About

A mixed-blood Native American, Joe Logan, eager to modernize his reservation, must first prove himself to his father, the traditionalist Tribal Chairman, by rediscovering his spirit. He is tasked with coaching the reservation’s high school lacrosse team which competes against the better equipped and better trained players of the elite Prep School League.

Joe inspires the Native American boys and teaches them the true meaning of tribal pride. Ignited by their heritage and believing in their new-found potential, coach and team climb an uphill battle to the state championship finals against their privileged prep school rivals…will they win?

Crooked Arrows is an original, uplifting sports movie in the tradition of such classics as Mighty Ducks, Bad News Bears, Hoosiers, and Bend It Like Beckham–set in the fresh, contemporary worlds of Native American reservations, prep schools, and lacrosse…

The Production Team

Producer, J. Todd Harris has produced 37 movies in the last 16 years. Mr. Harris’ most recent release is the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominatedThe Kids Are All Right from Universal’s Focus Features. Prior to that he produced the Sundance Film Festival entry Bottle Shock, which was one of 2008′s highest grossing independent films. Mr. Harris has his BA and MBA from Stanford. He’s a 12-year member of the producers branch of the Motion Picture Academy.

Producer, Mitchell Peck produced Priest a $70 million vampire movie for Sony Pictures in the summer of 2011.  He has sold a dozen movies and television shows to Hollywood’s major studios, including 20th Century Fox, Columbia, Disney, MGM, MTV and New Line.  Peck first learned to play lacrosse at Camp Skylemar in Naples, Maine and went on to play midfield for his undefeated state championship high school team, the Collegiate School in Richmond VA.  He graduated from Columbia University and attended USC Graduate Film School.

Producer, Adam Leff is a Contributing Editor for Vanity Fair Magazine, a screenwriter and a producer. As a screenwriter, Leff has created multiple big-studio films, including: The Last Action Hero, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger;PCU for 20th Century Fox; and Bio-Dome for MGM. Most recently, Leff executive produced the award winning documentary, Valentino: The Last Emperor. Leff is a graduate of Philips Andover and Wesleyan University.

Director, Steve Rash has made over a dozen films during his impressive career; including The Buddy Holly Story, with its 3 Academy Award nominations; Can’t Buy Me Love, which introduced Patrick Dempsey; and the hugely success sequels to American Pie and Bring It On.

Writer, Todd Baird spent a year researching and writing the Crooked Arrows screenplay. For lacrosse authenticity, he drew on his personal experience playing on the 1987 Collegiate team with Peck, and later at Denison University where Baird anchored the third string midfield for the junior varsity Big Red. For Native American integrity, Baird consulted heavily with the Smithsonian Institute’s Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies. Baird was signed to the venerable William Morris talent and literacy agency as a screenwriter in 2006.

Writer, Brad Riddell has written for Universal, Paramount and MTV working on franchise film series such as American Pie, Slap Shot and Road Trip. He is an MFA graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, and after teaching there for six years, is now on faculty at SUNY Oswego and Spalding University’s Brief-Residency MFA in Writing Program, teaching courses in screenwriting and cinema studies.

Executive Producer, Jeffrey McCormick is a partner of Saturn Partners, an early stage venture capital firm in Boston he founded in 1993. Jeff has built valuable companies in b-to-b commerce, software tools, education, biotechnology, alternative energy and entertainment spaces. He was a first team All American defenseman and co-captain of both Syracuse University’s first national championship lacrosse team and the North All Star team. He grew up near the Onondaga reservation and played with and against many Native Americans throughout his career.

Co-Executive Producer, Stephen Brackett has 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He currently works with and holds equity in select global asset management and specialized advisory firms in the market in a Senior Advisory role. He was formerly a Managing Director at Lincoln Vale, a global alternative investment management firm. Earlier, Steve was a founding General Partner of Ironside Capital Group, LLC and a co-found of MF Private Capital. Steve has also held senior positions with Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Capital Corporation, State Street Business Group, First Winthrop Corporation, and Hoenig and Company. A graduate of Bates, Steve lives in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

Co-Executive Producer, Marc Marcum has spent most of his career in the film business developing brand name franchises, having worked as a story editor on Garfield, Daddy Day Care, Fat Albert, I, Robot, Flight of the Phoenix, Alien VS. Predator, Dolittle 3, & Bottle Shock, and was part of the producing teams for the remake of It’s Alive!, Miss Nobody and The Family Tree. Marc is a film production graduate from the University of Southern California.

Co-Producer, Neal J. Powless is a traditional member of the Onondaga Nation, Eel Clan. As the youngest son of one of the 14 chiefs at Onondaga, he grew up in the Longhouse and also played his first organized game of lacrosse at the age of 4. He was a 3-time All-American lacrosse player at Nazareth College before being drafted by the Rochester Knighthawks, leading to a 7 year career in the National Lacrosse League. He also played for the Iroquois Nationals in four (4) World Lacrosse Championships and made the tournament’s All-World team as an Attackman in 2002. He is currently employed by Syracuse University, Office of Multicultural Affairs, as an assistant director with the Native Student Program.

Co-Producer, Ernest Stevens, III works in Advertising, PR and Communications for his tribe in Oneida, Wisconsin. A former standout youth lacrosse player, Stevens has written, directed, edited and produced several short films that have enjoyed success on the regional film festival circuit. Stevens will be coordinating Crooked Arrows’ Native American community, marketing, publicity and philanthropy outreach programs.

Co-Producer, Jacques Vroom III is President of Vroom3, Inc., a marketing consulting firm specializing in marketing strategy, branded entertainment and digital media. Jacques has over 17 years of marketing experience working with some of the world’s most recognized brands and media companies. Prior to founding Vroom3, Jacques led branded entertainment divisions at MTV Networks and The Walt Disney Company, respectively. Jacques was Crooked Arrows’ first hire, built the Reebok relationship as well as numerous endorsements from lacrosse icons and key Native figures. Jacques has a B.A. from Bates College and an M.B.A. from SMU’s Cox School of Business.

Associate Producer – Partnership Marketing, Rob Knight The majority of Rob’s career has been spent in the broadcast industry where he was involved in strategic sales, management and ownership of radio properties in New England and the USVI. He has held management and marketing positions with Infinity Broadcasting, Greater Media, Blair National sales, Knight Quality Stations and Caribbean Communications Corporation. He has also been actively involved the creation of Lacrosse content at the youth and professional levels. Rob brings expertise in sponsorship, brand strategy, promotions and cause marketing to the Crooked Arrows team.

Associate Producer, Aaron Jones Principal at Jones Marketing and Management, Inc. (JMM), has a distinguished record of success in integrated marketing and strategic brand development. He has structured and secured revenue streams for clients through sponsorship & licensing sales, marketing campaigns, equity funding initiatives and has a reputation as an innovative sports/entertainment marketing executive. The former collegiate All American lacrosse player and veteran of the lacrosse industry, partnered with the film to advance its strategic alliances and drive ROI for sponsors and partners. Jones has cultivated his 20+ years of experience through entrepreneurial leadership and executive tenures with the NFL, NBA, emerging sports leagues and within the internet/entertainment industry.

Casting Director, Rene Haynes is the casting director for New Moon andEclipse; sequels to the incredibly successful Twilight series. Her big break came from casting extras in Dances With Wolves, which has lead to a prestigious list of credits including Terence Malick’s The New World and many Native-themed television films and shows: Trail of Tears, Tecumseh’s Vision, Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, Into The West, Black Cloud, The Education Of Little Tree, Crazy Horse, Lakota Woman, and Geronimo.

Line Producers, Mark Donadio and Miriam Marcus. Donadio, with over 20 years of film producing experience, and Marcus, with 12 plus years of experience in the business and producing of new media and film, are one of the leading independent producing teams. Moody Independent Films includeAmerican Violet (2009) starring Will Patton and Alfre Woodard, Shuttle (2008) starring Tony Curran, Black Irish (2006) starring Brendan Gleeson and Michael Angarano, Disappearances (2005) starring Kris Kristofferson and Genevieve Bujold, The Legend of Lucy Keyes (2004), and At Last (2004) starring Kelly Lynch and Martin Donovan.

Sports coordinator for Sports Studio, Mark Ellis. Mark has directed and coached Oscar winning actors and Hall of Fame athletes for 15 years, in more than 30 films, and —along the way—won three ESPY awards for Best Sports Movie of the Year. Sports Studio has played a role in nearly every significan sports film you can think of, including Bad News Bears (1976, 2005), The Longest Yard (1974, 2005), Eight Men Out, The Natural, Miracle, Invincible,The Rookie, The Waterboy, We Are Marshall, Semi-Pro, Any Given Sunday,Jerry McGuire.

Brand Integration, Sean Barth. A 13-year veteran in the world of branded entertainment, Sean F. Barth joins the Crooked Arrows production team, after a three-year stint at the Paradigm Talent Agency. As an agent in the Artist Marketing Division, Sean’s scope of service included celebrity endorsements, tour sponsorships, talent appearances, licensing and equity partnerships. Prior to Paradigm, Sean was a freelance production resource consultant for DreamWorks Pictures, NBC/Universal and CBS Films, working on such feature films as Eagle Eye, Blades of Glory, Hotel for Dogs, Chuck and Larry, The Back Up Plan and The Starter Wife to name a few. Prior to that, Sean enjoyed his work as the on-set, product placement and clearance coordinator on the Sony Pictures release, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Sean cut his teeth in the world of branded entertainment, working for such prestigious companies as ICM, Entertainment Marketing Partners, Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, Propaganda, Miramax Films and Katz Communications.

Director of Web and Social Media, Pat Flynn. Pat is considered an A-List blogger and social media expert amongst the blogging community. He is the author of the very popular Smart Passive Income Blog, and he also hosts one of the top business podcasts under the same brand. He also owns 3 businesses, one of which is a very successful iPhone application development company.