Biographies of the “Chasing The Dream” Crew
Director/producer/writer
ANGELO MEI, grew up in Los Angeles, where he developed a passion for music, surfing and filmmaking. He attended the Art Institute of LA where he studied all aspects of filmmaking but focused primarily on directing. It is there where he met mentor and soon to be colleague Maggie Carey, who is currently the editor of Chasing the Dream(Quiksilver/Metalstorm ent). It was under her tutelage that he made the documentary short, Film This, a voyeuristic look into the life of a psychopathic surfer. Film This goes into distribution next fall. His short film Howie, a dark comedy about a man in his late 20’s moving back in with his sexually active mother, has already won several awards, and is continuing to make the rounds at various film festivals. His commercial work includes the recent Learn to Surf with Andy Irons(Billabong/Transworld), which he co-wrote and directed, and can be found in surf shops all over the world. Chasing The Dream(Quiksilver/Metalstorm ent), a feature length documentary about what it takes to become a professional surfer, is finally complete and will be released Summer 2007.
Editor/writer
Award-winning filmmaker MAGGIE CAREY began her career with Sun River Homestead, a documentary about women homesteaders in 1910 Montana. Sun River Homestead aired nationally on PBS and won a Regional Emmy. Carey’s comedic documentary Ladyporn, won the South By Southwest Film Festival Audience Award. Carey’s short comedy Dance Club, won the Austin Film Festival Audience Award. Carey’s recent editing credits include NBC’s Emmy-winning daytime reality series Starting Over and the Quiksilver surf documentary Chasing the Dream. Carey works as a crew chief for the Sundance Institute Director’s Lab. Carey also teaches editing at the Art Institute of New York City.
Executive Producer
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, JOSH WILLIAMS is a 5th generation Los Angeles native. He first began making amateur films while still in his teens and later became a 2002 graduate of UCSD’s Visual Arts program where he received a B.A. in Film & Video and produced and directed his first award winning film The Rising. He is also a graduate of the New York Film Academy where he completed his first narrative short under the study of Award winning Director David Riker (La Ciudad) titled Brandon, the true story of a child traded away for drugs at a Los Angeles Gas Station.
Williams formed the production company, Metalstorm Entertainment Inc.,in June of 2001. Under the Metalstorm Banner, Williams is currently serving as Executive Producer and Producer on several film titles that will be released through out 2007/2008.
Producer
JOHN PHILBIN is an American character actor who has appeared in television and film throughout a long and successful career. He is also an accomplished surfer and Pro Surf Instructor near Santa Monica, CA.
John first began acting in high school, around the same time he began surfing. Choosing acting over wrestling, John joined a drama team that went on to win awards throughout his high school career. Upon leaving High School, John went to UC Santa Barbara and surfed on their surf team.
John went on to appear in films such as Stephen King’s, Children of the Corn and Grandview USA. That same year he also appeared in an episode of Steven Speilberg’s Amazing Stories alongside actor Kevin Costner. It was later on that he once again took up surfing when he landed the role of Turtle in the film, North Shore which gave him the chance to act and surf with some of his childhood heroes. His legendary performance on North Shore landed him the role of Nathanial in the film, Point Break opposite Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves and Gary Busey. John has also been in the films, Tombstone opposite Kurt Russel and Val Kilmer, Return of the Living Dead, Dillinger as well as others and has appeared in various television shows including Law and Order.
John Philbin currently resides in Pacific Palisades, CA where he teaches professional surfing and continues to appear in films and on television. John has his own instructional video he has released and has also produced a surfing documentary for Quiksilver titled, Chasing The Dream.
Composer
RANEY SHOCKNE grew up in Pacific Palisades California – After studying classical music and taking orchestral performance art to Hollywood, filmmakers and tv producers began to place his music – After several years Raney has scored 10 films (which include Timmy Turner’s Ombak and Second Thoughts) and has created and placed over 2000 pieces of music on NBC, CBS, WB, SPIKE TV, MTV, HBO, IFC, and SHOWTIME. Notable credits include Chasing Sunsets, Novel Romance, The Real World, and IFC’s Film School.
Associate Producer/Assistant editor
Growing up on the Central Coast of California, DAVID MALCOLM has a strong bond with surfing and all things dealing with the ocean. David received a Bachelors Degree with Honors from the Art Institute of California – Los Angeles where he got an education covering all grounds of filmmaking and made a strong connection with director Angelo Mei that was put to the test on Chasing The Dream. “He is to me what Robyn Quivers is to Howard Stern”, says Mei. “A voice of reason for an irrational mind.” David’s short documentary, Underexposed, received a “Best Documentary Award” at the LA Digifest.