The Ryan Brothers

Writer/Director

The Ryan BrothersThe Ryan Brothers, Trevor and Tim, were born and raised in rural Upstate New York. The sons of a beekeeper, they spent their early days exploring the woods and their own imaginations. Both took an interest in filmmaking at an early age, making short videos with friends, and playing with their dad’s 8mm video camera.

Trevor debated between a career in biology, following in their grandfather’s footsteps, and a career in film. He chose filmmaking, and attended the Roy H. Park school of communication, majoring in Cinema Production and Photography, with a minor in English. He graduated with honors. The last semester of college, he participated in the Ithaca College satellite program in Los Angeles. He landed internships at David Ladd Films at MGM, and Weed Road Pictures at Warner Brothers.

After graduation he and Tim moved to Los Angeles permanently. They collaborated on various writing projects and short films. Trevor founded a sketch comedy troupe with classmate and indie producer David Guy Levy (WOULD YOU RATHER, TERI), and dabbled in standup comedy. He was hired by Di Novi Pictures as a runner, and then was promoted to an assistant job for Denise Di Novi.

Tim, meanwhile, focused on drawing, painting, writing, and music and supported himself blowing glass. He ventured into indie films, executive producing the documentary MAY I BE FRANK and THE END OF LOVE. He co-founded Roost Records with veteran A&R man Tom Lewis, and Liam Makepeace, and is currently developing the Alt Country act The Yellow Marbles, and is also recording an album of his own music.

Trevor ventured into the medical marijuana field, with the intention of raising money for a feature film project. The venture ended unhappily with his arrest in Wisconsin for non-medical marijuana, and he was sentenced to 65 months in Federal Prison. He served just over four years, working on writing projects all the while, and staying in close touch with his brother. They planned on making a feature film upon Trevor’s release. During the last year of Trevor’s incarceration, they collaborated on the project that would come to be titled WELCOME TO WILLITS. Tim penned the script, would mail it to Trevor in prison. Trevor would write notes and mail it back. They used the Taft Correctional Institution visiting room as a development office, meeting weekly to go over changes to the script, and to brainstorm new ideas.

Upon Trevor’s release, the pair set about immediately to make the dream a reality, and reached out to their contacts in the film world to undertake the production of WELCOME TO WILLITS. The feature film is based upon the successful short film collaboration between the Ryan Brothers and Mark Webber, with the same title, that premiered at SXSW Film Festival in 2015.

Production Team

Jordan Yale Levine

Producer

Jordan Yale LevineA member of the Producers Guild of America, and the President of Yale Productions, Jordan Yale Levine has made a strong name for himself in the entertainment industry. Jordan is responsible for the producing, financing and/or distribution of over a twenty feature films, including “Petunia,” starring Brittany Snow, Thora Birch, and Eddie Kaye Thomas; “Addiction: A 60’s Love Story,” starring Ian Harding, Evanna Lynch, and Carol Kane; “Black Limousine,” starring David Arquette, Bijou Phillips and Vivica A. Fox; “Wreckage,” starring Aaron Paul, Scoot McNairy and Cameron Richardson; “He’s Way More Famous Than You,” starring Michael Urie, Jesse Eisenberg, and Ben Stiller; and more. Upcoming releases that Jordan produced include “Jack Goes Home,” starring Rory Culkin, Britt Robertson, and Nikki Reed; “Love on the Run,” starring Frances Fisher, Steve Howey, and Annaleigh Ashford; and “My First Miracle,” starring Sean Patrick Flanery and Quinton Aaron. Most recently, Jordan has completed producing his latest feature, “King Cobra,” starring James Franco, Christian Slater, Keegan Allen, and Garrett Clayton, which is currently in post production.

Scott Levenson

Producer

Scott LevensonScott Levenson began his career working in administrative positions for top entertainment companies including Creative Artists Agency and HBO. In the past two years he has Produced and Executive produced eight feature films which have featured some of the industry’s top talent including Ben Stiller, Jesse Eisenberg, Britt Robertson, Brittany Snow and Rory Culkin. Scott is a member of the Producer’s Guild of America, BAFTA and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Scott recently produced his latest feature “King Cobra” starring James Franco, Christian Slater, Garrett Clayton and Alicia Silverstone.

Jon Keeyes

Producer/Line Producer

Jon KeeyesJon began his movie career as an entertainment journalist. During this first phase of his career, he published over three hundred movie-related articles and interviews, and edited two books on the history of horror films.

Jon then moved into feature film production as a successful director and screenwriter. Among his credits are American Nightmare (director/writer), Suburban Nightmare (director/writer), Hallow’s End (director), Mad Bad (director), Phobia (director), The Harrowing (director/writer), Odd Man Out (co-producer), Living & Dying (director/writer) and Fall Down Dead (director). Of the later two, Living & Dying was released to the European theatrical market through Warner Bros. and domestically by HBO Video. Fall Down Dead also had an international theatrical release through Warner Bros., a U.S. limited theatrical release, and a television release via Lionsgate. 2015 will also see the release of Nightmare Box, the nine-time festival film selection, which has won four Best Movie awards and numerous additional titles. Jon also just directed the crime thriller Element starring Michael Ironside and Steven Michael Quezada of Breaking Bad.

Jon is an Academy Award Semi-Finalist with his short film, Angela’s Body. Jon directed and produced with Matthew Tompkins the award winning steampunk short film The Mechanical Grave (currently playing on the Shorts International cable station worldwide) and produced the web series Exposed for The WB. Jon is currently directing and producing the supernatural horror movie, The Harrowing.

Brandon Baker

Executive Producer

Brandon BakerBrandon Baker got his start in New York working on feature films such as High Art and Fait Accompli, learning both the practical and creative aspects of the business. From there he dabbled as an assistant sound engineer at Broadway Video, but it was not until he moved to Los Angeles in 2000 that he really found his stride. While in L.A., Baker worked in the sales & acquisitions department at Myriad Pictures from 2000 to 2003, acquainting himself with domestic distributors, foreign buyers and the film markets & festivals. Following that he did sales and acquisitions for MonteCristo Entertainment, Boll AG and VMI while in New York.

Baker returned to New York in 2005 and began to independently produce feature films as well as represent films for distribution plus he started up his own domestic video label – Mystic Pictures. Brandon has produced the feature films Fall Down Dead, Living & Dying, Hallow’s End, and Bachelor Party Massacre. Some of the films he has secured distribution and/or sales agent deals for are Backcountry (TIFF selection), He Never Died (SXSW selection), King Cobra, Jack Goes Home, Wicked Blood, Chlorine, Love N’ Dancing, The Alphabet Killer, Southern Belles, Good Day for It, The Killing Jar, The Attic, The Kill Hole, Matt’s Chance, Theresa is a Mother, Nightmare Box and American Nightmare. Brandon was an associate producer on BloodRayne, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, and The Killing Jar. He executive produced Backcountry, King Cobra, Jack Goes Home, The Alphabet Killer and Good Day For It; co-produced He Never Died, Wicked Blood, A Beautiful Life and Love ‘n Dancing. To this day, Mr. Baker has produced, repped, acquired, sold, and distributed more than 100 feature films in his 15-year entertainment career.

Tzeitel Abrego

Associate Producer

Tzeitel AbregoTzeitel Abrego is a singer and actress holding a Bachelor of Music from NYU Steinhardt in Vocal Performance – Music Theatre. Tzeitel’s other credits as an associate producer include “My First Miracle” and “Addiction: A 60’s Love Story” with Yale Productions. She’s also worked as the producer’s assistant on films “Jack Goes Home” and “King Cobra”.

SXSW Short

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