Temple University Athletics
Former Owls Crespina & Morris Appear in
9.13.07 | Football
Sept. 13, 2007
LOS ANGELES - Former Temple Owls Keita Crespina and Charlie Morris will appear in the upcoming Disney football film, "The Game Plan" which opens nationwide on Sept. 28.
The movie was made by noted sports film makers Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, who were previously responsible for such high-quality and inspirational sports films as "Invincible," "The Rookie", and "Miracle."
Crespina portrays one of the fictional New York Dukes. He also previously appeared in "Invincible." Morris portrays Geller, a lineman for the Dukes.
Crespina was selected as the 1992 Temple MVP for his outstanding play and leadership. He finished his college career with 212 total tackles, 15 pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and four interceptions. As a senior, he ranked third among all Owl defenders with 85 total tackles. Crespina graduated from Temple in 1993 with a degree in physical education.
Keita Crespina
A native of North Philadelphia where he attended Lincoln High School, Crespina played professional football for the Philadelphia Soul. A nine-year veteran of the Arena Football League (AFL), Crespina was a member of the Tampa Bay Storm's 2003 ArenaBowl Championship team. One of only three players still with the Soul since the team's inaugural season in 2004, the wide receiver and defensive back retired and joined the Soul's front office staff as the Team Ambassador. In his second season, Crespina works in the community relations department and makes appearances. He talks to children and teaches them about never giving up on their goals.
Charlie Morris
A native of West Chester, Pa., Morris is an eight-year veteran of the AFL, playing five seasons with the Arizona Rattlers which made three consecutive ArenaBowl appearances. A member of the 2002 ArenaBowl champion Rattlers, he was traded to the Nashville Kats in 2004 where he's played the last three seasons.
The lineman was a four-year starter for the Owls' offensive line. As a senior, he was a member of the 1998 unranked Temple team that upset No. 14 Virginia Tech despite being 30-point underdogs. Morris graduated from Temple in 1999 with a degree in secondary education and social studies. Originally from Downingtown, Pa., Morris was an all-league lineman at Downingtown High School. Morris and his wife Paige have an infant son. * * * "The Game Plan" stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kyra Sedgwick. In the film, Johnson plays arrogant superstar pro quarterback Joe Kingman. At the height of Kingman's attempt to lead his team to the playoffs and a possible league championship, he finds out that he has a seven-year-old daughter that he never knew he had--- the product of a last fling with his then-wife just prior to their divorce. Kingman must then deal with this situation during the most important time of his professional football career. Sedgwick portrays Kingman's tough agent.
A large portion of the movie was filmed in and around Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots' practice facility.
The football scenes in "The Game Plan" were coordinated by Mark Ellis of ReelSports. For the film, all of the players in the movie attended a three-week pre-filming training camp run by Ellis. Similar to a real professional training camp, the players practiced offense, defense, and special teams in preparation for filming.
Photos by Ron Phillips, Walt Disney Pictures
"I'm not qualified for this!"
-- Joe "The King" Kingman
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has finally met his match, and she is four feet tall. Emanating a unique screen presence that combines his undeniable charm and self-deprecating humor, he further establishes himself as the consummate leading man and one of today's surprisingly new masters of movie comedy with his role as superstar quarterback Joe Kingman in Disney's THE GAME PLAN. Sure, Joe's known as one of the toughest players to ever take the field. Blessed with amazing strength and agility, he's famed for being able to handle any hit, no matter how ferocious. But, just when he doesn't see it coming, Joe is about to be knocked silly by the hardest-hitting challenge he could ever have imagined: an 8 year-old girl.
In this hilarious and heartwarming fish-out-of-water tale, "Rock" gets a chance to showcase his extremely funny, not to mention fatherly, side, while still mixing it up in scenes of fast-paced football action, as the last guy you'd ever expect to find a way to become a great new dad. It all begins as Kingman's Boston-based pro football team, The Rebels, is chasing their long-awaited championship. As their victorious quarterback, Joe has been living the ultimate bachelor fantasy: he's cool, rich, famous and the life of every party -- and there are a lot of parties. But his dream is suddenly sacked for a loss when he discovers Peyton (Disney Channel star MADISON PETTIS), the daughter he never knew existed, on his doorstep.
Now, just as his career is soaring, Joe must learn to juggle his old lifestyle of parties, practices and dates with supermodels while tackling the new challenges of ballet, bedtime stories and baby dolls -- all without fumbling. Equally perplexed is his hard-edged mega-agent, Stella Peck (KYRA SEDGWICK), herself without a parental bone in her body. But, as the championship grows nearer, Joe is about to realize that the game that truly matters has nothing to do with money, endorsements or even touchdowns - it's all about the really tough stuff: patience, teamwork, selflessness . . . and winning the heart of the one little fan who turns out to count the most.
Walt Disney Pictures, in association with Mayhem Pictures, presents THE GAME PLAN, directed by Andy Fickman ("She's the Man") and produced by Mayhem Pictures' Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray ("Invincible," "Miracle"), who are known for their hit sports action dramas but here take a turn into sports-themed family comedy. The story is by Nichole Millard & Kathryn Price and Audrey Wells and the screenplay is by Nichole Millard & Kathryn Price. Richard Luke Rothschild is the executive producer.
THE GAME PLAN stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as quarterback Joe Kingman, newcomer Madison Pettis as the daughter he never knew existed, Roselyn Sanchez ("Rush Hour 2 and 3," TV's "Without a Trace") as Peyton's alluring ballet teacher and Golden Globe winner Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer") as Kingman's superstar agent. They are joined by a unique supporting cast of ball-playing actors and rising stars that includes Emmy winner Gordon Clapp ("NYPD Blue"), Morris Chestnut, Brian White, Jamal Duff, Hayes MacArthur, Paige Turco, Robert Torti and Kate Nauta.
With roles as diverse as "The Gridiron Gang," "The Rundown," and "Be Cool," Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has forged a reputation as today's consummate leading man. But now, with THE GAME PLAN, everything's about to change, as he shows his full range by turning from dead serious and invincible to funny and fallible in the role of a hotshot quarterback who thinks his life as the ultimate rich, tough and successful bachelor is completely perfect until he suddenly has to tackle one major obstacle: fatherhood. Starring as Joe Kingman, Johnson reveals how learning to be a dad, one comical mistake at a time, helps an already successful man become a better person.
THE GAME PLAN began when producers Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray - partners in Mayhem Pictures and renowned for creating such uplifting and visceral sports drama hits as "The Rookie," "Miracle" and "Invincible" - got a wild idea. They thought it would be a lot of fun to try something completely different - a comedy starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who was an actor that they'd always wanted to work with. With a meeting looming with the action star, they put their heads together with Mayhem development executive Nichole Millard to forge some ideas to present, and were quickly inspired.
"We love movies about the triumph of an underdog, but that's not exactly what you think about when it comes to `The Rock'," explains Gray. "So we started thinking about that perspective. We also knew that Dwayne had played football at the University of Miami and that he was the father of a young girl. So, we sat down with Nichole Millard to come up with a story that might combine all those elements. And that evolved into THE GAME PLAN."
Millard was so excited by the idea of a Disney comedy starring "The Rock," that she asked her bosses if she could write the screenplay with her partner Kathryn Price. The two comedy writers had been inseparable since bonding as college students at the University of Kansas, splitting only when both pursued graduate studies at different law schools. Subsequent career moves landed both back in Hollywood, with Price working in television production and Millard in film development, but they still dreamed of getting their big break as screenwriters. It was a risk, but Gray and Ciardi were so won over by Millard's passion for the project that they gave her the go-ahead.
In the end, Gray and Ciardi would lose their valuable employee, but they gained the screenplay they had hoped for in return. Meanwhile, Millard & Price were finally able to make their dreams of screenwriting in Hollywood come true and have since become a very busy writing team. Additional contributions to the film's story were made by Audrey Wells, whose credits include writing and directing the films "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "Guinevere," as well as writing such diverse comedies as "Shall We Dance," "The Truth About Cats and Dogs," "The Kid" and the family film "George of The Jungle."
"We thought it would be so fun to see `The Rock' as a football player becoming awkward and vulnerable with this teeny, tiny daughter. That naturally led to a lot of comedy," says Millard. "How does this big guy -- who has been a bachelor for so long and doesn't even have a guest bedroom -- suddenly deal with a little girl who needs him? We had a blast imagining all the scenarios they would find themselves in."
Adds Price: "There aren't very many situations that you could put `The Rock' into that he couldn't handle, which is what makes the premise of having him go up against an 8 year-old girl so funny."
The story grew from there, with the duo placing Joe Kingman into one perplexing parenting situation after another - from ballet class to dealing with dolls and bedazzlers -- even as he tries to maintain his he-man quarterback lifestyle. Along the way, Dwayne Johnson, the father of a 3 year-old himself, continually provided his own creative input. "He would send us emails saying things like `what if I had to do her hair?' and his ideas were great," notes Price.
Another idea Johnson brought to the table was turning Joe Kingman, whose nickname is "The King," into a fan of the original "King," Elvis Presley - echoing Johnson's long-time love of Presley. Millard and Price had a blast with the idea. "When we found out how much Dwayne Johnson loves Elvis we found lots of ways to work that into the script," says Millard.
Continues Price: "We were trying to pick Elvis songs Dwayne might sing and he said `let me put them on my iPod and I'll try them out in my trailer' - and we got such a kick out of thinking of him dancing to `Houndog' in his trailer," laughs Price.
Ultimately, Johnson would give Kingman his own Elvis-inspired end-zone dance as well as a chance to serenade Madison Pettis onscreen with his own plaintive version of "Are You Lonesome Tonight" - which almost wins her over.
Millard and Price also had fun creating Joe's unlikely foil - his acerbic female sports agent who is even more flummoxed by children than Joe. "There aren't many female sports agents, so we wanted Stella to be this tough-as-nails woman who has even fewer existing parenting skills than Joe. There were a lot of laughs to be mined there, as well as the chance to write a very unique female character," says Price.
But, most of all, they were excited about another story element that's normally absent in action movies starring major action heroes: the story's heart. "We're comedy writers but we also really wanted to tell a story about a man who discovers the power of putting family over career. This is a journey where Joe finally discovers the priorities that make life so special," says Millard.
When director Andy Fickman - who is equally known for his film comedies, including the recent teen hit "She's The Man" starring Amanda Bynes, as he is for his stage work ("Jewtopia", the stage version of "Reefer Madness," among others) - encountered the script, he found himself hooked, and even relating to Joe Kingman's epic struggle to become as big a hero to his daughter as he is on the football field.
"I loved the notion of who this guy was and the whole relationship with his daughter," Fickman says. "I have a 10 year-old son so just that dynamic of trying to balance work and family also spoke to me in a profound way." A meeting with Dwayne Johnson sealed the deal for Fickman. "He clearly was the perfect person for this role because he has the ability to laugh at his own image," the director says. "The audience has to believe Joe is the coolest and most studly of athletes - yet, at the same time, the comedy has to stem from how completely out of the loop he is when it comes to parenting and everyday life. Dwayne certainly has all the physical attributes of Joe Kingman but, more importantly, he also was able to play the comedy. It was clear that Dwayne was ready to embrace this character's moving journey and simultaneously have a lot of fun with him."
On the set of THE GAME PLAN, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's performance pleased director Andy Fickman. "He really exceeded all my expectations. There was always a level at which we knew that who Joe Kingman is as a person would be funny, but Dwayne went much further and truly found the heart of this tricky character," he observes. "He found the perfect balancing act between portraying a superstar who is outrageously self-absorbed and a humbled new dad you really want to root for."
From the minute he first heard the concept for THE GAME PLAN, Johnson was thrilled to face a challenge unlike any he had taken on in filmmaking before. "When you have the chance to create a character like this from the ground up, that's a lot of fun," he says. "Having had the opportunity to play football for 10 years, I knew I would be able to bring some of that swagger to Joe as well as some of the invaluable lessons from the game that I've taken with me through life."
Joe might appear to have it all, Johnson notes, because he's got the hot women, the big money and the adoring fans, but he's still missing something major. "Joe is one of the guys who from the minute he was born was destined to be a great quarterback," he points out. "He's worked hard for everything he's gotten but, at the same time, I think he's never quite understood the value of certain things, of what it means to be part of a team, to do things for other people - and it takes a little girl to show him what is really important in life."
Equally exciting to Johnson was the thought of putting on pads and a helmet again. Having played as a member of the 1991 NCAA Champion University of Miami Hurricanes before an injured back toppled his NFL dreams, Johnson says he envisioned Joe Kingman as combining "Brett Favre's toughness with Joe Namath's charisma."
But, even more than the football action, Johnson relished the chance to show off his comic chops. He especially enjoyed allowing this tough, confident man's awkwardness and terror in the face of parenting shine through. "For Joe, being a father requires a whole new playbook," laughs Johnson.
It also means going into a whole new world, one that includes such unlikely pursuits as ballet, which meant Johnson had to dive into his own Ballet 101 lessons. He admits he rather enjoyed it, especially once he realized the different-but-equal set of athletic skills it requires.
"One thing I realized is just how difficult ballet is," says Johnson. "You've gotta be disciplined, you've gotta be on your toes literally and you've got to have total body control. It's a great thing to learn. And when else am I ever going to get a chance to wear a one-piece spandex outfit in green?"
Johnson also enjoyed the opportunity to give another very personal touch to the role - bringing his own passionate love of his musical idol Elvis Presley to Kingman -- who takes his nickname "The King" very seriously. "I've been a huge fan of Elvis for as long as I can remember," confesses Johnson. "I've got three artists who always inspire me: Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Sam Cooke -- and that's it. And I thought that being an Elvis fan would be another great little layer for Joe. It was a chance to have more fun with the character - and even to sing an Elvis song." Not only is Kingman's house lined with a Elvis posters and memorabilia, Joe also whips out his curled-lip Elvis imitation whenever things get rough - including with Peyton, who shows him no mercy with her critique of his performance!
While Johnson went on a limb with the character's humor, he also notes that playing Joe was about revealing the moment of a man's unexpected transformation. "Joe may be a Hall of Fame quarterback, but he's been by himself for a very long time," sums up Johnson. "His only real friends are Spike the Bulldog and the end zone. But when this little 8 year-old girl comes along who calls him daddy, it changes him in ways he never thought imaginable. How many times do you get the chance to win the championship game and get the girl...only this time you get to win the love of your little daughter who means the world to you? Joe discovers just how lucky he really is."
While Dwayne Johnson was on board with THE GAME PLAN from the very beginning, the filmmakers faced a daunting task: how to find an irresistibly cute and sweet little girl who could also evoke the same sassiness, spunk and toughness of spirit as her on-screen dad?
An extensive nationwide search led them to 7 year-old Madison Pettis of Arlington, Texas. A complete newcomer to moviemaking, Madison won the role of Joe's daughter, Peyton, in impressive auditions which demonstrated some real spunk along with her sweetness. Explains Andy Fickman: "When we screen tested Madison with Dwayne, we all could see it. The very first time they interacted, Dwayne looked over at me with this face that said `wow...watch out for this one!'"
He continues: "Madison really embraced the emotional complexity of Peyton. After all, Peyton isn't just a Shirley Temple ragamuffin -- she has plotted a major con and she has to pull it off. At the same time, Peyton is also going through a lot of hurt as well as hope in trying to discover a new father. I started out with my own ideas about Peyton, but Madison educated me every day on how much more the character of Peyton could be."
The producers also knew they had lightning in a bottle once Pettis was cast. "Madison not only has a brilliant energy, but she even looks a bit like we thought Joe's daughter would," says Gordon Gray. She also had a rare comic sensibility for someone so young.
Comments Mark Ciardi: "Madison is so smart and funny that we continually laughed at what came out of her mouth. Once the cameras rolled, the chemistry between Dwayne and Madison just grew and grew."
Madison also managed not to be intimidated by her hulk of a co-star.
"Dwayne was just so nice to me," she says of working side-by-side with The Rock. "The very first day we started shooting, he brought me doughnuts and told me that we were just going to have so much fun doing the movie. That meant a lot to me!"
But most of all, Madison loved being the one who changes Joe Kingman for the better. "Joe really is kind of a jerk at the beginning and he doesn't even know it," she observes. "But Peyton shows him what it's like to be nice. And, in the end, she realizes her dream of finding her father, too!"
When Joe Kingman is suddenly thrust into the foreign world of parenthood, his confidence is rocked by one situation after another that prove a whole lot harder than making plays on the field - including finding his bulldog dressed in a tutu by his ballet-obsessed daughter. But when he takes Peyton to enroll at Monique's Ballet School, he's in for a different kind of surprise: the beautiful, fiery Monique herself, who demands total discipline, including from Joe as a parent.
To play Monique, the filmmakers knew they would need someone with both a strong personality and an authentic dance background, which ultimately led them to multitalented actress Roselyn Sanchez. Sanchez, a dancer, model and singer who journeyed from Puerto Rico to New York to jumpstart her acting career, can currently be seen in the hit television series "Without a Trace" and was recently seen in "Rush Hour 3." She immediately impressed the filmmakers.
"Roselyn's a gifted dancer, she's beautiful and, on top of that, she can also act very tough," says Gordon Gray, "We needed a woman with the strength to stand up to Joe Kingman."
Director Andy Fickman liked that Roselyn was able to be as light on her feet as she was hard on woefully inexperienced dad Joe Kingman. "It was important to us to treat the world of ballet in the film with the same respect as the world of football," he says. "Roselyn grew up dancing ballet and she learned an entire new ballet for our film, without using a dance double. She was also so much fun, making everyone laugh even when things were hard. I am forever in her debt for joining the production." Sanchez, who also played a ballerina in "Yellow," was thrilled to be able to put her dance training to use in creating a character who has a life-changing effect on Joe and his daughter. "I grew up in Puerto Rico, where I had danced ballet since I was four years old myself. I love dancing so, for me, this was an amazing experience," she says.
Another character who is key to the film is Joe Kingman's cutthroat super-agent, Stella, who is more than happy to cheat and lie for Kingman - but not to baby-sit for him! The role gave Emmy Award nominee Kyra Sedgwick a much-desired break from more recent serious fare in her career.
"I had done some gut-wrenching roles recently when I got the call from Andy Fickman to do THE GAME PLAN," explains Sedgwick. "And add to that the pressure of doing a weekly series (TNT's "The Closer"), it was great to do something so fun. I loved being light, and being able to laugh a lot. Dwayne Johnson was a sweet and utter gentleman, while Andy Fickman was so funny and smart. He's incredibly fast and witty, which always helps me in a scene."
"Kyra is one terrific actress," concludes Dwayne Johnson. "She has a rough character to play -- one who doesn't take any crap and gets the deals done - yet manages to be very funny at the same time. She was aces to work with, just great."
A superstar player needs a superstar entourage, so director Andy Fickman next set out to find a roster of actors with a unique combination of athleticism and acting ability to play Joe Kingman's teammates and coach. The result was a cast of former pro football players and actors with football experience who were truly ready to play.
Key among the Rebel team members is Sanders, the team's veteran wide receiver, who wants Joe Kingman to be more of a team player. To play the role, the filmmakers chose Morris Chestnut, who first came to be recognized by moviegoers in John Singleton's "Boyz N The Hood" as a high school running back trying to use his football skills to escape his violent South Central Los Angeles neighborhood. More recently, Chestnut joined with Joaquin Phoenix in the ensemble cast of the firefighting drama "Ladder 49." Chestnut first had to pass an unofficial audition for football coordinator Mark Ellis to make sure he had the hands for making the movie's crucial catch - but with that proven he threw himself into the role. "I'm a huge football fan and I've never had the opportunity to really do a football movie," he says. "When I read the script, I also thought here's a really fun movie for families."
As for his character, Chestnut says: "Sanders is always taking the high road, even at the expense of some of the team laughing at him. But I think he's a guy who's been around and sees the big picture. He witnesses Joe changing and stepping into this grey area where, for the first time, he is in over his head."
A former NFL player for the New England Patriots, Brian White, next joined the cast as the team's running back, Webber. The son of Boston Celtics' great JoJo White, Brian was also a professional lacrosse player for the Boston Blazers before becoming an actor, most recently seen in "Stomp the Yard" and "The Family Stone." White appreciated the authenticity that comes along with the story's locker room world and the joking amongst the players. "I'm familiar with the world that this movie deals with, with the trials and tribulations of being a professional athlete," he says, "and I think this story pretty accurately portrays what athletes have to go through to really find themselves. Madison, in her role, reminds us all that we're just big kids at heart and that the key to happiness is to never lose that."
Meanwhile, Jamal Duff, a former NFL lineman with the New York Giants and Washington Redskins, took on the role of the Rebel's dead-serious offensive lineman, Monroe. They don't come any bigger and tougher than Monroe but when it comes to little Peyton, he suddenly turns into a sweet and gentle giant.
Says Duff of his character: "Monroe is sort of the silent warrior, but when Monroe speaks, people listen!" Yet when Peyton makes her entrance into the life of the team, Duff notes that this tiny child changes Monroe's world in a big way. "There comes a moment for Monroe when he is suddenly totally affected by Peyton, when he sees the magic in her soul and they just connect - and it really opens up a whole new side of him. She reminds him that it's what is in your heart that you really need to win," says Duff. As for working with Madison Pettis, he adds: "She's a pleasure to be around and even more fun to see in action!"
Rounding out the featured players on the team is Hayes MacArthur, himself a record-holding former quarterback for Bowdoin College and player with the semi-pro football team the LA Gunslingers, in the role of the Rebels' tight end Cooper. MacArthur notes that, along with the comedy and story of family, "there's a real guy element to this story, which captures the way guys are together on teams and how they rally behind their leader." Finally, Gordon Clapp, an Emmy Award winner for his role on the long-running series "NYPD Blue", was tapped to play the Boston Rebels' iron-fisted coach, Mark Maddox. Clapp saw his character as an amalgam of several of the game's most celebrated coaches. "I think he's a combination of Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick and a few others I admire," says Clapp. "He's more of a brainiac than a gung-ho type. He has always tried to goad Joe into being more of a team player, but he also wants him to find his own way, even if he never expected him to do it quite this way."
Riveting, nail-biting sports action has always been a trademark of Gordon Gray and Mark Ciardi's sports dramas, from "Miracle" to "Invincible," and although THE GAME PLAN breaks out into comedy, they wanted this film to be no exception. So, to train and choreograph their team of already skilled football players, the filmmakers brought in football coordinator Mark Ellis. A former college football player, Ellis previously worked with Ciardi and Gray to forge the stunningly true-to-the-sport baseball sequences for "The Rookie" and hockey sequences in "Miracle," and had also honed his football choreography on such films as "The Longest Yard," "The Replacements," "Any Given Sunday," "Varsity Blues," "We Are Marshall" and, for Ciardi and Gray, the critically acclaimed hit "Invincible" with Mark Wahlberg.
For Ellis, veracity is the key to any movie involving sports, whether drama or comedy. "The audience will never believe the characters emotionally if they don't believe what's happening on the field," he summarizes. "With this movie, you have to believe that Joe Kingman is the most aggressive player in football, one of the toughest guys in the toughest environments, because when this 8-year-old girl melts him, then it means that much more."
Adds director Andy Fickman: "This is a family film but we also were determined that the football should look just like it would on TV on Sunday. I wanted there to be strong hits and the game to be at an A level, so that people would say, `wow, that looked so real.'"
Ellis began by helping to figure out Joe Kingman's quarterback style. "We really liked the idea of him being on the edge a lot, of getting him out of the pocket a little bit," he explains. "So we took that and created our playbook." Ellis and Johnson also watched plenty of classic football action film clips together for further inspiration. "We took a little bit of Brett Favre, Joe Namath and Joe Montana and put them all in one package to create Joe Kingman," says Ellis. "And Dwayne loved that because he's such a good actor he could apply all the stuff we saw immediately." Ellis also put the rest of the actors through their paces during a football training camp prior to filming where they learned to play as a team and got themselves into football shape.
Adding to the authenticity, the filmmakers wrangled permission to have their fledgling team train and play in Gillette Stadium, home of the 3-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, and even filled the press rooms with well-known sports personalities and journalists including Los Angeles Times' columnist T. J. Simers, USA Today writer Jon Saraceno and broadcasters such as Boomer Esiason, Marv Albert, Jim Gray, ESPN's Steve Levy and Stuart Scott, among others.
With the football world in expert hands, Dwayne Johnson, Madison Pettis and Roselyn Sanchez headed for a different kind of boot camp, one neither Johnson nor his fans likely ever imagined he would enter: ballet school! THE GAME PLAN's choreographer, Mary Ann Kellogg, worked with Andy Fickman, production designer David J. Bomba, costume designer Genevieve Tyrrell and composer Nathan Wang to create an original mini-ballet that was integrated into the film, while several dozen local Boston dancers were recruited to dance alongside the stars.
"We attacked the ballet the same way we attacked football," says Mark Ciardi. "We had one of the best companies in the United States, the Boston Ballet, and the beautiful Majestic Theatre in Boston, at our disposal. It was a massive undertaking, and in some ways, even bigger than the football!" Adds Fickman: "I hope dads and football fans get a treat out of the football just as much as dance fans will enjoy the ballet scenes. I even think that the impressive ballet scenes pushed football coordinator Mark Ellis a bit to come up with even more spectacular ideas for the football scenes."
"It was one of the highlights of the whole movie for me," says Madison Pettis. "Here I was, dancing with the Boston Ballet, and they were all my new friends. I loved doing the production with them and I hated to see it end. But the funniest part of all was seeing Dwayne dressed like a tree!" Indeed, when Joe Kingman is forced to play a role in Petyon's ballet production, the 6'4" Johnson found himself no longer in a helmet-and-pads but in a leaf-covered ballet costume. "That's not an outfit that most guys would be brave enough to get into," laughs Gordon Gray, "but Dwayne did it and he made the most of it. In fact, he even seemed pretty graceful out there!"
The next task for the filmmakers was creating a believable world around Joe Kingman, whose universe comes with all the sweet rewards of fame and adulation. He drives a gorgeous, gull-winged Mercedes, dates only the most fashionable women and his lavishly furnished townhouse is the stuff of which bachelor fantasies are made. He even owns a brand new trendy downtown watering hole, the Jelly Bar.
To create a lavish lifestyle befitting "the King," Fickman recruited production designer David J. Bomba, who previously worked with Fickman on "She's the Man" and also designed the early rock `n roll world of Johnny Cash for the acclaimed "Walk The Line." Bomba started by constructing Joe's multi-million dollar penthouse apartment on a large converted warehouse floor in the town of Westwood, Massachusetts. Complete with its own elevator, the apartment needed to be able to house something huge: Joe Kingman's ego. Bomba further outfitted Joe's home with a pool-sized bathtub, a designer kitchen, a gigantic personal gym and souvenir merchandise of Elvis Presley.
"Joe's an egomaniac, to be sure," says Bomba. "Andy wanted to make sure the audience never forgot that, yet still have his apartment show us Joe's loneliness at the top. We used lots of mirrors so he could always be checking himself out. We put all his past glories on display, from pictures and trophies to game balls. To top it all off, we had a wall-size portrait of him that dominates the living room. It is all in line with his huge sense of self, which is toppled by little Peyton."
Whether he was working on the field of Gillette Stadium or designing on the stage of the Majestic Theatre, Bomba notes that his design strategy was always "to contrast Peyton and Joe, the child and the adult, football and ballet."
While those contrasts create hilarious situations, they are ultimately overcome by the one thing Joe Kingman has never acquired among his possessions: real love. Sums up Andy Fickman:
"I'd love the audience to walk away from the movie with the notion that anybody can heal someone else, large or small. Because, for all the layers of cockiness Joe has built around himself for years, it just takes one little girl's love to melt it all away."
DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON (Joe Kingman) conquered the world of sports before transitioning into his amazing and diverse film career. In THE GAME PLAN, moviegoers will get to experience his rollicking sense of humor. He will next be seen starring as Agent 23 in Peter Segal's screen version of the classic super-agent comedy "Get Smart," alongside Steve Carrel and Anne Hathaway. With these comedies, Johnson further establishes himself as one of comedy's leading men. Among his other upcoming projects, he will re-team with director Andy Fickman for a new big screen version of the Disney live-action classic, "Witch Mountain."
Building on a film career that began with the small but pivotal role of 'The Scorpion King' in Stephen Sommers' 2001 blockbuster "The Mummy Returns," the actor created several memorable screen characters in a very short amount of time. His first starring role in 2002's "The Scorpion King" heralded the arrival of a vibrant new action hero. His subsequent roles playing a tenacious bounty hunter ("The Rundown"), and a war hero turned vigilante ("Walking Tall") led to three very different and challenging assignments: a gay Samoan bodyguard in the comedy "Be Cool," an inspirational probation officer-turned-football coach in the heartwarming drama "Gridiron Gang" and a futuristic movie star in director/writer Richard Kelly's "Southland Tales."
He has created his own charitable entity, The Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation, which creates a platform of hope and possibility for children nationwide by providing programs designed to enrich and empower the lives and self-esteem of under-served, at-risk youth and children hospitalized for medical disabilities, disorders and illness.
MADISON PETTIS (Peyton Kelly), who was cast for the role of Peyton Kelly at the tender age of 7, makes her feature film debut with THE GAME PLAN. A dancer by the age of 4, Madison began auditioning for commercials at age 5 in her hometown of Arlington, Texas after winning a contest to be the cover model for Fort Worth Child Magazine in October of 2003.While attending kindergarten, she alternated between modeling and commercial print work. Madison began taking acting classes and was soon chosen for a national toy company commercial. In December of 2005, Madison was asked to come to Los Angeles by a top youth agency in Los Angeles for auditions. Once there, she quickly earned the role of Stacy in the CBS series "Jericho," starring Skeet Ulrich.
In April of 2006, she auditioned for her first film role in THE GAME PLAN. Madison was chosen to co-star in the new Disney Channel television series "Cory in the House," a spin-off of the successful series "That's So Raven." In "Cory in the House," Madison plays Sophie, the young daughter of the United States President. She shot eight episodes before being called back to resume shooting THE GAME PLAN in September of 2006. "Cory in the House" premiered on the Disney Channel in January of 2007. When not working, Madison enjoys studying dance back home in Texas, where she is a member of a dance company and has competed as a jazz dance solo artist.
KYRA SEDGWICK (Stella Peck) has conquered success on stage, screen and television. In 2006, she won the Golden Globe® for Best Dramatic Actress - television, in addition, she has received three Golden Globe® nominations, an Emmy nomination, two SAG nominations, two Independent Spirit Award nomination, a Theater Award, Los Angeles Drama Desk Critics Circle Award and a Dramalogue Award.
Sedgwick can currently be seen in TNT's first original series "The Closer." Her role as Deputy Police Chief Brenda Jean Johnson earned her a 2007 and 2006 Emmy® nomination and a 2005 Golden Globe® and SAG nomination. The third season of "The Closer" broke all cable records as the most watched cable show in history. It premiered on June 18, 2007. She was last seen on the big screen in ThinkFilms's "Loverboy." Directed by Kevin Bacon, Sedgwick helped develop and co-produced the film which co-starred Matt Dillon, Campbell Scott and Marisa Tomei. The film premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
She starred in Nicole Kassell's "The Woodsman," produced by Lee Daniels, opposite Kevin Bacon and Mos Def. It had its world premiere at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival (in competition), receiving rave reviews. It was also showcased in Cannes as part of the 2004 Director's Fortnight line-up, and won the Jury prize at the Deauville Film Festival. Sedgwick received a 2005 Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress for her work in Lisa Cholodenko's "Cavedweller" for Showtime. Sedgwick, who developed and produced the film, plays Delia, a rock singer who returns to her Georgia hometown hoping to regain custody of the two daughters she left with her abusive ex-husband (Aidan Quinn). "Cavedweller" aired on Showtime last fall.
The actress also appeared in Joseph Sargent's Emmy® nominated "Something the Lord Made" for HBO. Sedgwick co-stars along side Alan Rickman, Mos Def and Mary Stuart Masterson. She plays the role of Mary Blalock, the wife of Alfred Blalock, who performed the first open-heart surgery procedure. In 2002, Sedgwick co-starred with Parker Posey in Rebecca Miller's independent film, "Personal Velocity," winning the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Other credits include the Emmy nominated TNT movie, "Door to Door," opposite William H. Macy, Helen Mirren, and Kathy Baker, Fisher Stevens' film "Just A Kiss," Showtime's "Behind the Red Door," opposite Keifer Sutherland and Stockard Channing; "Secondhand Lions," co-starring Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, and Haley Joel Osment.
Other films include John Turteltaub's "Phenomenon" opposite John Travolta, "What's Cooking," which opened the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, "Born on the Fourth of July," "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge," "Singles," "Lemon Sky," and "Heart and Souls," and Showtime's "Losing Chase," which she executive produced and starred opposite Helen Mirren. Sedgwick's theater credits include The Culture Project's New York production of "The Exonerated," a triumphant run of Nicholas Hytner's "Twelfth Night" at Lincoln Center, "Ah Wilderness!" for which she won the Theater Award, and David Mamet's "Oleanna," which garnered her a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and a Drama League Award.
ROSELYN SANCHEZ (Monique Vasquez) is currently enjoying success starring as Elena Delgado on the hit CBS television series "Without a Trace," though she has been a star in her native Puerto Rico since appearing in that nation's top-rated television show, "Que Vacilon," when she was just nineteen years old. The young singer/dancer/actress left for New York City at age 21, where she established herself in a string of Spanish language musicals. She landed roles in soap operas such as "As the World Turns" and went on to win the starring role in the television series "Fame LA". She broke through as a film star with a leading role in the hit comedy "Rush Hour 2" opposite Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, followed by roles in the films "Held Up," "Underclassman," "Boat Trip," "Basic," "Nightstalker" and "Chasing Papi." She most recently joined the cast of "Rush Hour 3." She is also an accomplished popular singer, having released her first CD "Borinquena" in 2003 featuring the hit single "Amor Amor" (for which she earned a nomination for a Latin Grammy Award).
Her most recent work includes the films "Pool Hall Prophets," "Edison," "The Perfect Sleep" and "Yellow," which she also produced.
GORDON CLAPP (Coach Mark Maddox) is a renowned stage and screen actor who won the Emmy Award in 1998 as Best Supporting Actor in the long-running hit series "NYPD Blue" playing hard-bitten Detective Greg Medavoy. He also was nominated for a Tony Award for his starring role in "Glengarry Glen Ross" on Broadway.
Born in New Hampshire, he attended Williams College and graduated with a theater degree before spending several years honing his craft in regional Canadian stage productions. He made his film debut in 1980 in John Sayles' "Return of the Secaucus Seven", which led to a long association with the filmmaker on such productions as "Matewan," Eight Men Out" and "Sunshine State." He recently worked for director Clint Eastwood in the acclaimed film "Flags of Our Fathers," and guest starred on the television series "Deadwood," "Law & Order SUV" and "Without a Trace." Audiences will soon see Gordon in the HBO movie "Taking Chance" and in the recurring role of `Gary Parsons' on FX'S "Damages." He also has executive produced and starred in three short films: "Trailer Talk," "Bananas" and "Fast Cars & Babies."
MORRIS CHESTNUT (Sanders) has recently starred in such films as "Ladder 49," "The Cave" and "This Christmas." The athletic actor grew up playing sports in California and attended college at Cal State Los Angeles before entering the film business in 1990 with a small role in "Freddy's Nightmares." This led him to a memorable starring role in director John Singleton's "Boyz n the Hood" as Ricky Baker and brought the actor into mainstream Hollywood. He followed this up with roles in the films "The Last Boy Scout," "Under Siege 2: Dark Territory," "G.I. Jane," "The Best Man," "The Brothers" and "Breaking All the Rules." He also displayed his prowess as a basketball player in the comedy "Like Mike" and starred in the thriller "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid." He also is a principal in the film production company DMI, which has an affiliation with Screen Gems. Most recently, Morris completed principal photography on "Not Easily Broken" directed by Bill Duke in which he starred and is executive producing for Sony Screen Gems.
BRIAN WHITE (Webber) can next be seen in the action-adventure film, "In the Name of the King," co-starring Jason Statham, John Rhys-Davies and Ray Liotta. He will also be seen starring opposite Shannyn Sossamon on the new CBS series from Joel Silver, "Moonlight." He most recently starred in "Stomp the Yard," which debuted at the top of the box office, about a young man who, after the death of his brother, is sent to live in Atlanta where he is introduced to college and fraternity life.
Previous film credits include Tom Bezucha's "The Family Stone," with an all-star cast including Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Luke Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Claire Danes, the Independent Spirit Award-nominated film "Brick" with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "DOA: Dead or Alive," the movie adaptation of the best-selling video game series Dead or Alive, directed by Corey Yuen ("The Transporter), Tyler Perry's "Daddy's Little Girls" with Gabrielle Union, "Dirty" with Cuba Gooding Jr and Clifton Collins Jr., "Mr. 3000" with Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett, "The Movie Hero" with Jeremy Sisto and Peter Stormare, Artisan Entertainment's drama "Redemption" and the romantic comedy "Me & Mrs. Jones." White also has a strong presence on the small screen, having starred in a number of television series such as "The Ghost Whisperer," "Moesha," MTV's "Spyder Games," UPN's comedy "Second Time Around" with Nicole Ari Parker and Boris Kodjoe and, most notably, as Detective Tavon Garris on the award-winning FX drama, "The Shield."
No stranger to hard work or success, White, a graduate of Dartmouth College, has played both professional football (NFL) and lacrosse (NLL), earned his certifications as a licensed stock broker (series 7, 63 and 65) and co-founded the professional dance company/community youth outreach organization Phunk Phenomenon Urban Dance Theater. He is also the President of Celebrity Relations for Warm2Kids (We're All Role Models), an online membership community dedicated to inspiring teens and young adults to make positive life decisions and to ensure that no young person or family suffers in silence. Additionally, White is a founding partner with director Sylvain White, actor Boris Kodjoe and media entrepreneur/finance executive Darius Kirksey of Media 3 Films, a feature film production company that recently entered a deal with Intermedia films, securing $100 million to develop and co-produce up to 10 multi-cultural genre films with international appeal over the next three years.
The eldest and only boy of six siblings, White was born in Boston to a professional basketball player father (legend JoJo White of the Boston Celtics) and a financial advisor mother, who he credits as his hero. White currently resides in Los Angeles. Visit www.brianwhiteonline.com for more information.
HAYES MACARTHUR (Cooper) is an actor, writer, and stand-up comedian from Chicago, IL. His steadily rising film career includes supporting roles in the 2006 hit, "The Break-Up," Sony Pictures' "Are We Done Yet?" and the upcoming Will Ferrell comedy "Semi-Pro." His other credits include appearances on such hit shows as "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "King Of Queens". Hayes played football at Bowdoin College where, as a quarterback, he set school records for most passing yards and touchdowns. His gridiron career then went on to include a two year stint playing semi-pro football for the Los Angeles Gunslingers. Hayes now resides in Los Angeles with his dog Jackpot.
JAMAL DUFF (Monroe) gained fame as a NFL defensive lineman with the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins before entering acting in 2003 with a role in the film "S.W.A.T." The 6'8" Ohio-born performer attended San Diego State University, where he excelled in football, before landing roles in "The Rundown" (in which he fights Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), "The Eliminator," "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" and "The Marine." He also appeared in the television series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "In Justice." His most recent film role was in the thriller "Lords of the Underworld."
PAIGE TURCO (Karen Kelly) recently appeared for producers Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray as Carol Vermeil in their hit film "Invincible" in 2006. She just finished filming "Taking Chance" for HBO opposite Kevin Bacon and will soon be seen in the new ABC series "Big Shots" opposite Dylan McDermott to premiere this fall.
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, she studied ballet and became a proficient soloist with several ballet companies before a severe ankle injury cut her career short at the age of 14. She decided to pursue music and drama at the University of Connecticut where she graduated. Paige has starred in numerous television shows and feature films including "American Gothic", "Party of Five", "NYPD Blue" and the series "The Agency" where she met her husband, actor Jason O'Mara. Paige is still known to many as 'April O'Neill' in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 and 3 ". Paige and her family reside on the East Coast.
KATE NAUTA (Tatianna) made a startling impression with her ruthless performance as the gun-slinging hit woman Lola in the 2005 thriller "Transporter 2" starring Jason Statham. The role was a departure for the willowy actress, who had previously been best known as a top international model. Born in Salem, Oregon, she began modeling at age 15 and won the Elite Model Look Contest at 17 before leaving home for a career modeling around the world (known as Katie Nauta) for such companies as Versace and L'Oreal. She is also a singer and a songwriter who recorded two songs for the "Transporter 2" soundtrack.
ANDY FICKMAN (Director) most recently guided the hit comedy "She's the Man" starring Amanda Bynes, which won the Teen Choice Award as Best Comedy. Certainly one of the busiest filmmakers working, he brings a wealth of experience creating, directing, writing and producing television, film and stage projects to his position on THE GAME PLAN. Born in Houston, he attended the University of Houston and Texas Tech University while performing in stand-up comedy while still a teenager. After graduation he came to Los Angeles, where his first jobs included tour guide at Universal Studios and the mailroom at Triad Artists Agency. He also became a prolific writer and director for the local theatre scene, eventually co-founding and managing the Fountainhead Theatre Company.
He moved into film development by working with companies run by Gene Wilder and Bette Midler before being named Vice President of Creative Affairs and Production for Middle Fork Productions, where he served as associate producer on the successful thriller "Anaconda."
Meanwhile, his theatrical resume grew to include the hit plays "Jewtopia" and "Reefer Madness." Both productions moved on to rave reviews and packed houses in New York City. He directed the acclaimed film version of "Reefer Madness" for Showtime (which also played the Sundance and Deauville Film Festivals among others) as well as the independent comedy "Who's Your Daddy," starring Brandon Davis, Christine Lakin and Patsy Kensit. Currently, he is working on a myriad of film and television productions that include projects for Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray's Mayhem Pictures, The Weinstein Company, Walt Disney Pictures, CBS, Twentieth Century-Fox and Columbia Pictures among many others.
MARK CIARDI and GORDON GRAY (Producers) are partners in Mayhem Pictures, the prolific production company that has produced such boxoffice smashes as "The Rookie," "Miracle" and last summer's surprise hit, "Invincible," starring Mark Wahlberg and Greg Kinnear. Gordon Gray attended the University of Southern California, where he majored in real estate and finance. Mark Ciardi graduated from the University of Maryland before moving into a successful baseball career as a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.
After meeting in Los Angeles, the duo formed Mayhem Pictures and developed the script that eventually became "The Rookie," the real-life sports drama starring Dennis Quaid as pitcher Jim Morris, who made the big leagues after a tryout at age 35 while working as a youth baseball coach. They followed with the inspirational true story of the improbable victory of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team, "Miracle", starring Kurt Russell as coach Herb Brooks. In 2006, Ciardi and Gray guided the box office hit "Invincible," about the true-life victory of Philadelphia bartender Vince Papale as he overcame fantastic obstacles to walk on from nowhere to the roster of his beloved Philadelphia Eagles football team. The film starred Mark Wahlberg as Papale and Greg Kinnear as his coach, Dick Vermeil. Mayhem Pictures is currently producing several projects in different stages of development under its first look deal with Walt Disney Pictures.
RICHARD LUKE ROTHSCHILD (Executive Producer) has worked in several production capacities with such directors as Bruce Beresford ("Crimes of the Heart," "Tender Mercies," "Double Jeopardy"), Christopher Guest ("The Big Picture"), Peter Weir ("The Truman Show") and Joe Johnston ("Hidalgo") among others. Born in New York City, he was educated in part at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia before taking a job in commercial production at N. Lee Lacy & Associates in New York City. From there he moved into film and television production.
His television credits include producing "Hawaiian Honeymoon," "Hitler's Daughter," "Fire and Rain" and "Brothers and Sisters," while his film work includes co-producing "Romy & Michele's High School Reunion," producing "Urban Legends: Final Cut" and co-producing "The Scorpion King," starring THE GAME PLAN's Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
NICHOLE MILLARD & KATHRYN PRICE (Screenplay/Story) have been writing partners since meeting as sorority sisters at the University of Kansas. Both went on to attend law school, with Millard going to the University of Indiana and Price to Stanford University. Both briefly practiced law before they decided to move to Los Angeles to tackle the entertainment industry. Kathryn Price found a novel way to break in: she was "The Mole" in the ABC series of the same name. Later, she worked in various production capacities on such series as "The Bachelor," "High School Reunion" and "The Starlet." Nichole Millard started as a talent manager at Industry Entertainment before joining Mayhem Productions as Director of Development. There, she and her partner pitched Mayhem founders Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray the story that eventually became THE GAME PLAN and their first produced feature film script.
Most recently, the duo are currently working on feature projects for Sony, Walden and Disney. They will re-team with THE GAME PLAN's producers Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, as well as director Andy Fickman (who is also co-writing with them), on Disney's "Pool Rats."
GREG GARDINER (Director of Photography) most recently worked on the Walt Disney Pictures' comedies "She's the Man" (directed by Andy Fickman) and "Herbie Fully Loaded." He began his career as an electrician on the film "Early Warning" in 1981 and moved into being the gaffer on "Repo Man," "Paris, Texas" and "Cherry 2000," before becoming the second unit director of photography on "Critters 2: The Main Course" and "Society." He became director of photography with the film "Far Out Man" in 1990 and also worked in that role on the television productions of "The Flash," "Viper" and "Leaving LA" before becoming cinematographer on such films as "Somebody Is Waiting," "The Apocalypse," "To End All Wars," "Orange County," "Big Trouble," "Men in Black II," "Biker Boyz," "Elf," "New York Minute" and "Son of the Mask."
MICHAEL JABLOW (Editor) recently earned an Emmy® Award nomination as well as an Eddie Award nomination for his work on the acclaimed HBO film "*61", directed by Billy Crystal. He began his career as working as an assistant editor on such films as "Hair," "Brubaker" and "You Light Up My Life" before becoming editor on such films as "Modern Problems," "The Wild Life" and "Get Crazy." He went on to work on top film comedies including "Throw Momma From the Train," "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad," "Madhouse," "The Marrying Man," "Mom and Dad Save the World," "Boomerang," "Muppet Treasure Island," "Little Big League," "Can't Hardly Wait," "Homegrown," "She's the Man," "Beauty Shop" and "Old School" while also editing such dramatic fare as the films "The Last Castle," "The Contender" and the HBO film "Breast Men." He recently completed the documentary "Season of the Samurai," about a brainstorming Japanese minor league baseball team, which premiered at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and was screened at the Montreal Comedy Festival.
DAVID J. BOMBA (Production Designer) received the 2006 Art Directors Guild Award for his design on the film "Walk the Line." The Florida native attended Texas A&M University before beginning his career as a set dresser and prop man for commercials. He went on to become art director on such films as "A Civil Action," "Twilight," "Apollo 13," "Serial Mom," "Eye for an Eye," "Chain Reaction," "The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag," "Mother's Boys," "He Said, She Said" and "Silent Fall" before becoming production designer for the films "My Dog Skip," "Secondhand Lions," "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," "The Wendell Baker Story," "Original Sin" and the HBO film "Gia" among others.
GENEVIEVE TYRRELL (Costume Designer) began her career in commercials and music videos, which on a sunny afternoon in 1996, led her to the garage of Doug Liman where she was hired for her first film "Swingers". With that as her calling card she began designing other hipster male ensemble comedies with projects like "Suicide Kings," HBO's "Entourage" and "The Dukes of Hazzard." Along the way she designed other feature films such as "Go," "Guinevere" and "Freaky Friday." Her television credits include "Cold Case," "October Road" and the upcoming "Life on Mars" for David E. Kelley.
NATHAN WANG (Composer) wrote the scores for director Andy Fickman's previous films, "Reefer Madness" and "She's the Man." A graduate of Pomona College and Oxford University, he first worked as a composer for television with such assignments as "China Beach," "Encyclopedia Brown" and "Eek! The Cat" before working on several Chinese language films. He moved into composing for features with "The Kiss" and "Spellcaster" and went on to write the scores for such films as "Shoot!," "Forbidden City," "Charlie's War," "Enter the Dragonfly," "Everest E.R.," "The Final Season" and "Highlander: Vengeance" among others.
MARK ELLIS (Football Coordinator) is known for his ability to mount sports teams for film productions that compete on the professional, collegiate and high school levels within a matter of weeks, using professional and semi-professional talent that must perform precision stunts for the camera on command. He is the co-founder of the sports production company The Sports Studio.
He enjoyed a successful college football career at Appalachian State University while studying under future Texas coach Mack Brown. He earned his masters degree while a coaching assistant at the University of South Carolina. There, he was hired by a local film crew shooting "The Program" to tutor actor Omar Epps in football, and Ellis worked from there strictly on film work with such assignments as "Jerry Maguire," "Varsity Blues," "Any Given Sunday," "Summer Catch," "Hard Ball," "Not Another Teen Movie," "The Rookie," "Radio," "Miracle," "Mr. 3000," "Coach Carter," "Kicking and Screaming," "The Longest Yard," "Rebound," "The Shaggy Dog," "The Benchwarmers," "Superman Returns" and "Invincible." He most recently worked on the films "We Are Marshall," "Pride and Glory" and "Semi-Pro." He has also served as second unit director on the films "The Longest Yard," "Rebound" and "We Are Marshall."
JENNIFER HAWKS (Music Supervisor) is a distinguished music supervisor who has added her touch to many film projects. Some of her recent films include this summer's hit "Disturbia," "She's the Man," "Coach Carter," and "The Longest Yard." Most recently, Jennifer has been named Senior Vice President of Music for DreamWorks Studios.
SHEILA JAFFE (Casting Director) has been casting for film and television for the last decade, winning an Emmy Award for her work on "The Sopranos." Her films include "The Italian Job" with Mark Wahlberg, "Be Cool" with John Travolta and "Last Holiday" with Queen Latifah. More recently, she cast "Invincible," "Rocky Balboa" and Griffin Dunne's forthcoming "The Accidental Husband." Her television credits also include HBO's hit "Entourage."
