The Company - People of Renegade
THE COMPANY
Renegade Motion Picture Corporation is dedicated to high-concept, low-budget production in all media. Renegade's impressive list of productions includes feature films, TV specials, music videos, commercials and live theatre. We do things differently that's how we get things produced. Renegade is at the forefront of technology in the film industry, and has established itself as a leader in digital production that works to achieve continuous self improvement whilst upholding honesty and integrity in creative standards.
The company is headed and founded by award winning, writer/director Steven Rumbelow . Chairman of the company, from it's inception, is Frank Capra Jr. who has been responsible for the production of four of the 20 top grossing indies of all time.
In 2003, Renegade acquired Peace Arch Development along with about 30 other companies, which included several produced feature films and TV series. After owning the company for two years Renegade recently sold Peace Arch Development Corporation to Peace Arch Entertainment.
Renegade is based in Toronto and Regina. As well as producing it's own productions, Renegade is able to offer all aspects of production and line production to outside producers. The company enjoys a position in the Toronto film community as an umbrella for some of the finest key creative personnel , digital effects artists, and post production services available in Canada today.
Renegade is proud to acknowledge past sponsorship and/or support from The Royal Bank of Canada, Telefilm Canada, The OntarioFilm Development Corporation, Molsons of Canada, and ACTRA.
THE PEOPLE OF RENEGADE
STEVEN RUMBELOW, PHILIP SHEPHERD, ANTHONY VALENTI,, ANTON BREJAK, SHAYNE PUTZLOCHER, RACHEL RUMBELOW , MICHAEL SUMMERFIELD, GINO EMPRY
Steven Rumbelow - Director - Writer
Steven Rumbelow has directed almost 200 productions (9 feature films, about 70 major stage productions., over 100 music videos plus TV Specials, opera, dance and commercials). These productions have won over 100 awards between them including three Outstanding Film of the Year at the London Film Festival and his production of Moby Dick (starring William L. Petersen and Ted Levine) was nominated for 11 Chicago Jefferson Awards of which it won four. His reputation has been built on cutting-edge, high-quality, independent production in all media. Productions that are highly conceptual and visually dynamic.
Feature Film
He has directed 9 feature films: King Lear, St. Joan, Faust, The Search, The Proteus Chronicles, Queen City Blowout, The Covenant, Lost Souls and Autumn. Between them they won over 20 awards at film festivals throughout the world. Upcoming films include Over the Edge and Cafe X.
Music Videos
He has directed 100 music videos for major labels such as A&M/Sony, WEA, Polygram, Atlantic etc. with A, B and C bands. His music videos have appeared on high rotation in all major television markets including MTV, Much Music, BET and BBC.
Television
Television experience is mainly special interest programming such as the anarchy event series “The New Television”, Toronto's improvised satellite station QTV and his 90 minute TV special “Ghosts” for The Space Channel. Most recently the 52 part series on the paranormal "Beyond" and "Rocking Horse Dreams" the 90-minute documentary about Canada's young Olympic equestrian hopeful for 2008: Andrina Calder.
Commercials
He has directed a number of Bessie Nominated or Awarded commercials. Worked as a staff director for Derek Van Lint (DVLA) directing high-end commercials during the 1990's
Stage
On stage he directed at The Old Vic, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Bristol Old Vic, Steppenwolf Theatre - Chicago, The Goodman Theatre - Chicago, The West End (7 productions), Performance Garage - New York, as well as having led production projects for Grotowski's Teater Laboratorium. He was founder of one of the world's foremost physical theatre companies, Triple Action Theatre and in Canada he has directed at many prominent theatres including Theatre Passe Muraille, Premiere Dance Theatre and Buddies in Bad Times. His stage production of Dr. Faustus was the longest running tour in British stage history which was last seen in Toronto in 1997. His theatre work was the subject of four books during the 1970's.
Acting
Wanting to be in touch with the actors' process he decided at age 18 to learn how to act and has played principal or leading roles in 7 feature films and over 30 stage productions since that time.
Writing
He has over 40 produced works to his credit in all media. These include working as a B Writer for Paramount, freelance writing for NBC, several stage and feature film productions as well as one radio drama.
Teaching
He has lectured at 68 Universities and Institutes in Europe and North America executing experimental acting programs at many of them. He set up the Post Grad. Improvisation Program at York University in Toronto and also held a special course for the Communications Dept. at Northwestern and ran a project comparing human and primate communications at London Zoo. His workshop program "Leap In The Dark" was attended by over 10,000 actors around the world in the 1980's and most recently started his ACTRA accredited 'Edge' Series in Toronto and Regina have been attended by about 400 actors.
Other
He was co-founder of The Woman's Film Co-op and the Independent Theatre Council which is now Britain's main regulatory body for employment and safety standards in theatre. He also served on committees for the British Actors Equity Association and was instrumental in drafting and passing the Equity Co-op and the Equity C Touring agreements which facilitated the membership of over 2000 members who previously had been non-union working talent. Steven also ran several collaborations between Triple Action Theatre in the UK and Jerzy Grotowski's world reknowned Theatre Laboratorium in Poland.
Interests
He played for Bristol City Rugby Union, Boxed in the WABA semi-finals, broke the Western Junior Squat Record (lifting 480lbs) played at competition level Kendo, Judo and Fencing. Raced motorcycle combination for one season in the UK. Played competition Chess for Bristol City. Studied Chi Dance with Dr. Darwin Teng (Director of Cultural Studies - University of Shanghai). Has performed transpersonal field studies with five shamans in remote areas of the world concentrating on the mechanics of ‘literality' in performance and the anthropology of the performer. Computer Graphics, digital media and webcasts has also been a continuous process of learning and improvement for the past six years.
Philip Shepherd - Actor - Co-Producer
Since 1969 Philip Shepherd has worked as an actor, director, teacher and writer. His interest in world theatre has often taken him abroad. In his teens he traveled to India and Japan to study Kathakali and Noh respectively. In London, England he was a founding member of the Play Room and also performed with Tavistock Repertory Theatre. In New York he has performed with Linda Mussmann's Time and Space Limited Theatre, and also toured Switzerland and Poland with them. He trained intensively with director Ho Ying Fung, and took his one-man show, Shades, to Hong Kong. He also trained in Denmark with Eugenio Barba's company, and played the lead in Steven Rumbelow's Dr. Faustus in Chicago and Toronto. For the past fifteen years he has been a director of Toronto's Phyzikal Theatre, a company dedicated to the creation of shows that combine classic principles of theatre with avant-garde theatricality. His own playscripts have been performed in Canada, the USA and Hong Kong, and he has written for CBC television. He recently co-starred in Strange Justice, a feature film with Mandy Patinkin, Delroy Lindo and Lou Gossette Jr.
Anthony Valenti - Vice President Production Development
Anthony began his career in entertainment after a 10 year endeavor in the hotel business. Through the early nineties Anthony applied his personal vision of hospitality in a changing market and played an integral part in developing one of Canada's largest mid priced hotel chains. In a short five years he aided in the acquisition and development of 17 small to mid sized hotels across Southern Ontario.
Looking for a new challenge Anthony joined well known Toronto Jamaican Dance Hall Artist Mr. Flowers in developing the Flux Mobb Studio in Downtown Toronto. Flux Mobb Studio is a renown facility dedicated to the development of new Talent in the Reggae, Dancehall and Hip Hop genres. Working as a director and producer there, anthony started the Video division and produced, directed and edited several low budget music videos supporting the work of the Flux Mobb crew. Two of which were finalists in the Cravefest Music Video Awards and the Toronto Independent Artist Video Awards.
Taking an interest in feature film, anthony worked on several large productions in the finance and Production departments, including such titles as "Resident Evil The Apocalypse" and "16 Blocks". Working on over 15 feature films, MOW's and two Television series in a variety of production and finance roles, Anthony set his attention to developing feature films and is now producing two feature films with up and coming writer Scott Carter and Sad But True Films.
Anthony joined Renegade Motion Pictures during the filming of the upcoming "Autumn" in the role of Production Accountant and Editor.
As Vice President of Production Development, Anthony will Work with Investors, Distributors and Telefilm Canada, to develop the literary assets of the Renegade Library to the stage of production.
Anton Brejak - Producer
Anton began his career in entertainment by single handedly running the day to day operations of Background Players, a top three extras agency located in downtown Toronto. At the same time Anton was auditioning and earning roles in film and television in productions for The Discovery Channel, YTV, Animorphs Production Inc., and The Canadian Film Centre.
Brejak joined Renegade in 2003 beginning with the film Lost Souls. Anton's ambition and motivation propelled him from actor to associate producer to producer in record time. Anton remains an actor with the company as well as providing essential help behind the scenes.
He also volunteers and organizes charity events for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and The Sexually Abused Council of Canada, for which he has received numerous awards for his leadership skills and generosity to humanity. Anton continues his charity work by dressing up as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny at the McMaster Medical Centre for terminally ill children and brings smiles and laughs to every child he meets.
Rachel Rumbelow
Executive Assistant
A Graduate of University of Missouri - Kansas City Philosophy Department she has extensive experience in administration in the academic and corporate sectors. Rachel joined the company in 2005 as Mr. Rumbelow's Executive Assistant.
Gino Empry - PR
Gino Empry passed away 10/14/2006.
He was an entertainment icon, angel, an advisor, a mentor, a friend, a mover, a shaker, a crab and a sweetie all in one. Someone who worked with Steven Rumbelow since 1986 in various capacities including Public Relations, Personal Representation, Casting Director and Steering Committee Advisor on Renegade.
Steven Rumbelow has written a heartfelt goodbye to Gino titled "See You Later Gino".
Read Steven's goodbye here.
Gino was a rare jewel and a valued member of Renegade Motion Pictures. He will be sorely missed.
