Bios

A brief summary of who is involved with the project so far.

Howard Carey

Howard Carey, founder of Giant Pictures, has been privileged to work with some of the world's finest directors, including Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, Ed Zwick, and the late John Schlesigner.

Beginning his career in 1994 as an intern, Howard quickly moved up the ladder as he produced, wrote, and directed everything he had time for. In 1997 Howard's films Madboy won numerous prestigious film festivals including the L.A. Independant Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, and was recognized by the Academy as one of the year's ten best.

Dr. Paul Steckler, PhD

Emmy award winning writer / director Dr. Paul Steckler brings his formidable resume to Before the Music Dies as Story Consultant. Dr. Steckler is a nationally recognized filmmaker, having won two George Foster Peabody Awards, three Alfred l. duPont Columbia University Journalism Awards, in addition to his three Emmys. Dr. Steckler currently teachers documentary filmmaking, and presides over the Film & Televison Department at the University of Texas at Austin.

Lisa McWilliams

Lisa McWilliams has been producing and directing feature films for the better part of 10 years. Currenly Director of Development at the Lake Placid Film Forum, her newest project is focused on giving students hands on experience in both dramatic and documentary filmmaking. Lisa brings her extensive skill set to Before The Music Dies as Production Consultant.

Joel Rasmussen

Joel Rasmussen's involvement with music, film, and television began in the early 90's with an education in Music Technology at the University of Montana. Mr. Rasmussen went on to work for Avid | Digidesign, as a product manager and specialist on film and music editiing systems. After learning to use the toolks he helped build and sell, Mr. Rasmussen began a freelance career in motion graphics and post-production, including corporate video work, television commercials, and work for the Discovery Channel.

He currently resides in Austin, TX with Dani, his wife and business partner of 14 years, and Leif, his 16 month old son.

Brian McNulty, Producer

Brian McNulty is a film producer living in Austin, TX with a strong emphasis on visual effects and post production, having post-supervised many large and small feature films over the past decade. Brian began his film career working for Ron Howard and Brian Grazer at Imagine Films in 1988. After stints in the Development and Physical Production departments at Imagine, participating on films such as "Parenthood", "Backdraft", and "Far and Away," Brian landed a position in 1992 at German film director Wolfgang Petersen's company, Radiant Productions. The next 8 years would be spent working nonstop on the prep, production, and post of four very complicated and large films for director Petersen- "In the Line of Fire," Outbreak," "Air Force One," and "The Perfect Storm". It was on that final film that Brian earned the credit of Associate Producer. In 2000, Brian ventured on to pursue other types of films. He was the Post Production Supervisor on Christopher Guest's acclaimed mockumentary, "Best in Show" for Warner Bros. Studios. In 2002 Brian united with fellow Texan Robert Rodriguez to supervise post and vfx for Mr. Rodriguez mammoth hits "Spy Kids 2," "Spy Kids 3," and "Once Upon a Time in Mexico." Most recently Brian was post production supervisor on "Starsky and Hutch," for Warner Bros. In 2004 Brian produced the animated feature "Action Man" for Hasbro U.K./Paramount Home Video, to be released in European markets on 3/21/05.

Besides a film background, Brian shares a love for music and the music business with many of his peers. Brian served as an music programmer at legendary rock radio station 94.7 KMET-FM, in Los
Angeles. The years were 1985 and 1986. The bands and the era where to be never repeated. Think Guns-n-Roses, U2, REM. It may have been a brief moment in time, but Brian and his associates at radio and label level witnessed a paradigm shift in the music Industry- think MTV, music consultants, national programming. Brian, in fact, worked for a national music-radio programmer from 1987-1990. These experiences have brought him back to a place where the story needs to be told- on film..

Andrew Shapter, Director / Co-Writer

What ever happened to music being about individual expression and having something to say? When did having a message get replaced with having an image? These questions have been eating away at veteran music and fashion photographer Andrew Shapter of Austin, Texas. He decided to find the answers to these nagging questions after the loss of his musician brother. Shapter will make his directorial debut with the eagerly anticipated music documentary, "Before the Music Dies," a film that casts a critical eye on the current state of the music industry.

After spending years as a photographer for the fashion and music industries and as a publicist in venues such as Barcelona, London, New York and Los Angeles, Shapter is turning his lens on the industry itself.

Shapter's vision for "Before the Music Dies" has caught the attention of film and music industry heavyweights including Luke Wilson and Dave Matthews, among many others. "I am looking forward to working with these film and music veterans for a good cause," Shapter says.

Dr. Paul Steckler, PhD, Advisor

Emmy award winning writer / director Dr. Paul Steckler brings his formidable resume to Before the Music Dies as Story Consultant. Dr. Steckler is a nationally recognized filmmaker, having won two George Foster Peabody Awards, three Alfred l. duPont Columbia University Journalism Awards, in addition to his three Emmys. Dr. Steckler currently teaches documentary filmmaking, and presides over the Film & Televison Department at the University of Texas at Austin.

Lisa McWilliams, Advisor

Lisa McWilliams is the Executive Director and Founder of the Mobile Film School, formerly Festival Coordinator of the Lake Placid Film Forum. She has worked with Teleduction Associates as Producer and Director of Development. Independently, Lisa has been associate producer, co-producer and executive producer for television documentaries and independent features airing on PBS, A&E, The History Channel, Bravo, Sundance Channel and HGTV, as well as overseas.

Luke Wilson, Narrator

A native Texan, Wilson was born in Dallas in 1971. The son of an advertising
executive and a photographer, he was raised with two brothers, Owen and
Andrew. The three would all go on to make their careers in film, with Wilson
discovering his love of acting while a student at Occidental College. In
1993, the brothers Wilson collaborated with Wes Anderson to make Bottle
Rocket, which was initially a 15-minute short. The gleefully optimistic
story of three Texans who aspire to become successful thieves, Bottle Rocket
premiered at the 1993 Sundance Festival, where it attracted the attention of
director James L. Brooks. With Brooks' help, the short became a full-length
feature film released in 1996. That same year, Wilson also appeared in the
coming-of-age drama Telling Lies in America.

After large roles in three 1998 comedies, Bongwater, Home Fries, and Best
Men, Wilson went on to star in another three comedies the following year.
Kill the Man (which premiered at the 1999 Sundance Festival) cast him as the
owner of a small copy center competing with a large chain store across the
street.

Though he would stick closely to comedy through 2001 with roles in Charlie's
Angels (2000) and Legally Blonde (2001), Wilson took a turn for the sinister
in the thrillers Preston Tylk and Soul Survivors (both 2001), before
reteaming with his brother Owen and Wes Anderson to give one of his most
memorable performances as Richie in The Royal Tenenbaums.

In 2003, Wilson reprised two past roles, appearing in both Charlies Angels:
Full Throttle and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde. That same year,
he also scored a hit as one of the stars of Todd Phillips' Old School. 2004
saw Wilson embark on The Wendell Baker Story, a film he starred in,
co-directed with brother Andrew Wilson, and co-wrote with brother Owen
Wilson.