Little
Odessa is 25-year-old James Gray's feature film debut. A native of New
York, Gray went to film school at the University of Southern California. There,
his student film, "Cowboys and Angels," a dramatic thriller, got him
an agent and the attention of producer Paul Webster, who encouraged him to write
a script which he could produce.
Gray wanted to tell a modern American story, and he decided to set his violent family drama in a mysterious milieu that has always intrigued him, the hermetically sealed, exotic community of Little Odessa in New York's Brighton Beach.
James Gray is of Russian Jewish descent and he clearly recalls the feeling of being suspended between two cultures -- the dark, mysterious Russian of his ancestry, built on secret loyalties and the community of family, and the new tough American street-reality, driven by the ethos of money and individualism.
Paul Webster knew he had discovered a real talent when he saw James Gray's student film in 1991; the result is their subsequent collaboration in Little Odessa.
The British-born Webster, who came to America nearly five years ago to produce the comedy "Drop Dead Fred" starring Rik Mayall and Phoebe Cates, has been involved in some of the most original independent films of recent years. He was executive producer on the political satire "Bob Roberts," starring and directed by Tim Robbins, and served as producer of the critically acclaimed "Romeo is Bleeding," starring Gary Oldman and Lena Olin, directed by Peter Medak.
Webster has produced films in a broad range of genres, from the horror movie "Dream Demon," the comedy "The Tall Guy" starring Jeff Goldblum and Emma Thompson, to the ultra-low budget comedy "Ruben and Ed" starring Crispin Glover and Karen Black.
Director of photography Tom Richmond's career stretches back through some of the most intriguing and original independent features of recent years, including "Killing Zoe," directed by Roger Avary, "A Midnight Clear," directed by Keith Gordon, "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka," "Life of a .45," and "Straight to Hell."
Production designer Kevin Thompson has an extensive background in film, television, commercial, and theatre design. His feature film work includes "Kids," directed by Larry Clark, "Party Girl," directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer, "Heading Home," directed by Maria Heredier; he was assistant to the production designer on "Naked in New York," directed by Dan Algrant.
Thompson was art director on the cable movie "Indecency," directed by Marisa Silver, and was the set designer for the Curious Theatre production "Yes, I Have Been To All Those Places." Thompson trained as an architect.
Dorian Harris' work as an editor encompasses a broad range of feature films and television. Feature work as editor includes "Fresh," directed by Boaz Yakim, "Watch It," directed by Tom Flynn, "The Caine Mutiny Court Marshall," directed by Robert Altman, and "Mortal Sins," directed by Yuri Sivo. Harris' work as an assistant editor includes "Rumble Fish," "The Cotton Club," and "Hammett," all directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Harris' television work includes HBO's "Tanner '88," directed by Robert Altman.
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