Bad Boys of Summer marks the fourth documentary collaboration between filmmakers Loren Mendell and Tiller Russell through their production company Angry Young Ranch. Founded in 2001, the company’s slate of films includes the IDA Award nominee Cockfight (PBS), Change Up (Discovery), and One Strong Arm (A&E Indie Films). This is their first feature length film. More information can be found at www.angryyoungranch.com.
Loren Mendell (Director/Producer/DP) began his career at Creative Artists Agency and then spent two years working for feature film director Harold Becker. In 2005, Loren produced the Academy Award ® nominated live action short film Our Time Is Up. He is currently producing and directing a documentary for Frontline/World (PBS) about the recent oil spill in the Philippines. Loren’s work also includes series and specials for ABC, CBS, Discovery, CMT, VH1 and The History Channel. Loren is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and USC’s School of Cinema-Television.
Tiller Russell (Director/Producer) began making movies by chasing cockfighters through the American Southwest. Since then he’s shot with crab fishermen in the Bering Sea, vigilantes and smugglers on the US-Mexican border, coal miners in Appalachia, electronica artists in Japan, baseball players in the Dominican Republic, itinerant circus performers, Texas lawmen, a half-paralyzed armwrestler and numerous convicted murderers. His work has appeared on CBS, PBS, Discovery, VH1, CMT, F/X, Court TV, GAC, A&E and at film festivals around the world. He is a member of the Director’s Guild of America and a graduate of USC’s School of Cinema-Television.
William Haugse (Editor/Co-producer) received the American Cinema Editors Eddie Award as well as an Oscar nomination for his work on Hoop Dreams (Fine Line) and was nominated for an Emmy award for The Last Days of Kennedy and King (Turner). Bill’s recent work includes Stevie (Lions Gate), directed by Steve James and Unprecedented, a critical study of the 2000 Florida presidential election produced by Robert Greenwald. Since 1996 he has been a member of the professional honorary ACE.
Julie Goldman, Krysanne Katsoolis & Caroline Stevens (Executive Producers) are the founding partners of Cactus Three and specialize in high-end documentary films and non-fiction programming. Cactus offers a unique blend of production and co-production expertise, creatively developing projects as well as securing both funding and distribution. Recently completed productions include What Remains, loudQUIETloud, Once in a Lifetime and Sketches of Frank Ghery. More information can be found at www.cactusthree.com.