BRANDON and JARED DRAKE
Writer/Director
Brandon writes. Jared directs. As brothers, they depend on one another for support and feel lucky to be working together.
After graduating from the University of Redlands, Brandon accepted an editorial position with VIA magazine and spent his free time writing screenplays. Brandon’s hard work began to pay off when his screenplay, AGE OF THE DOVE, won the UCLA Professional Program Screenwriting Competition and placed him as a semifinalist and finalist in numerous prestigious screenwriting contests. Meanwhile, Jared earned his B.A. from the UCLA School of Film and Television with a focus on directing. At UCLA, Jared received the Alan S. Jacobsen Award, the Peter Stark Award, and the Rocco Viglietti Award for outstanding achievement in directing. His thesis film, SAND DUNE WATERWORMS, was voted the “Best Undergraduate Film” by his peers and was selected by a panel of industry judges to receive the school’s “Spotlight Award”, an honor given to the school’s best undergraduate or graduate films of the year.
After UCLA, Brandon and Jared formed their production company, Fireside, as a vehicle to raise funds for their first film, VISIONEERS. VISIONEERS represents their personal vision and unique sensibilities as young artists. They are excited to work together again in the future and recently signed with Anonymous Content and William Morris for representation.
JORY WEITZ
Producer
Jory Weitz was the executive producer of NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, a 2004 Sundance Film Festival hit. NAPOLEON has since become one of the most successful independent films of all times, and in doing so, opened doors for a casting director turned producer. Prior to his producing debut with NAPOLEON, Weitz has had a distinguished career as a casting director, working with notable film directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, Tim Burton, Stephen Frears, Ron Shelton, and Kevin Costner.
Weitz is currently producing the fantasy/adventure film THE OTHER SIDE with Katie Holmes, Woody Harrelson, Jason Lee, Alanis Morissette, Giovanni Ribisi, and composer Dave Matthews. He also recently executive produced the critically acclaimed documentary F*CK for ThinkFilm, featuring interviews with Drew Carey, Bill Maher, Ice-T, Janeane Garofolo, Alanis Morrisette, Kevin Smith, Billy Connolly, and the late Hunter S. Thompson. In addition, Weitz worked again with NAPOLEON DYNAMITE’s director Jared Hess in casting Paramount’s Jack Black comedy, NACHO LIBRE.
JAMES HENNEY
Producer
James Henney started his professional film career as the head literary coordinator at The Gersh Agency in Beverly Hills. In 2000, he partnered with filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo to form The
Syndicate, an independent production company. Through that collaboration, Mr. Henney produced WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD with George Clooney, Sam Rockwell, William Macy and Patricia Clarkson. In 2004, he acquired and added a talent management component to the
business that represented many young up and coming stars including Taryn Manning and Rachel Miner.
Mr. Henney, has produced and executive produced six movies under The Syndicate banner including PIT FIGHTER for 20th Century Fox, UNBEATABLE HAROLD, starring Dylan McDermott, Henry Winkler, Gladys Knight and Charles Durning, CHASING GHOSTS, starring Michael Madsen, Michael Rooker and Shannyn Sossamon, GHOST GAME and THE CULT starring Taryn Manning.
KURT DALTON and HENRY LOWENFELS
Executive Producers
Kurt and Henry started Mayfly Films, a production company, in June of 2005. Kurt comes from a musical background, having worked for independent music producer Phil Ramone before joining Endgame Entertainment. Henry has always been passionate about producing independent film, and has been mentored by Ram Bergman and Ed Saxon. Their goal is to create unique content by coupling with emerging talent and fresh voices to illuminate new ways of story-telling. VISIONEERS marks Mayfly’s second independent feature film, the first being ROCK THE BELLS, a music documentary that is currently available through Warner Home Video.
DINO PARKS
Cinematographer
TIM DELAUGHTER
Composer
Tim’s career began in 1991 as vocalist/guitarist of the Dallas-based alternative rock band TRIPPING DAISY. The group was signed to Island Records and released four acclaimed albums.
After leaving music for a brief time to start his family, DeLaughter soon found the lure of a return to performing and recording irresistible. The result was the Dallas symphonic pop group THE POLYPHONIC SPREE. The unusual group boasts a ten-member choir, a pair of keyboardists, a percussionist, bassist, guitarist, flautist, trumpeter, trombonist, violist, French horn player and even a theremin player, with DeLaughter serving as musical director, lead singer, and creative shaman. Their first album, TOGETHER WE’RE HEAVY, was released in summer 2004.
DeLaughter most recently composed the score for the independent feature film THUMBSUCKER starring Keanu Reeves, Tilda Swinton, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D’Onofrio and Benjamin Bratt and is touring the world with Polyphonic’s latest album THE FRAGILE ARMY, released in 2008.
JUSTINE HALLIDAY
Editor
Justine grew up in Portland, Oregon and has been working on feature films for 12 years in Los Angeles and New York City. Justine edited DOWN DOG (Boulder International Film Festival and San Francisco World Film Festival winner) and has worked as an associate editor on a number of films, including ELEGY, THE NOTEBOOK, and various projects for Robert Altman, Nick Cassavetes, Mark Romanek, and James Gray. Justine lives in Los Angeles with her family and is currently cutting the dark comedy DRIVING LESSONS, starring Dermot Mulroney.
HARRY SNODGRASS
Supervising Sound Editor
With over twenty years experience in the entertainment industry, Harry is part owner of Stage Two, a boutique post-production facility in Burbank, CA where he also serves as the post-production sound supervisor and sound designer.
Harry has worked on over 100 film and television projects, including such projects as: NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, ROBIN HOOD MEN IN TIGHTS, ALIENS 3, AMERICAN PIE, BASEKETBALL, FOR RICHER OR POORER, HOT SHOTS PART DEUX, and FLIGHT 93. During his tenure at Fox, he oversaw the restoration and preservation of the entire sound effects and music libraries. This work ultimately prepared him for the audio restoration work on DVD re-releases of such classics as REAR WINDOW, VERTIGO, TOUCH OF EVIL and THE BIG RED ONE.
Over the course of his career, Harry has received four Emmy nominations and in 2006 he received his first win for his sound editing and supervision work on A&E’s telefilm FLIGHT 93. Previously, Harry was nominated for his sound work on NBC’s mini-series THE BEAST and A&E’s John McCain bio-pic FAITH OF MY FATHERS.
Harry currently lives in Pennsylvania, where he spends his free time working on his house.
