ARMOUREDProduction Notes

The perfect crime - victimless, nonviolent and undetectable - goes terribly awry in the

no-holds-barred, action-packed thriller Armoured. A crew of armoured truck guards executes a

meticulously planned robbery of their own security firm, but when their seemingly foolproof plan

unravels, the men turn against each other as they desperately try to save themselves.

*********

After the death of his parents, Ty Hackett (Columbus Short) returns from active duty in

Iraq to face a stack of unpaid medical bills, a mortgage and the responsibility for his 14-year-old

brother, Jimmy (Andre Jamal Kinney). Ty signs on as a guard at Eagle Shield Security, the

same armoured car service his father worked for. Under the tutelage of his godfather, Chief

Officer Michael Cochrane (Matt Dillon), Ty trains for a gruelling and often dangerous new

career.

On the last day of his probationary period, his co-workers take the young man out for a

congratulatory celebration. Over a couple of beers, they trade anecdotes, reveal loopholes in

the security system, and discuss failed robberies and successful heists. Cochrane has the

topper: an unsolved holdup in Texas that he believes he knows the answer to. The only way it

could have happened, he says, is if the guards themselves staged the robbery.

Driving Ty home later, Cochrane reveals that the incident he was talking about inspired

him to plan the perfect crime. With a pickup of $42 million dollars coming up, Cochrane

proposes to slip away from the route, stash the money in an abandoned warehouse and call in

a holdup. No victims, no bad guys and no clues.

All it will take to make six men wealthier than their wildest dreams is the cooperation of

every guard involved. Cochrane has already convinced the others: impulsive, hot-headed

Baines (Laurence Fishburne); quiet but intense Quinn (Jean Reno); high-strung, vulnerable

Dobbs (Skeet Ulrich) and born-again ex-con Palmer (Amaury Nolasco). Ty is all that stands

between them and their plans for a better life.

Initially Ty refuses to even consider robbing his employer, but the threat of losing his

house to the bank and his brother to foster care convinces him to join his co-workers, under

one condition - Cochrane must assure him that no one will get hurt.

On the big day, the pickup of the cash goes smoothly. After checking in with their

dispatcher, the men make the brief detour to their selected hiding place. In high spirits, they

move quickly to unload the money, but an unexpected interruption changes the game plan.

With millions of dollars at risk and their futures on the line, the crew scrambles to salvage what

they can and, in one tragic moment, everything changes.

Armoured stars Matt Dillon (Crash), Jean Reno (The Da Vinci Code), Laurence

Fishburne (The Matrix), Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break”), Fred Ward (Sweet Home Alabama),

Milo Ventimiglia (“Heroes”), Skeet Ulrich (“Jericho”) and Columbus Short (Stomp the Yard). The

film is written by James V. Simpson and directed by Nimrod Antal (Vacancy). Producers are

Joshua Donen (Drag Me to Hell) and Dan Farah (Visioneers), with Debra James (I Know What

Boys Like) and Russell Hollander (Good Luck Chuck) as executive producers. The director of

photography is Andrzej Sekula (Pulp Fiction). Production designer is Jon Gary Steele

(Quarantine). Editor is Armen Minasian (I, Robot). Costume designer is Maya Lieberman

(Obsessed). Music is by John Murphy (The Last House on the Left). Casting is by David H.

Rapaport, CSA and Lindsey Hayes Kroeger, CSA (The Final Destination).

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Even before he began writing Armoured, screenwriter James V. Simpson knew he

wanted to create an unconventional thriller, a movie that packed plenty of action and suspense

but avoided one traditional plot element: bad guys. “Armoured is about ordinary, flawed people

who are basically good,” Simpson says. “These guys are in difficult situations and make bad

choices. Then they have to deal with the consequences.”

Simpson also wanted to find a unique setting for his story. Inspiration struck the writer

one day as he walked his dog near his Vancouver home. An armoured car pulled around a

corner, and Simpson saw that he, as well as everyone else on the street, was following the

truck with their eyes. “I realized immediately that the armoured car was a visual cue that

everybody was transfixed by,” he says. “They were drawn to it automatically. And I knew I had

to take that setting for my story.”

When Simpson had a finished draft, he submitted it to the prestigious Nicholl

Screenwriting Competition, an annual event sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts

and Sciences. The script caught the attention of producers Chris Lemos and Luis Guerrero,

who brought it to Dan Farah of Farah Films & Management. “I loved the concept,” says Farah.

“It’s an action movie, but at the same time the characters are so strong. And it has such a great

hook.

“I took the script into all the studios on a Tuesday afternoon,” he continues. “Friday

morning, Variety announced that Armoured was one of the ten Nicholl finalists. We sold it to

Sony that afternoon in a bidding war.”

First-time screenwriter Simpson was surprised and delighted that his script sparked a

wave of competing interest. “We connected with Josh Donen and (Screen Gems President)

Clint Culpepper at Sony,” he says. “They really got the story we were trying to tell. They

understood the characters and the dynamic between the guards immediately.”

Buckaroo Entertainment partners Sam Raimi (Spider-Man) and Joshua Donen had just

signed a new deal with Sony to produce. They immediately expressed interest in Armoured.

“Josh is a Hollywood veteran with incredible experience working with some of the biggest

directors in the business,” says Farah. “I was thrilled to have him come onboard.”

Culpepper shared the script with Nimrod Antal, a young director who had just finished

the nail-biting thriller Vacancy for Sony. Like Vacancy and Antal’s previous film Kontroll,

Armoured takes place in a mysterious, confined world. “We didn’t even go to any other

directors,” says Farah. “He had done such a great job with Vacancy. Nimród made this more

than just a movie. Even watching the dailies, you felt like you were watching a great film.”

Like Vacancy, some of Armoured’s crucial sequences take place in claustrophobic

settings that add to the onscreen tension. “I enjoy shooting in limited spaces,” says Antal. “That

kind of stricture forces me to come up with new ideas.”

Heist films are a favourite genre for the director, who grew up in Hungary. “A French

filmmaker was once asked why he makes heist films and he said, ‘I don’t have the guts to rob a

bank, so I just make films about it,’” he says. “I thought it would be fun to play with. It seems like

it would be a simple genre, but it’s very difficult to do well.”

The world of armoured truck guards also seemed exotic to the director, who says he

has always been attracted to unusual subcultures. “I thought each of these guards was a very

interesting character and the situation they find themselves in is exciting.”

Infusing the script with the kind of authenticity Antal required was tricky. Not many

armoured car companies were interested in sharing their trade secrets. Finally, Simpson

contacted a friend with the Vancouver police who interceded for them. “Armoured car services

are notorious for being secretive, because they are so vulnerable and susceptible to robberies,”

he points out. “They were very concerned that we were actually planning a heist, because we

were asking for all this detailed inside information.”

Once the filmmakers were able to gain entry into that world, they spent time in the

garages talking to the drivers and familiarizing themselves with the trucks. Although they

weren’t able to see everything, Antal says he got a sense of the guards’ work lives. “They have

a horribly difficult job, if you consider how much they are paid compared to the danger that

they’re put in everyday. It just didn’t equate to me.”

As much as some of the actors wanted to do first-hand research, that kind of access

was not available to them. For instance, ride-alongs were out of the question. “I’ve been able to

do that when I’ve played a cop,” says Matt Dillon, who plays Chief Officer Bill Cochrane, the

man at the heart of the scheme. “But they weren’t going to let us ride along in an armoured car.

The research was still pretty extensive. We were shown what could go on if a similar situation

took place in real life.”

The guards explained what their day-to-day activities might be and why routine has to

be avoided. “They told us things that the average person wouldn’t know about,” says Simpson.

“For example, they never use street names or words that can help to identify where the truck is,

to make it hard for anyone eavesdropping on the radio transmissions to track the truck. They

may enter a building from one direction and exit another, which makes it hard to predict where

the trucks are going to go. They use different routes every day, so they never go to a

destination the same way.”

An important element that Simpson was able to integrate into the movie is the truck’s

internal safety lock, which protects it in the event that a guard is killed or coerced into opening

the truck. “The guards who are inside the trucks can use what’s call the slam lock so it cannot

be physically opened from the outside.”

Seeing his first screenplay produced has been the experience of a lifetime for Simpson.

“To use a sports analogy, it’s like I’ve been slaving away for twenty years in triple-A ball and

now I’ve finally been called up to the big leagues,” he says. “I’ve just stepped out onto the field

at Yankee Stadium, and I’m living the dream. As a screenwriter, it doesn’t get any better than

this.”

THE GUYS ON THE TRUCK

Each of the diverse characters in Armoured has a different motive for taking part in the

heist, but all have one thing in common: none of them are heroes, and none are villains. That

complexity sent the filmmakers looking for actors who could straddle the line between good and

evil. From industry veterans Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne, Jean Reno and Fred Ward, to

relative newcomers Columbus Short, Skeet Ulrich, Amaury Nolasco and Milo Ventimiglia, the

cast of Armoured helped shape the story by bringing unique insights to their characters.

Simpson says casting was the biggest surprise of the entire process for him. “It was

different from my original vision, but when I opened myself up to it and saw what was being

brought to it, I realized it was going to make the story that I wanted to tell even better.”

“The cast is absolutely amazing,” says producer Dan Farah. “Both Nimród and Clint

Culpepper had a gut feeling about all of these guys and how they would come together. You

have six armoured truck guards who are supposed to work together every day in this small

space. They needed to have a certain kind of relationship.”

During shooting, the cast developed a camaraderie similar to that of their characters.

“The relationship between the actors was genuine,” says Antal. “Everybody’s ego was put aside

and it shows in the dynamic between the characters. After we establish the close-knit bond

between them, then the machine starts to fall apart. We see how each person handles that.

The ultimate betrayal is all the more painful because they start out so tight.”

At the centre of the story is Ty Hackett, a conflicted young man unprepared for the

challenges of caring for his brother and keep their modest home together. The filmmakers were

looking for an actor with unmistakable charisma. “Columbus Short embodies that,” says Antal.

“He’s also very talented. He brought such energy to the set every day and his passion for the

film was undeniable.”

Short says once he started reading the script, he couldn’t put it down. “This is a very

smart movie and I fought to get the part,” he says. “It juxtaposes drama and action in a

believable way. There are plenty of rock ’em, sock ’em, blow ‘em up moments, as well as

emotionally intense scenes. And nobody’s really seen the life of these armoured truck drivers

before. I knew that with the right director this would become such an amazing world and an

amazing story.”

Antal was the right director, says the actor, setting the tone for the cast and crew. “His

attitude on the set reflected leadership, and that goes a long way toward creating the workplace

atmosphere,” continues Short. “He treated the extras the same way he treated me or Matt or

Laurence. He genuinely listened. You can’t be a jerk on set when the director is such a humble

man. He rallies the troops and everybody gets behind him.”

Working opposite veteran actors whose work he grew up watching was a remarkable

experience for the 26-year-old actor. “I could talk to you for hours about what I’ve learned from

these guys,” he says. “All of them gave me such support from the start. They dropped little

pearls of wisdom here and there, and I made sure I was there to catch them.”

The actor he worked most closely with was Matt Dillon. “He’s so charming,” says Short.

“He’s just a genuine guy. His character is basically a father figure for my character and his

brother. When the heist goes wrong, that’s where the moral dilemma comes from. Do you stand

up for what you know is right, or do you stand behind somebody you love?”

Bill Cochran, played by Dillon, is the senior officer on the truck. “Cochrane is definitely

the big dog in the room,” says Simpson. “Everybody respects and trusts him. But in private, he

always felt there were great opportunities that lay just beyond his grasp. He’s worked hard all

his life. He’s always followed the rules. And now he feels like life is about to pass him by.

“The robbery is his idea and his plan is elegantly simple. It doesn’t involve a lot of

pyrotechnics: just take the money, hide it, and stage a false robbery. He and Ty have a very

close relationship, so Ty agrees to go along with him.”

Dillon covers all the bases as an actor, says Antal. “Matt’s able to bring the cool, and

he’s able to bring the funny. He’s able to bring the rough. It’s all there.”

Dillon was attracted by the film’s unique premise, as well as his character’s complexity

and contradictions. “I liked the relationship he had with Ty,” says the actor. “Ty’s father was his

mentor and he has become Ty’s. That lays down the foundation for what is to come later on in

the story.

“This film has a lot of action in it, but it’s essentially character-driven,” Dillon continues.

“Each of the characters is very specific, with a distinct personality and way of reacting under

pressure. When I saw the dynamic coming together, it felt like a classic crime picture.”

Dillon had seen Kontroll and liked what he saw. Armoured, he says, presented a

similar challenge. “A great deal of it takes place in one location and the characters are confined

in more than one way, but the story has a kind of unrelenting energy. Nimród was able to open

the whole thing up.”

The strength of the cast was another plus for Dillon, who enjoyed working with Laurence

Fishburne for the first time since Rumblefish, made in 1983. “He’s a wonderful actor who has

gotten better and better with time,” he says.

Fishburne took his character, Baines, in a direction the screenwriter says he never

anticipated. “He made him much more authentic,” says Simpson. “Baines is more than just a

generic loose cannon. He’s a guy who enjoys getting his hands dirty. Had it not been for his

connections to Cochrane, he could easily have already robbed an armoured car. He’s a

criminal at heart who found his way into the company of good men and became a good man,

but he’s the guy who will take things a little too far.”

Every heist movie needs a character like Baines, says Fishburne. “You have to have a

guy who’s not quite right. That’s the guy I get to play in this movie. Baines does a good job at

pretending to be normal, but he’s definitely not.”

Fishburne was impressed by Antal’s spirit and energy. “There are some directors who

appreciate what actors do, but who don’t necessarily like actors,” he says. “Nimród genuinely

likes actors. He’s really technically savvy and he grew up loving movies. He has a passion for

this.

“The people in the cast aren’t who you might think of right off the top,” adds the actor. “I

think it’s really amazing that he cast Columbus Short as the hero. That’s something that

wouldn’t have happened twenty years ago. And when you see us all together, it works.

Everybody that’s in the movie has this ability to go to these deeper places.”

Reuniting with his Rumblefish co-star Dillon was also a pleasure, Fishburne says. “Matt

is, in many respects, the same guy he was twenty years ago, but he’s much deeper and his

instrument has matured a great deal. He is really well-read and well-travelled, but the thing

about him that is absolutely the same is the humility he had when he was very young.”

Antal admits working with Fishburne, whose work he has admired since he first saw the

actor in Apocalypse Now, was daunting at first. “He’s one of the most incredible actors I’ve ever

worked with. He did something that was so spectacular in this film. There is a moment where

his character has to remove a box from the truck and put it up on the loading dock. We just

needed to explain the steps that are taken in the transferring of money, but it wasn’t an

important shot, per se. He made the simple act of taking a box out of a truck and putting it on a

loading dock a real moment. An actor who can do that is a rarity.”

As experienced as he is, Fishburne says he learns something with each film he makes.

“This time, working with Jean Reno, I rediscovered the power of silence.”

Reno plays the third veteran guard, Quinn. “Quinn is a follower,” says Simpson. “Quinn

wants to please. Jean Reno brought a tremendous accessibility to the character. I think a lot of

people are going to relate to him and be surprised by what he does with the character.”

Reno, who was familiar with Antal’s previous films, says that the director was his

primary reason for taking on the role. “I thought it would be interesting to work with somebody

so talented,” he says. “He had a specific point of view and a real idea of what he wanted to do,

from the image to the editing. It gave me a great deal of confidence in him.

“And I very much liked the idea of working with this cast. When you have a good group

of professional actors, then you do not have to explain what you’re going to do. When you

dance with somebody who knows how to dance, you do not have to explain where you put your

foot. They are aware of you. We each learned something every day about talent or about

generosity.”

Short recalls another musical metaphor that Reno shared with him. “Jean said, ‘It's an

orchestra, Columbus.’ And it is. Without ever talking about it, without ever saying ‘I'm going to

be the violin and you're going to play the viola,’ it just happened. One of the keys to becoming a

quality actor is to listen and watch. Then you see where everybody’s going with their character

and how your character fits into this amazing jambalaya of work.”

Skeet Ulrich’s sensitive portrayal of the younger guard Dobbs is one of the highlights of

the film, according to the director. “One of the first things everybody who’s seen the film says is

that Skeet is awesome,” Antal says. “He is going to surprise a lot of people, because the

emotions he brought and the depth of his performance are stunning.”

The writer describes Dobbs as someone in over his head and unable to find a way out.

“When things start to spiral out of control, he’s afraid to do the right thing. It connects to the

whole interplay of betrayal and loyalty, the push and pull between doing the right thing and

being loyal to those around you.”

According to Ulrich, the chemistry the cast shared is what he will remember best about

the experience of making Armoured. “I don't know how to explain it. There’s a certain

understanding of each person’s position in the story as a whole. It was a pleasure to work with

a group of actors who get the work done without a lot of histrionics. Some of the greatest

moments I had were just sitting around talking with the guys.”

The actor gives Antal credit for creating that atmosphere. “His gift is immense. He

seems to have an undeniably clear vision of what it is he’s doing, and where each piece of the

puzzle fits in. It allowed him to take the suspense and twist it in a unique, powerful way.”

Completing the roster of security guards is Palmer, played by Amaury Nolasco. “Palmer

is a guy who grew up on the wrong side of the law,” says the actor. “He was a problem child, he

did his time in prison and after one of his incarcerations, he found God. So he’s born again.”

The shoot was an extremely collaborative experience, says Nolasco. “We all sat down

together at the beginning and we brought a lot of ideas to the table. Each of us was able to set

his own agenda and develop his own motive. Everybody’s got a different reason to be in this.”

Antal was impressed by the actor’s willingness to take risks and try to find the subtleties

in the character. “Palmer does something pretty nasty at one point in the film and encounters

an emotional response he wasn’t expecting. There was a puddle of water on the set and

Amaury used it to wash his hands.

“That was improvised on the spot,” says Antal. “It’s one of my favourite moments in the

film, because it brings home the idea you can see there’s no black and white, no good guys

and bad guys in this film.”

Being on set with Antal and his fellow cast-mates inspired Nolasco to reach deep.

“Nimród is hungry; he’s passionate,” he says. “He’s not a director who sits in the video village

watching on a monitor. He was right there next to you, giving you that green light to bring your

character alive, pushing you to your limits. He was always willing to listen. Ultimately, he made

the decisions, but he never shut anybody down.

“I struck gold getting to act with this cast,” he continues. “Matt Dillon and Jean Reno and

Laurence Fishburne have worked with some of the best directors in the business. And then

there’s Skeet, Columbus and myself who are the new pups coming up and it’s like going to

school for us. I tried to absorb everything like a sponge. A teacher told me once, ‘Steal from the

best and make it your own,’ and that’s pretty much what I did.”

Milo Ventimiglia, probably best known as Peter Petrelli from the hit TV show “Heroes,” is

another “young pup” in the cast. He plays Eckhart, a police officer who stumbles across the

would-be millionaires in the act of hiding the money. “I originally saw the character as someone

a little bit older,” says Antal. “But when Milo showed up, he was The Cop. His concentration

and his level of commitment were constantly there. He was always engaged and curious as to

what was going on. It was great to see someone who has had as much success as Milo and

still loves the process of filmmaking as much as he does.”

Simpson had also envisioned a more mature actor in the role, but agreed that

Ventimiglia brought something essential to the table. “The character of Eckhart is like the

conscience that Ty needs,” he says. “With Milo on board, I liked the way the story went.”

Ventimiglia describes himself as a huge fan of his cast-mates. “They are amazing

actors,” he says. “Then when I showed up to the set and they’re just as excited to be part of the

group, it was amazing. We were hanging out with the guys making a guy movie with guns and

blood, and it was a great time.”

Antal’s preparation and vision gave the actors and the crew the freedom to do their jobs

well, he says. “Being a director is twofold. You’ve got to be able to speak and relate to your

actors, but you also have to be able to do something great with the camera and speak to the

crew. It’s been an absolute pleasure being on set and watching him work.”

For his part, Antal gives credit to the remarkably talented and spirited cast for

Armoured’s success. “Being a film fan first and foremost, these are all actors that I had not

only seen but had also admired,” he says. “They were the most amazing group of guys that I

have ever had the opportunity to work with.”

BEHIND THE ARMOR

Like each of Nimrod Antal’s previous films, Armoured has a visual style of its own, a

tribute to the director’s meticulous attention to detail. “Visually this movie is just awesome,”

says Farah. Antal assembled a crack team to help him build the unique look, including

cinematographer Andrzej Sekula, whose resume includes Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and

Reservoir Dogs.

Armoured is a continuation of a partnership the director and the cinematographer

began on Vacancy. “The director of photography is probably the person I work most closely

with on the set,” says Antal. “I prefer a relationship that is very intimate and very collaborative. I

have a pretty strong visual sense, but I also invite and encourage as much input as possible

and Andrzej is the ultimate collaborator. His visual style is sparse, very clean and stunning. The

lighting, the film stock and everything else he used definitely goes against the grain. His eye is

absolutely spectacular.”

Antal likens the experience of working with Sekula to sitting in the passenger seat of

race car driven by an expert. “If the guy is a good driver, you can be driving with him while he is

going 200 MPH, and you still feel comfortable. Andrzej thinks that going 200 MPH, doing power

slides and turns are nothing remarkable because he does it every day.”

One of Sekula’s inspired ideas was to shoot a crucial scene from an unexpected

vantage point: the truck’s rear-view mirror. “It sounds simple,” says Antal. “In reality, it’s very

powerful. It serves the purpose of story-telling extremely well.”

Another Vacancy alumnus, production designer Jon Gary Steele, also joined the team

for Armoured and made what Antal says was an invaluable contribution to the overall look of

the film. “The sets he built were really special,” says the director. “We found a location in

Fontana, California, an old steel factory that was falling apart. It looked perfect on the outside,

and we had to create an interior area that would feel completely organic to the exterior

locations.”

Because almost half the film is spent inside the factory, Antal and Steele were

challenged to keep it visually interesting. “We decided to build an interior for it on a soundstage

that would have several levels,” says Steele. “That gave the director a lot of different options for

a multi-level chase in a cavernous space.”

“Gary had a great idea about using different tiers to create more tension,” says Antal.

“He designed an Escher-esque stairway system that was sensational. It gave the set a depth

that we wouldn’t have had if we stayed on the floor for the entire time.”

Steele constructed a model of the set for Antal and Sekula to use for the planning of

each shot. “We could then talk about how it was going to be used,” says the production

designer. “Andrzej decided where we needed to provide places to hang lights. The design

process was finished within a few weeks.”

Then the crew had less than seven weeks to build the whole set. “It’s all made from new

wood painted to look like concrete,” says Steele. “Almost everything is brand new, except for a

couple of rented equipment pieces. Everything else, we aged. Our scenic artist, Charlie Bryant,

piled dirt on it so it looks like it’s been there for many, many years.”

In addition to giving the filmmakers more control over the location, building the set

allowed a few more perks for the actors. “I kept forgetting that we were on a soundstage,” says

Fishburne. “I’ve worked in abandoned warehouses that have been converted into soundstages

and they often look like what this set looks like. However, we had heat and there wasn’t any live

vermin running around. There were golf carts, a restroom, running water.”

But those comforts didn’t mean the filmmakers had to compromise on verisimilitude. “I

was really blown away with the way they were able to recreate that steel mill,” says Dillon. “It

was so vast and the surfaces of everything matched perfectly with the real thing. The look and

the texture were completely consistent with the rest of the film.”

“It looked like it was lifted out of a steel mill and put onto a studio lot,” adds Ventimiglia.

“That added so much texture to the story. We were breathing the dirt, feeling the gravel

underneath our boots. It put me right into the scene.”

The second half of the film is packed with stunts that look alarmingly dangerous, but

Antal worked closely with stunt coordinator Lance Gilbert and his crew to ensure that all

possible precautions were taken. “I was lucky to be surrounded by really talented people,” says

the director. “Lance is a spectacular guy and very good at what he does. I dread doing stunts,

because I never want anybody to get hurt, but it looks awesome and it all turned out well.”

The planning of the movie’s sophisticated stunt work began with a scene any 10-year-

old boy could relate to. “Lance and I were on the floor with Hot Wheels trying to block

movement. If anybody at the studio had seen us, I think they would have been concerned about

where we were going. Two grown men on the ground playing with Hot Wheels isn’t necessarily

reassuring.”

The all-male cast had a great deal of fun with the film’s rough and tumble sequences.

Nolasco admits that he’s a little bit of a daredevil who enjoys doing stunts himself. “I jumped off

a six-story building,” he says. “There were a lot of safety precautions taken. For Lance, safety

came first. He walked me through the whole process, and then asked me if I wanted to do it. I

said, ‘Are you kidding me? Why not?’ I had a stunt double that was amazing, but I wanted to

take the leap to see how it felt. That’s the fun part.”

“I like the physical part of my job best sometimes,” says Ulrich. “In some ways, it’s more

relaxing than doing long dialogue sequences. You’re engaged in a different way. But it is hard

to get to sleep after some scenes. You’re just so invigorated by the experience that it takes a

little while to let that energy go.”

While few people have ever experienced guarding millions of dollars in an armoured

car, director Nimrod Antal believes viewers of all ages and backgrounds will be able to relate to

the film’s central themes. “We’ve all had those moments where we feel stuck between a rock

and a hard place,” he says. “I think that it is a basic human emotion that everybody can

understand.

“We’ve made a very high-octane, suspense-filled heist flick, which I haven’t seen for

quite a while,” he continues. “Making Armoured was intense and intimidating at times, because

of the actors and because of the scope of the film. Everybody brought their A-game every day

and I was constantly reminded of how lucky I was.”

ABOUT THE CAST

MATT DILLON (Bill Cochrane) has built a successful film career that spans three

decades, showcasing his wide range of dramatic and comedic talents. As The New York Times’

film critic A.O. Scott put it, “He seems to be getting better with every film.”

From his breakthrough performance in The Outsiders to his hilarious turn as an obsessed

private investigator in There’s Something About Mary, Dillon has proven himself to be one of

the most versatile actors of his generation. His numerous film credits include Factotum in which

he played Charles Bukowski, Rumble Fish, Over the Edge, My Bodyguard, One Night at

McCool’s, John McNaughton’s Wild Things, In & Out, Kevin Spacey’s Albino Alligator, Grace of

My Heart, Ted Demme’s Beautiful Girls, Gus Van Sant’s To Die For, Kansas, Golden Gate, Mr.

Wonderful, , The Flamingo Kid, The Saint of Fort Washington, Cameron Crowe’s Singles and A

Kiss Before Dying, and You, Me and Dupree, opposite Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson.

In 1990, Dillon won an IFP Spirit Award for his gritty performance as a drug addict in Gus

Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy. He also displayed his versatility with an arresting performance

co-starring as a racist cop in the critically acclaimed Paul Haggis film Crash. This role earned

him nominations for an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award,

Critics Choice Award and BAFTA Award as well as an Independent Spirit Award win. In

addition, the film won both a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critics Choice Award for Best

Ensemble.

Aside from being an accomplished actor, Dillon wrote, and made his feature film

directorial debut with City of Ghosts, in which he also starred with Gérard Depardieu, Stellan

Skarsgård and James Caan. Prior to City of Ghosts, Dillon made his television directorial debut

in 1997 with an episode of HBO’s gritty prison drama “Oz.”

He will next be seen in Takers for Screen Gems, and in Disney’ Old Dogs opposite John

Travolta, Robin Williams and Kelly Preston.

JEAN RENO (Quinn) is a renowned French actor who rapidly gained recognition

among American audiences with pivotal roles in box office blockbusters such as Brian De

Palma’s Mission: Impossible, opposite Tom Cruise; Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla; Luc Besson’s

The Professional, with Natalie Portman; and John Frankenheimer’s Ronin, opposite Robert De

Niro. Reno recently starred opposite Steve Martin in The Pink Panther 2, which opened No. 1

at the box office, and Tony Bill’s World War I epic Flyboys, co-starring James Franco and

produced by Godzilla producer Dean Devlin. He just finished shooting Kenneth Lonergan’s

Margaret with Mark Ruffalo, Matt Damon and Anna Paquin.

Reno is one of France’s most revered and respected actors, having starred opposite

Gérard Depardieu in the blockbuster comedy Tais-Toi! and Les Visiteurs, which became the

highest grossing film in French box office history when it was released. Its sequel, Les Visiteurs

II, also broke box office records. More recently, Reno touched American audiences with his

romantic portrayal of a love-struck gourmet chef who sweeps Juliette Binoche off her feet in Jet

Lag. He also starred in L’empire des Loups (Empire of the Wolves), based on a bestselling

French novel by Jean-Christophe Grangé, who also wrote Crimson Rivers, a novel that was

also made into a blockbuster feature film starring Reno. He was also featured in Roberto

Benigni's The Tiger and the Snow.

Reno has enjoyed a tremendously successful collaboration with the acclaimed French

director Luc Besson. In addition to The Professional, he has co-starred in Besson’s Le Dernier

Combat; Subway, opposite Christopher Lambert and Isabelle Adjani; The Big Blue, opposite

Rosanna Arquette; and the acclaimed thriller La Femme Nikita, opposite Anne Parillaud. The

duo also collaborated on the making of Wasabi, in which Reno also starred.

Born in Casablanca to Spanish parents, Reno pursued his dream of acting in France

after serving his military service in Germany. Settling in Paris, Reno joined stage director Didier

Flamand in a travelling theatre company that took him around the country. His screen debut

was in the French film Clair de Femme, directed by Costa-Gavras. Other international film

credits include Francis Veber’s Le Jaguar, Christian Lejalé’s Loulou Graffiti, Jean-Marie Poire’s

L’operation Corned Beef, Eric Duret’s L’homme au Masque d’or, Marco Ferreri’s I Love You,

Bertrand Blier’s Notre Histoire and Jacques Monnet’s Signes Exterieurs de Richesse. American

film credits include Paul Weiland’s For Roseanna, in which he co-starred opposite Mercedes

Ruehl, Lawrence Kasdan’s French Kiss with Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan, and John McTiernan’s

Rollerball.

Reno just directed his first opera, a production of Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” for the

Teatro Regio di Torino.

Reno, who spoke only his native Spanish for the first 11 years of his life, speaks fluent

French, Italian, English and Japanese. He divides his time between the South of France,

Corsica, New York and Los Angeles.

LAURENCE FISHBURNE (Baines) is an acclaimed actor who has captivated

audiences and critics alike with such diverse roles as Ike Turner in What’s Love Got to Do with

It, Vinnie in Searching for Bobby Fischer, and Morpheus in the blockbuster Matrix trilogy. He is

also an accomplished producer and director.

Fishburne appeared in numerous films in 2008, including 21 alongside Kevin Spacey,

Days of Wrath opposite Amber Valletta and Wilmer Valderrama, Tortured and Black Water

Transit. Additionally, he returned to Broadway for a limited engagement of the one-man show

“Thurgood,” about the life of Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall.

The actor had a remarkable run in 1992-1993 when he was awarded a Tony for Best

Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics Circle

Award and a Theatre World Award for his 1992 work on Broadway as Sterling Johnson in

August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running.” A television appearance in the 1993 premiere episode

of “Tribeca” landed him an Emmy and Fishburne was also nominated for an Oscar as Best

Actor that same year for his portrayal of Ike Turner in the film What’s Love Got to Do with It.

In 2006 he was reunited with his What’s Love Got to Do with It co-star Angela Bassett in

Lionsgate’s Akeelah and the Bee. Laurence starred as Professor Larabee in this drama that

follows a young inner city girl on her path to win the national spelling bee. For his performance,

he was awarded a Best Actor Award at the 2006 Black Movie Awards. The film swept the show

with three other wins including Best Picture. Fishburne also produced the film through his

Cinema Gypsy production banner.

Later that year, he produced and starred in Five Fingers and co-starred with Tom Cruise

and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Mission: Impossible III. Also in 2006, Fishburne joined the

impressive cast of Bobby, which was nominated for a SAG Award for best ensemble.

On stage in 2006, Fishburne portrayed an inspirational teacher in the new drama

“Without Walls” by Alfred Uhry, directed by Christopher Ashley, at the Centre Theatre Group’s

Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. For this performance he was awarded Best Actor at the

NAACP Theatre Awards. He then starred opposite Angela Bassett at The Pasadena Playhouse

in August Wilson’s play “Fences,” which broke the playhouse record for sales with a sold-out

run.

Fishburne’s numerous notable film credits include Apocalypse Now, Assault on Precinct

13, Mystic River, Bad Company, Higher Learning, Just Cause, Event Horizon, Hoodlum, Boyz

N the Hood, Deep Cover, The Colour Purple..

In 2000, Fishburne made his directorial debut with Once in the Life, which he also

starred in, wrote and produced. The screenplay is based on the 1994 one-act play “Riff Raff,”

which he also starred in, wrote and directed. The play received critical praise and was later

brought to New York’s Circle Rep Theatre. The initial run in Los Angeles was the first produced

under his own banner, L.O.A. Productions.

In 1997, Fishburne received an Emmy nomination (Outstanding Lead Actor in a

Miniseries or Special) and an NAACP Image Award for his starring role in the HBO drama

“Miss Evers’ Boys,” which he executive produced. The telefilm was awarded five Emmys,

including Outstanding Made for Television Movie and the coveted President’s Award, which

honours a program that illuminates a social or educational issue.

In 1996, Fishburne starred in the critically acclaimed Shakespeare adaptation Othello in

the title role, co-starring with Kenneth Branagh and Irene Jacob. He was the first African

American to play the Moorish king in a major screen release and follows a noble tradition of

such actors in the role as Sir Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles.

In 1995, Fishburne starred in an original HBO film, “Tuskegee Airmen,” for which he

received an NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries, and Golden Globe, Emmy and

Cable Ace nominations for Best Actor in a Miniseries. His television performances also include

“Decoration Day” for Hallmark Hall of Fame, “For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story” for

PBS, “Rumour of War” for CBS, and numerous other starring or guest-starring roles.

Fishburne has been acting in films and on stage since he was 10, starting on the soap

opera “One Life to Live,” then making his feature film debut in Cornbread, Earl and Me at 12. At

14, he was cast in a show for the Negro Ensemble Theatre and accepted into the High School

of Performing Arts.

His early film credits include Class Action, King of New York, Red Heat, School Daze,

Cherry 2000, Gardens of Stone, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Band of the

Hand, Quicksilver, Cotton Club, Rumble Fish, Death Wish II, Willie & Phil and Fast Break.

Fishburne continues to give back, serving as an Ambassador for UNICEF. In 2007,

Harvard University honoured Fishburne with an Artist of the Year Award for his outstanding

contributions to American and international performing arts, as well as his many humanitarian

contributions.

Fishburne can currently be seen starring in the hit TV series “CSI: Crime Scene

Investigation,” as Dr. Raymond Langston.

AMAURY NOLASCO (Palmer) a native of Puerto Rico, studied biology at the

University of Puerto Rico. His plan to enrol in medical school was cut short when a director

approached Nolasco, and encouraged him to pursue acting. He was immediately cast in his

first television commercial and began working consistently as an actor in Puerto Rico.

Eventually, Nolasco moved to New York and studied at the American British

Dramatic Arts School. Shortly thereafter, he guest starred on several TV shows including, “CSI:

Crime Scene Investigation,” “ER,” “George Lopez”, and “CSI: New York.”

Nolasco landed his first major supporting role in the film 2 Fast 2 Furious as "Orange

Julius." He went on to co-star in several more films including, Mr. 3000, opposite Bernie Mac,

and Benchwarmers, opposite Rob Schneider and David Spade.

Most recently Nolasco co-starred in Michael Bay's Transformers, and David Ayer's

Street Kings opposite Keanu Reeves, Forrest Whitaker, and Hugh Laurie. He also appeared

opposite Mark Wahlberg in Max Payne.

Nolasco’s upcoming releases include The Rum Diary with Johnny Depp, due out in

2010.

FRED WARD (Ashcroft) is an accomplished actor whose career has spanned almost

four decades. His first major acting role came in 1979 opposite Clint Eastwood in Escape from

Alcatraz as fellow escapee John Anglin.

Since that time, Ward has starred in many other notable films including Timerider: The

Adventure of Lyle Swann, The Right Stuff, Secret Admirer, Remo Williams: The Adventure

Begins, Tremors, Henry & June, The Player and Sweet Home Alabama.

Most recently, Ward was seen in Stephen Belber’s Management, opposite Jennifer

Aniston, Woody Harrelson and Steve Zahn, and Robert Benton’s Feast of Love, opposite

Morgan Freeman, Selma Blair, Radha Mitchell and Greg Kinnear.

MILO VENTIMIGLIA (Eckhart) stars on the NBC drama “Heroes” about a group of

seemingly everyday people who discover they have super powers. The show received a

Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series – Drama, won the People’s Choice Award

for Favourite New Television Drama, and received a 2007 Emmy nomination for Outstanding

Drama Series and also won the People’s Choice Award for Favourite New Television Drama.

Ventimiglia quickly garnered attention when he joined the cast of the critically acclaimed

television drama “Gilmore Girls,” as the quiet and complicated Jess. Milo also starred on Tom

Fontana’s “The Bedford Diaries” and “American Dreams.” His other television credits include a

recurring character on David E. Kelley’s drama “Boston Public” and guest-starring roles on

primetime series such as “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

Ventimiglia recently starred in MGM Pathology, opposite Alyssa Milano and Lauren Lee

Smith, made an appearance in the Lionsgate thriller Game, and played Sylvester Stallone’s son

in the sixth instalment of the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa. His other film credits include the

independent film The Chaos Theory, Wes Craven/Kevin Williamson thriller Cursed, Stay Alive

and Dirty Deeds. Additionally, he starred in the short films Nice Guys Finish Last and Must Be

the Music, which debuted at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews.

With his production company, diVide Pictures, he launched two comic book titles with

Top Cow publishing. REST focuses on a New York-based office professional type who is

approached by an old friend to take part in a pharmaceutical experiment – take a pill which

allows you to function without sleep. What he does with his extra time – and why the

government is sponsoring the experiment – becomes the focus of the book. BERSERKER is

about a group of people seemingly unconnected to each other who discover, unbeknownst-to-

them; they had been born with hidden abilities to kill. Grounded in Norse mythology Berserker

focuses on a man who is being pushed over the edge while trying to get back to his life after

being in the military in Afghanistan.’

Under the DiVide banner Ventimiglia recently directed a short film for insurance

company Liberty Mutual which aired on NBC. He also directed American Eagle Outfitters’ first

original series “It’s a Mall World,” a 12-episode series which aired on ae.com, with the show

premiering on MTV and in AE stores across the country, and produced a claymation series for

American Eagle called “Wintertales” which aired throughout the holiday season. Currently

DiVide has a digital pact with Generate, Jordan Levin’s company, to produce entertainment

content for brands looking to connect with the young male audience across digital platforms.

In July 2008 Ventimiglia visited the Middle East. on a 10 day, three country USO tour

and spent time meeting with the servicemen and women of the armed forces and he will be

making his second USO trip to Germany and Turkey in November 2009. Ventimiglia is also

involved with the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America organization (IAVA) which supports

veterans who need help when they return home from the war.

SKEET ULRICH (Dobbs) is a compelling and engaging actor who makes an indelible

impression through his unique talent for conveying the true heart of his characters.

Ulrich starred as Jake Green in the CBS drama “Jericho.” Although CBS cancelled the

series at the end of the first season, due to an overwhelming outpouring of fan protests and

support, the network revived the series. “Jericho” made TV history as only the second show

ever to be renewed following cancellation. The result was a seven-episode reprieve that aired

in the spring of 2008.

Ulrich’s past film credits include James L. Brooks’ critically acclaimed film As Good as It Gets, Ang Lee’s Civil War-era drama Ride with the Devil, and a break-out role in Wes Craven’s

hit horror film Scream. Additionally, he appeared in The Newton Boys, The Craft, Nobody’s Baby, Albino Alligator, Chill Factor, Soul Assassin, Takedown, Kevin of the North, A Soldier’s Sweetheart, Last Dance and Boys.

On TV, Ulrich made his mark in the 2005 award-winning Steven Spielberg TNT

miniseries “Into the West,” alongside Keri Russell, Josh Brolin and Matthew Settle. Ulrich

previously starred with Keri Russell in the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie “The Magic of

Ordinary Days,” and his lead role on the short-lived but critically acclaimed ABC series

“Miracles” made a lasting impression.

Born and raised in Virginia, Ulrich was discovered in a stage production at New York

University by David Mamet. Ulrich worked as an apprentice to the legendary writer and director

at the acclaimed Atlantic Theatre Company, performing in a number of the company’s

productions, including “Reckless” and “Hedda Gabler.” He also performed with the Naked

Angels Theatre Company and with the Drama Dept. Ulrich’s transition to movies came courtesy

of film director Stacey Cochran, who cast him in the CBS Schoolbreak Special “Same

Difference” and subsequently in her writing/directing debut, Boys.

COLUMBUS SHORT (Ty Hackett) started entertaining at the age of three by putting on

shows for his folks' enjoyment. His family later relocated to Los Angeles where, by his early

teens, Columbus had landed work in many television commercials. As a senior at the

prestigious Orange County School of the Arts, he was offered a part of Broadway’s famed show

STOMP! He then went on to choreograph Britney Spears' In the Zone tour.

Short began his acting career starring in the 2006 releases Save the Last Dance: 2 and

Accepted opposite Jonah Hill and Justin Long. In 2007, he did an arc on Aaron Sorkin's

critically praised but short-lived showbiz drama “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”

where he played

“Darius”, one of the show’s writers.

Later that year, Columbus landed two Screen Gems films Stomp the Yard and This

Christmas. In Stomp, he played the lead role of "DJ", a street dancer whose efforts to get a

college education are sidelined when he joins in his fraternity's effort to win a step dancing

competition. The film was #1 at the box office two weeks in a row and grossed over 73.4 million

dollars. In This Christmas, he co-starred opposite Idris Elba, Regina King and Chris Brown in a

drama cantered around a family’s first holiday together in four years. Since then, he’s hardly

had a chance to breathe.

In 2008, Short co-starred in Screen Gems remake of the horror flick Quarantine and

Darnell Martin’s Cadillac Records. Columbus received the NAACP Image Award for Best

Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in Cadillac, which he starred in opposite

Beyoncé Knowles, Jeffrey Wright and Adrien Brody. His musical skills shine in this film as he

plays the young and talented but self-destructive harp player / singer Little Walter.

After blowing fans away with his musicianship, Short has been working with Grammy

Award winning producers, the Avila Brothers, on his much anticipated album entitled “Act One:

Dimes and Dolls”. In addition to his off the charts vocal skills, Short plays the bass, piano and

drums showing the world he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Columbus recently starred alongside Kate Beckinsale in Dark Castle’s adaptation of the

comic book Whiteout, a thriller released by Warner Bros.

Currently, Short is reuniting with Stomp the Yard director Sylvain White to shoot Warner

Bros.’ film adaptation of the DC graphic novel The Losers. He co-stars as “Pooch”, one of the

members of a CIA black ops team members who root out those who targeted them for

assassination. Other cast members include Chris Evans, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Idris Elba.

He also wrapped work on Screen Gems’ remake of the British comedy Death at a Funeral,

which he co-stars alongside Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence and Zoe Saldana.

As one of Hollywood’s young leading men, he also plans to write and produce both

television and film through his production company, Great Picture Show Productions.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

NIMROD ANTAL (Director) was born in Los Angeles but moved to Hungary at the age

of 17. He was accepted into the prestigious Hungarian Academy of Drama and Film, where he

studied cinematography before deciding that his true calling was directing. After graduation,

Antal made his first feature film, Kontroll, an edgy drama set in the Budapest subway system.

Kontroll won the Prix de la Jeunesse at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, and earned awards at

festivals in Chicago, Copenhagen, Philadelphia and Warsaw.

Most recently, he directed the hit thriller Vacancy, starring Luke Wilson and Kate

Beckinsale. He is currently directing the Fox film Predators, produced by Robert Rodriguez

through Troublemaker Studios and starring Adrien Brody.

JAMES V. SIMPSON (Writer) was born and raised in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, a

small city that is home to the world-renowned Stratford Shakespearean Festival.

Obsessed with movies from a young age, Simpson spent much of his childhood writing and

making his own short films. His passion for cinema eventually led him to relocate to Vancouver,

where he attended Vancouver Film School.

After Film School, Simpson worked in the thriving Vancouver Film Industry while continuing

to write in his spare time.

In a fairytale ending befitting Hollywood, the final draft of Armoured became Simpson’s first

screenplay sale to Sony Pictures Entertainment and Screen Gems the same day that the

Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting announced Simpson’s first draft had beaten out over six

thousand entries to become one of the top ten finalist.

Simpson now writes full-time and splits his time between Los Angeles and Vancouver

where he lives with his wife Joanne and volunteers to raise Guide Dogs for the British Columbia

Guide Dog Society.

He is represented by Farah Films & Management, and WME Entertainment.

JOSHUA DONEN (Producer) has produced numerous films, including The Great White

Hype, Underneath and The Quick and the Dead. His other films in production include D.J.

Caruso’s Jack the Giant Killer, Priest and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. For the small screen,

he is producing the miniseries “Wizard’s First Rule” and the forthcoming series “Spartacus:

Blood and Sand.”

Donen was an executive producer on Sam Raimi’s recent horror film Drag Me to Hell,

starring Alison Lohman and Justin Long, and the television series “Legend of the Seeker.”

DAN FARAH (Producer) is the founder of Farah Films & Management, a production

and management company focused on developing and producing a diverse slate of both film

and television projects, as well as discovering and managing the careers of emerging talent.

In relatively little time, Farah Films & Management has successfully compiled a

respectable slate of projects, discovered new talent and built impressive careers for its select

roster of clients.

While awaiting the release of Armoured, the company is also in post production on the

independent comedy, The Legend of Awesomest Maximus, a spoof of sword-and-sandal films

including 300, Troy, Gladiator and Braveheart, which was directed by Jeff Kanew (Revenge of

the Nerds), and financed by National Lampoon and Comedy Central.

Among the exciting projects in development at Farah Films are the fantasy franchise

The Sword of Shannara, based on Terry Brooks’ bestselling book series and set up at Warner

Bros. with Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) attached to direct; and

THUNDERCADE, a comedy written by FANBOYS writer, Ernie Cline, and being financed by

Lakeshore; as well as a new TV pilot starring comedy duo Barats & Bereta, who are best

known for creating funny viral videos with over 100 million views online.

In 2007, Farah produced the NBC Universal pilot “This Is Culdesac,” based on the work

of Barats and Bereta, and was the Executive Producer of Visioneers, a quirky independent

comedy starring Zach Galifianakis and Judy Greer, which premiered in festival competition in

2008.

Farah also executive produced Rock the Bells, the critically acclaimed documentary that

took an inside look at the effort to bring the Wu-Tang Clan together for their first and final

performance in over a decade at the Rock the Bells hip-hop festival. The film premiered at the

2006 Tribeca Film Festival and was distributed by Seventh Art Releasing and Warner Home

Video in 2007.

Prior to founding Farah Films & Management in early 2005, Farah worked as an

assistant in the independent film and finance division of International Creative Management

(ICM).

DEBRA JAMES (Executive Producer/UPM) most recently co-produced and

production managed The House Bunny, starring Anna Faris. Before that she was the associate

producer and production manager on Next, starring Nicolas Cage.

After working as production supervisor on the U.S. portion of The Matrix Reloaded,

James was production manager on XXX, Big Fish, Into the Blue and XXX: State of the Union.

She worked as a production coordinator on such films as Galaxy Quest, Patch Adams, City of

Angels, Phenomenon, The American President, Ghosts of Mississippi, Forrest Gump and Toys.

James grew up in England and lived briefly in Toronto before moving to Los Angeles in

1981.

RUSSELL HOLLANDER (Executive Producer) was born in Chicago and attended

University of Iowa where he studied Finance and Film. His film career began as an assistant in

the motion Picture Department of the William Morris Agency and Paradigm. He then segued to

the production side of the entertainment industry working with Mike Karz at Mandeville Films

and later Karz Entertainment. He is currently the executive overseeing production and

development for Stars Road Entertainment, the Sony based production banner for Sam Raimi

and Josh Donen. Russell has Co-produced Max Keeble's Big Move for Walt Disney Pictures,

Malibu's Most Wanted for Warner Brothers Pictures and Executive Produced Good Luck Chuck

starring Jessica Alba and Dane Cook for Lionsgate Films. He most recently associate produced

the upcoming film Valentine's Day for New Line Cinema starring an ensemble cast led by Julia

Roberts, Bradley Cooper and Anne Hathaway.

ANDRZEJ SEKULA (Director of Photography) is best known for his work on Quentin

Tarantino’s influential independent hits Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, for which he earned a

BAFTA nomination, as well as David Mamet’s Oleanna. His other film credits include Vacancy,

The Pleasure Drivers, Cube 2: Hypercube, American Psycho, Fait Accompli, Stand-Ins,

Cousine Bette, A Further Gesture, Hackers, Across the Moon, Sleep with Me, Bank Robber,

Three of Hearts, Revolver and the Tarantino-directed segment of the omnibus film Four

Rooms.

Sekula’s television credits include “Body Language,” and “Original Sins,” as well as

productions for the BBC and Channel 4 in the U.K. He has also worked extensively in music

videos and commercials.

JON GARY STEELE (Production Designer) most recently served as production

designer on Vacancy, with Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale. Other film credits include When a

Stranger Calls, American History X, Lonely Hearts, The Dukes of Hazzard, Beauty Shop,

Employee of the Month, Mozart and the Whale, The Onion Movie, Straight Up, Hot Zone, The

Sweetest Thing, The Glass House, One Night at McCool’s, Dead Connection, Cruel Intentions,

Little Sister, When the Party’s Over and The Runestone.

ARMEN MINASIAN (Editor) edited the Regency/20th Century Fox box-office hit

Daredevil. He worked with director Gary Fleder on Kiss the Girls, Imposter and Don’t Say a

Word. Minasian's other film credits include The Messengers, I-Robot, Tale of the Mummy,

Down Periscope, Just Cause, City Slickers II: The legend of Curly’s Gold, Fearless, Robocop 2,

1492: Conquest of Paradis and At Play in the Fields of the Lord. He also edited the upcoming

Screen Gems film Takers, opening in February 2010.

Among Minasian’s television credits are the pilot for “October Road,” an episode of

“Sex, Love & Secrets,” “Stone Cold,” “A Holiday Romance,” “A Secret Affair” and the series

“Falcone” and “L.A. Doctors.”

LUIS GUERRERO (Co-Executive Producer) Born and raised in Los Angeles, Guerrero

discovered his love for movies at a very young age and it soon became his favourite past time.

His love for film led him to take acting courses while majoring in business administration at the

University of Southern California. Soon after graduating, he landed internships with Scott Rudin

Productions and Zide/Perry Entertainment (American Pie & Final Destination franchises). He

then landed a job at Industry Entertainment (The Player, Requiem for a Dream, 25th Hour,

Quills) in the mailroom, and was soon promoted to assistant in the talent department. It was

there that he gained exposure in working with high profile talent such as Tobey Maguire,

Amanda Peet, Angelina Jolie, among others. Deciding to explore the television aspect of the

business, he joined Si TV as executive assistant to the CEO, as the company was planning on

launching the now on-air Si TV channel. It was there that he came across acclaimed film

producer Moctesuma Esparza (Selena, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge) and joined him as his

executive assistant at Maya Pictures. He served as Esparza’s right hand man on his most

recent HBO film, “Walkout.” Currently, he has joined forces with former fellow intern from Mr.

Rudin’s company, Chris Lemos, to form the production company VITAL PICTURES. The

company is developing projects with talent such as Pierce Brosnan, Emma Roberts, Jay

Hernandez, and directors Rob Minkoff and Eduardo Rodriguez. On the TV front, the company

is partnering with BermanBraun on a one hour drama, and is developing a half-hour comedy

with Travis Van Winkle (Transformers, Friday the 13th) attached to star.

CHRIS LEMOS (Co-Executive Producer) Born and raised in the suburbs of Los

Angeles, Chris discovered his love of show business at a young age by watching his Father

practice and perform relentlessly as a Jazz guitarist and his Mother produce large shows for the

Mexican folk dance group she founded. As a college freshman at Cal-State Fullerton

University, he quickly began to implement his plan to work in the business by interning at

companies such as ESPN and putting in long hours on independent films. He soon landed at

Scott Rudin Productions on the Paramount lot and was promoted to Mr. Rudin’s Los Angeles-

based assistant during the productions of Shaft and Angela’s Ashes. Chris then segued into a

job as executive assistant to Donald De Line, who also had a producing deal at Paramount

Pictures. It was there that he gained his greatest exposure to all the aspects of filmmaking,

becoming an integral part of the company as De Line Pictures produced such films as

Domestic Disturbance, The Italian Job, Without a Paddle, and The Stepford Wives, not to

mention being Mr. De Line’s right hand man when Mr. De Line accepted the offer to become

President and Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures. Along the way, Chris joined forces with a

former fellow intern from Mr. Rudin’s company, Luis Guerrero, to form the production company

VITAL PICTURES. Vital Pictures has focused on finding and breaking out writers and directors

with fresh voices and producing their material. The company is also developing projects with

talent such as Pierce Brosnan, Emma Roberts, Jay Hernandez, and directors like Rob Minkoff

and Eduardo Rodriguez. On the TV front, the company is partnering with BermanBraun on a

one-hour drama, and is developing a half-hour comedy with Travis Van Winkle (Transformers,

Friday the 13th) attached to star.

MAYA LIEBERMAN (Costume Designer) has spent the last ten years working as

a stylist and costume designer for feature films, commercials and music videos. She recently

designed the feature films Obsessed with Beyoncé Knowles, Death at a Funeral with Chris

Rock and The Roommate with Leighton Meester all for Sony Screen Gems.

Lieberman has worked on music videos for John Mayer, Interpol, Wolfmother, Rancid

and Lindsay Lohan. She has also styled commercials for “table-top” brands such as Budweiser,

McDonalds, Adidas and Verizon.

Lieberman and her screenwriter husband Matt have lived in the Santa Monica,

California area for10 years.

JOHN MURPHY (Music by) is a prominent British film composer from the city of

Liverpool.

He began composing music for films in the mid 1990s, working on several successful

British movies, enjoying particular success with the soundtracks to Lock, Stock and Two

Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000).

Since 2000, Murphy has been based in Los Angeles. From here, he has worked with

some of the industry's most respected and luminary filmmakers, including Danny Boyle,

Stephen Frears and Michael Mann, and produced several prominent and diverse successes,

including 28 Days Later, Miami Vice, Sunshine and 28 Weeks Later.

Awards for his film music include the Silver Award (1st Prize) at Cannes, a British D &

AD Award, and a BMI Award. He has been nominated for an Ivor Novello, an RTS Award, and

the BRIT Award for Best Soundtrack. He has also composed and produced music for

commercials, including campaigns for Nike, Reebok and Apple.

In 2008, he completed the scores for The Last House on the Left and Armoured, both to

be released in 2009.

DAVID RAPAPORT, CSA, (Casting by) is currently the Casting Director for “90210”

(CW), “Gossip Girl” (CW) and “Hard Times” (MTV). Rapaport is originally from Boston and

moved to Los Angeles in 1999 to complete his undergrad in Film and Television Production at

Emerson College. While working with his mentor Mali Finn, Rapaport helped to cast more than

40 films including 8 Mile, The Matrix Revolutions, North Country, Running with Scissors, and

dozens more. Over the past two years, Rapaport has cast over 20 films and TV shows

including “90210,” “Gossip Girl,” “Gossip Girl Spin-off,” “Rockville CA,” Vacancy, Prom Night,

The Strangers, Daddy Day Camp, The Final Destination, Personal Effects, Armoured, and

Quarantine. He is a proud member of the Casting Society of America which honoured him with

a nomination for the prestigious Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting a

Dramatic Pilot for Gossip Girl. He is nominated this year by the Talent Managers Association

for Casting Director of the Year. His next feature, The Apparation, from Producer Joel Silver,

will shoot next month in Berlin.

LINDSEY HAYES KROEGER, CSA (Casting by) has cast a number of high profile

films and TV shows, including: the pilot for “Gossip Girl,” The Final Destination (3D)”,

Quarantine, The Strangers, Vacancy, and Prom Night, and the Showtime series “Masters of

Horror.”

Other upcoming films to be released in 2010 include: Takers (starring Matt Dillon, Idris

Elba, Paul Walker, Hayden Christiansen, Zoë Saldana), The Roommate (starring Leighton

Meester, Minka Kelly and Cam Gigandet) and Mother’s Day (a thriller from director Darren Lynn

Bousman and producers Brett Ratner and Richard Saperstein, starring Jaime King, Rebecca

DeMornay, Deborah Ann Woll, Patrick Flueger and Briana Evigan).

Lindsey began her casting career in Los Angeles twelve years ago working for mentor

Mali Finn, but her experience in casting started much earlier, helping out in her mother's San

Francisco casting office since childhood. After graduating from U.C. Berkeley, Lindsey moved

to Los Angeles to focus her career on feature casting and work toward building her own

business. She worked as an associate for Mali Finn for many years, followed by associate jobs

in the offices of Francine Maisler and Roger Mussenden. She worked on a range of high profile

films, including: The Matrix sequels, Superman Returns, Collateral, and Wonder Boys. Lindsey

went on to open her own casting office with a partner in 2005 and split to form her own

company, Lindsey Kroeger Casting in 2008.

Based in Culver City, Lindsey was nominated for an Artios Award in the category of

Outstanding Casting for a Drama Pilot for “Gossip Girl” in the Fall of 2008 and is a member of

the Casting Society of America.

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