Movie reviews, production notes, and more! - "Valiant"

Movie : Valiant

Notes Provided by Buena Vista Pictures VALIANT PRODUCTION INFORMATION "Valiant," an exciting new computer-animated film presented by Walt Disney Pictures, from Vanguard Animation, and producer John Williams ("Shrek" and "Shrek 2"), is the high-flying comedy adventure tale of a brave-but-undersized pigeon named Valiant (voiced by Ewan McGregor) who dreams of joining the elite Royal Homing Pigeon Service (RHPS), and serving crown and country during World War II. Despite his small stature, Valiant's ambitions are enormous as he keeps a stiff upper Bennett, Curtis Augspurger and Buckley Collum. Barnaby Thompson, Ralph Kamp, Neil Braun, Robert Jones, and Keith Evans served as executive producers. Jordan Katz, George Webster and George Melrod wrote the screenplay from an original story by Webster. The film's original score was composed by multiple Oscar® nominee George Fenton ("Ghandi," "The Fisher King," "Dangerous Liaisons," "Cry Freedom"). "Valiant" was developed by Vanguard Animation in Los Angeles and produced at its studios in Los Angeles and London, the latter being on the lot of historic Ealing Studios. Ealing is the oldest film facility in the world and has been home to everything from the classic Alec Guinness comedies ("The Ladykillers," "The Lavender Hill Mob") to George Lucas' "Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones." training in preparation for a dangerous mission to deliver vital messages to troops behind enemy lines. With a shortage of wingpower in the royal fleet due to increased attacks by a brigade of vicious enemy falcons (led by the ruthless General Von Talon), the mission falls to Valiant and the unlikely heroes of "Squad F" to try and save the day. With a wing and a prayer, pals fly into harm's way and prove that it's not the size of the wingspan that counts, but the size of the spirit. Filled with action, humor, emotion and memorable characters, "Valiant" delivers great entertainment for audiences of all ages. This imaginative feature was inspired by the fact that pigeons saved thousands of lives during the war, and 31 of the 53 top honors given to animal heroes went to pigeons. "Valiant" brings together a top-flight vocal cast of British favorites including Ewan McGregor, Ricky Gervais, Tim Curry, John Cleese, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Williams and Rik Mayall. The film was directed by Gary Chapman, produced by John H. Williams, and co-produced by Eric M. THE STORY For thousands of years, men have turned to pigeons to carry messages in times of need. In the Second World War, pigeons played a crucial role for the Allied forces by delivering key dispatches from behind enemy lines. During a dark and stormy night over the English Channel, we see three members of the elite Royal Homing Pigeon Service (RHPS) en route to deliver their messages. However, just as they come within sight of the famed White Cliffs of Dover, a dark shadow crashes down to stop them. Back at the headquarters in London, word comes that none of the homing pigeons have made it back alive. Gutsy (voiced by Hugh Laurie), the iconic hero of the RHPS, realizes that the losses from German falcons guarding the Channel have been heavy and that new birds are needed to fill the thinning ranks. Far from the heavy backdrop of the war, a group of pigeons watch a newsreel at a small waterside pub in rural England. The newsreel shows the glorious life of the RHPS elite as they deliver messages, enjoy the good life, and meet the nursing doves. Valiant (voiced by Ewan McGregor) watches the film and knows that this is what he wants to do. As Valiant talks to Felix (voiced by John Hurt), the warm but crusty publican, about his goal to be a homing pigeon, the pub is surprised by the impromptu arrival of an RHPS squad, including Valiant's personal hero, Gutsy. The members of the RHPS are on a recruiting drive and Valiant is eager to follow their encouragement, although everyone in the pub chides him as being too little. Valiant eagerly sets off to join the RHPS, though his doting mother fights to keep her little baby home. He flies into London and inadvertently rescues an artful dodger named Bugsy (voiced by Ricky Gervais) from impending trouble. In return, Bugsy helps Valiant squeeze through the process of enlisting in the RHPS, but gets more than he bargained for when he finds himself unexpectedly along for the ride. Valiant and Bugsy are set to become part of a ragtag group of misfit recruits which includes Lofty (voiced by Pip Torrens), who has come down from Oxford to carry on his proud family tradition of serving in the military (although he is a bit more of a nerdy scholar than chiseled warrior) and the twins, Toughwood (voiced by Brian Lonsdale) and Tailfeather (voiced by Dan Roberts), who make up with enthusiasm and strength what they lack in smarts. With good intentions and dreams of a hero's life, the new recruits arrive at the base and come face-to-face with the harsher realities of military life when they meet their new drill sergeant, Sarge (voiced by Jim Broadbent), a grizzled and gruff veteran pigeon determined to weed out any bad recruits. Under his tough direction, the pigeons of "Squad F" must learn what it takes to become military homing pigeons and members of a team. While the tough training results in some bumps and bruises, Valiant finds the blows softened by the lovely nursing dove, Victoria (voiced by Olivia Williams). After a few weeks, even though the recruits still have much to learn in order to succeed as homing pigeons, Gutsy arrives with bad news: another squad has gone missing, and the recruits will have to go into service even though they are not ready. The recruits are sent on their mission to occupied France where they will need to meet up with members of the Resistance and obtain a message that they must deliver back to England. But the mission quickly unravels over enemy territory and our recruits find themselves lost and leaderless behind enemy lines. Will they be able to retrieve the message and deliver it back to headquarters? How will they survive the perils of their mission, including the pigeon-eating falcons lead by the dreaded General Von Talon (voiced by Tim Curry)? Will Valiant and his friends have the courage and strength to face their fears and the dark forces of war in order to fulfill their duties? Will Valiant come back to win his nursing dove's love? All that and more is revealed in this lofty and hilarious animated family comedy about a little pigeon coming of age in a world bigger than he had imagined, when everyone was telling him he was too little to make a difference. GETTING THE PRODUCTION READY FOR TAKEOFF John Williams, who produced "Shrek" and "Shrek 2," came across "Valiant" as a story treatment which was submitted to Vanguard by George Webster, the original writer. Vanguard then developed the script and decided to make it their first CG animated film. The film became the first in a multi-picture North American distribution deal between Vanguard and Disney. Vanguard's goal was to deliver the animation production with a two-year schedule, which had never been previously accomplished in a CG animated film. The studio committed to produce a state-of-the-art CG animated film at approximately half the cost and half the time of other major-studio CG animated films. Vanguard turned to co-producers Curtis Augspurger and Buckley Collum to organize and produce this ambitious plan. "Valiant" began production at Vanguard Animation in Los Angeles in January 2003, commencing with character and location design, storyboarding and animatic creation. During that time, the production team built its state-of-the-art European CGI animation studio with over 200 employees housed at Ealing Studios in London. According to co-producer Buckley Collum, "We built a 13,000-square-foot studio equipped with a state-of-the-art hardware technology infrastructure and a complete suite of CG industry-proven, commercially available software tools which are found in animation and visual effects studios in Hollywood and around the world." In September 2003, the production unit moved to the Vanguard Animation studios in London and then traversed the world to bring together a team of quality filmmakers, resulting in the hire of over 200 artists from 17 different countries. Co-producer Curtis Augspurger said, "The artists spoke seven different languages, making it a very multi­national crew. This actually brought us quite a few benefits. Bringing this diverse and talented group to Ealing enabled us to build a strong team and create a kind of family with a very large energy point." Williams described Gary Chapman's route to the director's chair by saying, "Originally, Gary was on board as character designer, but the range of content of his ideas for the story, the settings, and the music quickly proved him to be my ideal choice to direct this." Chapman recalls, "One of my main concerns was establishing a look for the film. It is a comedy adventure but I thought it important to have some sort of homage to reality. At no point did we approach this like a cartoon." The music was also crucial to the mood and atmosphere of the movie. "We wanted to have the music reinforcing the swing stance of World War II," explained producer Collum. "Gary was very keen on having the music of the period." With this in mind, the production secured the creative talents of Oscar® nominee and award-winning composer George Fenton. Williams concurs, "What we were trying to do is to keep consistent with the period-in the production design, musically-in every way, but with some slight touches that will make it feel very contemporary in its tone and subject. Ultimately, there is a big comedy entertainment element in this movie, but it is the jeopardy and suspense that is the driving part of the story." "The storyline," says Augspurger, "is a coming-of-age story that every child will be able to ascribe to and every adult has experienced. It is the plight of someone who is told they are incapable when they are too small or too young, and then they go off and prove themselves. The enjoyment of this movie is merging its two aspects. When we get into the adventure, I believe we have enough understanding of our characters that you really care about them and want them to succeed. You want them to make it through." ASSEMBLING A TOP-FLIGHT VOCAL CAST When it came to the casting of the voices for the lead characters, producer John Williams and executive producer Barnaby Thompson attracted an impressive array of comedic talent. Gary Chapman observes, "I have developed a great respect for the actors that do this kind of voice work. They stand behind a microphone, get hold of a character and make it live. Each one is chosen for the quality of it. He has this comedic spontaneity that stand-up comedy breeds." Tim Curry first came to the attention of movie audiences in the cult phenomenon "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Since then his career has embraced all media including extensive voice work. Cast as the voice of the villainous falcon, Von Talon, Curry clearly relished the role. "Tim captured the menace and haughtiness of Von Talon," notes Chapman. "The Falcons are masters of the deliver. They take a kernel of an idea and turn it into something wonderful." For the lead role of Valiant, the plucky pigeon, the producers cast the Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, acclaimed for his performances in the "Star Wars" films, "Moulin Rouge" and "Trainspotting." Said McGregor: "I play a young, brave, heroic pigeon who's destined to wonderful working with director Gary Chapman. There was a great sense of fun about the recordings. It was especially fantastic to watch the character develop over the course of those sessions." "When you listen to Ewan's voice," says Chapman, "it has a definite youthful vitality to it. Ewan is not a comic, but he's a fine actor who is also very funny. Valiant's character draws inspiration from a variety of classic actors like Charlie Chaplin, Norman Wisdom and Errol Flynn. I gave Ewan the essence of the character, and he went for it." Playing the voice of Bugsy, the street-wise, independent con man of a pigeon, is the Golden Globe® Award-winning British comedian Ricky Gervais, famed for his creation of, and acting in, the hit television series "The Office." "It was a pleasure to be part of 'Valiant,'" said Gervais. "I have always wanted to be a big mouthy bird!" "Voice work was a new medium for Ricky," said Chapman. "It was a challenge for him. He was used to writing and performing his own material, but once he got his character, he let loose and added something special. You'd throw something at him, and he would just go with sky-the fastest, the strongest and potentially the most vicious, and therefore superior. I wanted Von Talon to be full of arrogance and posturing. Tim was so versatile in bringing that to the character." Hugh Laurie stepped forward to claim the character of Gutsy, the personification of pigeon excellence. He was also filming "Flight of the Phoenix" at the time and came back and forth to complete his voice role. Academy Award® winner Jim Broadbent, who took on the voice of Sarge, observed, "I loved doing 'Valiant.' It gave me the opportunity to play a type of role that I have always wanted to play, a sergeant who is a grizzled veteran, the very epitome of an Army drill sergeant." The voice of Felix, the crusty old seabird, was played by Britain's critically acclaimed and versatile John Hurt. The voice of Von Talon's sidekick was voiced by the popular comedic actor Rik Mayall. Olivia Williams ("The Sixth Sense") was thrilled to be cast as the voice of the nurse, Victoria, who is the object of Valiant's affections. "This," said Williams, "could be my only chance to snog Ewan McGregor- even if it is only a peck on the beak." A notable casting was John Cleese to voice the role of Mercury. Cleese said: "Doing animation is like radio and it's my favorite medium." The actor was heard as the voice of the King in "Shrek 2." "John Cleese," says Chapman, "is the Professor of Comedy. I didn't want his character, Mercury, to be stereotypical. He needed to be the sort of officer who had risen through the ranks. John delivered this wonderfully." "Valiant," the first 3D CGI film to be produced in the UK, was completed in January 2005. THE FLYING HEROES-THE TRUE STORY "Valiant" tells of the adventure of a little wood pigeon who becomes a hero in World War II when he joins Great Britain's Royal Homing Pigeon Service, an organization that advances the Allied cause by flying vital messages regarding enemy movements across the English Channel, while evading attacks by the enemy's Falcon brigade. In reality, fiction is based on fact: pigeons have long been used to carry messages in war situations, including during both World War I and World War II. Many pigeons delivered messages that saved human life, and large numbers of them died in the attempt. Some were awarded the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, to recognize their bravery and contribution. Two animal organizations, The Amalgamation of Racing Pigeons and The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), were instrumental in providing support and reference to Vanguard Animation during the creation of "Valiant." They retold stories of the activities of pigeons in war and provided the opportunity for the animators to visit pigeon lofts, where they could examine the birds, study their behavior and record those behaviors to reference during the production. Derek Partridge, co-founding member of the Amalgamation of Racing Pigeons, an organization attached to the National Pigeon Service which did such an outstanding job during the war said: "We were keen to help the production by giving them a true reflection of what pigeons achieved in war time. Many people today who have not been to war know nothing about how pigeons were instrumental in saving so many lives." The military divisions of the Army, Navy and Air Force all used pigeons to relay important messages. When in difficulty, the forces would either attach these vital messages to the pigeon's leg or place them in capsules attached to their backs. They could then release the birds, knowing that they would use their homing instincts to find their way back to base. The PDSA presented the filmmakers with a copy of the Dickin Medal. It was given a place of honor in the studio so that all the animators could feel the reality of the story and to remind them that during the war, these little birds really did complete brave and amazing journeys. ABOUT THE VOICE CAST EWAN McGREGOR (Valiant) was born in 1971 in Crieff, Scotland. Despite a small-town upbringing, he became enthralled with the world of acting from an early age and was largely inspired by his uncle, Denis Lawson (of "Local Hero" fame). As a tiny child, he would return home to watch old black-and-white movie classics, rather than contemporary television programs of the day. His passion for the silver screen was crystallized in 1977 when, as a 6-year-old, he was taken to see his uncle play fighter pilot Wedge Antilles in "Star Wars." Like millions of other small boys in the world, he was spellbound. He saw the film so many times that he could recite practically the whole script without drawing breath-one of life's ironies that would take over twenty years to unfold. Six months before his graduation at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, McGregor was offered the role of Private Mick Hopper in Dennis Potter's six-part musical comedy television series "Lipstick on Your Collar." Shortly after this break, he landed his first film role in Bill Forsyth's "Being Human," where the producer, Lord David Puttnam, was so impressed by McGregor's abilities that he added extra scenes for him. Puttnam said: "McGregor has the same quality that a certain select group of actors have. Once you watch them, they mesmerize you and you forget you are watching an actor, because they appeal to you personally." Following his portrayal of an over-sexed hotel bellhop in the classic adult comedy play "What the Butler Saw" and the romantic lead as the French adventurer Julien Sorel in a BBC production of "Scarlet and Black," McGregor starred in the BAFTA Award-winning "Shallow Grave." The confidence with which he balanced this dark comedic role, coupled with the success of the film, pushed the young Scottish actor into the limelight. His portrayal of Alex Law earned him the Hitchcock D'Argent Best Actor Award and a nomination for Best Actor at the BAFTA Scotland Awards, as well as laying the roots for a highly successful partnership with the director, Danny Boyle. He then went on to portray the shifty London drug dealer Dean Raymond in "Blue Juice" opposite an up-and-coming Catherine Zeta-Jones, followed by his first solo lead in cult director Peter Greenaway's art-house erotic film, "The Pillow Book." Although "Shallow Grave" provided McGregor with his breakthrough role, it was his portrayal of heroin addict Mark Renton in Irvine Walsh's "Trainspotting" that catapulted him to international fame. To prepare for this role, he worked closely with ex-drug addicts who helped provide him with a level of insight needed to tackle the graphic portrayal of drug addiction and withdrawal-scenes that have now become classics in film history. "Trainspotting" won a string of prestigious awards, including the BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Feature Film, while McGregor himself picked up BAFTA Scotland's Best Actor accolade and, for the second year running, the Empire magazine award for Best British Actor. After the success of "Trainspotting," McGregor eluded any danger of typecasting by taking on the contrasting role of Frank Churchill opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel "Emma." After this, he starred opposite Tara Fitzgerald in Mark Herman's Cesar award-winning "Brassed Off," which juggled humor and pathos by portraying the fate of a brass band in a small community threatened by the politically motivated coal mine closures in the early 1980s. Ewan McGregor's US film debut arrived in the shape of "Nightwatch," a grisly slasher movie filmed in LA in which he played the lead role of Marin Bwelos, a law student who worked part-time as a mortuary night watchman. Walk-on parts in the BBC Dennis Potter series "Karaoke" and "Cold Lazarus" provided him with a chance to return to Britain before starring as a Dutch landscape artist in Philippe Rousselot's "The Serpent's Kiss" with Pete Postlethwaite, Greta Scacchi and Richard E. Grant. Following his second short feature for director Justin Chadwick, "Swimming with Fishes," McGregor teamed up with Cameron Diaz in the quirky romantic fantasy "A Life Less Ordinary," which reunited him with director Danny Boyle. McGregor's character portrayal of the sweet innocent Robert won him the Best British Actor award in the 1997 Empire Movie Awards for the third time running. During 1997, he also received a much-coveted Emmy® Award for Outstanding Guest Actor for his role in an episode of "ER," "The Long Way Round." He then went on to play Curt Wild, a crazed seventies rock star in the glam-rock film "Velvet Goldmine," with Michael Stipe of REM as Executive Producer, followed by a portrayal of the infamous trader Nick Leeson and his spectacular fall from grace in "Rogue Trader" opposite Anna Friel. Shortly after this, Golden Globe®-winning "Little Voice" saw him team up again with "Brassed Off " director Mark Herman, where he starred alongside Jane Horrocks and Michael Caine. Life came full circle for Ewan McGregor when he landed the part of Obi-Wan Kenobi in "Star Wars: Episode I-The Phantom Menace," the legendary role once played by Sir Alec Guinness. Impressed by his skillful character portrayal, director George Lucas then invited him back to star in the sequels, "Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones," which was released in 2002, and "Star Wars: Episode III," which debuted in May 2005. In 1998, McGregor went behind the camera to co­produce "Nora," the story of the romance between writer James Joyce (McGregor) and Nora Barnacle (Susan Lynch). In Baz Luhrmann's Oscar® and BAFTA award-winning musical "Moulin Rouge," McGregor played Christian, a poet who falls in love with Satine (Nicole Kidman), a courtesan of the tragic-comic underworld of the "Moulin Rouge," with music drawn from 20th­century pop songs. McGregor described the challenge of singing, dancing and acting as something he had wanted to do all his life. He then went on to reprise his role as Obi-Wan for "Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones." In 2001, he jumped into an entirely different role, starring as Grimes, a Ranger specialist in Ridley Scott's "Black Hawk Down," a film based on the actual events of two U.S. soldiers who were dropped in war-torn Somalia in 1993 to capture two lieutenants of a renegade warlord. Since then, McGregor has filmed "Young Adam," an original thriller based on a novel by Scottish beat writer Alexander Trocchi, set in the working canals between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The film was a tremendous critical success, and he was rewarded with a London Film Critics Circle Awards nomination. In 2002, McGregor starred in "Down With Love" opposite Renee Zellweger, a romantic comedy in the vein of the 1960s films of Doris Day and Rock Hudson. He then went on to Alabama to shoot Tim Burton's "Big Fish," and then to Australia for Episode III of George Lucas' "Star Wars" prequel trilogy. This was followed by the supernatural thriller "Stay," co-starring with Naomi Watts and Ryan Gosling. In 2004, McGregor took time off to fulfill a long-held ambition to ride a motorbike around the world with his good friend, Charley Boorman. A documentary charting their progress, "Long Way Round," aired on Bravo in the US and Sky One in the UK. A book of their journey, "Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Across the World," remains on the bestsellers list in both countries. In late 2004, McGregor returned to the States to start work on Michael Bay's "The Island," alongside Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou and Steve Buscemi. Ewan McGregor is recognized as one of the finest British actors in the world and has been described both by Vanity Fair (on whose cover he has appeared three times) and Time Out as "the saviour of the British film industry." RICKY GERVAIS (Bugsy) achieved fame and recognition from television audiences around the world for his hilarious turn in the BBC comedy series "The Office." Up until then, his diverse career included stints as a pizza delivery man, a DJ for a London radio station, and manager of the rock group Suede before going into comedy. His bigoted comedy persona for "The 11 O'Clock Show" proved to be a perversely popular creation. He went on to host the television show "Meet Ricky Gervais." "The Office" was a cult hit. Word of mouth ensured its repeat run scoring higher ratings than the first. Gervais played David Brent, the self-important office manager of the Slough branch of a firm of paper suppliers. The observations were spot-on. Gervais' in-depth knowledge of office life stems from seven years spent as Entertainment Manager for a student union. The second series of "The Office" was shown in 2002 to much critical acclaim. In the US, "The Office" was the winner of two Golden Globes®: Ricky Gervais was Best TV Actor in a Musical or Comedy Series while "The Office" was acclaimed as Best TV Musical or Comedy Series. TIM CURRY (Von Talon) Acclaimed British actor and two-time Tony Award nominee Tim Curry first came to the attention of American audiences in the cult phenomenon "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," which was his motion picture debut. He has gone on to a diverse career with film credits that include "Charlie's Angels," "Scary Movie 2," "The Scoundrel's Wife," "The Addams Family Reunion," "McHale's Navy," "The Muppets Treasure Island," "Congo," "The Shadow," "The Three Musketeers," "Loaded Weapon I," "Home Alone 2," "Passed Away," "Oscar," "The Hunt for Red October," "Pass the Ammo," "Clue," "Legend," "The Ploughman's Lunch," "Annie," "Times Square" and "The Shout." On television, Curry has been seen in numerous mini-series and telefilms, starring as Will Shakespeare in "Life of Shakespeare" and Theodosius in "Attila." Other television credits include "Jackie's Back" for Lifetime, "Titanic" for CBS, "It" for ABC, "The Worst Witch" for HBO and "Oliver Twist" for CBS. He also starred in several films for the BBC: "Three Men in a Boat" directed by Stephen Frears, "Napoleon in Love" and "Schmoedipus." Curry was part of the initial cast of "Family Affair" and "Over the Top," he was a series regular on "Wiseguy," and he has had recurring roles in Showtime's "Rude Awakening" and "Earth 2." He has also been a guest host of "Saturday Night Live." In theatre, Curry earned Tony Award nominations for his lead roles in "Amadeus" and "My Favorite Year." He also starred in Broadway's "Travesties." On the London stage, Curry has starred in the Royal National Theatre productions of "Pirates of Penzance," "The Rivals," "Love for Love" and "The Threepenny Opera." Curry also starred in both the London and Broadway productions of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." JIM BROADBENT (Sarge) is one of Britain's most versatile and talented character actors, equally at home in comedy and serious drama. His film roles include "Bullets Over Broadway," "Richard III," "Secret Agent," "Smilla's Sense of Snow," "The Borrowers," "Little Voice," "Topsy-Turvy" (winner of the Best Actor Award from the UK Evening Standard and at the Venice Film Festival), "Bridget Jones's Diary," "Moulin Rouge" (for which he won the BAFTA Best Supporting Actor award) and "Gangs of New York." In 2002, Broadbent won an Academy Award® and a Golden Globe® for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as John Bayley in "Iris." His most recent feature film credits include "Nicholas Nickleby," "Bright Young Things," "Vanity Fair," "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," "Vera Drake," "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Art School Confidential." On television, he has appeared in "The Gathering Storm" with Albert Finney and HBO Films' "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself." Other television credits include "Wide-eyed and Legless," the award-winning "A Sense of History" which he also wrote and "Walter" directed by Stephen Frears. In the theatre, his stage performances include "Kafka's Dick" and "The Government Inspector," both directed by Richard Eyre; "Goosepimples," "Ecstasy," and "A Place With Pigs" directed by Athol Fugard at the Royal National Theatre; and Sam Mendes' acclaimed production of "Habeas Corpus" presented at the Donmar. HUGH LAURIE (Gutsy) emerged from the 1981 Cambridge University Footlights revue "The Cellar Tapes" along with Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson. This award-winning show was transmitted by the BBC in 1982. He wrote and performed, with Stephen Fry, "The Crystal Cube" for the BBC and the second series of "Alfresco" for Granada Television. In 1984, he appeared in "The Young Ones" for the BBC and David Hare's film "Plenty," starring Meryl Streep. This was followed by two episodes of Rowan Atkinson's second series of "The Black Adder." In 1987, he performed in the second series of "Saturday Live," played the Prince Regent in "Blackadder III" and took part in the 1987 Royal Variety Show with Stephen Fry. They then co-wrote and performed in "A Bit of Fry and Laurie," a fifty-minute special for the BBC, which kicked off the hugely successful series of the same name. From here, Laurie filmed David Hare's "Strapless," starring Bridget Fonda, appeared regularly in "Friday Live" and taped the first series of "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" as well as "Blackadder Goes Forth." He then played Bertie Wooster in the Granada Television series "Jeeves and Wooster." Between recording further series of "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" and "Jeeves and Wooster," Laurie went on to play the lead in "Gasping," written by Ben Elton, at the Theatre Royal. He appeared in the feature film "Peter's Friends," directed by Kenneth Branagh, "A Pin for the Butterfly" and the series "All or Nothing at All." From 1995 to 1999, Laurie appeared in "Sense and Sensibility," which was adapted for the screen and starred Emma Thompson; "101 Dalmatians" with Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson; "Cousin Bette" with Jessica Lange; "The Man in the Iron Mask"; "The Place of Lions"; the smash hit "Stuart Little" co-starring Geena Davis; "Maybe Baby" for writer/director Ben Elton; and "That Girl From Rio," directed by Chris Monger. He then filmed "Me and My Shadow" playing Vincente Minnelli opposite Judy Davis, followed by the sequel "Stuart Little II" and two episodes of the BBC's "Spooks." In 2003, he appeared in Carlton Television's production of the Nigel Williams novel "Fortysomething" and "The Young Visitors." He recently had a lead role in "The Flight of the Phoenix," co-starring with Dennis Quaid. Laurie is currently playing the titular role in the US television series "House," for which he has received great acclaim. In addition to acting, Laurie has directed television programs and commercials, composed and recorded numerous original songs and has written articles for The Daily Telegraph. Four volumes of "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" scripts have been published by Mandarin, and his novel, "The Gunseller," was published in the UK and the US to great success and has been adapted into a screenplay. JOHN CLEESE (Mercury) has long been one of the industry's most innovative and influential comedic talents. Today's audiences have most recently seen him on the big screen as the new Q in the James Bond movie "Die Another Day"-having been promoted from R in "The World Is Not Enough"-and as Nearly Headless Nick in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." He has also had a recurring role as Lyle Finster on the NBC television sitcom "Will and Grace." On the big screen, he has recently appeared in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," "George of the Jungle 2" (voice), the remake of "Around the World in Eighty Days," "Shrek 2" (voice), "Complete Guide to Guys," "Man About Town" and the forthcoming 21st James Bond feature. Hailing from England, Cleese first gained international fame for his groundbreaking work as creator, writer and member of the classic "Monty Python's Flying Circus." First aired on the BBC in 1969, the series was an instant hit in Europe and gained an equally loyal following when it landed on American shores in 1972. The show also spawned the feature film comedies "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," "The Life of Brian" and "The Meaning of Life." There have also been subsequent Monty Python videos, CDs and specials. In 1988, Cleese co-wrote, executive produced and starred in the hit comedy "A Fish Called Wanda," for which he earned Oscar® and BAFTA nominations for Best Original Screenplay, won a BAFTA Award and received a Golden Globe® nomination for Best Actor. He also co-wrote, produced and starred in the sequel, "Fierce Creatures." His additional film acting credits include "The Out-of-Towners," "Rat Race," "The Jungle Book," "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," "Silverado," "Time Bandits" and "The Great Muppet Caper." For his work on television, Cleese won an Emmy® Award for his guest role on the comedy series "Cheers" and received another Emmy® nomination for a guest stint on "3rd Rock From the Sun." He also garnered a BAFTA Award for the acclaimed BBC series "Fawlty Towers," which he created and starred in. JOHN HURT (Felix) was born in 1940, the son of an Anglican vicar and an amateur actress. He attended schools in Kent and Lincoln, worked as a stagehand with the Lincoln Repertory and studied Art at St. Martin's School, London before winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Hurt is one of Britain's best known, critically acclaimed and most versatile actors. He made his West End debut in 1962 and went on to take the 1963 Critics Award for Most Promising Actor in Harold Pinter's "The Dwarfs." On the stage, he has also appeared in Pinter's "The Caretaker," O'Casey's "Shadow of a Gunman," Stoppard's "Travesties" for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Turgenev's "A Month in the Country." In 2000, he gave a greatly acclaimed performance in Samuel Beckett's "Krapp's Last Tape" in London's West End. Hurt's impressive body of television work commenced in 1961 and has included such notable roles as "I, Claudius," Raskolnikov in "Crime and Punishment" and, most memorably, Quentin Crisp in the autobiographical "The Naked Civil Servant" (for which he received a Best Actor Emmy® and a BAFTA Best Television Actor Award). This portrayal led Crisp to opine that "John Hurt is my representative here on Earth." It was his defining film roles as Max in "Midnight Express" (1978) and as John Merrick in "The Elephant Man" (1980) that thrust him into the international spotlight, with Oscar® nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor respectively. His other film work includes a trio of roles in 1984 which rewarded him with the Evening Standard Award for Best Actor for that year for: "1984," "The Hit" and "Champions." His many films include "A Man For All Seasons," "The Field," "Scandal," "Rob Roy," John Boorman's "Two Nudes Bathing" for which he received a Cable Ace Award in 1995, and an acclaimed performance in Richard Kwietniowski's "Love and Death on Long Island." He was also seen as Dr. Iannis in "Captain Corelli's Mandolin," directed by John Madden. In 1999, Hurt filmed Beckett's "Krapp's Last Tape," directed by Atom Egoyan, and "Tabloid TV," directed by David Blair in 2000. He went on to make "Miranda," "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "Owning Mahony," directed by Richard Kwietniowski. In 2002, John Hurt won the Variety Club Award for Outstanding Performance in a Stage Play, alongside Penelope Wilton, for their performances in Brian Friel's "Afterplay." This was followed by the film "Hellboy" and the BBC production of "The Alan Clark Diaries," which received great critical acclaim. Recently he filmed "Skeleton Key" for Universal, "Shooting Dogs" and "The Proposition." RIK MAYALL (Cufflingk) went to Manchester University where he read drama. While there, he formed a theatre company called 20th Century Coyote which he later took to the Edinburgh Festival with great critical success and subsequently to the Comic Strip in Soho. On leaving the university, he played Dromio of Syracuse in the Oxford and Cambridge Shakespeare Company Production of "The Comedy of Errors," which toured America and the UK. Television credits include "Rik Mayall Presents," two trilogies commissioned by Granada Television. These were individually titled: "Mickey Love," "Briefest Encounter," "Dancing Queen," "The Big One," "Dirty Old Town" and "Clair De Lune." They received several awards including ACE nominations in 1966 and Best Comedy Actor at the British Comedy Awards in 1993. Four series of "The New Statesman" followed, resulting in a 1989 Emmy® Award, a BAFTA for Best Comedy Series Award in 1990 and the Special Craft Gold Medal for Best Performer in the International Film & Television Festival of New York in 1991. At the 1992 Comedy Awards, he received the Best New Comedy Award for three series of "Bottom." Other credits include Flashheart in "Blackadder," two series of "Grim Tales," "Saturday Night Live," "Filthy Rich and Catflap," Kevin Turney in "A Kick Up the Eighties," two series of "The Young Ones" (which he originated and co-wrote), "The Comedy Strip Presents," "Four Men in a Car," "Four Men in a Plane," "Murder Rooms," "The Knock," "The Bill," "Jonathan Creek" and "Believe Nothing." In 2002, Mayall won the Gold Medal in the New York Festivals' International Radio Programming and Promotion Awards for Best Narration for "George & the Dragon" and "Robinson Crusoe." His animated-film narration includes "The Willows in Winter," for which he won the Emmy® for the role of Toad, "The Wind in the Willows," "Watership Down," "Tom & Vicky" (two series), "A Monkey's Tale," "The World of Peter Rabbit & Friends," "Santa's Special Delivery" and 78 episodes of "Jellikins." Mayall's theatre work includes twenty years of sold-out tours as a stand-up comedian in addition to "A Family Affair," "Cell Mates," "Waiting for Godot," "The Common Pursuit," "Man Equals Man," and "The Government Inspector" at the Royal National Theatre, directed by Richard Eyre. His film credits include "Oh Marbella," "A Day of Sirens," "Alone in the Dark," "Kevin of the North," Herod in the video-filmed "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Guest House Paradiso," "Merlin the Return," "Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis" (for which he won the Best Actor Award at the San Remo Film Festival 1997), "An American Werewolf in London" and "Shock Treatment." OLIVIA WILLIAMS (Victoria) made her big-screen breakthrough co-starring with Bruce Willis in the smash hit "The Sixth Sense." She also co-starred with Kevin Costner in "The Postman." Described by Costner as "one of the most beautiful women on screen in the last 10 years," she went on to co-star with Bill Murray in "Rushmore" as the primary schoolteacher who falls in love with a misanthropic millionaire. Trained at the Bristol Old Vic, her theatre work includes productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre. Her television credits include "Emma," "Friends," "Jason and the Argonauts" and "Agatha Christie: A Life in Pictures." She starred in "Born Romantic," "Dead Babies," "The Body," "The Man From Elysian Fields," "Lucky Break," "The Heart of Me," "Below," "To Kill a King," "Tara Road" and "Peter Pan" (as Mrs. Darling). PIP TORRENS (Lofty) is one of Britain's busiest and most versatile talents, appearing in many notable film, television and theatre productions. His feature film appearances include "A Handful of Dust," "Patriot Games" starring Harrison Ford, James Ivory's "The Remains of the Day," "Incognito," the James Bond adventure "Tomorrow Never Dies," "Rogue Trader" starring Ewan McGregor, "To End All Wars," "All the Queen's Men" and "Revelation." He most recently appeared with Keira Knightley in "Pride and Prejudice." His recent television credits include "At Home with the Braithwaites," "Trial and Retribution VII," "Wire on the Blood," "Gifted," "When I'm Sixty-Four," "Rosemary and Thyme," "The Commander II" and "The Commander III," "Marple: 4.50 from Paddington," Mentorn's "David Kelly," "Missing" and "No Angels." In the theatre, he has appeared at the Royal National Theatre in productions of "Stanley" and "Absolute Hell." JONATHAN ROSS (Big Thug) is a multi-award-winning TV and radio presenter. Rarely off British screens, his memorable highlights include the BBC's coverage of the Academy Awards®; three "Hollywood Greats" specials, on James Stewart, Kirk Douglas and Michael Caine; the BBC Red Nose Day; and a feisty one-off special with Madonna in "Friday Night with Ross and Madonna." In 1999, he became Barry Norman's successor with the BBC1 flagship show, "Film 99," which he has continued to host. He is also host of "It's Only TV But I Like It." In 1991, he hosted the prestigious British Comedy Awards for the ITV network, an annual event that he has made his own, having hosted it every year since. He also hosted the 1999 BAFTA awards for the BBC. In 2003, Jonathan Ross won a British Comedy Award for the Best Comedy Entertainment Programme for "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross." He also scooped two prestigious Sony Awards for his show on BBC Radio 2. ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS GARY CHAPMAN (Director) makes his directorial debut with "Valiant." A native of Manchester, England, he created displays for many major British museums. At the beginning of the nineties, he moved to Los Angeles and found himself, by accident, in the film business. His film concept "Junk" was the subject of a bidding war and is now in development at Warner Bros. He is currently working on several children's shows. JOHN H. WILLIAMS (Producer) served as a producer on the Academy Award®-winning animated comedies "Shrek" and "Shrek 2" and was the person responsible for optioning the original book by William Steig upon which the first movie was based. Williams' producing credits include the DreamWorks Jackie Chan movie "The Tuxedo," "Seven Years in Tibet" with Brad Pitt, the ESPN cable movie "The Junction Boys," and the soon-to-be-completed all-CG-animated film "Happily N'ever After," starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze, Jr. Williams is president of Vanguard Films, which he started after a three-year stint at PBS. Vanguard's first production was the Steppenwolf Theater's New York premiere of "True West," starring John Malkovich and Gary Sinise. The company subsequently produced "The Grapes of Wrath," with Gary Sinise, and Clifford Odets' "Rocket to the Moon," pairing John Malkovich and Judy Davis. Other Vanguard credits include A.R. Gurney's "The Dining Room"; G.B. Shaw's "Heartbreak House" with Rex Harrison and Amy Irving; "The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket," starring Tom Hulce, under the direction of Emile Ardolino; "Balloon Farm" with Mara Wilson, Rip Torn and Laurie Metcalf; and an off-Broadway New Orleans Rhythm & Blues musical entitled "Staggerlee." Past feature films produced under the Vanguard banner include "Sarafina" and the Erroll Morris feature documentary "The Thin Blue Line," with American Playhouse and Channel Four/U.K. The company has also produced documentaries on John F. Kennedy, Aretha Franklin, George Gershwin, and the History of the Blues, as well as live-performance concert films with Spalding Gray, Culture Club and The Thompson Twins. In addition, Vanguard has also produced commercials through a joint-venture production company with Virgin Records called Virgin Image. ERIC M. BENNETT (Co-Producer) started working with John H. Williams at Vanguard Films in 1996, where he eventually became Vice President of Production and Development. In that capacity, Bennett helped oversee the creative development of Vanguard's projects including, "Shrek," "Seven Years in Tibet" and "The Tuxedo." He is responsible for continuing to oversee all creative affairs with Williams, as well as assisting with supervising the operations, finance and business and legal affairs of Vanguard. In addition to "Valiant," Bennett is currently Co-Producer on Vanguard's "The Twits." Bennett received his undergraduate education at the University of California where he studied Psychology. He holds an M.B.A. from New York University's Stern School of Business where he was named a Stern Scholar in recognition of academic excellence. CURTIS AUGSPURGER & BUCKLEY COLLUM (Co-Producers) were responsible for overseeing the physical production team. They are the founding partners of Menace FX and have shown unparalleled success in establishing and maintaining production organizations with a focus on animation and creative development. Their vision and experience has helped develop and implement a digital production paradigm proven capable of delivering the highest-theatrical-quality projects and feature-length films on time and at an approachable price point. Augspurger earned his undergraduate degree in architecture from Washington University in St. Louis cum laude and earned his master's degree in Architecture from Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. He entered production in 1990 when he pioneered the use of digital production for Columbia University in New York. Since then, he has continued to seek and find new and innovative ways to enhance artistic productivity with computer technology, while maintaining his high artistic ideals. He has contributed as part of production and management teams at DreamWorks, Cinesite, Dream Pictures Studio, and Menace FX before becoming a key member of the management team of Vanguard Animation. Collum earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech and continues to utilize his problem-solving skills and can-do enthusiasm in the world of production. His early work in production started in 1989, supporting various production companies in the development of their digital production pipelines. Later, he moved directly into production, working at Peter Jackson's Weta Digital and then Dream Pictures Studio before co-founding Menace FX and later helping build Vanguard Animation. Collum and Augspurger met at Dream Pictures Studio while serving as team leaders working on the US-Japan co-production "Hopper." Later they founded Menace FX and continued to produce digital content on film and broadcast projects for numerous production companies across the US and in Europe. Their eclectic, out-of-the-box approach to digital effects and film production has garnered them management, production and consulting experience with companies as diverse as Sony Entertainment, Warner Bros. Digital, Disney Imagineering, ILM, Electronic Arts, Acclaim Entertainment, NBC, Paramount Pictures, Cinesite, DreamWorks, Weta, Nickelodeon and Dream Pictures Studio. Beginning in 2002, they partnered with John H. Williams to help create Vanguard Animation and implemented the production paradigm which helped deliver its first feature-length animated film, "Valiant," on a two-year schedule for $40 million. BARNABY THOMPSON (Executive Producer) is the head of Ealing Studios. Thompson oversees all aspects of the studio's activities, focusing primarily on the creative aspect of the group as well as actively producing a number of films each year. He has extensive experience in both television and film in the UK and in America, and his films have grossed over $500 million in worldwide box office. Thompson co-founded Fragile Films with Uri Fruchtmann in 1996. The first film produced by Fragile was "Spiceworld," starring the Spice Girls. Released in 1997, it was an international box-office hit, grossing $90 million worldwide to become the fifth highest-grossing British movie of all time. In 1998, he produced "An Ideal Husband," starring Cate Blanchett and Rupert Everett. It grossed over $40 million internationally and was nominated for two Golden Globes,® received three BAFTA nominations and was the closing film at the Cannes Film Festival. He then went on to executive produce the comedy hit "Kevin and Perry Go Large." In 2001, through Fragile Films' first-look deal with Disney, Thompson produced "High Heels and Low Lifes" and for FilmFour, Miramax and Paramount, "Lucky Break." The following year, he produced "The Importance of Being Earnest" starring Rupert Everett, Reese Witherspoon and Judi Dench. It was the first film to be released under "Ealing Studios presents" in half a century and was distributed by Miramax. This was followed by the romantic comedy "Hope Springs," released by Disney in 2003. Prior to founding Fragile Films, Thompson worked in the US as Vice President, Creative Affairs, at Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video, the New York company that makes "Saturday Night Live" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." There he co-produced "The Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy," which was nominated for four Canadian Genies; "Tommy Boy"; "Lassie," directed by Daniel Petrie; "Coneheads," starring Dan Aykroyd; and the hugely successful "Wayne's World" and "Wayne's World 2" with Mike Myers. Before moving to America in 1990, Thompson ran the UK-based independent production company World's End Productions. There he produced and directed many award-winning documentary films, including "Jimi Hendrix" for the South Bank Show, which won the Silver Plaque at the Chicago Film Festival, and "The Forgotten Holocaust," which received the Silver Medal at the New York Film Festival. He also produced "Dear Rosie," a short film which was nominated for both British and ® American Academy Awards. RALPH KAMP (Executive Producer) Since joining the entertainment industry in 1981, Ralph's career has included stints with the Monty Python organization, Majestic Films (working on such Oscar®-winning box-office hits as "Dances With Wolves," "Driving Miss Daisy" and "The Man Without a Face"), and as Chief Executive of Lumiere Pictures. In 1995 he formed Icon Entertainment International with Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey, meeting huge success with titles including box-office hits "What Women Want," "Spiceworld," and "An Ideal Husband." In January 2002, he and his partner Louise Goodsill formed Odyssey Entertainment Ltd. From international sales to financing and distribution, UK-based Odyssey has been variously involved with films, including the massively successful "Sweet Chariot," the story of the England rugby team who won the World Cup in 2003; "Deathwatch," a horror film starring Jamie Bell; the Joel Schumacher-directed "Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera"; "Valiant," a CG animated film from the producer of "Shrek"; "The Libertine" starring Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton and John Malkovich; "Happily Never After," starring the voice talent of Sigourney Weaver, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr.; "Renaissance," a visionary animated feature from Paris-based animation studio Millimages; "Lassie," a family film which will be ready by Christmas this year; and "Fade To Black," a tale of intrigue, murder and politics where Orson Welles investigates. Odyssey is currently preparing for production on "August Rush," the story of a 10-year-old orphan and musical prodigy, starring Robin Williams and Freddie Highmore. NEIL BRAUN (Executive Producer) After a brief stint as a corporate attorney for the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, Braun joined International Film Investors, where as Senior Vice President, he structured and negotiated financing and distribution for feature films including "Gandhi," "The Killing Fields," "Hopscotch," "Escape from New York" and "The Howling." In the early '80s, he headed HBO's film financing and home-video activities and created Silver Screen Partners, the largest limited partnership to date. During his term as President and CEO of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's film production company, Imagine Films Entertainment, Braun took the company public through Allen & Company, while structuring financing and distribution for thirty feature films through Showtime Networks and Universal Pictures. As Chairman and CEO of Viacom Entertainment, Braun was responsible for the turnaround of the production/distribution division for prime-time network programming, first-run syndicated programming, licensing & merchandising, and worldwide exploitation of the television library. He built the Montel Williams franchise and created Viacom Pictures and Viacom New Media. In 1994, Braun was named President of the NBC Television Network, where he was in charge of the non-programming functions of the number-one-rated television broadcast network, including the affiliated stations, advertising sales, marketing, research and operations for four years. Taking a short break from the entertainment industry, he founded Icast Corp., an internet start-up company funded with $100 million from CMGI, and then served as Chairman of the Board for VastVideo, Inc., which built one of the world's largest libraries of special-interest video clips for internet searches. Since 2002, Braun has served as President of Vanguard Animation. His responsibilities include identifying and negotiating worldwide financing and distribution arrangements, as well as managing the administrative and financial operations of the company. In January 2005, Braun added responsibilities as President, Feature Films and Television, for IDT Entertainment, the NYSE company that is Vanguard's primary funding partner. KEITH EVANS (Executive Producer) Keith is one of the two founding directors of Baker Street Media Finance (with Bill Allan), one of the longest-established film-finance production partnerships. Baker Street has co-produced 28 feature films since 1998 at a total in excess of $250 million, including "Saving Grace," "Bloody Sunday," "I Capture the Castle," "The Heart of Me" and, more recently, "Ladies in Lavender," "My Summer of Love" and "Valiant," and is now recognized as one of the leading UK independent "blue-chip" film production firms. Baker Street has established a strong track record with both investors and the film industry including UK Film Council, Australian Film Finance Corporation and many leading film production partners, including recently with Vanguard. These relationships have built into longer-term co-production partnerships with a view to continuing a strong commercial business and building private investor confidence. Keith started out as a Chartered Accountant and set up his own practice in the late '70s specializing in the music industry. Clients over the years have included Tears for Fears, Dire Straits, Paul Young, and, more recently, Coldplay, Keane, Kasabian, The Libertines, Bush and Starsailor. Keith is still a non-executive director of the practice Dales, Evans & Co Ltd. Keith has also specialized extensively over the years in tax-related finance. In the mid '80s he pioneered "Enterprise Zone Trusts," real-estate partnerships providing geared income tax relief to UK residents. Foremost amongst those products was Canary Wharf in London's Docklands. In total, Keith's company at that time raised over £300m for such packages, based on UK government designated inner-city areas for urban renewal. One of Keith's specialities is to create a "retail" investor product which is capable of full verification and compliance, would be easy for the investor to understand, and matched the tax incentive ambitions of the government with a sensible commercial proposition for potential investors. Other incentives have included housing, shipping, small business start-ups generally and, more recently, a closer involvement in the TV and film sector of the entertainment business. The UK government introduced the so-called "section 48" initiative in 1997 from which Baker Street emerged. Keith is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and a member of the corporate finance, taxation and entertainment faculties. Keith is an amateur guitarist, reads a lot (including scripts!) and, of course, is a great movie fan. MARCI LEVINE (Associate Producer) began working in the industry as a freelance production manager and associate producer in television. From 1989 to 1996, she was a production accountant at the Walt Disney Studios, working on such films as "Taking Care of Business," "White Fang," "Newsies," "What About Bob?," "Captain Ron," "Life with Mikey" and the animated "Hunchback of Notre Dame." She then went to Pixar as production representative on "A Bug's Life," "Toy Story 2" and "Monsters, Inc." She worked as a production consultant to PDI and Sony before joining "Valiant." Born in Zurich, Switzerland, JORDAN KATZ (Writer) completed his undergraduate studies at Princeton University and the University of Cambridge in England. He then went on to receive a law degree from Columbia University. Switching gears from law to writing, Katz went on to become an award-winning Dramalogue playwright before moving on to feature films. Katz wrote "Trial By Jury" starring William Hur t, Gabriel Byr ne, and Ar mand Assante; "Incognito" starring Jason Patric, Irene Jacob, and Ian Holm; and a pilot of the Showtime television series "The Hunger" starring Terence Stamp. Katz lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children. GEORGE WEBSTER (Writer) began his career in advertising, working for Saatchi and Saatchi. He became a full-time writer four years ago. "Valiant" will be his first screenplay to be filmed. His second feature, "Mr. Concrete Slippers," is backed by The Film Consortium. It will be directed by Elliot Hegarty and stars Kris Marshall and Laura Fraser. He is currently in talks with the BBC for a Richard Curtis-style parody, and his ambition is to take Hollywood by storm. GEORGE MELROD (Writer) is a Harvard graduate and an avid history buff. A native New Yorker, he also has a great deal of first-hand experience with pigeons, none of which came in handy during the writing of this project. He has previously written for science-fiction TV and for children's television, and, in some cases, both at once ("Animorphs"). Over the years, he has written several other feature scripts for producer John Williams, including an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick cult sci-fi novel, and "Gateway to the Gods," a comedy about the return of the Greek gods to modern-day New York (optioned by Paramount/Nickelodeon). He has several other comedy screenplays in various stages of development and, in his free time, works as a volunteer for the Virginia Avenue Project, developing plays with disadvantaged kids. He currently lives in Los Angeles. JIM STEWART (Editor) was nominated for an A.C.E. Award for Best Edited Feature Film for the Disney production of "Monsters, Inc." He recently worked on the features "Toy Story 2" and "Just a Little Harmless Sex." In 1996, he received an Emmy® nomination for Best Editing for the CBS/Fox TV series "Chicago Hope." For his work in documentaries, he is the recipient of Academy Award® nominations for HBO productions "Death On The Job" (1991) and "Crack USA: County Under Siege" (1989). His recent television credits include episodes of "Fantasy Island," "Early Edition," "Life Goes On," "The Wonder Years," "Mr. Sterling," and "Sweet Justice," as well as Movies of the Week "Rise And Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story" and "Thicker Than Water: The Latty McLinden Story." GEORGE FENTON (Composer) Born in London, the acclaimed composer began in the film industry in 1971 with compositions for smaller, low-budget movies and television series before working on the award-winning series "The Jewel in the Crown." His prolific career has seen him receive many awards including Oscar® nominations for "Gandhi," "Cry Freedom," "Dangerous Liaisons" and "The Fisher King." He received an Emmy® and a BAFTA Award for his score of "The Blue Planet" (2002) and BAFTA Awards for "The Monocled Mutineer" (1986) and "Bergerac" (1981). He was also awarded BMI Film Music Awards for "Sweet Home Alabama," "You've Got Mail" and "Groundhog Day." Other notable composing credits include "84 Charing Cross Road," "Memphis Belle," "Born Yesterday," "Shadowlands," "The Madness of King George," "Interview with the Vampire," "The Crucible," "Ever After," "Dangerous Beauty," "Deep Blue" and "Center Stage." Official Web Site: http://www.valiantmovie.co.uk/ Back to main movie page Showing Today at: Click here for other showings