CIVIC DUTY PRODUCTION NOTES

An American accountant bombarded with cable news and the media's obsession with terrorist plots in the post 9-11 world, receives a jolt when an unattached Islamic graduate student moves in next door.

The Story Line

CIVIC DUTY tells the story of Terry Allen, an all-American accountant who becomes obsessed with CNN's post 9-11 coverage of the "War on Terrorism" after losing his job. His world gets a lot smaller when a “profile-fitting” Islamic student moves in next door. When others disregard Terry's theories about his neighbour, he decides to take matters into his own hands to uncover the truth. A riveting psychological thriller in the tradition of Rear Window, CIVIC DUTY draws the audience into one man's spiral into paranoia fuelled by the media.

The History

CIVIC DUTY reached Producer Andrew Lanter's desk at the end of 2001 while he was working for the William Morris Agency in Los Angeles. The script seemed ahead of its time with its look at a media-sated American society driven by fear. Lanter felt that it was a film that Americans were not quite ready to see. Unlike other films recently released about the September 11th attacks, CIVIC DUTY does not relive the destruction of the twin towers through the eyes of those who experienced it firsthand. Rather, CIVIC DUTY examines how Americans, including Muslim Americans, coped during the aftermath of the worst terrorist attacks perpetrated on American soil.

Lanter notes that September 11th has drastically changed the perception of the general American public. The nation's once seemingly impregnable security walls had been breached creating widespread feelings of insecurity and distrust. It was no longer safe to trust one's neighbour.

The emergence of a culture dominated by paranoia and fear.

AFI Award winning writer, Andrew Joiner, developed the screenplay for CIVIC DUTY as he struggled with the new way of life that followed the World Trade Center attacks. Joiner felt compelled to write the story of Terry Allen, a middle-class American accountant outraged by the most recent terrorist attacks on his country and the loss of freedom experienced by every American as a result.

Joiner was spurred on by a single question: How could Americans prevent this from ever happening again?

Writing CIVIC DUTY was an experience Joiner likens to entering a passage in a diary. “It was a documentation of a dark period in my life, which unfortunately still lingers. While the story is extremely personal, it is not a declaration of myself as Terry Allen, or Gabe Hassan, or any combination of the two. It is more an exploration of my personal frustration and my longing for answers in a world that seemingly has less and less of them”.

In writing this story Joiner hoped to debate the lines of liberty and security, and “arrive at a greater truth”. There still remains a search for a greater truth that take the form of a collection of difficult questions he is proud to put before audiences in the form of CIVIC DUTY.

History tells us that we evolve as a community through discussion and exploration. Joiner’s hope is that CIVIC DUTY will provide an equilibrium that conflicting sides accept in order to move forward. “I hope that the series of questions presented in CIVIC DUTY can in some way contribute to our growth as a community, and eventually our passage beyond this period in time”.

Taking it to the Screen

With the script complete, Andrew Joiner began seeking out production companies he felt could take CIVIC DUTY to the screen. When the script came across Andrew Lanter’s desk back at William Morris, he immediately felt a meeting of the minds with Joiner and decided Civic Duty would be a script worthy of producing, upon leaving the agency. Both Joiner and Lanter believed that the themes of CIVIC were important to bring to the large screen to bring to light a feeling shared by most Americans after the attack. A feeling that “freedom was compromised by a need for national security, while the country's leaders and the world at large called upon us as Americans, the perceived bastions of humane behaviour, to individually and collectively remain vigilant and serve as the world's protectors. Lanter notes that “this script was written during a time when Congress and the United Nations were granting the United States carte blanche to chase down those thought responsible for the attacks; when the world stood behind the George Bush "Go get 'em" approach."

Says Lanter “The film was greenlit even before Peter Krause was secured because the film’s private equity investor really believed in the project and the script”. The script was shown to Canadian Producers Tina Pehme and Kim Roberts of Sepia Films. Pehme felt the script “was a compelling thriller that explored a subject that was at the forefront of the world’s consciousness. I thought it was an excellent opportunity to create a gripping film that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats that at the same time would create an opportunity to discuss the current climate of paranoia and fear that has become part of global culture since 911. I loved that the script raises questions and forces people to look at the issues that the script deals with all within the structure of a taut psychological thriller.” As a result, a partnership between Landslide Pictures and Sepia Films was formed to produce the film.

As the project moved forward, the decision was made to shoot the film in Vancouver, Canada. A small courtyard was chosen as the main set for CIVIC DUTY to create a sense of familiarity for viewers. The Producers wanted the audience to feel as though the events unfolding on screen could be taking place in their own backyards. Although the majority of CIVIC DUTY was filmed in Vancouver, a second unit shot exteriors of New York City which were later inserted into the film.

An International Story

CIVIC DUTY immediately caught Director Jeff Renfroe's attention. Renfroe was interested in looking at how, "we, as media-sated global citizens are barraged by messages of fear and alarm." He sees CIVIC DUTY as a product of these messages. “(The film) is a study of a society, our society, as it evolves in this post-attack world that is characterized by vigilance and suspicion”. Renfroe was fascinated by the script which contained a series of complex and provocative dilemmas faced by its protagonist Terry Allen. The screenplay also explored larger themes and issues relevant to today's world, such as terrorism, racism and contemporary notions of home and family as well as, "our individual responsibilities as American citizens and the practical meanings and everyday applications of patriotism."

Renfroe surmises that the media plays a large role in shaping our perceptions about everything from which toothpaste to buy to the reasons why the nation should go to war. He believes that Americans are indoctrinated to be patriotic. Renfroe saw CIVIC DUTY as an opportunity to create a film, which examines the various facets of patriotism. “I wanted to capture our suspicion, fear, righteousness and madness. I wanted to document that eternal pursuit of status and power and the primal urge to survive that manifests itself so quickly in violence”. Renfroe notes that it was his intention for CIVIC DUTY to entertain audiences but hopes that the film causes viewers "to explore the pride associated with the American dream and expose a grey zone where black and white - right and wrong - are not so easily defined."

The Producers believe that the appeal of CIVIC DUTY is that it avoids preaching politics and allows the audience to draw its own conclusions. CIVIC DUTY invites viewers to open a dialogue about the experiences of the characters while examining their own fears and prejudices.

A Dedicated Cast

The Producers, writer and director all knew how vital casting would be and had cast members in mind from the beginning. Writer Andrew Joiner even wrote the part of Agent Hillary with in mind to play him, having seen his work on () and in (I am Sam) with Sean Penn. Although initially unavailable because of his shooting schedule on (Six Feet Under), Peter Krause was the natural choice for Terry Allen. As most shooting schedules go, natural delays in production due to the heavy workload in Vancouver coincided with the series finale of Six Feet Under. Krause, upon reading Joiner’s script, immediately signed on and brought a new voice to Joiner's original vision. Krause felt that a character representing the "common man" would be more likeable and accessible to audiences. During an extensive four- day workshop in the Hollywood Hills, Krause, Joiner and Director Jeff Renfroe rewrote the character of Terry Allen. Instead of a right-wing fanatic, Terry Allen became the average man who wanted to live out the American dream. Joiner, Krause and Renfroe created a character that felt he had little influence over his own life, someone who recognized his own insignificance in the greater scheme of things. However, the events following 9-11 radically alter Terry's views and expose his false sense of security.

During filming Renfroe and Joiner would often sit with the actors and discuss their roles to help them discover the true voice of their characters. “We held workshops where we pulled the script apart and put it back together. It was important to have the actors in tune with who their characters are; so there would be less acting and more living the moment and living the horror of the moments in this film” says Renfroe. As a result, the actors were able to create characters that are both compelling and believable.

Lanter compares the panic and anxiety felt by the characters as the story builds to its shocking climax to the Homeland Security Advisory System: Initially, they start at low, and then progress to guarded, to elevated, to high and finally severe.

In preparation for their roles in CIVIC DUTY, the actors were given a book written by Michael Scheuer entitled Imperial Hubris as mandatory reading. The book had been a great inspiration to Joiner while creating the back-story of the film and inevitably helped define Richard Schiff's portrayal as Agent Hillary. The following is an excerpt from Imperial Hubris:

"In regard to evaluating risk, however, post 9-11 September U.S. Officialdom is anything but adult. Fixed on protecting their posteriors, U.S. officials are determined to warn every American about every threat they can lay their hands on. The so-called threat matrix briefed to the President each morning - and now a weekly television program on a channel near you - has become nearly as famous as the Department of Homeland Security's multicoloured, streetlight of death warning system…described as "as series of bureaucratic absurdities that attempt little, achieve nothing and protect no one…Bin Laden and al Qaeda are winning…first is the ruinous impact of chasing down each and every threat. This dire lack of discernment - results in a massive misapplication of manpower, computer time, and national-level collection systems against a mass of threats, most, which are palpably absurd. As a result, like a fire department plagued by false alarms, analysts, spies, equipment and police at all levels are worn out chasing non-existent threats…When America is next hit at home by a surprise al Qaeda attack - which it will because the cause may lie in the exhaustion and cynicism of its government's resources, especially its best officers, those who too frequently have been told to pull on their boots, slide down the pole and go forth into rainy, cold nights - at the cost of health, family and marriage - to chase threats they and their superiors know are patently false.”

But what happens if one man just may be right?

Key Cast

The creative team had an original shortlist of actors they were considering.

Renfroe felt Krause was the right guy for the job because “Peter brought a vulnerability to the character that we all felt was really needed in order to reach audiences”. According to Producer Lanter “there wasn’t a scene where Peter didn’t talk to both the writer and director about how they wanted it to unfold”. Still, Peter had a strong vision of where he needed to take the character of Terry Allen and that was really rewarding for all to see.

When Joiner wrote the script for CIVIC DUTY he knew he wanted Richard Schiff to play Agent Hillary. Through a chance experience, he and co-producer Kelly Duncan were waiting on line at Barnes & Nobles bookstore while Richard Schiff was checking out in. front of them. After a brief discussion, they sent him the script and Schiff signed on shortly thereafter. Schiff, like the rest of the cast, was determined and meticulous about making the role of Agent Hilary his own. Renfroe remembers, “Richard wanted to stay true to the character and interviewed FBI and law enforcement to make sure his character arc was a credible one”. Similarly, each actor had their own process for getting into the heads of their characters.

For Khaled Abol Naga ( Gabe Hassan) it meant working on his English with a dialect coach. Although fluent in English, Abol Naga wanted to perfect each and every line. Abol Naga wanted the world to see a movie where both sides of a story were reflected.

Matching schedules for all the actors was quite the challenge due to ’s (Marla Allen) commitment to ABC’s “Invasion”. With the help of Invasion’s executive team and a flipping of the Civic Duty shooting schedule, Kari was available to shoot her series on weekdays and shuttle back and forth to Vancouver from Los Angeles.

Peter Krause – Terry Allen

PETER KRAUSE

A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Peter Krause can be seen weekly starring as "Nate Fisher" on HBO's acclaimed drama, Six Feet Under.

Peter began to act in high school and although he began college as a Pre-Med student at Gustavus Aldophus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, he graduated with a B.A. in English Literature. He then decided to pursue acting and received an M.F.A. from , where he starred in productions of Macbeth, Uncle Vanya, and Arms and the Man.

Two months after graduation, Peter made his television debut as a regular on 's hit variety show, Carol and Company, followed by a stint on the hit series . He was previously best known for his role of "Casey McCall" on the critically acclaimed series, .

Peter has been nominated for 3 Emmy® Awards (most recently in 2006 in the Best Lead Actor in a Dramatic Series) 2 Golden Globe® Awards, and 2 SAG Awards for his performance on Six Feet Under.

He has received 2 SAG Awards as part of the Six Feet Under ensemble.

Peter starred opposite Naomi Watts and Mark Ruffalo in We Don't Live Here Anymore and made his Broadway debut last summer starring in Arthur Miller's After The Fall for director Michael Mayer.

Krause is currently working on a miniseries for the Sci-Fi channel entitled "The Room," in which he plays a detective investigating a mysterious motel room

Kari Matchett – Marla Allen Kari first came to the attention of Director Jeff Renfroe through Producer Kelly Duncan who recommended her. After their first meeting over coffee Renfroe felt Kari’s passion for working on a film with a strong socio-political message and her quirky personality would be a powerful match to the character of Marla. “In the end we needed the character of Marla to be the light within the darkness of this film, which I feel Kari pulled off,” says Renfroe.

Khaled Abol Naga – Gabe Hassan

In order to have a well-rounded story it was important to everyone involved to show the plight of American Muslims during this uneasy period, post-9/11. Finding the right person to play the Gabe Hassan character involved an extensive search eventually settling on rising Egyptian star Khaled Abol Naga. Producer Andrew Lanter reflects on finding Khaled: “the moment I came across his tape, I knew he was our Gabe Hassan”. Lanter felt it was important to cast someone who did not grow up in North America or Europe; “only someone who really felt the pressure of the issues at hand could pull off the right performance… and Khaled shines!” Khaled brought sensitivity to a role that could have ended up as a cliché. According to Director Jeff Renfroe “It was a tightrope for an actor to walk, however, Khaled definitely pulls it off. For four white guys in a room writing about a Middle Eastern guy, Khaled absolutely helped us authenticate the story”.

As an Arab man, the plight of Gabe Hassan was recognizable immediately for Khaled who is from Cairo, Egypt. In the new myopic world of post 9/11 Joiner noted that “being a shade darker made you the focus of people’s fear” in America. Joiner wrote about his observations as Arabic people around the United States were profiled as possible terrorists based on the colour of their skin, regardless of their political affiliations. He also watched as a new line separating peoples’ civic duties from their inclination towards a fear-based racism grew thinner.

Their world shifted into one dominated by paranoia and fear.

Richard Schiff - Agent Hilary

Brought to the writer, director and producer’s attention through his roles on West Wing and in I am Sam alongside Sean Penn, Richard Schiff brought a side to his FBI agent character that was understated and thought filled. Reflecting on Schiff’s performance Director Jeff Renfroe says “he brought a side to this FBI agent where he believes he’s doing the best he can do under the circumstances; under the added red tape, that was the case after September 11th. There was a hint of ambiguity to his character that Richard really nailed.”

Key Creative Team

ANDREW JOINER - WRITER/PRODUCER

Andrew Joiner began his writing career with Disneyland Entertainment, creating cross promotional shows for Disney endeavors including 101 Dalmatians, Toy Story, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast.

Two years later, he attended the American Film Institute as a Screenwriting Fellow, where he won the A.F.I. Screenplay of the Year Award. He has since optioned feature-length scripts with 20th Century Fox and Avenue Pictures.

In addition to Andrew’s writing, he works as a freelance graphic artist for Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. Andrew has created design schemes for The Haunted Mansion, Around the World in 80 Days, Princess Diaries 2, Miracle, Home on the Range, and King Arthur.

ANDREW LANTER – PRODUCER

TINA PEHME – PRODUCER

TINA PEHME Sepia Films Producer

Tina Pehme heads up development and production on SEPIA’S feature film slate and is currently overseeing the packaging and financing of Sepia’s 2007/08 slate. Tina has just completed production on Partition, a classic love story set against the 1947 British partition of India, a film she developed and produced with Sepia Films, a company she co-owns with producing partner Kim Roberts and Director Vic Sarin. Partition, directed and written by Sarin, follows the love story of Gian Singh (Jimi Mistry), a Sikh soldier and a Muslim refugee (Kristin Kreuk) during the tumultuous early days of Indian independence at the end of British Colonial rule. The film also stars Neve Campbell, John Light and Irrfan Khan. Also recently produced is the post 911 thriller Civic Duty starring Peter Krause and Richard Schiff and directed by Sundance Grand Jury nominee Jeff Renfroe, which Pehme and Roberts produced alongside Landslide Pictures. Civic Duty had the distinction of being the New York Post’s #1 film pick at its world theatrical premiere at the Tribeca film festival in April 2006 and is slated for its North American theatrical release in early 2007. In 2004 Tina produced the touching romantic comedy Love on the Side, starring Jennifer Tilly, Barry Watson and Marla Sokoloff and Dave Thomas.

Tina’s background is in line production/production management where she has numerous credits in both the feature film and television genres both in Canada and internationally. Tina began her producing career when she joined SEPIA as a partner in 1994. She has also worked with imX Communications in the development and production of international feature film co-productions.

Over the years Tina has developed relationships with talent, international producing partners and investors as well as Canadian funding organizations. Tina brings her extensive experience with both Canadian and international production to SEPIA.

KIM ROBERTS – PRODUCER

KIM ROBERTS Sepia Films Producer

Kim C. Roberts brings his expertise of almost two decades in entertainment law, having provided legal advice on a wide range of Canadian and international productions through his law firm Roberts & Stahl. At SEPIA FILMS, Kim oversees co-productions, production financing, contract negotiations, E&O insurance, and tax credits for Canadian and foreign productions and certification for Canadian productions as well as all aspects of production legal. Kim has become increasingly involved in the development and production of Sepia’s feature film slate, contributing his expertise on both Canadian and co-production structure and finance and strong working relationships with financial institutions, federal agencies and key creative elements necessary in financing and producing motion pictures in Canada. Together with Tina Pehme, Kim has produced Sepia Films’ features Partition, Civic Duty and Love on the Side. Kim also executive produced the award winning Canada/UK co-production It’s All Gone Pete Tong. Kim’s knowledge of the complexities of financing films in today’s marketplace and the experience to problem solve the challenges that arise are a tremendous asset.