Veteran producer MARC ABRAHAM (Spy Game, Children of Men, Dawn of the Dead) makes his directorial debut with Flash of Genius, directing from a screenplay by PHILIP RAILSBACK (The Stars Fell on Henrietta) that is based on JOHN SEABROOKs The New Yorker article of the same name. Abrahams accomplished behind-the-scenes team includes Academy Award®-nominated cinematographer DANTE SPINOTTI (The Insider, L.A. Confidential), production designer HUGO LUCZYC-WYHOWSKI (Snatch, Dirty Pretty Things), editor JILL SAVITT (Secret Window, The Lookout) and costume designer LUIS SEQUEIRA (Charlie Bartlett, Breach). The music supervisors for the drama are G. MARQ ROSWELL (The Great Debaters, An Unfinished Life) and ADAM SWART (The Grand, The Brothers Solomon), and the composer is AARON ZIGMAN (The Notebook, Bridge to Terabithia). Robert Kearns lengthy travails with automotive giants and patent law were chronicled in John Seabrooks 1993 article for The New Yorker titled Flash of Genius. Producer Michael Lieber was fascinated by the story, optioned Seabrooks article and brought screenwriter Philip Railsback onto the project to craft the script. In 1998, they approached veteran producer Marc Abraham. Abraham remembers that he was touched by the familys plight: I read the article John wrote. I just loved everything about it—the American Dream, the experience, the disappointment, the fact that Bob was a professor. I was a producer at the time, but I said to Mike, Phil and John, Just so you know, Im planning on directing this movie. I dont know when and I dont know under what circumstances, but Im going to direct it. And, in the end, thats what actually happened. The director saw all the elements of a film with which he would make his directorial debut in Flash of Genius. Marcs eyes lit up, recounts Lieber. Here was a family man living the American Dream who risked everything to go up against the big system for a principle he believed in. The most amazing thing about Kearns is that he was not particularly interested in money. He wanted justice. Throughout the next decade, the project would gel as Abraham continued to produce critical and commercial successes—from Spy Game, starring Brad Pitt and Robert Redford, and the surprise hit teen comedy Bring It On to the reimagined Dawn of the Dead and director Alfonso Cuaróns dystopic vision of a near future, Children of Men. When the time was right, Abraham secured Spyglass Entertainments Roger Birnbaum and Gary Barber as fellow producers for the film, and Abraham stepped into the directors role. Unbeknownst to the producers, Dr. Kearns had turned down several other offers from Hollywood. It took some time for him and his relatives to trust anyone with the story of their lives. Eventually, the director and his team won the Kearns over with their passion for the project and promise to honor the familys story by keeping the film as close to the truth as possible. The drama they wanted to make would be easier to hew quite close to actual events, as the Kearns family provided documentation, home movies, photographs and anecdotal information about the landmark case. Oldest son Dennis Kearns represented his mother and siblings, and he worked with Marc Abraham and crew for nine years while the project was finalized. Of taking a chance on a new director, producer Barber explains, We had tremendous confidence in Marc because he had all the makings of a great director going in. Hes well versed in all aspects of filmmaking; hes well organized, articulate and has time for all of the actors and crew. We also knew he would assemble the right team to tell this authentic underdog story. http://www.blacktree.tv Author: blacktreemedia Keywords: filmmaker reel interview trailer marc abraham sugar hill dawn of the dead flash genius Added: September 29, 2008 Less