CAGE DIVE
Running Time: 80:07
2017
PRODUCTION
INTERNATIONAL SALES
Odin’s Eye Entertainment
Phone: +612 9567 2294
www.odinseyeent.com
Contact:
Michael Favelle, CEO
[email protected]
Just One More Productions
Gerald Rascionato
Phone: (424) 362 – 6017
[email protected]
Exit Strategy Productions
Charles M. Barsamian
Phone: (917) 514 – 8056
[email protected]
FILM DETAILS
Written and Directed By:
Production Company:
Country of Origin:
Year of Production:
Duration:
Genre:
Format:
Festival Official Selection:
Gerald Rascionato
Just On More Productions Pty. Ltd
Australia
2016
80:07
Horror / Thriller
25 Frame DCP
Sitges Film Festival of Catalonia
CREDITS
CAST
JEFF MILLER
JOSH MILLER
MEGAN MURPHY
GREG
JOSH AND JEFF’S MOTHER
GIRL LOST AT SEA #1
GIRL LOST AT SEA #2
CHRIS BATH
JOSH AND JEFF’S UNCLE
JOSH AND JEFF’S AUNTY
MARK THE DIVER
GIRL AT PARTY #1
YOUNGER JOSH
YOUNGER JEFF
YOUNGER PETE
DEAD BODY #1
POLICE OFFICER
SURVIVOR #1
Joel Hogan
Josh Potthoff
Megan Peta Hill
Pete Valley
Christopher Callen
Tara Wraith
Teagan Berger
Chris Bath
Paul Adams
Wilma Adams
Mark Fell
Mary O’Neill
Nicholas Phelan
Mathew Phelan
Harry Pinkney-Blain
Craige McPhersons
Andrew Nathan
Alessandro Romeo
CREDITS
FILMMAKERS
WRITER & DIRECTOR:
STORY BY:
PRODUCERS:
CO-PRODUCER:
EXECUTIVE
PRODUCERS:
Gerald Rascionato DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY:
INTERVIEWS FILMED BY:
Gerald Rascionato
PRODUCTION DESIGNERS:
Stephen Lister
Gerald Rascionato
Antoine Mouawad
EDITORS:
Charles M. Barsamian
Rana Joy Glickman
Andre Stamatakakos
VISUAL EFFECTS SUPERVISOR:
Tony Rascionato
LEAD COMPOSITOR:
Paul Adams
IMAGE CONSULTANT:
Wilma Adams
SUPERVISING SOUND EDITOR:
Marcel Mouawad
John Mouawad CO-SUPERVISING SOUND EDITOR:
MUSIC SUPERVISOR:
Jacob Gray
ORIGINAL MUSIC BY:
Tracy McKnight
Keith Sweitzer
Michael Favelle
Gerald Rascionato
Andrew Bambach
Angela Rascionato
MacPherson
“Mac Maker” Downs
Gerald Rascionato
Antoine Mouawad
Andre Stamatakakos
Naklas Jacobson
Jens Tenland
Diego Borghello
Matt McLeod
Ryan Davies
Andy Ross
The Newton Brothers
SYNOPSIS
CAGE DIVE follows three friends from California who set out to film an
audition tape for submission to an extreme reality game show. To ensure they
stand out, they decide to travel to Australia where they will be documenting
themselves taking part in a most extreme activity.... Shark Cage Diving. While
on the dive, a catastrophic turn of events leaves them in baited water full of
hungry Great White Sharks and turns their audition tape into a survival diary.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Gerald Rascionato
Above all, my goal with CAGE DIVE was to re-create that magic I
had experienced when seeing the great films of my youth from titans
such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, James Cameron and Robert
Zemeckis. The typical blockbuster film these days rely heavily on
visual effects. I think it’s important to focus on the characters so that
you feel for them as you go on their journey, all the while tactically
using visual effects as a device to help tell the story. I want people to
connect with my characters and feel immersed in the story.
Since first I saw Jaws, I’ve always wanted to make a GREAT shark
film. But how could I make something different from the others, that
would stand apart and be something new but also capture the
essence of the classic that started it all?
CAGE DIVE is the first and only shark film shot entirely from the
first person point of view. It drops you in the water with living Apex
predators in the most realistic and terrifying way.
PRODUCER’S STATEMENT
Charles M. Barsamian
I met writer / director Gerald Rascionato back in December 2015 when he told me about this cool
shark movie he was working on. Now, I had heard this before and been horribly disappointed - one
of the first films I had worked on when moving to Los Angeles was a shark movie, and not only
had it tanked at the box, but it just wasn't what it needed to be to entertain the kind of audience
who, like myself and like Gerald, had learned to love cinema (and to fear sharks) because of, well,
Jaws. In fact, I will always remember showing up to the theater on the Friday of opening weekend
(Labor Day weekend) expecting it to be packed, and instead finding it empty as a church on
Monday.
PRODUCER’S STATEMENT CONT.
I was pleasantly surprised however to view a rough cut of the film and immediately understand that this
young director wanted what I wanted - to be thrilled, horrified, shocked, and awed by the great beast
that lies beneath the waves, perhaps waiting for all of us. To my delight he had also dared to find new
application for the 'found footage' format, having created a plausible scenario in which a camera would
in fact likely have been used and capturing the amazing shots that make you feel like you are in the
cage (then in the water) alongside our three heroes.
Probably the scariest thing about the shark is that if you find yourself face to snout with one, you are
probably on their turf without many options. The shark is hopelessness, death, destruction - oblivion.
In the water they have the advantage of the senses coupled with remarkable speed and power. A large
part of making a successful shark film is respecting the subject. We're pleased to say that the cast and
crew of the film took every precaution to ensure that the audience gets the message.
In the day and age of doing more with less, and where the art of independent filmmaking is only as
possible as the team behind it, this responsibly produced thrill ride delivers exactly what it should and
makes for an extraordinary freshman effort from writer / director Gerald Rascionato. We are looking
forward to a 2017 theatrical worldwide release followed by VOD, Netflix, Pay TV and eventually
Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.
Despite what you may hear, it's still not safe to get back in the water - whether or not you happen to be
in a cage!
THE MAKING OF CAGE DIVE
Cage Dive has truly been an
international effort…
…with principal photography taking
place in Australia, VFX being
completed in Sweden, and Post
(music, sound, color) occurring in
Los Angeles, California.
To keep the feel of the film consistent and
natural, the cast and crew travelled around
Australia to experience in real life (and film)
all the activities written into the script. This
includes the Shark Cage Dive in South
Australia and the scenes where the characters
are lost in the ocean, which were really shot in
open water.
The day before shooting, a storm warning was
issued, and to make things even worse, dead
whale carcasses had been drawing in real Tiger
Sharks and Great White Sharks into the area.
This was documented on international news.
The shoot continued regardless of the
circumstances, driven forward with steely
determination by the cast and the director who
cheerfully put their lives on the line to bring
you this entertainment!
While shooting in the ocean, it was difficult to capture clear
sound at all times. This meant we needed to do Additional
Dialog Recording (ADR). Recently, the film completed
ADR and full sound mix in 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound with
Amplify Post in the Warner Brothers Studios, Los Angeles.
The director and the talent worked tirelessly to match their
vocal performance with the original performance that was
filmed on location. This was a huge challenge due to the
nature of these scenes involving strenuous activity in the
water.
The Amplify Post team
worked hard to achieve
amazing results on the
mixing stage in
Warner Bros Studios.
Gerald Rascionato
(Director, Writer)
After Gerald graduated from film school in 2009 he
moved to Sydney to pursue his passion for
filmmaking. He worked himself up from a non-paid
intern, to editor, and 2nd Assistant Director for
Ambience entertainment in Fox Studios Sydney.
Gerald’s career came to a sudden halt when he was
told an immediate back operation was required to
prevent permanent damage due to a hereditary
condition. This was a sudden change and required
him to move back to his home town for the
procedure and recovery.
During rehabilitation, The Discovery Channel’s
Shark Week was showing and inspired his concept
for CAGE DIVE as a unique feature film.
Charles M. Barsamian
(Producer)
Making moves for over a decade in various sectors of the
entertainment industry, Chaz has successfully overseen the
management, administration, and deployment of over $100+ Million
in capital towards the financing of over 350+ feature length motion
pictures and television series, including: 3-time Academy Award
Winner Whiplash, Academy Award Nominee Sicario, John Wick,
Chef, Looper, Drive, Everest, and The Man Who Knew Infinity.
Chaz started in the music business before segueing to film
production, managing music departments across all media projects to
facilitate the right creative vision, on time and on budget, often
working with Academy Award and Grammy Award winning
composers, singers, and songwriters to create original music for the
respective production, thereby creating an overall value added.
Chaz received his dual BA in Political Science and History from
Rice University in 2005, earned his Juris Doctorate from New York
Law School in 2009 and received certification from the New York
State Bar in 2010 (active and in good standing, 2016). He maintains
a private practice, the Charles M. Barsamian Law Firm of New York,
PLLC, based in Manhattan and media company Exit Strategy
Productions, based in LA.
Michael Favelle
(Executive Producer)
Michael graduated from The University of Wollongong garnering a Bachelor of
Science Degree with Honours in 1996, however his career in the entertainment
business began a decade earlier working at a DVD, VHS and CD replication
facility owned by Southern Star.
Initially working summer vacations and weekends, Michael began in the print store and eventually moved into
the edit suite as a full time Video Mastering Engineer. In 2000, Michael made the switch to International Sales
and Distribution with Beyond International as Post Production Manager and three years later he moved to
Arclight Films overseeing post- production, distribution servicing and marketing until in August 2006 he
established his own brand, Odin's Eye Entertainment (OEE).
In November 2012, Michael commenced trade with a sister company, Odin’s Eye Productions, creating original
content from within, including its first feature length narrative production THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL (Q416 release).
An avid animator in his youth, Michael’s personal passion for the medium has become evident OEE has quickly
become a dominant force in the independent animation distribution landscape. OEE currently has several major
animation features completed or in production from multiple regions including Australia, China, Russia, USA
and Turkey.
Since 2008, Michael’s professional Executive Producer credits include: Arkie (2018); Animal Crackers (2016);
Throne of Elves (2016); The Legend of Ben Hall (2016); Miles (2016); Bad Cat (2016); Canopy (2013); Lemon
Tree Passage (2012); Crush (2009); Fragment (2009); Bitter & Twisted (2008); Three Blind Mice (2008).
About JUST ONE MORE PRODUCTIONS
Gerald founded the content production company Just One
More Productions (JOMP) in 2012 to write produce and
direct his first feature film CAGE DIVE. JOMP is devoted
to producing high concept genre films that are commercial,
artistic and highly entertaining. Based out of the Los
Angeles and Gold Coast (Australia), Just One More
Production has several films concepts in development.
About EXIT STRATEGY PRODUCTIONS
Founded in 2015 by Charles M. Barsamian (President + CEO), Andy Ross (Chief Creative Officer), and
Meghan Kozlosky (General Counsel), Exit Strategy is a full service music and media company offering
clients a suite of creative and rights management services in furtherance of strategically integrating
music across film, television, commercial advertising, and new media to create value added.
With a rich heritage at the nexus of where music meets all other media, Exit Strategy has expanded into
the development and production of original content, working with a diverse group of financing,
production, and distribution partners to set up high concept, story-based, global properties intended for
worldwide exhibition.
Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.alwayshaveanexit.com/
About ODIN’S EYE ENTERTAINMENT
Established in 2006, by Michael Favelle, Odin's Eye Entertainment (OEE) is a vertically integrated Production,
Distribution and International Sales Agency that specializes in working with both emerging and established
filmmakers across a wide variety of genres. As a Sales Agency, OEE represents Feature Film and Television
content worldwide hosting its own sales booth at every major festival including, but not limited to, Cannes,
AFM, MIPCOM, Berlin & FILMART. Sister company, Odin’s Eye Productions, creates original content from
within including its first feature length narrative production of THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL (Q2-16 release)
as well as acquiring, developing and producing third party product for international sale.
In 2012, OEE inked a deal with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) on select OEE titles for electronic
sell-through and Cable/VOD in North America. OEE secured an output distribution deal with Pinnacle Films
for ancillary distribution throughout Australia/New Zealand. In 2014, Odin’s Eye Entertainment formally
commenced its theatrical distribution division in its Sydney office with the release of the Australian feature
CANOPY in theatres throughout Australia.
In 2015, OEE appointed Martin Gallery as SVP of international distribution and acquisitions. Gallery, based in
OEE’s Sydney offices, will oversee sales and acquisitions throughout Asia and Australia/New Zealand. The
appointment follows a three year stint as theatrical director at Pinnacle Films, releasing the Oscar-winning
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB; Jobs and the Spierig Brothers’ PREDESTINATION. Gallery previously spent 12
years at 21st Century Pictures, rising to general manager, overseeing acquisitions, marketing and sales to the
ANZ marketplace for titles including SOURCE CODE; SERIOUS MOONLIGHT and FAHRENHEIT 9/11.
OEE’s forward business strategies for 2016 are focused on high-end feature length animations following the
recent successful acquisitions of THRONE OF ELVES; SNOW QUEEN 1 & 2 and ARKIE.
www.odinseyeent.com
About IMPORTANT LOOKING PIRATES (ILP)
ILP is a visual effects and digital animation studio
located in Stockholm, Sweden.
BEFORE
In the summer 2011, ILP was awarded a massive
sequence for the Academy Award nominated film
‘Kon-Tiki’, directed by Joachim Roenning and Espen
Sandberg.
In 2013, ILP started work on several VFX shots for
Cage Dive. One of the greatest challenges with these
sequences was that it all had to look 100% believable
due to the nature of the movie being 'Found
Footage'. This placed incredibly high demands on
ILP for everything from precision models, textures,
lighting, animation to compositing and integration of
the computer generated elements into the filmed
plates.
AFTER