THE REAL NEW ENGLAND
Shot in the Cape Ann region of northern Massachusetts, Manchester by the Sea captures the rugged beauty of the rocky shoreline, coves and marinas of Cape Cod’s lesserknown cousin, as well as the working-class neighborhoods that the Chandlers and their friends call home. From late February to early May of 2015, Lonergan and his team filmed in several of the small cities that dot the area, roughly 30 miles northeast of Boston, including Manchester, Gloucester, Essex, Rockport and Beverly. The transition from winter into spring was an important metaphor for the director, says Steward. “He was very specific about needing to capture that on film,” she remembers. “It felt deeply connected to characters’ transitions.” Winter in the area was very cold, but very beautiful, according to Lonergan. “In Cape Ann, you are never far from water,” he notes. “I loved being by the ocean and inlets all the time. I loved shooting on the boat and in the dockyards and houses, even when we were in triple overtime and I just wanted to go to bed. Plus, the food was great. My favorite restaurant was the Clam Box in Ipswich, which has the best lobster rolls I’ve ever had.” Both Damon and Affleck grew up in Massachusetts and know the area well. “It’s the part of the world that I know best,” says Affleck. “The fishing towns of Massachusetts are filled with working-class guys struggling to get by and that fits the story. I hope my familiarity with the surroundings brings a certain level of authenticity to it.” Production designer Ruth De Jong developed a slightly gritty, realistic look for the film’s blue-collar settings. Almost everything was shot on location to keep it as natural as possible, she says. “When I first met with Kenny, we both agreed that we wanted to play this as true to life as we could, almost like a documentary. I always want the actors to be able to engage with the sets. But the idea was not to create a gray, miserable setting. I tried to give all of the character’s homes a very natural tone, keeping them bright and cheery as much as possible. Kenny was very keen on giving things an everyday feeling.” The first priority for the designer was to learn as much as she could about the people who inhabit the surrounding area. “Getting to the essence of who these people are was critical,” she says. “It took a lot of research and scouting. We spent time with the fishermen and working-class folks who live in these areas, as opposed to the people who use it as a vacation spot.”
De Jong is particularly pleased with the authenticity of the skating rink where Patrick’s hockey practice takes place. “We had to do almost nothing to it. It’s a beautiful vintage rink with wooden bleachers. It has a lot of texture and beautiful natural light. Even better, the local companies who advertise there wanted to participate; everything is the real deal.” Working on Manchester by the Sea was the most collaborative experience she has ever had, says the designer. “The people were awesome. Everybody was excited to be there, and so hands on. We just had a lot of depth and richness there. Casey jumped in and scouted with me. When everybody’s working together on it, it helps the picture immensely.” The emphasis on authenticity extended to the cinematography as well. According to director of photography Jody Lee Lipes, “Kenny didn’t want the film to have a visual style that called attention to itself in any way. He wanted to tell the story in a matter-of-fact way without any distractions. It’s very straightforward with a normal aspect ratio, no extreme framing or overly thought-out shots. It’s just natural and frank storytelling. The writing and the acting are what’s important to him, so I just got out of the way.” The film was shot using the Arri Alexa digital camera. “Alexa is a great alternative to film,” says Lipes. “We used some older lenses to make it softer and more like film.” Making sure that Lonergan got exactly what he envisioned was Lipes’ first priority. “Kenny is a gifted artist with a demanding eye,” he says. “The challenge was always making sure he was able to fulfill his vision. My job was often to get what he needed in the fewest shots possible, without worrying too much about the technical aspects. Because he is also a playwright, he thinks about storytelling from a proscenium point of view. It’s like he imagines it all taking place on a stage.” Although not initially familiar with the region, Lonergan went to great lengths to recreate the flavor of New England’s coastal environs. “I hope we captured the real-life richness, depth and life in the film. The more specific you are, the more lifelike fiction is, and the more accurate you can be.” Lonergan’s purpose was never to provide a neat closure or easy resolution for Lee and Patrick. Some people, he says, find ways to live with real tragedy, but some people don’t. “I never know why I write about the things I end up writing about and this is no exception,” he says. “But my favorite part of filmmaking is that a story developed in the privacy of my own imagination becomes the emotional property of other people. The story is nurtured by
your collaborators until it is finally passed along to an audience where — you hope — it becomes a part of their inner life.”
ABOUT THE CAST
CASEY AFFLECK (Lee Chandler) is an accomplished and striking performer who has established himself as a powerful leading man. Affleck was nominated for an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe Award® and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in the character drama The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Written and directed by Andrew Dominik (Chopper), the film follows Ford’s (Affleck) sycophantic obsession with Jesse James (Brad Pitt), which quickly turns into growing resentment after he joins the legendary outlaw’s gang. The actor garnered significant praise for his starring role alongside Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman and Michelle Monaghan in Gone Baby Gone, based on Dennis Lehane’s novel of the same name. Ben Affleck’s directorial debut, the film is the story of two Boston detectives’ search for a kidnapped 4-year-old girl. Affleck co-wrote with and starred alongside Matt Damon in the independent road movie Gerry, directed by Gus Van Sant. He also appeared in Van Sant’s Good Will Hunting and To Die For. Additional film credits include; Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, opposite Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway; Out of the Furnace, co-starring Christian Bale; Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, opposite Rooney Mara; Steven Soderbergh’s Oceans trilogy, alongside George Clooney and Brad Pitt; Triple 9, opposite Woody Harrelson and Kate Winslet; and The Finest Hours, opposite Chris Pine. In 2014 Affleck and John Powers Middleton formed the Affleck/Middleton Project, a full-service production company designed to develop and produce film and television content across a variety of genres. With a mission to produce quality films and television series that connect with audiences, the company looks to develop and produce a new wave of great American entertainment. It was recently announced that the Affleck/Middleton Project secured the rights to Far Bright Star, the second in Robert Olmstead’s book series of the same name. Affleck will direct a script by Damien Ober with three-time Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix set to star. Previously, Affleck directed Phoenix in I’m Still Here, which he also wrote and produced.
On stage, Affleck appeared in the West End debut of Kenneth Lonergan’s awardwinning play “This Is Our Youth.” He played the role of Warren alongside Matt Damon and Summer Phoenix.
MICHELLE WILLIAMS (Randi) has established herself as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after and respected talents, earning a Golden Globe Award, three Oscar nominations and a Tony Award bid. She starred opposite Ryan Gosling in Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine, with her captivating performance receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress as well as Golden Globe, Broadcast Film Critics Association and Independent Spirit Award nominations. Williams’ performance in Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain (2005) earned Best Supporting Actress nominations at the Independent Spirit, SAG, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Broadcast Film Critics Association awards, as well as an Oscar bid. In 2011 Williams played the iconic Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn, opposite Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. The role garnered her third Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award wins, and nods at the BAFTA and SAG award ceremonies. In her first collaboration with filmmaker Kelly Reichardt, Williams starred in the critically acclaimed indie Wendy and Lucy. Her moving and evocative performance was honored with a Toronto Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 2009 and an Independent Spirit Award nomination. Williams and Reichardt worked together again in the period drama Meek’s Cutoff, which won the Producers Award at the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards as well as the SIGNIS Award at the 2010 Venice Film Festival. Their third collaboration, Certain Women, premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews and was acquired by IFC Films. Other film credits include Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful, Saul Dibb’s Suite Française, Sharon Maguire’s Incendiary, Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York, Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There., Wim Wenders’ Land of Plenty, Ethan Hawke’s The Hottest State, Thomas McCarthy’s The Station Agent, Sandra Goldbacher’s Me Without You and Andrew Fleming’s Dick. In 2005 Williams was honored by the Motion Picture Club as its Female Star of Tomorrow.
On television, Williams starred opposite Chloë Sevigny in Martha Coolidge’s HBO movie “If These Walls Could Talk 2.” She also had a six-year tenure as Jen Lindley on the WB’s hit series “Dawson’s Creek.” The series premiered in 1998 and remained one of the WB’s top-rated shows throughout its run. On stage, Williams was most recently seen on Broadway starring in David Harrower’s Olivier Award-winning drama “Blackbird,” opposite Jeff Daniels, with Joe Mantello directing and Scott Rudin producing. Her depiction of Una garnered her a Tony nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. Williams made her Broadway debut as Sally Bowles in the recent Roundabout Theatre Company production of “Cabaret.” Other theater credits include the Off Broadway productions of Mike Leigh’s “Smelling a Rat” and Tracy Letts’ “Killer Joe,” as well as the Williamstown Theatre Festival production of “The Cherry Orchard.”
KYLE CHANDLER (Joe Chandler) is a highly respected actor whose resume is littered with memorable performances. He is most widely known for his role as Coach Eric Taylor on “Friday Night Lights,” which wrapped its final season in 2011 to both critical and popular acclaim. After his final season playing the coach, Chandler won the Emmy Award® for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Chandler can currently be seen in the critically acclaimed Netflix series “Bloodline,” produced by “Damages” creators Todd Kessler, Daniel Zelman and Glenn Kessler. The drama, which also stars Ben Mendelsohn, Sissy Spacek and Linda Cardellini, follows a family of adult siblings whose secrets come out when their brother returns home. For his work in the first season Chandler received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. The actor recently co-starred in Carol, alongside Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Directed by Todd Haynes, the film received many accolades this past awards season. Previously, Chandler starred opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey and Jonah Hill in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. He also appeared in Ben Affleck’s Argo, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and the SAG Award for Best Ensemble, among countless other honors. Chandler was also seen in Zero Dark Thirty,
Kathryn Bigelow’s drama chronicling the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden, which was also received nominations at all the major awards shows. Previously, Chandler co-starred in Allen Hughes’ Broken City, alongside Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones; James Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now, with Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley; J.J. Abrams’ Steven Spielberg-produced Super 8, alongside Elle Fanning; Scott Derrickson’s The Day the Earth Stood Still, co-starring Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly; and Peter Berg’s The Kingdom, with Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner. Additional film credits include King Kong, Mulholland Falls, Angel’s Dance, Pure Country and The Color of Evening. Chandler’s small-screen appearances include a memorable performance on the medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” which garnered him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Drama Series. Other credits include “The Lyons Den,” “Homefront,” “Early Edition,” “What About Joan,” “And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself,” “Tour of Duty” and “China Beach.” On Broadway, Chandler starred as Hal Carter in “Picnic,” opposite Ashley Judd. A graduate of the University of Georgia’s drama program, Chandler lives in Texas with his wife and two daughters.
LUCAS HEDGES (Patrick) is a versatile young actor on the rise who has already worked with some of the most respected directors in Hollywood. Most recently, Hedges completed work on Martin McDonagh’s upcoming feature Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, opposite Francis McDormand and Sam Rockwell. On television he recently starred in the NBC event series “The Slap,” with Zachary Quinto, Peter Sarsgaard and Uma Thurman. Hedges worked with acclaimed filmmaker Wes Anderson on two films: Moonrise Kingdom, co-starring Edward Norton, Bill Murray and Frances McDormand, and Oscar winner The Grand Budapest Hotel, starring Ralph Fiennes. In 2013 he starred alongside Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet in Jason Reitman’s Labor Day and worked opposite Christoph Waltz in Terry Gilliam’s The Zero Theorem. Hedges also appeared in Michael Cuesta’s Kill the Messenger, opposite Jeremy Renner, and Dante Ariola’s Arthur Newman, alongside Colin Firth and Emily Blunt.
Hedges is currently a student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he continues to study and hone his craft. When not in school, he resides with his family in Brooklyn, New York.
GRETCHEN MOL (Elise) is a talented actress known for her stellar performances on stage and screen. She will next be seen in The Headhunter’s Calling, alongside Gerard Butler, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina and Alison Brie. The film centers on a ruthless headhunter who’s on his way to taking over a company when his 10-year-old son falls ill and his personal and professional priorities clash. Mol is currently in production on “Chance,” a new Hulu original series that follows a forensic neuropsychiatrist who reluctantly gets sucked into a violent and dangerous world of mistaken identity, police corruption and mental illness. “Chance” is scheduled to premiere on October 19, 2016. Last year Mol appeared as a guest star in the second season of the Golden Globewinning Amazon Studios original “Mozart in the Jungle.” She also co-starred alongside Kristen Stewart, Glenn Close and Corey Stoll in the feature Anesthesia. Written, produced and directed by Tim Blake Nelson, the film shows how multiple lives intersect in the aftermath of the violent mugging of a Columbia University philosophy professor. Previously, Mol appeared in True Story, alongside James Franco and Jonah Hill. The film examines the relationship between journalist Michael Finkel and Christian Longo, an FBI Most Wanted List murderer who lived outside the U.S. using Finkel’s name. Mol made her film debut in Spike Lee’s Girl 6, as Girl 12. She shared in the SAG Award nomination earned by 3:10 to Yuma (Outstanding Performance by a Cast). Other film credits include Laggies, The Notorious Bettie Page, Rounders, The Shape of Things, Music from Another Room, The Funeral, The Last Time I Committed Suicide, The Thirteenth Floor, Celebrity, Forever Mine, The Ten, American Loser, Puccini for Beginners, Just Looking and An American Affair. On television Mol appeared on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” opposite Steve Buscemi, and shared in the show’s Screen Actors Guild Award (Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Drama Series) in both 2011 and 2012. They were subsequently nominated in the same category in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Additionally, the series won a 2011 Golden Globe Award in the category of Best Television Series: Drama.
Mol has been seen in such telefilms as Lifetime’s Emmy-nominated drama “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” (based on the bestselling novel of the same title), “Picnic,” “The Magnificent Ambersons,” “Calm at Sunset,” “The Valley of Light” and “Dead Man’s Walk.” Her series credits include an appearance in the debut episode of the ABC hit “Spin City” and later a starring role on David E. Kelley’s ABC series “Life on Mars.” Mol recently completed a Broadway run in Ayad Akhtar’s “Disgraced,” at the Lyceum Theater. Previously, she starred on Broadway as Roxie Hart in “Chicago” and Off Broadway in the theatrical version of “The Shape of Things.” The actress currently resides with her family in New York.
C.J. WILSON (George) appeared in Jean Marc Vallee’s Demolition, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, and Chris Cooper, Nancy Myer’s The Intern, and Rob Reiner’s The Magic of Belle Isle. His television credits include “House of Cards,” “The Characters,” “The Following,” “The Sound of Music Live!,” “The Americans,” “The Good Wife,” “Blue Bloods,” “Pan Am,” “Onion Sportsdome,” “Brotherhood,” “Without a Trace,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Law & Order: CI,” “Third Watch,” “New Amsterdam,” “Ed,” “Deadline,” “One Life to Live,” and “All my Children.” Wilson’s Broadway credits include: “Bronx Bombers,” “The Big Knife,” “Festen,” “Henry IV,” and Gore Vidal’s “The Best Man.”
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
KENNETH LONERGAN’S (Director) first film, You Can Count On Me (2000), which he wrote and directed, was an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee for Best Screenplay, and won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, NY Film Critics Circle, LA Film Critics Circle and Independent Spirit Award for Best Film and Best Screenplay, among numerous other accolades. Lonergan’s second film, Margaret (2011) and Margaret – Extended Edition (2012), won the European Film Critics’ FIPRESCI Award at the Vienna Film Festival, the Traverse City Film Festival Founders Prize and became a cause célèbre among many film critics, journalists and cinephiles worldwide. He also co-wrote the screenplays for Analyze This and Gangs Of New York (2002 WGA and Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay). Lonergan’s playwriting credits include “This Is Our Youth” (1996), which was nominated for the 1996 Drama Desk Award for Best Play and a 2015 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play (Steppenwolf); “The Waverly Gallery” (2000), which was a Pulitzer Prize finalist; “Lobby Hero” (2001), a Drama Desk Best Play nominee, Outer Critics Circle Best Play nominee, and 2002 Olivier Award nominee for Best Play during its West End run; “The Starry Messenger” (2009); and “Medieval Play” (2012). His most recent play, “Hold On To Me Darling,” an Outer Critics Circle Best Play nominee, was directed by Neil Pepe and premiered at the Atlantic Theatre Company. He recently completed writing a four-part television adaptation of E.M. Forster’s novel “Howards End” for the BBC. Lonergan is a resident playwright at the Signature Theatre Company. He lives in New York City with his wife and frequent collaborator, actress J. Smith-Cameron, and their daughter, Nellie.
MATT DAMON (Producer) is considered one of the most revered actors in Hollywood today, both in terms of talent and box-office draw. His rich and varied career has seen him succeed on both sides of the camera. Damon recently starred in Ridley Scott’s outer-space actioner The Martian, playing Mark Watney, an astronaut stranded on Mars who struggles to survive until he can be rescued. The film opened to stellar reviews, was a huge
success at the box office and earned seven Academy Award nominations including Damon’s bid for Best Actor. The actor will next be seen in Paul Greengrass’ Jason Bourne, reprising his role as the title character after starring in The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. Damon is currently shooting Alexander Payne’s Downsizing, alongside Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis and Christoph Waltz. In November he stars in Yimou Zhang’s The Great Wall, which chronicles the construction of the Great Wall of China. Though far from an overnight success, Damon catapulted into the public eye in 1997 with his first Academy Award nomination (and win) for co-writing Good Will Hunting with his lifelong friend Ben Affleck. The script also earned the pair a Golden Globe nomination as well as several critics’ group honors. Damon netted Oscar, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for Best Actor. More recognition followed as Damon earned his third Golden Globe nomination for his performance in 1999’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, under the direction of Anthony Minghella. In 2009 he received Academy Award, SAG and Critics’ Choice nominations (Best Supporting Actor) for his portrayal of South African rugby hero Francois Pienaar in Clint Eastwood’s true-life drama Invictus. That same year, he garnered a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for his starring role in Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant. The connection with Soderbergh has proven to be a successful one as they have collaborated on seven films including the blockbuster heist films Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, as well as the 2013 HBO telefilm “Behind the Candelabra.” Starring opposite Michael Douglas, Damon earned Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA award nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries. Hailing from Boston, Damon attended Harvard University and gained his first acting experience with the American Repertory Theater. He made his feature-film debut in Mystic Pizza, followed by roles in School Ties, Walter Hill’s Geronimo: An American Legend, the cable project “Rising Son” and Tommy Lee Jones’ “The Good Old Boys.” However, it was Damon’s portrayal of a guilt-ridden Gulf War veteran, tormented by memories of a battlefield incident, in 1996’s Courage Under Fire that truly put him on the radar of both critics and audiences alike. The following year Damon played the title role in Steven Spielberg’s award-winning World War II drama Saving Private Ryan and starred with Edward Norton in John Dahl’s
poker drama Rounders. He was then reunited with Ben Affleck to star in Kevin Smith’s controversial religious comedy Dogma. Other film credits include Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Rainmaker, Robert Redford’s The Legend of Bagger Vance, Billy Bob Thornton’s All the Pretty Horses, Gus Van Sant’s Gerry, George Clooney’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Terry Gilliam’s The Brothers Grimm, the Farrelly brothers’ Stuck on You, Stephen Gaghan’s Syriana, Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, Robert De Niro’s The Good Shepherd, Paul Greengrass’ Green Zone, Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter, the Coen brothers’ True Grit, George Nolfi’s The Adjustment Bureau, Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, Kenneth Lonergan’s Margaret, Cameron Crowe’s We Bought a Zoo, Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium, George Clooney’s The Monuments Men and Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. Damon reteamed with Ben Affleck again in 2000 to form the production company LivePlanet, producing film, television and new media projects. LivePlanet produced the documentary Running the Sahara, directed by Oscar winner James Moll, as well as three seasons of the Emmy-nominated series “Project Greenlight,” chronicling the making of independent films by first-time writers and directors. That series spawned the features Stolen Summer, The Battle of Shaker Heights and Feast. After airing on Bravo originally, “Project Greenlight” was resurrected by HBO and premiered its fourth season in September 2015, under Damon and Affleck’s Pearl Street Productions banner. Pearl Street recently co-produced Promised Land, which reunited Damon with director Gus Van Sant. The film was written and produced by Damon and John Krasinski. Working with Jennifer Todd, President of Pearl Street Productions, the company signed a first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures. Currently in pre-production is Live By Night for Warner Bros. Affleck is set to direct. The company just wrapped the pilot “Incorporated” for Syfy, which Alex and David Pastor wrote and directed. Other TV projects in development include “The Battle of Bunker Hill” and “Paul the Apostle,” which Hugh Jackman is attached to star in. Damon both executive-produced and appeared in the History Channel project “The People Speak,” based on a book co-written by famed historian Howard Zinn and featuring dramatic readings and performances from some of the most famous names in the entertainment industry.
In 2006 the actor co-founded H20 Africa. Now known as Water.org, the foundation brings clean water and sanitation to countries around the world that suffer without those simple essentials.
KIMBERLY STEWARD (Producer) is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and producer. In 2013 she formed K Period Media, a company that develops, finances and produces story-driven, commercially viable and thought-provoking content spanning media from film and television to digital and interactive platforms. In just a few years Steward has forged strategic relationships with some of the most prolific producers, distributors and financiers in the entertainment industry. At the same time, it is Steward’s mission to discover diverse new voices and launch the careers of next-generation talent, on both sides of the camera. K Period Media’s releases to date include the noted documentaries Opposite Fields, about the first entrants from Africa to compete in the Little League World Series; Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People, which examines AfricanAmericans’ long history with photography; and the forthcoming Looking for Terry, chronicling the efforts of inner-city students to train for the daunting Fordham Law Moot Court. Also in the pipeline is Conversion, a feature drama whose script made the film industry’s heralded “Black List” of the best unproduced screenplays in 2012. A native of St. Louis, Steward inherited both a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a gift for philanthropy from parents David and Thelma Steward. Her father founded the highly successful systems integration firm World Wide Technology. Steward gained an appreciation for movies from her mother, a film buff who introduced her to master moviemakers such as Ingmar Bergman, Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock. At age 19 Steward opened her first business, an event and bridal planning service that staged more than 200 events in the Midwest. After college she moved to New York City and worked at magazines including Women’s Wear Daily, Real Simple, Food Network Magazine, Martha Stewart Living and Elle Décor, along the way transitioning her focus from event planning to fashion, design and marketing. In 2010 she started Kess Agency, which represented creative professionals working in the fashion industry. In launching the new division Created by Kess Agency, a forerunner to K Period Media, Steward branched out into development and production for clients in the fashion,
beauty and entertainment sectors. One of the company’s logo designs was a finalist for a prestigious Clio Award in 2014. During this period Steward met former advertising executive Lauren Beck, with whom she would partner at K Period Media.
CHRIS MOORE (Producer) has worn a number of hats during his 26-year career in the entertainment industry. He is currently producing the second season of the awardwinning docu-series “The Chair,” which he co-created for Starz. In 2010 Moore founded the Media Farm to focus on investing in and managing a portfolio of entertainment brands for exploitation in multiple media. Under this banner, he produced the Gus Van Sant feature Promised Land, written by and starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski. Other Media Farm credits include “Think Tank” and The Can. In 2008 Moore directed his first feature film, Kill Theory, for Element Films and Lionsgate. Moore received a bachelor’s in American history from Harvard University. He started out as an agent at Intertalent and then at ICM, where he represented writers and directors including Zak Penn, Rich Wilkes, the Weitz brothers and M. Night Shyamalan. During that time he also sold or packaged projects such as The Last Action Hero, PCU, The Stoned Age and numerous others. In 1993 Moore transitioned from representation to producing and his filmography includes the highly successful series of American Pie films, The Adjustment Bureau, Feast, Waiting, “Iconoclasts,” Best Laid Plans, Reindeer Games, Joy Ride and the Academy Award winner Good Will Hunting. He is also the co-creator of HBO’s “Project Greenlight.” Documentary credits include The People Speak and Pop & Me. Also an entrepreneur, in 1993 Moore was a founder of Launch Media, an online music business that was ultimately sold to Yahoo! and became Yahoo! Music. In 1999 he partnered with friends and creative collaborators Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Sean Bailey to form LivePlanet, a company dedicated to the creation of multi-platform entertainment content. Moore served as CEO of LivePlanet for five years, raising the capital for the company and overseeing an annual operating budget of $5 million. In 2005 Moore segued out of his post at LivePlanet in order to once again concentrate on producing individual film and television properties. During this time he also
co-founded First Tuesday Media to create content for a number of campaigns during the 2006 election cycle. Moore lives in Santa Monica, California, with his wife, Chernin Films and TV President Jenno Topping, and their three children.
LAUREN BECK (Producer) is a founding member and producing partner at K Period Media, alongside President Kimberly Steward. K Period Media is an award-winning Los Angeles-based production company committed to developing, financing and producing high-quality multi-platform films and content. In this capacity Beck is developing a slate of upcoming projects with Steward and development executive Josh Godfrey. Beck’s passion for creative narrative began with 35mm film in the darkroom, working as a photographer in New York City. She studied at ICP and The New School NYC, shooting street photography and musicians to document hip-hop and the music scene globally. This led Beck to working in advertising as producer. She was instrumental in shaping an integrated collective of companies under the boutique label Moondog. While there she opened the doors to a wide array of creative territories and multi-platform brand strategy including creative development, editorial, VFX and music supervision for brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Burberry and Condé Nast. Beck also began producing shorts and content for up-and-coming screenwriters, directors and musicians.
KEVIN WALSH (Producer) recently produced the comedy-drama The Way Way Back for Fox Searchlight Pictures, Sycamore Pictures and OddLot Entertainment. The film was written and directed by Academy Award winners Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (The Descendants) and stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney and Maya Rudolph. In 2011 Walsh was named one of Variety’s “10 Producers to Watch.” Walsh is set to produce the political action-thriller The Beast, with Di Bonaventura Pictures; the Faxon and Rash action-comedy The Heart; the crime-noir thriller The Eel, with K Period Media; and an inspirational sports drama based on the life of baseball star Josh Hamilton, with Thunder Road Pictures. For television, Walsh recently entered into an overall deal with Sony Pictures Television, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash to develop and produce series projects. They are set to
produce the half-hour multi-camera comedy “The Leeches,” for NBC, and the half-hour comedy-drama “Lift,” for Epix. In addition to his work as a producer, Walsh has adapted his original comic book “The Leaves” into a feature film for Lionsgate Entertainment and Liquid Comics. He also adapted a children’s book series, Pyrates, for Summit Entertainment and Alloy Entertainment. Walsh has written screenplays for Working Title Films, Reason Pictures and the Walt Disney-based brands Mayhem Pictures and The Sports Studio. Walsh started his entertainment career as an assistant to the chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, Thomas D. Mottola, and was later promoted to production coordinator, where he helped oversee the production of albums for Mottola’s priority artists. Walsh then served as an executive assistant to producer Scott Rudin at Scott Rudin Productions, where he assisted and traveled with Rudin as he produced seven films with a combined spending budget of over $200 million (The Hours, The Royal Tenenbaums, Iris, Changing Lanes, Zoolander, Orange County and Marci X). Walsh then helped manage the set of three films for Steven Spielberg (The Adventures of Tintin, Munich and War of the Worlds) with budgets of $130 million, $75 million and $132 million, respectively. The producer is an active volunteer for the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. He and his wife live in Santa Monica, California.
JOSH GODFREY (Executive Producer) has a lifelong passion for film. He currently heads up development at K Period Media, where he is overseeing a slate of upcoming films with development executive Lauren Beck and KPM President Kimberly Steward. Godfrey got his start at Mandeville Films under Todd Lieberman, working on numerous projects including The Fighter and The Proposal. His other work experience includes development for a mini-major studio as well as talent-driven production companies with studio/network deals. Godfrey has also worked with big-budget film directors, such as Tarsem Singh, in various stages of production.
JOHN KRASINSKI (Executive Producer) has established himself as one of the industry’s most exciting talents as an actor, writer and director, engaging audiences on both
the big and small screens. Krasinski starred on NBC’s Emmy-winning smash hit “The Office” for nine seasons, playing the charming boy next door Jim Halpert. He recently played a Navy SEAL alongside James Badge Dale in Michael Bay’s Benghazi thriller 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. Krasinski directs and stars in the upcoming film The Hollars, alongside Anna Kendrick, Richard Jenkins, Margo Martindale and Sharlto Copley. Through his own Sunday Night banner, Krasinski executive produces the hit “Lip Sync Battle” on Spike TV, alongside Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Merchant. The show is based on the popular “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” segment he co-created with Merchant and Fallon in 2013. Sunday Night recently signed an overall producing deal with 20th Century Fox Television. Previously, Krasinski and Matt Damon co-wrote and co-starred in Gus Van Sant’s Promised Land. Other film credits include Nancy Meyers’ It’s Complicated, Sam Mendes’ Away We Go, George Clooney’s Leatherheads, Ken Kwapis’ License to Wed, Christopher Guest’s For Your Consideration, Cameron Crowe’s Aloha and Bill Condon’s Kinsey. Krasinski lent his voice to the animated films Monsters vs. Aliens, Shrek the Third, Monsters University and The Wind Rises. Krasinski adapted and directed the David Foster Wallace book Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. The independently financed film screened at Sundance in 2009 and was released by IFC later that year. Krasinski also co-wrote an untitled action-adventure script with Oren Uziel, which was sold to Warner Bros. in 2013. He is set to co-produce. Krasinski graduated from Brown University as an honors playwright and later studied at the National Theater Institute. Born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts, Krasinski currently resides in Los Angeles.
DECLAN BALDWIN (Executive Producer) began his career as a production assistant on a feature film shooting in New York City. Having completed more than 40 film and television productions since then, he has worked in almost every capacity and genre. Baldwin is a founding member of the New York-based production company Big Indie Pictures. Most recently, Baldwin served as executive producer on Captain Fantastic, from writer/director Matt Ross, ShivHans Pictures and Electric City Entertainment. Viggo Mortensen stars as a father living “off the grid” in the Pacific Northwest with his six children. Baldwin co-produced Still Alice, based on the bestselling novel by Lisa Genova.
The film features Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin and Kristen Stewart, with Moore winning the Oscar for her role as Alice Howland. Baldwin served as executive producer on Danny Collins, the directorial feature-film debut of screenwriter Dan Fogelman (Crazy, Stupid, Love). The film stars Al Pacino as an aging rock star trying to connect with his grown son (Bobby Cannavale) for the first time. Baldwin recently produced The Last of Robin Hood, the first of two films with the Still Alice writing/directing team of Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer. He also produced the new Amazon Studios/Killer Content show “Z: The Beginning of Everything,” starring Christina Ricci as Zelda Fitzgerald. The pilot episode was written by Nicole Yorkin and Dawn Prestwich (“Brotherhood,” “The Killing”) and directed by Tim Blake Nelson. Previously, Baldwin co-produced Far From Heaven with writer/director Todd Haynes and Killer Films producer Christine Vachon. The film received four Oscar nominations and four Golden Globe nominations in 2003 and swept the Independent Spirit Awards, winning Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Female Lead, Best Male Lead and Best Cinematography. Other producing credits include Adventureland, The Dark Half and Rough Magic. On the small screen Baldwin produced two primetime specials for NBC (both directed by the award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Bowser), and the HBO Original Films production of “The Laramie Project,” which was nominated for four Emmys and received a National Board of Review Award (Best Film Made for Cable Television). For his efforts on “The Laramie Project,” Baldwin was one of the 2002 Emmy nominees for Outstanding Made for Television Movie as well as a David L. Wolper Producer of the Year Award nominee at the 2003 Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards. Baldwin is a native New Yorker and a long-standing member of both the PGA and the DGA.
BILL MIGLIORE (Executive Producer) is partnered with Academy Award nominees Edward Norton and Stuart Blumberg at Class 5 Films. The first film he produced, Let It Snow, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2000. More recently, he produced Stuart Blumberg’s Thanks for Sharing, starring Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad and Alecia Moore (Pink); the Netflix original documentary My Own Man (Tribeca Film Festival), directed by David Sampliner; Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass, starring
Edward Norton, Keri Russell, Susan Sarandon and Richard Dreyfuss; the Emmy-winning HBO documentary “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,” directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams; and David Jacobson’s Down in the Valley (Cannes Film Festival Selection), starring Edward Norton and Evan Rachel Wood.
RYAN STOWELL (Co-Producer) is currently vice president of production at B Story, a film and TV production company founded by producer Kevin Walsh and Academy Award winners Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. At B Story, Stowell oversees all film and television development including the multi-camera comedy “The Leeches,” for NBC, the half-hour comedy-drama “Lift,” for Epix, and several feature-film projects. Stowell is a native of Kensington, Connecticut, and a graduate of James Madison University who began his career as an assistant to Emmy nominees Mark and Adam Kassen on their independent drama Puncture, starring Chris Evans. Stowell then joined Adam Sandler’s production shingle, Happy Madison, where he assisted Sandler’s head of production. In 2011 Stowell transitioned to Sony Pictures Entertainment, where he reported directly to Senior Vice President DeVon Franklin of Columbia TriStar Pictures. At Sony, Stowell worked on several high-profile projects including the Academy Award-nominated drama Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks, and the faith-based box-office hit Heaven Is for Real, directed by Academy Award nominee Randall Wallace (Braveheart). Stowell resides in Santa Monica, California and is an active volunteer at the Painted Turtle, a satellite camp of Paul Newman’s SeriousFun Children’s Network.
JODY LEE LIPES (Director of Photography) is an Independent Spirit Award nominee who appeared on the Variety list of “10 Cinematographers to Watch.” His cinematography credits include Martha Marcy May Marlene, Trainwreck, Afterschool and Tiny Furniture. His commercial and music video collaborators include Mark Romanek, Stacy Wall, Justin Timberlake and Jay Z. Also a director, Lipes helmed Ballet 422 (Tribeca Film Festival 2014), which follows choreographer Justin Peck from first rehearsal to world premiere as he creates a new work for the New York City Ballet; HBO’s “Girls,” an Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner for Best Comedy Series; PBS and BBC 4’s “NY Export: Opus Jazz” (Audience Award,
South by Southwest 2010), a scripted, on-location Jerome Robbins dance film; and Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be the Same (South by Southwest 2009), an artist documentary. He has also directed commercials for Apple and the New York City Ballet. Lipes’ first screenplay, Confederacy, was selected for the Sundance Directors and Screenwriters Labs, an Indian Paintbrush Grant and both MacDowell and Yaddo fellowships.
RUTH DE JONG (Production Designer) is a multi-talented designer on the rise. She was honored at the Art Directors Guild’s Excellence in Production Design Awards, receiving a nomination in the Period Film category for her work with David Crank on Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice (2014). De Jong is currently working with David Lynch as production designer on his revamped “Twin Peaks” series for Showtime. Previously, De Jong served as art director on Anderson’s The Master as well as Terrence Malick’s Knight of Cups, Weightless and Voyage of Time. She was the production designer on Jared Moshe’s Western Dead Man’s Burden. De Jong received her B.F.A. in painting and photography from Texas Christian University. After completing several painting commissions and a stint in Italy, her artwork caught the eye of Oscar-nominated production designer Jack Fisk, who encouraged her to consider a career in production design. De Jong dove in headfirst, production designing the award-winning indie film Swedish Auto, staring January Jones and Lucas Haas. Fisk then added De Jong to the team that art directed Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar-winning period drama There Will Be Blood. Soon thereafter, Fisk hired De Jong as assistant art director on Terrence Malick’s Cannes Palm d’Or winner Tree of Life. In 2010, De Jong art directed Miranda July’s film The Future before teaming up again with Fisk and Crank to assistant art direct Water for Elephants, directed by Francis Lawrence. She then reteamed with Malick on
To the Wonder. That same year, De Jong had the opportunity to demonstrate her wide-ranging talents when Los Angeles chefs Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook, creators of the internationally acclaimed restaurant Animal, hired her to design their new restaurant Son of a Gun. Food critics have raved about the new restaurant, highlighting De Jong’s transformative décor. In the wake of this experience De Jong and her brothers Philip and Peter launched an interior design firm and handcrafted furniture line called De Jong & Co. The company collaborated
with Chef Daniel Lindley on his new Nashville eatery 5th & Taylor, designing custom furnishings to refurbish an old warehouse at that address. A Southern California native, De Jong resides in downtown Los Angeles.
LESLEY BARBER (Composer) is one of the most exciting and respected young composers working in music today. She composes for film, theater, chamber and orchestral ensembles and is also a conductor, pianist, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Barber’s range is impressive — from orchestral to atmospheric, alternative to children’s music, Appalachian to action — and is always marked by intelligence and emotional depth. From luscious string arrangements evoking the most somber tragedy to deadpan comedic moments, Barber always avoids the cliché. Most recently, Barber scored two award-winning documentaries: Jerry Rothwell’s How to Change the World and Tiffany Hsiung’s The Apology. Feature film credits include Patricia Rozema’s When Night Is Falling and Mansfield Park, Boaz Yakin’s A Price Above Rubies and Death in Love, Kenneth Lonergan’s You Can Count On Me, Jean-Marc Vallée’s Los Locos, Wiebke von Carolsfeld’s Marion Bridge, Bruce McCulloch’s Comeback Season, Bette Gordon’s Luminous Motion, Mary Harron’s Moth Diaries, David Bezmozgis’ Victoria Day and Wayne Wang’s A Thousand Years of Good Prayers. For the small screen, Barber scored Mira Nair’s HBO movie “Hysterical Blindness,” starring Uma Thurman and Juliette Lewis. Other television credits include the PBS Emmy winner “Yo-Yo Ma Inspired by Bach,” the Hallmark Channel telefilm “Pete’s Christmas,” the Nickelodeon series “Little Bear” and HBO’s “A Child’s Garden of Poetry.”
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