jazz things and some sort ofmodern music. I would put in photos of what our computers and electronic things look like to seeif they‟ve changed. I would put a journal of a year of my life and photos of landmarks inAustralia. And I‟d put a globe in, just in case things change. Finally, I would put in a book aboutAustralia. I‟d probably put a time capsule in for a hundred years and see what the difference isthen.Rose Byrne: I‟d like to put in a diary, something a bit racy, with good secrets, so it would beentertaining for the person who found it.Chandler Canterbury: I would put in a picture of my family to show what fun we've hadtogether…and maybe Legos.Steven Jones-Evans: I‟d like to put myself into a time capsule. That would be the greatest thing,if I could preserve myself and put myself into a time capsule and come out and see what thefuture is going to be like. Maybe just my brain or something like that.Nicolas Cage: It would be interesting to put this movie into a time capsule, because then it wouldbecome very cubist. I'll leave it at that.The CastNICOLAS CAGE (John Koestler), one of the most versatile actors of all time, is known toaudiences around the world for his nuanced dramatic and comedic portrayals and as one ofHollywood‟s top action stars. The Academy Award winner‟s last film, National Treasure: Bookof Secrets, represented his fifth collaboration with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Previously, theyworked together on a string of hits: The Rock, Con Air, Gone in 60 Seconds and NationalTreasure. Their latest outing was also a massive success as National Treasure: Book of Secretsheld the No. 1 spot at the U.S. box office for three consecutive weeks.His memorable performance as an alcoholic drinking himself to death in the drama Leaving LasVegas, directed by Mike Figgis, earned Cage the 1995 Academy Award for Best Actor. He alsoreceived a Golden Globe and Best Actor awards from the New York Film Critics Circle, the LosAngeles Film Critics Association, the Chicago Film Critics and the National Board of Review.Cage further solidified his leading man status when he received Academy Award, Golden Globe,Screen Actors Guild and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) nominationsfor his dual role as twin brothers Charlie and Donald Kaufman in Spike Jonze‟s quirky comedyAdaptation, which co-starred Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper.

Cage recently portrayed Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider, based on the Marvel Comics character.Written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson, the film immediately set a new record as thehighest-grossing film opening on Presidents Day weekend. Cage also appeared in the Pangbrothers‟ recent action drama, Bangkok Dangerous. Previous starring roles include NeilLaBute‟s The Wicker Man, Oliver Stone‟s World Trade Center, Gore Verbinski‟s The WeatherMan, Lee Tamahori‟s sci-fi thriller Next and Andrew Niccol‟s Lord of War. Cage was also heardas the voice of Zoc in the animated film The Ant Bully.Cage was raised in Long Beach, CA and lived there until his family moved to San Franciscowhen he was 12. Cage began acting at age 15 when he enrolled in San Francisco‟s AmericanConservatory Theatre, appearing in the school‟s production of “Golden Boy.” He later moved toLos Angeles and, while still a high school student, landed a role in the television film “The Bestof Times.” He made his feature film debut in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.It was Cage‟s portrayal of a tormented Vietnam vet in Birdy that first established him as aserious actor. Directed by Alan Parker, the drama won the Jury Prize at Cannes. Cage thenreceived a Golden Globe nomination as Best Actor for his role as Cher‟s lover in Moonstruck.David Lynch‟s Wild at Heart, starring Cage and Laura Dern, won the Golden Palm at the 1990Cannes Film Festival.Some of Cage‟s other honors include a Golden Globe nomination for his role in Honeymoon inVegas, the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Montreal World Film Festival, andthe first ever Distinguished Decade in Film Award at ShoWest.In 2002, Cage released his feature film directorial debut, Sonny. He cast an impressive group ofactors, including Golden Globe winner James Franco, Mena Suvari, Brenda Blethyn and HarryDean Stanton. The film was accepted into the 2002 Deauville Film Festival. Cage‟s productioncompany, Saturn Films, also produced the critically acclaimed Shadow of the Vampire and TheLife of David Gale.Other film credits include Matchstick Men, Windtalkers, Captain Corelli‟s Mandolin, TheFamily Man, Bringing Out the Dead, 8MM, Snake Eyes, City of Angels, Face/Off, GuardingTess, Red Rock West, It Could Happen to You, Kiss of Death, Honeymoon in Vegas, ValleyGirl, The Cotton Club, Racing with the Moon, Peggy Sue Got Married, Rumble Fish, RaisingArizona and Vampire‟s Kiss.ROSE BYRNE (Diana Wayland) is one of Australia‟s leading young film stars, winningacclaim both locally and internationally. She stars in the award-winning FX series “Damages,”alongside Glenn Close and Ted Danson. Her portrayal of Ellen Parsons, the protégé of a highstakes litigator, earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination in 2008.Byrne stars in Jonathan Ogilvie‟s forthcoming The Tender Hook, with Hugo Weaving andMatthew Le Nevez. Byrne stars as Iris, the woman at the center of a love triangle involving acrime boss and a young boxer. Also due for release is Adam, a romantic dramedy starring Hugh

Dancy as a man with Asperger's Syndrome. The film focuses on his efforts to form a relationshipwith a woman (Byrne) who lives in the same apartment building.In 2007, Byrne‟s films included Danny Boyle‟s sci-fi action drama, Sunshine, opposite CillianMurphy; Juan Carlos Fresnadillo‟s 28 Weeks Later, co-starring Robert Carlyle; and the blackcomedy Just Buried, with Jay Baruchel, which premiered at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival.Byrne also appeared as the Duchesse de Polignac in Sofia Coppola‟s Marie Antoinette, whichpremiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006 and screened at the New York Film Festival. Alsoin 2006, Byrne co-starred in Karen Moncrieff‟s ensemble indie drama The Dead Girl, whichgarnered an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Film.Byrne‟s other film credits include Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones, PaulMcGuigan‟s thriller Wicker Park with Josh Hartnett, the acclaimed I Capture the Castle andDanny Green‟s The Tenants, with Dylan McDermott. Byrne also starred in Wolfgang Petersen‟sepic Troy, alongside Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom and Peter O‟Toole. She was reunited withO‟Toole in the BBC drama “Casanova.”Byrne‟s film career began in Australia with her standout role in the gritty crime drama TwoHands, opposite Heath Ledger. Byrne went on to star in Clara Law‟s The Goddess of 1967, forwhich she was awarded Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival.A well-respected theatre actress, Byrne has appeared in leading roles for the prestigious SydneyTheatre Company in their productions of “La Dispute” and “The Three Sisters.”CHANDLER CANTERBURY (Caleb Koestler) is one of the brightest and intriguing youngactors to emerge in recent years. With a subtle approach, vivid imagination, and incredibleemotional range, Chandler is blossoming into one of Hollywood‟s most diverse talents.Chandler can currently be seen in the Paramount/Warner Bros film "The Curious Case ofBenjamin Button" for director David Fincher ("Fight Club" and "Seven"), starring Brad Pitt andCate Blanchett. Adapted from the 1920s short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man (Pitt)who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time.Chandler plays "Benjamin Button" at the age of 8, who has the dementia of an old man.He recently wrapped a lead role in the psychological thriller "After.Life," opposite Liam Neesonand Christina Ricci. The story follows Anna (Ricci), a young teacher caught between life anddeath, and Eliot, a funeral director (Neeson), who appears to have the gift of transitioning thedead, but might be a psychopath intent on burying her alive. Chandler plays Jack, one of Anna'sstudents who is deeply affected by her death, and hangs around the funeral home with Eliot, withwhom he has an unspoken connection.He has also completed production on Universal's "Repossession Mambo" opposite Jude Law andForest Whitaker, and also on Timothy Linh Bui's "Powder Blue" opposite Jessica Biel, ForestWhitaker, and Ray Liotta.

Chandler recently won a 2008 Young Artist Award for his chilling special guest starperformance on the CBS hit series "Criminal Minds."Born in Houston, Texas, Chandler broke out into the entertainment industry by booking a role inthe feature film "Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach" starring Seann William Scott and RandyQuaid, directed by Danny Leiner ("Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle"). In addition toacting, Chandler enjoys fencing, basketball, and baseball. He currently resides with his family inHouston, Texas.LARA ROBINSON (Lucinda Embry, Abby Wayland) has, at just 10 years of age, amassed animpressive list of credits while emerging as one of Australia's most promising young actors.Robinson recently worked on a remake of the 1978 classic Australian thriller Long Weekend thatwas directed by Jamie Blanks and starred Claudia Karvan. Her television work to date hasincluded a guest role in the Seven Network's police drama, “City Homicide” and a lead guestrole in J.M. Shiff's children's series “The Elephant Princess.” She also has several televisioncommercials to her name and the VCA short Work in Progress.Balancing her film and television work with theatre engagements, Robinson has worked with theTivoli Theatre in Malvern. In 2007 and 2008, she appeared in “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”and “The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe.”Robinson is a sensitive, intelligent and focused performer with a maturity beyond her years. Sheis also a talented young musician with advanced skills in both piano and clarinet, as well astraining in jazz, ballet and tap.BEN MENDELSOHN (Phil Beckman) is widely recognized as one of Australia‟s mostoutstanding actors, with more than 20 feature film roles to his credit. He recently completedwork on Baz Luhrmann‟s new feature, Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.The actor is currently in production on a number of features including Rachel Ward‟s BeautifulKate, with Rachel Griffiths, and Prime Mover, directed by David Caesar.Mendelsohn‟s work has been extensively acknowledged by his peers with multiple AFI andFCCA nominations. He was awarded the 2001 St. Tropez Best Actor prize for his lead role inMullet, the 1995 FCCA Best Supporting Actor award for Metal Skin and the 1987 AFI BestSupporting Actor award for The Year My Voice Broke.Mendelsohn starred in Terrence Malick‟s The New World. His other lead roles include VerticalLimit, Black and White, Cosi, Idiot Box, Spotswood and The Big Steal. He also starred asRupert Kathner in the AFI Award-winning docudrama Hunt Angels. He provided voice actingfor the animated feature film $9.99.The actor has received multiple award nominations for his role as Lewis on “Love My Way,”including a Logie nomination for Most Outstanding Actor and an AFI nomination for Best Lead

Actor in a Television Drama. He has also been seen as a guest lead in some of Australia‟s mostacclaimed television productions, including “Halifax F.P.,” “G.P.,” “Police Rescue” and “TheSecret Life of Us.”Mendelsohn has devoted a substantial amount of time to theatre work, including the roles ofMark Antony in “Julius Caesar” and Tom in “The Glass Menagerie.” His other theatre creditsinclude Paul Peplow in “My Zinc Bed,” Lewis in “Cosi” for Belvoir Street Theatre and AndyPettigrew in “The Selection.”NADIA TOWNSEND (Grace Koestler) is one of Australia‟s emerging young actresses. Shestarted her career with Rose Byrne when they were 14 years old, attending drama classestogether at Hunters Hill High and Australian Theatre for Young People. They left school totravel together to New York and study at David Mamet‟s Atlantic Theatre Company. They livedside by side in a tiny room in Greenwich Village, spending their days in class and their nights inthe theatre.Townsend next stars in the Australian thriller Vanished, based on director Ray Murray‟sadaptation of the Fred and Rosemary West “house of horrors” story. Her most recent film,Puppy, made its way through the international film circuit to much acclaim.The actress has worked extensively in Australian television over the past decade and is bestknown for her beloved portrayal of a hard-hearted firefighter on ABC‟s “Fireflies.” Townsendhas also appeared on the series “Sea Patrol,” “Chandon Pictures,” “Headland,” “Farscape” and“Head Start.”Townsend recently worked side-by-side with director George Miller on Justice League asAssistant Dramaturge. She is graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts with apostgraduate diploma in Theatre Direction.ALAN HOPGOOD (Rev. Koestler) has been an actor and playwright for over 40 years. InJanuary 2005, Hopgood was made a Member of the Order of Australia for service to theperforming arts as an actor, playwright and producer, as well as for his contributions to thecommunity by raising awareness of men‟s health issues. He has appeared in numerous televisionand film projects in his native Australia.DANIELLE CARTER (Miss Taylor 1959) graduated from NIDA in 1993 and has workedsteadily in the industry ever since. Her theatre credits are extensive and varied. They include “AMidsummer Night‟s Dream” for Theatre Works, “Europe” for VCA Directors Season, “Still” forMalthouse/La Mama, “Face to Face” for Ensemble Theatre, “The Quartet from Rigoletto” forCue Theatre and Ensemble Theatre, “All Things Considered” for Marian Street Theatre,“Property of the Clan” for Theatre 20/20, “Away” and “Hypothalamania” for Sydney TheatreCompany as well as the national tour of “Dags.”

Carter‟s television credits include series regular roles on “Something in The Air,” “Medivac” and“Richmond Hill.” Her guest starring roles in Australia include work on the hit series“Underbelly,” “All Saints,” “The Elephant Princess,” “City Homicide,” “Stingers” and “SecretLife of Us.” Her U.S. series appearances include “The Lost World” and “BeastMaster.”Film credits include Eustice Solves a Problem, for director Stephen Lance, and The Blue Lady,for director Nicholas Verso.The FilmmakersTODD BLACK (Producer) counts among his recent feature film credits The Pursuit OfHappyness, starring Will Smith, and The Great Debaters, starring Denzel Washington andForrest Whitaker. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture (Drama) for The GreatDebaters. In addition, Black was honored with the Producers Guild‟s Stanley Kramer Award forThe Great Debaters and for his 2002 film Antwone Fisher.Born in Dallas and raised in Los Angeles, Black attended the theatre program at the Universityof Southern California. He began his entertainment career as a casting associate.In 1995, Black became President of Motion Picture Production at Sony‟s MandalayEntertainment and managed such films as Donnie Brasco, Seven Years in Tibet, I Know WhatYou Did Last Summer, Les Miserables and Wild Things.In January 2000, Black, along with his partner Jason Blumenthal, merged with the Steve TischCompany to form Escape Artists, an independently financed company housed at Sony Pictures.Their first produced movie was A Knight‟s Tale, starring Heath Ledger.Black‟s acclaimed drama Antwone Fisher was a decade-long labor of love that marked AcademyAward winner Denzel Washington‟s directorial debut and launched the career of screenwriterAntwone Fisher. In 2005, The Weather Man marked Black‟s second collaboration with writerSteve Conrad. The pair met when Black discovered Conrad‟s first screenplay, Wrestling ErnestHemingway, which he produced for director Randa Haines.Black and Escape Artists recently completed production on Seven Pounds, starring Will Smithand directed by Gabriele Muccino, for Columbia Pictures. Another forthcoming Columbiarelease, The Taking of Pelham 123, stars Denzel Washington and John Travolta with Tony Scottdirecting.JASON BLUMENTHAL (Producer) was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended SyracuseUniversity‟s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. After graduation, he joinedWizan/Black Films in 1990. There, Blumenthal was involved with the development andproduction of Iron Eagle II and Split Decisions, a family drama about three generations ofprizefighters that starred Gene Hackman. He also worked on The Guardian, directed by WilliamFriedkin; Short Time, with Dabney Coleman and Teri Garr; and Class Act, starring Kid N‟ Play.

Blumenthal executive produced Becoming Colette, written by Ruth Graham Black, and Fire inthe Sky.Other credits include Wrestling Ernest Hemingway, directed by Randa Haines and starringRobert Duvall, Richard Harris and Shirley MacLaine; Dunston Checks In, starring JasonAlexander, Faye Dunaway and Rupert Everett; A Family Thing, starring James Earl Jones andRobert Duvall; and Bio-Dome, starring Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin.Blumenthal was Senior Vice President of feature production at Mandalay Entertainment, adivision of Sony Pictures Entertainment, from the company‟s inception in 1995 through Marchof 1998. During his tenure, Blumenthal managed Mandalay‟s production slate and films such asThe Fan, starring Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes; Donnie Brasco, starring Al Pacino andJohnny Depp; Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt; I Know What You Did Last Summer, No.1 at the box office for three weeks while grossing $130 million worldwide; I Still Know WhatYou Did Last Summer; Les Miserables, starring Liam Neeson and Uma Thurman; Wild Things,starring Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon and Matt Dillon; Gloria, starring Sharon Stone; and DeepEnd of the Ocean, starring Michelle Pfeiffer.In April 1998, Blumenthal and his partner Todd Black formed Black & Blu Entertainment,entering into a first-look production deal at Sony Pictures Entertainment. In 2001, Black & Blumerged with the Steve Tisch Co. (Forrest Gump) to become Escape Artists, while stillmaintaining their first-look deal at Sony Pictures. Escape Artists has since produced A Knight‟sTale, starring Heath Ledger; Antwone Fisher, directed by and starring Denzel Washington; ThePursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith; and The Weather Man, starring Nicolas Cage andMichael Caine.Forthcoming Escape Artists films include Seven Pounds, starring Will Smith, and Tony Scott‟sremake of The Taking of Pelham 123, starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta.STEVE TISCH (Producer) launched Tom Cruise‟s career with the 1983 sleeper hit RiskyBusiness and produced 1994‟s Academy Award-winning Best Picture Forrest Gump. He alsoserved as executive producer of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch and the criticallyacclaimed American History X.In 2005, Tisch was named Chairman and Executive Vice President of the New York Giants. In2008, the Giants were crowned Super Bowl champions for the third time in NFL history.Tisch is a partner in Escape Artists, a production company formed in 2001, based at SonyPictures Entertainment. Escape Artists released The Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smithand Thandie Newton, in 2006 and The Weather Man, starring Nicolas Cage and Michael Caine,in 2005. Upcoming projects include Seven Pounds, starring Will Smith, and The Taking ofPelham 123, starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta.Tisch contributes his time and financial resources to such organizations as the ERAS Center,Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Women‟s Cancer Research Foundation. Tisch is a member of

the following organizations: the Board of Advisors at the Tisch School of the Arts at New YorkUniversity, the Board of Trustees of The Geffen Theatre in Los Angeles, The Sundance Institute,the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Board of Trustees of the PrestonRobert Tisch Brain Cancer Center at Duke University.STEPHEN JONES (Executive Producer) served as executive producer of Nim‟s Island and hiscredits as co-producer include Fool‟s Gold, Superman Returns, Son of the Mask and director P.J. Hogan‟s recent adaptation of Peter Pan. As associate producer, Jones‟ credits include GhostShip, Scooby-Doo and Red Planet. He worked as the line producer on the feature films TheWell, The Offspring and Fatal Past.Jones was the production supervisor on George Lucas‟ Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of theClones and Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith. His unit production manager creditsinclude Peter Pan, Ghost Ship, Scooby-Doo, Red Planet, Fatal Past, Quigley Down Under, TheFirst Kangaroos and The Time Guardian.For television, Jones has served in numerous capacities, including as producer of the telefilm“Noah‟s Ark,” co-producer of the series “Water Rats” and “Naked,” line producer of the series“Big Sky” and production supervisor of the telefilm “Dadah is Death.”TOPHER DOW (Executive Producer) has been Alex Proyas' producing partner since 1999. Inaddition to producing I, Robot and Garage Days, he has produced numerous short films andcommercials for Proyas and was second unit director on Dark City.SIMON DUGGAN (Director of Photography) brings his masterful cinematography to everyfilm he shoots, from psychological dramas to heart-pounding sci-fi thrillers. An award-winningmember of the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS), Duggan‟s feature debut in Americawas none other than the box office smash I, Robot. This was his second feature with directorAlex Proyas, having previously lensed the surprise indie hit Garage Days in Australia.Duggan‟s recent feature credits include The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, directed byRob Cohen, Live Free or Die Hard, Underworld: Evolution, The Interview, Risk and Guests.A master storyteller with the camera, Duggan‟s fluid style and renowned skills with lightingcreate tension and powerful emotion, whether for a television commercial or an epic movie.American Cinematographer magazine described his work as having a “vibrant, whimsical” style,while Variety hailed his talent as “visually inventive.”To date, Duggan has earned more than 30 Best Cinematography awards and commendationsfrom organizations including the Film Critics Circle of Australia, the International MobiusAdvertising Awards, the Australian Television Awards, the Melbourne Art Directors Club, theFederation of Australian Commercial Television, the Australian Writers and Art Directors Clubsand the Australian Cinematographers Society.

RICHARD LEAROYD (Editor) has worked with director Alex Proyas on the feature films I,Robot and Garage Days. Learoyd is also a highly respected commercial editor who divides histime between Sydney and London.In 1996, he worked as associate editor on Dark City and edited the film‟s trailer for New LineCinema. He worked extensively on Proyas‟ Mystery Clock website and recently edited two shortfilms for Proyas, Frank‟s Dream and Fashion.STEVEN JONES-EVANS (Production Designer) has been instrumental in creating theambience and feel of numerous films across Australia and the world, including Ned Kelly,starring Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom and Naomi Watts; Buffalo Soldiers, with JoaquinPhoenix; and most recently, The Children of Huang Shi and The Madman‟s Tale.MARCO BELTRAMI (Composer) is a protégé of the late Jerry Goldsmith, one of theindustry‟s most acclaimed composers. A former Academy Award nominee, he got his big breakscoring Wes Craven‟s Scream. In his approach, Beltrami threw away conventional horror musicclichés. Instead, he likened the film to a Western and, calling upon the influences of his idolEnnio Morricone, wrote one of the most unexpected and imaginative scores in recent memory.The film‟s music would garner much attention for the young composer. Craven remarked in thesoundtrack‟s liner notes, “Without Marco‟s genius, Scream would have been little more than awhisper.”Beltrami scored blockbusters like Live Free or Die Hard, I, Robot and Terminator 3 beforefinding his way back to Western compositions when Tommy Lee Jones hired him to score TheThree Burials of Melquiades Estrada. The film won the Best Director and Best Screenplayawards at the Cannes Film Festival.Walk the Line director James Mangold was a fan of Beltrami‟s suspenseful and beautifulWestern score and hired the composer to write the music for 3:10 to Yuma. MichaelRechtshaffen of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “The impressive work extends behind thescenes to… Marco Beltrami's percolating score, which subtly yet effectively signals Yuma'sstatus as a thinking person's Western.”Next, Beltrami will re-team with Tommy Lee Jones on In the Electric Mist, directed byrenowned filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier.