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JAKE

MICHAEL

GYLLENHAAL

PEA

END OF WATCH
a film by DAVID AYER

Production Notes
UK Release: 23 November 2012
Running Time: 108mins / Cert: 15
Images available at: studiocanal.co.uk/press & PicSelect.com
UK Press Contacts:
STUDIOCANAL
Asa M artin
asa.martin@studiocanal.co.uk
Neil Bhatt
neil.bhatt@studiocanal.co.uk
T : +44 (0)207 534 2700
www.studiocanal.co.uk
50 Marshall Street
London W1F 9BQ
UNITED KINGDOM

END OF WATCH Production Notes

SYNOPSIS
In their mission to abide by their oath to serve and protect, Officer Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and
Officer Mike Zavala (Michael Pea) have formed a powerful brotherhood to ensure they both go home at
the END OF WATCH. The only guarantee for these officers is that there are no guarantees when patrolling
the streets of South Central, Los Angeles.
Between the blue lights, blaring sirens and adrenaline pumping action thrives an honest and often
humorous banter between partners who spend most of their days in a police car awaiting the next call. The
officers have formed a bond that allows them to function as a unit in the face of danger, knowing full well,
at any moment, they could be called on to lay down their lives.
The vivid action unfolds entirely through footage of handheld cameras shot from the point of view of police
officers, gang members, surveillance cameras, dash cams, and citizens caught in the line of fire. This 360
perspective creates a riveting and immediate portrait of the citys darkest, most violent streets and back
alleys, and the brave men and women patrolling them.
Writer/Director/Producer David Ayer (TRAINING DAY) was driven to get the story of Los Angeles cops
right, and open a window into a rarely seen world of law enforcement for all its truth, grit and
compassion. Produced by John Lesher, Nigel Sinclair and Matt Jackson, with a cast headed by Jake
Gyllenhaal and Michael Pea, and featuring Anna Kendrick, America Ferrera, Cody Horn, Natalie
Martinez, and Frank Grillo, END OF WATCH is a powerful story of family, friendship, love, honor and
courage.

END OF WATCH Production Notes

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION


When an officer finishes his shift, hes got this log book and makes log entriesCode Six here, stopped
this guy, detained this suspect... The last thing they write is EOW and the time. Veteran officers will tell
you theres pretty much one thing youve got to do every shift, and thats EOW end of watch, and go
home. If you dont go home, thats also called an end of watch. - David Ayer
Growing up on the streets of South Central Los Angeles, life could have turned out very differently for
writer/director David Ayer. He saw a neighborhood ripped apart by gang violence. Instead of contributing
to it, Ayer began channeling those experiences into stories while serving in the U.S. Navy. His stories
began to take shape and eventually formed screenplays such as the acclaimed film, Training Day.
To go from Training Day to End of Watch is in a lot of ways, to complete a circle, says Ayer.
Something about writing cops is easy for me. I have the I-can-write-about-cops gene.
With a string of cop films following Training Day, including S.W.A.T. and Street Kings, Ayer was
concerned with typecasting in Hollywood and began to avoid the genre for some time. It was pretty clear
that I was headed down a certain road here, said Ayer. But one of my mentors (acclaimed screenwriter
Wesley Strick) in the business told me to find my niche and exploit it. So thats when I said, I know this
Ive got to get back to this.
But this time, Ayer would take a much different approach. Being friends with many men in law
enforcement, he was looking to tell their story. While his previous works centered on gangster cops or
corrupt cops, this script would center on what the real job was like.
The thing about the cop genre we havent seen what they really do at work, says Ayer. Weve seen
what Hollywood thinks they do. Weve seen every other cop movie where you gotta have the scene
where two cops argue about jurisdiction.
In past interviews, Ayer himself has said stories about corrupt officers are the most interesting subjects for
cop films. END OF WATCH has made him rethink those earlier sentiments. Ive finally proved to myself
thats not true, said Ayer. And I think I proved to other people, that thats not true. For Ayer, the danger
of everyday police work, coupled with having to go home and have a normal relationship with your
significant other, was his way in.

END OF WATCH Production Notes

These guys see mayhem and carnage and are faced with incredible psychologically destructive situations,
and then they have to go home and put work into a relationship, says Ayer. Somebody who can do that
successfully to me is a fascinating person.
Ayers re-entry into the Los Angeles cop genre was his script for END OF WATCH, which he wrote in six
days. Ayer brought forward all of the skills he learned over the years to tell a very traditional story one
that had not been fully told before. I wanted to capture the story of guys that go out there, work hard, do
their job, and are fundamentally good people, said Ayer. What weve been trained to expect from a cop
film is not going to be met in this movie. Its the reality of it. Its the boredom of it. Its how people
connect, how cops connect to each other. So this is really about being let into a secret world.
Ayers approach to take all of the clichs of cop films and upend them, attracted producer, John Lesher to
the project. What I thought was really special about Ayers script was that it wasnt a typical cop film, or a
corrupt cop movie, said Lesher. It was really the story of two best friends and what they go through on
the police force. The film has its action and violence, but its ultimately a story about friendship, family and
those universal themes that resonate with everyone.
Producers Nigel Sinclair and Matt Jackson were both drawn to the film after reading the script and reached
out to Lesher to meet and discuss the project. Sinclair and Jackson signed on the make the film, without
really knowing who the cast was, which was rare for an independent finance company. We called Lesher
back the next day after our meeting and said wed make the film. Within 24 hours thereafter Gyllenhaal
who had had read the script unbeknownst to us, committed to the film overnight, said Sinclair. That was
a fortunate twist of fate .
Nigel and I were passionate about realizing the script from the pages, and discovering David Ayers vision
and why this film was unusual, said Jackson. David was telling a story that was more about the
camaraderie between two officers and points of view that capture an inside, visceral and exciting
perspective.
This film isnt really about two copsits about two guys who to go to work, put on a police uniform and
they become those people that we all see on the street, said Sinclair. And in South Central Los Angeles,
they are confronted with terrifying and dangerous situations sometimes for a defining part of their day. So
in the film you see these young men at work and in their family settings, and its that contrast which gives
the movie its power.

END OF WATCH Production Notes

As the police technical advisor on the film and a former fifteen year veteran of the LAPD, Jaime
FitzSimons appreciated Ayers quest to tell an accurate story. I think the way this film is being shot and
the way David has written itboth police officers and people in the community are going to see it and
think, Finally, said FitzSimons. Finally, somebody has shown both sides of the equation of what its
like to live in a community like this and what its like for two officers that are best friends to police a
community like this. Ayer really gets into the significance of their partnership, and what it means for their
loved ones and families, touching on all aspects of two police officers lives.
The action of END OF WATCH unfolds like a documentary. Ayer developed the film to be extremely
visceral with the viewer right in the middle of every scene. I was really going after true point-of-view,
said Ayer. I wanted it to be like watching YouTubewhere something in your mind tells you this is real.
This film is like YouTube meets Training Day in a lot of ways. Throughout filming, Ayer continually
sequenced each shot so the audience is immersed deep within this world. For Ayer, END OF WATCH
combined top-notch production values with the real and visceral sense of YouTube.
I was attracted to Ayers ambition to give a truly authentic look at what it is like to be on the police force,
said Lesher. His filmmaking techniques felt organic and like something we havent really seen before.
From the relationship of the officers, to real-life locations to the extensive camera angles, authenticity was
essential to the success of END OF WATCH. To make the action more immediate and immerse the viewer
more fully, cameras filmed virtually 360 of the action. At any given time, there were four cameras rolling,
including two cameras specially mounted to actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pea to underscore the
realism of the scene. (Gyllenhaals character is taking a film course as part of his pre-law studies, and
cameras are visible and organically woven into the storyline.)
People are going to feel like they are working alongside Brian Taylor and Mike Zavala, said technical
advisor, Jaime FitzSimons. They are going to feel like they are going for the ride in the police aspect of
this, in the partnership, and their outside relationships.
The story begins with a heart-pumping car chase as Officer Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Officer
Mike Zavala (Michael Pea) are racing through the backstreets of the Newton jurisdiction of South Central
Los Angeles attempting to catch a car full of gang-bangers, as a dash cam from Taylor and Zavalas squad
car captures every twist and turn of the chase. It ends in a barrage of bullets one catches Taylors Kevlar
vest just another hazard of the job.

END OF WATCH Production Notes

With each new dispatch comes uncertainty, a new set of challenges and an enormous rush for the two
young officers: a local troublemaker has an altercation with a mailman; a crack head loses her babies and
Taylor and Zavala find them duct-taped in a closet; they catch a Mexican Cowboy with a truck full of
weapons and cash; they heroically save children from a burning building; they uncover a safe house for
human trafficking; and a routine check of an elderly womans home leads to a large narcotics seizure. At
the end of every shift they mark down EOW on their log and head home.
A longtime player in the personal relationship department, Officer Taylor is now falling in love with the
radiant Janet (Anna Kendrick) and Officer Zavala welcomes his first child into the world with his wife,
Gabby, (Natalie Martinez). As they await their next call, the two men converse candidly about the risks of
the job, and the rush and fear that comes with the territory. This is juxtaposed with relatable conversations
about the women in their lives, and tender moments about their hopes for their families.
On the other side of the law, we are introduced to shadowy figures from the Sinaloa Drug Cartel and an LA
street gang with names straight out of a graphic novel: Big Evil, Wicked, La La and Demon, among
countless other hoodrats and homies. As the gang-bangers maneuver their way through the Southland,
personal video cameras intimately capture them nihilistically wreaking havoc on the neighborhood.
Technology has certainly changed police work. Its absolutely normal now for cops to carry around video
cameras, microphones, tape recorders, said FitzSimons. You see it on the gang side as well. Just look at
YouTube. Gangs videotape everything now.
THE OFFICERS
We stand watch together, a thin blue line, protecting the prey from the predators. The good from the bad.
We are the police.
You can go and make a very technically proficient film and shoot it beautifully, but if you dont have the
right actors, you dont have the heart of the movie, said Ayer. We have our hands on really gifted actors
who are willing to truly go the distance for the film.
Jake Gyllenhaal was the first actor to join the cast of END OF WATCH. Regarding Ayers script
Gyllenhaal says, Initially I was excited by how quickly the pages turned. But beyond that, theres a classic
story structure to this movie, hidden beneath a radical and fascinating type of storytelling that we havent
seen before.

END OF WATCH Production Notes

Gyllenhaal, who also served as an executive producer on the film, was deeply committed to the project for
five months where he underwent extensive police training and preparation for the role. Jakes an
incredible actor, so unbelievably committed, said Lesher. Hes tough. Hes vulnerable when he needs to
be. He really stepped up his game for this film. Hes been the captain of the acting team, getting everyone
on board and extensively rehearsing with this cast. Hes also a great partner as a producer, giving it 150
percent. He has incredible access to different people and things.
After I read the script, I had a strong instinct that Ayer had just raised the stakes to the highest level for
this genre. I began thinking why hadnt anyone else ever made a film like this before, said Gyllenhaal.
Its a fine line between whether youre going to be able to transpose a script that reads like a YouTube
clip, into afulfilling cinematic experience. And Ayer does.
Michael Pea was brought on shortly following Gyllenhaal after Ayer and the producers had read several
other actors for the role. Wed always admired Michaels work, said Lesher. And we read him a few
times, until we saw him in Lincoln Lawyer and were just sold on his performance.
Jake and Michael really both set out to walk the walk and talk the talk, said Sinclair. And when you see
the movie they are completely credible. Throughout filming, they developed a close relationship which also
had an element of competition which they deliberately played to. They both brought so much to their roles,
that when you see them together on screen, you feel like Jakes stealing the movie, then Michaels stealing
the movieand that goes back and forth.
With the two of them, it was one of those rare situations, where we were lucky to have both Jake and
Michael so early in the process that they were available to do all of the tactical training and ride-alongs to
immerse themselves in the culture, said Jackson. We didnt have to incentivize themit was a testament
to David and his script and his vision, that we attracted the level cast that we did.
End of Watch doesnt exist without the bond between Officers Taylor and Zavalaand when you read the
script, you immediately feel that the story wouldnt work nor would it move forward without that bond.
That is what sets this movie apart from this genre as well. This is a story about real friendship, said
Gyllenhaal. Mikes my other half, and hes extraordinary in the role. Ive been in films where my
character drives the whole movie, and is required to carry every scene. This is film is different. Were two
pieces of a whole. This doesnt work without either one of us.
Pea also found himself attracted to Ayers script which was not the typical narrative piece. The story of
the two partners affected Pea and really inspired him to want to be a part of the film. The brotherhood

END OF WATCH Production Notes

aspect of it, how real it is, just hit me in the heart, said Pea. Certain action scenes were very exciting to
read. But then there were also the scenes where the two characters are just talking, and those were just as
interesting the same way a David Mamet play is.
Pea understood that playing best friends in a movie wouldnt be easy. Its pretty hard because youve got
to be like brothers, said Pea. You need to get in this comfort zone that you cant just make up. You
actually have to have it.
The two actors spent five months together undergoing extensive police, tactical and fight training, and
police ride-alongs. Gyllenhaal and Pea built a trust through this rare experience. The duo spent numerous
hours bonding and rehearsing so they would know each other deeply. Ayer pushed them relentlessly.
Jake and Michael have given me more time than they probably have for any other movie in their careers,
said Ayer. I had them for five months and over those months you begin to believe in the friendship and
that these guys have been working together as a police unit. They really are the movie.
It was over those months of prepping for the film that Gyllenhaal and Pea formed a real friendship that
made their onscreen chemistry seem effortless. All the things that you go through in becoming friends
with somebody, really good friends with somebodythat happened over five months, said Gyllenhaal.
The trust that it took for us to get through training with firearms, riding in the back of a police cruiser for
hours on end, for months- made us understand what its like to put our lives into each others hands. And so
eventually the friendship just became true.
Anna Kendrick, who portrays Taylors love interest in the film, noticed the natural camaraderie right away:
They're just so great because it really feels like that's one of those moments where the line between reality
and the movie gets blurred. At some points, I'm not sure if it's Taylor and Zavala or if it's Jake and Michael
talking.
As characters, Officer Brian Taylor and Officer Mike Zavala are very different people. They grew up in
two different worlds and come together as partners in the police force to form this symbiotic unit that
functions to not only protect others, but themselves as well. Gyllenhaals character Brian Taylor comes
from a wealthy family in Davenport, Iowa. He joined the Marines to rebel against his parents and later
decided to come to LA and become a cop where he meets Zavala at the Police Academy. Zavala comes
from the streets of East LA, was an amateur boxer, who got married to his high school sweetheart, Gabby,
at 18.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 10

Brian Taylor is a guy who grew up in a cold, dry household, says Ayer. He meets Zavala with this
rich family life, and boisterous world, and its full of love, food and good people. And Taylor is
immediately drawn to it.
These guys are partners and best friends in each others lives, said Pea. When I first read the script, I
saw a universal story of two people that are completely different who end up becoming brothers. And a lot
of times that happens in the armed forces, and police work because of the nature of the job.
These are two partners who would give their lives for each other, said Gyllenhaal. It is that simple. And
the irony is that theyve found a brotherhood in the most dangerous of places, in a place where that
brotherhood is threatened on a daily basis and can be lost at any time.
As FitzSimons explains, what happens on screen, mirrors the common bonds often seen in the real police
force: When youre close like Officers Taylor and Zavala, you probably spend more time with each other
than you do your own wife. Its that tight of a bond. No matter what, you make sure your partner goes
home at the end of watch.

XT./INT. SOUTH CENTRAL L.A./COP CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT


It's 2 A.M. on one of those rare quiet nights. Zavala driving as usual.
Taylor does books. Enters plates in the computer.
TAYLOR
Things are getting super serious with Janet.
ZAVALA
You just found out? That in the paper today or
something? Homegirl owns your ass.
TAYLOR
She wants to move in. She's always over.
Why spend the money on two apartments?
ZAVALA
It ain't about money, dude.
TAYLOR
Her parents are very traditional. They will go ballistic
if she does. But at least we can tell them we're engaged.
ZAVALA
Yo. Hold up. Don't play with that.
You don't ask some broad to marry you 'cause
her folks are old school. Think about this shit.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 11

Then think about it again. You're chill.


You're not a partier. But marriage is forever.
That's making a promise before God.
TAYLOR
...I know... (then) I'm scared shitless.
ZAVALA
My grandma who's like deep, dude.
She's like seen it all. Okay. When me and Gabby
got engaged she asked me one thing. Wanna hear it?
TAYLOR
Let's hear it.
ZAVALA
She asked me if I could live
without her. And if the answer was yes
to forget her.
TAYLOR
Wow.
ZAVALA
Right, dude? That's some deep ass
shit. Think about it.

Then:

TAYLOR
I am.
TAYLOR (CONTD)
Make a right. We got a fire.
********

Two characters constantly present throughout the film even when they are not on screen, are Janet (Anna
Kendrick) and Gabby (Natalie Martinez), the significant others of Officers Taylor and Zavala. Putting
aside the extraordinary pressures associated with their day jobs, the two men are also dealing with the very
ordinary problems of their relationships. Gyllenhaals character is at a point in his life where he is ready to
settle down, and he meets in Janet, a smart and sexy woman, who is different than the women (i.e., cop
groupies) of his past. Janet is a student and they meet during Officer Taylors extended studies. For the role
of Janet, director David Ayer turned to Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air, The Twilight Films).
Annas brilliant shes alive and interesting in every take, says Ayer. She's this great counterpoint to
Jake, who's a smart guy, unto himself. She keeps him on his toes and has a very sympathetic but almost
comedic quality about her, very endearing and light. And there's some hardcore stuff in this movie, so, any

END OF WATCH Production Notes 12

opportunity to show a little bit of heart and a little bit of love, and a little bit of light and tenderness, is
very welcome.
Janet really doesnt know the world shes gotten into, says Kendrick. She has to adjust to this kind of
brotherhood, and have a relationship in this tight knit world. Im not sure if she would have gone out with
him if hed been in uniform the first time they met. I think that would have freaked her out a bit.
As the saying goes, he loves her so much it hurts, says Gyllenhaal. Anna is loving and sexy in a way
you that youve never seen her before. The character of Janet for Brian Taylor represents this peace hes
never had in his life.
Brian's a smart guy. Janet's a smart girl. And I think they are both damaged in a way that they don't like
to show other people, says Kendrick. But they feel brave enough to show each other and that kind of
honesty just goes a long way for them. Its this kind of understanding of another person's neuroses and
fearsforgiveness of someone's past is a huge thing.
As the film progresses, so does the relationship between Janet and Officer Taylor, and the film marks time
through their relationship milestones. They meet for coffee at Starbucks; they continue to date; it quickly
progresses and she meets Zavala and his wife Gabby; theres a tender night at his place, where Kendricks
character picks up the video camera in the early morning and shares her feelings for him; later in the film,
theres a joyous wedding reception, where the bride and groom begins to slow dance and it quickly turns
into a surprise where, like many popular viral videos, they break out into a funky choreographed dance.
As the relationship unfolds between Officer Taylor and Janet, an interesting dynamic occurs within the
relationship of Taylor and Zavala. Zavala, whos been with the same woman since high school, begins to
school Taylor on love in a very brotherly fashion. He wants to see his brother happy and loved as he is with
Gabby.
For Gabby, Ayer cast Natalie Martinez (Death Race, Detroit 1-8-7). Natalie is just fantastic, said Ayer. I
always saw Gabby as really strongshe clearly has a deep love for him, but wears the pants in the house. I
love the idea that here is this tough street cop, and he's running around shooting bad guys and hopping
fences, and he goes home and he's like, Yes, dear. He's going along. Which is exactly how they feel
together.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 13

Natalies got this amazing energy, says Pea. She is easy to love. Our characters have known each
other most of their lives, and Natalie and I hung out a lot to create that comfortable factor which is so
necessary for their relationship.
The Zavalas relationship dates back to high school sweethearts. He studied to be a police officer and, and
she, a teacher. They wanted to create a life, and just be a family, says Martinez. The character of Gabby
is six months pregnant throughout the film and then as the story progresses has the baby and with that
brings added anxieties based on her husbands profession.
I think that's probably one of the scariest things about being the wife of a cop the fact that you don't
know when they're coming home, says Martinez. And on top of that, when they come home in a certain
mood, you have to welcome them into a loving home and, and take your husband away from the world
thats out there. And when they leave again, youve got to know this might be the last time that you say
bye.
********
To underscore the brotherhood of the police force, Ayer brought together a team of acclaimed actors to
play the diverse lineup of veteran officers. One of the biggest revelations in the film comes in Officer
Orozco played by America Ferrera. Ferrera, who is perhaps best known for her acclaimed turn on the hit
TV series, Ugly Betty, makes a complete transformation in this role playing one of the toughest cops in
the Newton District.
David Ayer recalls: And then you have Orozco, played by America Ferrera. When she came in, I assumed,
Okay, she wants to play Gabby. And then she drops this bomb, Hey. I want to play Orozco. It's like,
What? Orozco was this little part, but it became a big part because she saw an ability to transform herself
and connect with this role.
What struck me about this script was how much I felt Ayer loved each and every character that he wrote,
said Ferrera. Every rolebig, small, one line, no linesmattered to him. He really loved each character
and put a lot of thought into all of them.
Ayer continues: She's that bad-ass cop. The woman doesn't matter. The size doesn't matter. Because on
the streets, she's all fight, and you want her backing your calls.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 14

What attracted me to this role was that she was a character who kind of managed to pull herself up and
out of the situation but then chose to, on a daily basis, confront the situation that she managed to get herself
out of, and to not just run the other waythe way so many others might, offers Ferrera.
One of the many and most interesting dynamics at play in END OF WATCH, is when Orozco encounters
Hispanic gang-members, who see her commitment to protect and serve as a betrayal. Orozco is from these
very streets they are patrolling.
For the audience, theres a bit of a voyeurism aspect to it, and you sort of feel like youre watching
something youre not supposed to see, says Ferrera. It really adds to the energy and the kind of daring
world these characters live in.
Orozco and Officer Davis (Cody Horn) are a female cop team who must survive in what is still considered
a mans world. Their energies clash often between the more aggressive Officers Taylor and Zavala.
Offered Ferrera: It was really exciting to hear in some of the ride-alongs that we did to hear a male cop
say, females were some of the best partners they had. And there were females they would pick over any
male. Its not about being a man or womana good cop is a good cop. Its about having the instinct to be
a good police officer.
The goal for producers Ayer, Jackson, Lesher, Sinclair and Gyllenhaal was to just try to find actors who are
really strong who can elevate scenes and bring enormous depth to characters in just a scene or two. One of
those actors is David Harbour, who plays the salty longtime veteran of the force, Officer Van Hauser
who has been broken by too many years in the force. Van Hauser resents Officers Taylor and Zavala for
their youth and energy they bring to their jobs. Van Hauser has particular disdain for Officer Taylors video
project.
You sort of have the older, bitter guys who have been beaten down by the system, and isn't quite the true
believer in the mission anymore, said Ayer. And that's David Harbour, who's fantastic, playing this
character, Van Hauser, who Jake and Mike love to tease and love to screw with.
Hes sort of this harbinger of doom, says Harbour. Hes been on the force for awhile, has a lot of
alimony to pay, hates his job and feels like he got fucked over by the department. A lot of his actions are
born out of self-hatred, because he sees a younger version of himself in Jakes character.
Like many of the actors, Harbour went through extensive police training to prepare for the role.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 15

I've never really seen situations from the police perspective, but after going through this training, I have
a whole new level of respect for the amount of split second decisions that these men and women have to
make, and that can cost people their lives, said Harbour.
Equally challenging for Harbour was acting with multiple cameras, many directly attached to the actors
hes playing the scene with. You really have to think a little differently about how youre going to reveal
things, offered Harbor. The whole process has been very geared towards authenticity, and that's reflected
in our training, and it's reflected in the camera work, and in the script and everything. David's a real stickler
for authenticity.
Actor Frank Grillo (The Grey) agrees: In this film, I think you get a genuine sense of what this job really
is and how much these guys have to deal with on a daily basishow dangerous it is. And I think the level
of authenticity in this film will show moviegoers how much these guys put themselves in danger day in and
day out.
Grillo plays Sarge a good cop whos now the commanding officer for Gyllenhaal and Peas characters.
Sarge loves these kids, says Grillo. He loves them because they are hunters. They go out looking for it.
A lot of cops dont do that.
At the same time Sarge needs to make certain there is a symbiosis in the department, and he defends the
veteran Van Hauser, out of his years of service to the force.
Frank is an actors actor, someone other actors get excited to work with, offers Ayer. Every family has
the big brother, and Sarge is the big brother that gives you the wedgie and rubs your head and beats you
up and takes your lunch money. He's the tough big brother. He's tough love.
Beyond the professional actors, real life LA City Councilmen Eric Garcetti was invited by Gyllenhaal to
play the Mayor in a crucial scene in the film, where a medal of valor award is presented. For Garcetti, the
experience echoed his work in public office.
The depiction of this awards ceremony is spot on, said Garcetti. Its like my day job, but with more
lights and a better microphone.
His day on set reminded him of the real courage by the men and women in dress blues.
The medal of valor awards are among the most moving ceremonies Ive been to in my life, said Garcetti.
When you hear about these acts of heroism, it brings tears to your eyes. These people get shot, they

END OF WATCH Production Notes 16

barely escape from burning buildings, and they dont question their call of duty. They know theyre
there to protect us, and were a better city because of it.
********
THE SOUTHLAND
I understand that factors in your life have created an easy justification for your actions. Poverty, lack of
education, drug abuse, emotional and physical abuse may have conspired to rob you of the ability to obey
the law. But many other people have endured and transcended much worse circumstances than the ones
which have shaped your life. Yet you have made bad decisions.
The filming for END OF WATCH took place right around the Newton Police Station, which is one of the
most crime-ridden violent neighborhoods in the country, and while the filmmakers had a terrific experience
during the shoot, these streets, this neighborhood, with their torn history, are as much a character as they
are a location.
David always wanted to shoot in Los Angeles, and it was clear to us that we had to, in order to capture the
authenticity of the film, said Sinclair. Because David has a lot of good relationships in the LAPD, we
were given a lot of help, counsel and advice on integrity to make everything felt very authentic.
We had a location manager who had shot with David before, said Jackson. And we shot in a lot of gang
affiliated neighborhoods, which on Davids part, took a lot of social engineering to be able to get us in
there. We really got access to so much that you typically wouldnt get access to, and that was because of
David. He was very clear in our production meeting, that we were visitors, and that we have to make sure
we treat everyone in these neighborhoods with respectfrom the people to the LAPD.
Officers Taylor and Zavala are working an area of LA called Newton. And the city of Los Angeles is
divided into several patrol areas by the LAPD. And Newton is one of the most gang-ridden, violent patrol
areas of the Los Angeles Police Department. They led the city in murders. They lead the city in serious
felonies. There are approximately 50 different street gangs, in Newton. In other parts of the city, large
swathes of territory will be controlled by one gang, in Newton, a fence running down the middle of the
block will be the dividing line between two street gangs that have a historical feud for years. The cops who
work the Newton District there tend to stay there, because it takes a certain kind of person to thrive in that
environment.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 17

Its volatile, Ayer recalls of his former neighborhood. There's not a lot of film crews coming down
here, so we're a novelty. Wed be welcome on one block, and not so welcome on another block as far as
the practical shooting matter there.
Outside of some, of what Ayer describes as looky-loos the production did not encounter any problems in
South Central, where the action on screen was reminiscent to much of the citys tragic history.
Actress Yahira Garcia who plays La La knows this full well. "Growing up in South Central LA, says
Garcia. I grew up around gangs, and my home boys were gang banging. I had a lot of friends that got
killed, and I almost got killed a few times. Nobody can really escape it. Its all around you."
In the film, La La is a part of a gang led by Big Evil (Maurice Compte), and Demon (Richard
Cabral), what makes them particularly dangerous is their ties to the Sinaola Drug Cartel. Despite her
violent actions, Garcia has empathy for her character.
She obviously had a lot of things happen in her life that turned her into the type of person she is. La Las
not a bad person but she just has to survive, because its pretty much do or die in the streets of LA. Her
defense mode is always on."
Like Garcia, Richard Cabral grew up in East LA in generations of gangs," and started getting arrested at
the age of thirteen, and eventually fought off a life sentence for a gang related shooting, which led to a shot
of redemption. He turned his life around and is learning the craft of acting.
A lot of people might think being a gang member meant I didn't really have to do a lot of work to become
this character, said Cabral. But it really was a lot of work because there are four of us. Evil, La-la and
Wicked. We had to establish that camaraderie we really had to build that relationship with each other.
And Demon, he's not the head of the gang. Big Evil is the main guy. So he has to be humble at times and
to get into that character, I had to do a lot of work, smiled Cabral.
Shondrella Avery, who also grew up in South Central, gives a heartbreaking turn as a crack-addicted
mother, Bonita. She had seen the character in mothers around the hood it was easy to draw on. She
knows the good that exists in South Central.
"The good of South Central is that people like myself, can come out of it, and come back and tell you, that
not every home is riddled with bullets, and not every home is riddled with crack addicts, and drug
addiction, and gang bangers, says Avery. There are some really civil wonderful people that just have had
to land in this community, for financial reasons or whatever."

END OF WATCH Production Notes 18

********
From the films early stages of development, Jaime FitzSimons has been by Ayers side advising.
FitzSimons spent 15 years with the Los Angeles police department patrolling many of the same streets seen
in the film. Jaimes been a godsend to this project, said Ayer. Ive known him for a long time and hes
trusted me with his stories. A lot of the moments hes lived are in this movie and he completely opened
himself up to us.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pea would go through extensive training with Jaime FitzSimons to prepare
for their roles and build a relationship as partners that would carry through to camera. (America Ferrera,
Frank Grillo, Cody Horn, and David Harbour all also received tactical training from FitzSimons.)
The tactical training included training with live ammo, police ride alongs, and even were part of a
controlled burn by fire officials in Orange County. FitzSimons was on set everyday and was one of several
advisors on the film providing tactical training to the actors. The LA Sheriffs Department and police
departments in LA and Inglewood also assisted Gyllenhaal and Pea in their preparation.
Gyllenhaal benefited from the emotional advice from FitzSimons as much as the technical advice. He was
with us at every moment, said Gyllenhaal. On a daily basis, I would ask him to transfer the situations
hes been through in his life to me everything from the horrible to the extraordinary. And from that, I
garnered why partners become partners, why they stay partners, and why they would lay down their lives
for one another.
For FitzSimons the accuracy of the film was troubling for him to come to terms with at times. Many of the
stories are personal stories of mine, said FitzSimons. So a typical day in what you see through this film,
was a typical day for us. Theres definitely a lot of me and my partner in the characters of Officers Taylor
and Zavala. There was a lot to draw on there.
Gyllenhaal concludes, Its about a brotherhood here.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 19

CAST BIOS
JAKE GYLLENHAAL (Officer Taylor / Executive Producer)
Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal won a BAFTA and National Board of Review award for his
poignant performance as 'Jack Twist' in Ang Lee's timeless classic Brokeback Mountain. Gyllenhaal was
last seen starring in Duncan Jones' critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller Source Code and Ed Zwicks Love and
Other Drugs, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a
Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.
Working with some of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers, Gyllenhaal has also starred in Richard Kelly's cult
hit Donnie Darko, Jim Sheridan's Brothers, David Fincher's Zodiac, Sam Mendes' Jarhead, John Madden's
Proof, Miguel Arteta's The Good Girl, Brad Silberling's Moonlight Mile, Nicole Holofcener's Lovely and
Amazing, and Joe Johnston's October Sky.
Next, Gyllenhaal will be making his U.S. stage debut starring in If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet for the
Roundabout Theatre Company. This will be his first theatre performance since 2002 in which he starred in
Kenneth Lonergans revival of This is Our Youth, on Londons West End. For his performance he won an
Evening Standard Theater Award for Outstanding Newcomer. He just wrapped production on Denis
Villeneuves new independent film An Enemy.
MICHAEL PEA (Officer Zavala)
MICHAEL PEA has distinguished himself in Hollywood as an actor with a wide range of performances
who has worked with an impressive roster of award winning directors. Pea earned notable recognition for
his performance in Paul Haggis provocative Oscar winning film Crash, alongside Don Cheadle, Matt
Dillon and Terrence Howard. Critically acclaimed for the films interpretation of complex race relations in
contemporary America, Pea has garnered multiple best ensemble nominations for his role as Daniel the
locksmith winning awards from the Screen Actors Guild and the Broadcast Film Critics Association for
the casts performance.
Pea was most recently seen in the Sony Pictures comedy 30 Minutes or Less starring Jesse Eisenberg and
Danny McBride. He also stared alongside Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy in the Brett Ratner action film
Tower Heist. In September 2012, you can see Pea in Gangster Squad opposite Sean Penn, Josh Brolin
and Ryan Gosling. The film is set in the 50's and chronicles the LAPD's fight to keep the East Coast Mafia
out of Los Angeles. Pea also has a starring role in End of Watch, which centers on the longtime friendship

END OF WATCH Production Notes 20

of two cops. He will star opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. Pea just wrapped Chavez for director Diego Luna,
where Pea will portray the labor organizer, Cesar Chavez
Pea has worked on a range of films in the past year, including the independent film Everything Must Go
alongside Will Ferrell and Rebecca Hall; the dark comedy indie feature, The Good Doctor, starring Orlando
Bloom and most recently in the action film Battle: Los Angeles which he was nominated for a 2011 ALMA
award.
Peas film credits include The Lucky Ones, co-starring Rachel McAdams and Tim Robbins; Jody Hills
comedy Observe and Report with Seth Rogen; Robert Redfords political drama Lions for Lambs, along
with Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep; and Werner Herzog and David Lynchs psychological thriller My Son,
My Son, What Have Ye Done with Michael Shannon, Willem Dafoe and Chloe Sevigny.
Peas other noteworthy credits consist of Oliver Stones World Trade Center, which chronicled the
heroism of American servicemen in the direct aftermath of the September 11th attacks; Clint Eastwoods
Million Dollar Baby; Matthew Ryan Hoges The United States of Leland; Gregor Jordans Buffalo Soldiers;
Antoine Fuquas Shooter; and Alejandro Gonzlez Irritus Babel.
On television, Pea also starred in the HBO film Walkout. Based on the true story of a young Mexican
American high school teacher who helped stage a massive student walkout in the mid-1960s, Pena received
an Imagen Award for Best Actor in the television category for his performance. He recently re-teamed
with Danny McBride on the second season of HBOs Eastbound and Down." He also appeared on the
F/X drama The Shield for its fourth season as one of the central leads opposite Glenn Close and Anthony
Anderson. Other television credits include Steven Spielbergs NBC series Semper Fi.
Raised in Chicago, Pea began acting when he beat out hundreds of others in an open call for a role in
Peter Bogdonovichs To Sir, With Love 2, starring Sidney Poitier.
AMERICA FERRERA (Officer Orozco)
America Ferrera is perhaps best known for her fearless portrayal of 'Betty Suarez' on ABC's hit comedy
Ugly Betty. This breakthrough role has earned Ferrera an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild
Award, as well as both ALMA and Imagen Awards.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 21

Ferrera secured her place as one of Hollywood's most vibrant young talents with her starring role in the
Patricia Cardoso film Real Women Have Curves. Her performance earned her a Sundance Jury Award for
Best Actress, an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Debut Performance, and a Young Artist
Award nomination for Best Performance for a Leading Young Actress.
Ferrera well next star in Todd Bergers, Its a Disaster, opposite Julia Stiles and David Cross. The film will
have its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival. She will also soon be seen as Helen Chavez in
Diego Lunas film, Chavez, about famed civil rights activist Cesar Chavez. She will star opposite Michael
Pea and Rosario Dawson.
Recently, Ferrera starred as Roxie Hart in the West End production of the hit musical Chicago for
an eight week run that started last November. Ferrera was also recently seen in a recurring role on the
second season of the CBS hit series The Good Wife, in which she played an illegal nanny and object of
Elis (Alan Cumming) affection.
Ferrera was last seen in Ryan Piers Williams' The Dry Land opposite Melissa Leo and Jason Ritter. She
also executive produced the film, which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and won "Best
International Film" at the 2010 Edinburgh Film Festival. The film was released by Maya Entertainment.
Other feature film work includes Fox Searchlights Our Family Wedding, Dreamworks How To Train
Your Dragon and Warner Bros' The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, the sequel to the 2005
original. She also starred in the bilingual independent film Towards Darkness, which she executive
produced, and Fox Searchlights independent film Under the Same Moon.
Additional credits include the Brian Jun film Steel City, Catherine Hardwicke's Lords of Dogtown, and the
2005 Sundance Film Festival entry How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer. Ferrera also appeared offBroadway in Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, directed by Trip Cullman.
ANNA KENDRICK (Janet)
Anna Kendrick is currently filming Dylan Kidd's Get a Job, a comedy in which she stars opposite Bryan
Cranston. Kendrick recently starred in Summit Entertainments dramatic comedy 50/50 with Seth Rogen
and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The film received rave reviews from fans and critics alike and several award
nominations. The young starlet has a slew of other new projects lined up including voicing a character for
the Focus animated feature Paranorman which will open August 17th, as well as starring in Lionsgates

END OF WATCH Production Notes 22

apocalyptic comedy Rapturepalooza. Kendrick can also be seen starring in the ensemble romantic
comedy What to Expect When Youre Expecting based on the bestselling book series. Kendrick recently
completed filming Robert Redfords The Company You Keep and Pitch Perfect for Universal.
In 2010, Kendrick starred opposite George Clooney and Jason Bateman in the lauded film Up in the Air,
directed by Jason Reitman. Kendrick earned a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination
and was honored as Best Supporting Actress by The National Board of Review and Best Breakout Star
at the MTV Movie Awards. She also earned nominations from the Critics Choice Movie Awards, the
Golden Globes, BAFTA and the Screen Actors Guild.
Kendrick was seen in the action packed, genre-bending film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, opposite Michael
Cera. She was also seen in the blockbuster Twilight and sequels New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn
Part 1. Kendrick also notably starred in Picture Houses Rocket Science, directed by Jeffrey Blitz. Her
performance as an ultra-competitive high school debate team member garnered critical acclaim and the film
received a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. For her work in the
film, Kendrick was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Kendrick made her feature film debut in director Todd Graffs Camp, a darling of the 2003 Sundance Film
Festival. Her performance in the cult hit earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination, as well as a
Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Annual Chlotrudis Awards.
An accomplished theater veteran, Kendrick began her career as Dinah Lord in the 1997 Broadway musical
production of High Society, for which she received a Tony Award Nomination as Best Featured Actress in
a Musical. At 12 years old, the honor made her the second youngest Tony nominee in award history.
Kendrick also garnered Drama League and Theatre World awards as well as Drama Desk and FANY award
nominations.
Kendricks additional theater work includes a featured role with the New York City Operas production of
A Little Night Music, starring Jeremy Irons, My Favorite Broadway/The Leading Ladies: Live at Carnegie
Hall, and Broadway workshops of Jane Eyre and The Little Princess.
She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 23

NATALIE MARTINEZ (Mrs. Zavala)


Martinez is a well versed and an extremely talented actress who on the big screen has starred opposite
Jason Statham in Universal Pictures Death Race. Martinez is currently in production on the Fox
20th feature Broken City opposite Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crow, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Barry Pepper.
This year Martinez will be seen in the indie feature The Baytown Disco opposite Paul Wesley, Billy Bob
Thornton, and Eva Longoria.
On the small screen Martinez is coming off a great run on Detroit 1-8-7, and recently wrapped shooting the
CBS Pilot Widow Detective.
FRANK GRILLO (Sarge)
Frank Grillo was most recently seen in Joe Carnahans The Grey starring opposite Liam Neeson and in
Gavin OConnors critically acclaimed, action drama Warrior opposite Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and
Nick
Nolte. Grillo has also completed a number of high profile projects which will be released in 2012 including
Lay the Favorite, directed by Stephen Frears, with Bruce Willis and Rebecca Hall; Gangster Squad,
directed by Ruben Fleischer, with Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin and Emma Stone; and Disconnect,
directed by Henry Alex Rubin, with Alexander Skarsgard and Jason Bateman. He recently wrapped the Luc
Besson produced independent thriller Intersection.
Grillos previous film credits include Wes Cravens My Soul To Take; Mothers Day with Jamie King and
Rebecca De Mornay; Edge of Darkness with Mel Gibson and directed by Martin Campbell; Gavin
OConnors Pride and Glory with Colin Farrell and Edward Norton; Steven Spielbergs Minority Report
with Tom Cruise; and The Sweetest Thing with Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate.
Grillo television credits include starring roles on The Shield, Prison Break, The Gates, The Kill
Point with John Leguizamo, Battery Park with Elizabeth Perkins and Blind Justice with Ron Eldard, as
well as guest star appearances on Law & Order: SVU, Without a Trace, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,
CSI: NY, Las Vegas, and The District.
The oldest of three children, Grillo grew up in New York City and spent his teen years in Rockland, New
York. He migrated back to NYC to study and pursue acting where he eventually landed his first major role
on the long running daytime drama Guiding Light. After three years, he left the soap to star in his first of

END OF WATCH Production Notes 24

many television pilots. He is an avid boxer and martial artist and sits on the board of Love our Children,
a charity that educates against child abuse. Grillo lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

CODY HORN (Officer Davis)


As an emerging young talent and modern-day hyphenate, Cody Horn continues to evolve with each new
project she takes on as an actress, model, musician and environmental activist.
Horn was recently seen starring in the comedy Magic Mike as the female lead opposite Channing Tatum
and Alex Pettyfer. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the film chronicles the trials and tribulations of an
upstart male stripper who is taken under the wing of a more experienced colleague. Also starring Joe
Manganiello, Matt Bomer and Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike opened this summer for Warner Bros.
on June 29, 2012.
In 2010, Horn made her acting debut in the film Twelve, directed by Joel Schumacher starring Chace
Crawford, Emma Roberts, Zoe Kravitz, and rapper 50 Cent. She then went on to star in Rob Reiners
Flipped.
Prior to establishing a film career, Horn held the recurring role of Emily on the FX television series Rescue
Me as well as the role of Jordan on the NBC series The Office.
The stunning 23-year-old, 510 beauty has modeled in advertising campaigns for Ralph Lauren, Polo Jeans
Co., Izod, Ruehl, Roxy, and Catherine Malandrino.
As an activist involved in various nonprofits and charities, Horn currently serves on the Board of Directors
for Global Green, the American affiliate of Green Cross International, which fosters a global value shift
toward a sustainable and secure future. She is also on the Young Hollywood Board of the Environmental
Media Association which believes that through television, film, and music, the entertainment community
has the power to influence the environmental awareness of millions of people. Horn received The Futures
Award from the organization in 2005.
Horn graduated from New York Universitys Gallatin School with a Bachelors degree in Philosophy and
currently divides her time between LA and NY.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 25

FILMMAKER BIOS
DAVID AYER (Writer/Director)
Acclaimed screenwriter and director David Ayer moved to the mean streets of LA as a teenager. The
experiences of his youth helped shape his artistic vision and his inside knowledge and affection for the
culture of Los Angeles can be seen throughout his work.
At 18, David joined the United States Navy, where he served as sonar man aboard a nuclear attack
submarine during the Cold War. After an honourable discharge, David began writing. He wrote and was a
co-producer on his "calling card" spec script TRAINING DAY which became a hit film and garnered
Denzel Washington an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Ayer co-wrote the submarine thriller U-571, starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton and Harvey
Keitel. Other writing credits include, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, starring Paul Walker and Vin
Diesel, SWAT, starring Samuel L Jackson and Colin Farrell, and DARK BLUE, starring Kurt Russell.
Ayer made his directorial debut with his original screenplay HARSH TIMES. The gritty drama, starring
Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez, was released in the fall of 2006.
David is currently in pre-production on TEN (aka BREACH), an action-thriller starring Arnold
Schwarzenegger, which will be released by Open Road Films in 2013.
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.

JOHN LESHER (PRODUCER)


John Lesher, founder and President of Le Grisbi Productions, an independent film and television
production company, served as the producer of End of Watch. Most recently, Lesher produced Blood Ties,
co-written and directed by Guillaume Canet. Set in New York during the 1970s, the film chronicles the
relationship between two brothers on opposite sides of the law, who are forced to reunite when the eldest is
released from prison and returns to a life of crime. Starring Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, James Caan, and
Marion Cotillard, the film is currently available for distribution.
Lesher founded Le Grisbi Productions in 2009. The production company currently has a first look deal for
original series at HBO. Projects set up there include The Landlord, written by Dan Clowes for Jonathan
Dayton and Valerie Faris to direct; Keys to the City, written by Academy Award winner William Monahan;

END OF WATCH Production Notes 26

Muscle, written and to be directed by Derek Cianfrance; Hobgoblin, written by Pulitzer Prize winner
Michael Chabon for Darren Aronofsky to direct; and T-Cell, written and to be directed by End of Watchs
David Ayer.
Lesher is developing feature projects at multiple studios, including Warner Bros, where he has set up
Cicero, written by Walon Green for Tom Hardy to star, and Satori, written by Shane Salerno & Don
Winslow for Leonardo DiCaprio to star.
Lesher is a graduate of Harvard University and began his career as an agent at the Bauer-Benedek Agency.
He then went on to become a partner at United Talent Agency, followed by the Endeavor Agency. He
worked with such diverse talent as Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu,
Walter Salles, Fernando Meirelles, Sydney Pollack, Bennett Miller, Judd Apatow, Adam McKay, Harrison
Ford, and Ben Stiller.
In 2005, Lesher left Endeavor to form Paramount Vantage, where he was responsible for such films as An
Inconvenient Truth, Babel, There Will Be Blood, and No Country for Old Men. In 2008, he was appointed
President of Paramount Pictures, working on such studio titles as Star Trek, Up In the Air, Benjamin
Button, Transformers, and Shutter Island, among others. During that time, he guided the studio to 49
Academy Award nominations, 13 wins, and 1 Best Picture.

NIGEL SINCLAIR (PRODUCER)


Nigel Sinclair is currently Executive Producing Academy Award winner, Ron Howards epic action
thriller Rush, set in the spectacular world of Formula 1, written by two time Academy Award nominee,
Peter Morgan, and starring Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brhl, Olivia Wilde and Alexandra Maria Lara.
Universal Pictures is releasing Rush on September 20th, 2013.
Sinclair most recently Executive Produced the politically charged revenge thriller The Ides of March
starring Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey
Wright and Evan Rachel Wood, and directed by Academy Award winner George Clooney and the box
office hit The Woman in Black starring Daniel Radcliffe.

Sinclair also recently Produced the Academy Award winning documentary film Undefeated, the Grammy
Award winning Foo Fighters: Back and Forth and Martin Scorseses impassioned BAFTA and EMMY

END OF WATCH Production Notes 27

nominated George Harrison: Living in the Material World which features interviews with Harrison and
his closest friends, performances, home movies and photographs, many of which have never been seen
before.
Upcoming films Produced by Sinclair are the fast paced thriller Snitch starring action superstar Dwayne
Johnson and Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon.
Sinclair is Co-Chairman and CEO of Exclusive Media, one of the industrys leading independent
production and distribution companies. Exclusive Medias current production slate includes the romantic
music comedy Can a Song Save Your Life? starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo and Hailee Steinfeld
from writer/director John Carney; the action/comedy Agent: Century 21, starring Cameron Diaz and
Benicio del Toro; A Walk Among the Tombstones starring Liam Neeson; and Hammers The Quiet Ones,
starring Jared Harris and Sam Claflin and The Woman in Black: Angels of Death.
Under the Exclusive Media banner, Sinclair has Produced such films as the highly acclaimed horror-drama
Let Me In; The Resident starring Hilary Swank; Peter Weirs The Way Back; and the documentary film The
Last Play at Shea.
In early 2003, with his business partner Guy East, Sinclair launched the independent feature film
production company, Spitfire Pictures, now an Exclusive Media company. Prior to starting Spitfire,
Sinclair and East co-founded renowned production company, Intermedia Films, in 1996.
In May 2007, East and Sinclair joined the board of Hammer Films (now Hammer) as non-executive
directors, following the signature of Spitfires first-look development and production pact with the newly
revived British horror studio. Also in the fall of 2007, they collaborated with Universal Pictures on
Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who, with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshead, the surviving members
of the seminal rock band.
In 2005, Sinclair Produced with Jeff Rosen, Susan Lacy, Anthony Wall and Martin Scorsese the
critically acclaimed No Direction Home: Bob Dylan. Directed by Scorsese, this project was released
worldwide in September 2005.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 28

In 2002, Sinclair Produced, with Jeff Rosen, Bob Dylans Masked and Anonymous, directed by Larry
Charles and starring Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman, Jessica Lange and Luke
Wilson.
In 2001, Sinclairs Intermedia Films produced two of the years number one films in the US, K-PAX,
starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges, and The Wedding Planner, starring Jennifer Lopez, on which
Sinclair also served as an executive producer. Other recent productions on which he served as executive
producer include Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Academy
Award-winning Adaptation, starring Nicolas Cage, Iris, starring Dame Judi Dench, the Academy
Award and Golden Globe-nominated The Quiet American, starring Michael Caine, the Academy
Award-nominated Hilary and Jackie, starring Emily Watson, K-19: The Widowmaker, starring Harrison
Ford, Enigma, starring Kate Winslet, and Sliding Doors, starring Gwyneth Paltrow.
Sinclair attended Cambridge University in the U.K., and earned a Master of Law from Columbia University
in New York. He practiced law initially in England, and subsequently in Los Angeles with the London firm
of Denton Hall Burgin & Warrens (now Denton Wilde Sapte). In 1989, Sinclair co-founded a Los Angeles
entertainment law firm, Sinclair Tennenbaum & Co., working with leading talent and entertainment
corporate clients, until 1996 when he left to found Intermedia, as noted above.
In 2000, Queen Elizabeth appointed him a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his
work in the film industry. Sinclair serves on the executive board of Santa Monica based k9 connection, a
nonprofit that runs therapeutic programs in which at-risk teenagers train rescue dogs for adoption in after
school programs. Sinclair is currently a board director of BAFTA Los Angeles.

MATT JACKSON (PRODUCER)


Matt Jackson is currently producing the highly anticipated fast paced thriller Snitch starring action superstar
Dwayne Johnson and Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon to be released by Summit Entertainment
in the US.
Jackson is Executive Vice President and Head of US Production of Exclusive Media, one of the industrys
leading independent production and distribution companies. Exclusive Medias current production slate
includes the romantic music comedy Can a Song Save Your Life? starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo
and Hailee Steinfeld from writer/director John Carney; the action/comedy Agent: Century 21, starring

END OF WATCH Production Notes 29

Cameron Diaz and Benicio del Toro; A Walk Among the Tombstones starring Liam Neeson; the
action/comedy So Undercover starring teen sensation Miley Cyrus and Hammers The Quiet Ones, starring
Jared Harris and Sam Claflin and The Woman in Black: Angels of Death.
Before joining Exclusive Media in the spring of 2010, Jackson served as Senior Vice President of
Production at The Kennedy/Marshall Company for three years. Prior to this position, he was Vice President
of Production at Paramount Pictures from 2004-2007 and previously Director of Development at Universal
Pictures from 2000-2004. While at Universal, he supervised production on the highly successful Bourne
franchise; the American Pie franchise and the critically acclaimed About A Boy.
Jackson began his career in the Endeavor agency trainee program, having graduated Phi Beta Kappa from
Morehouse College in 1996.

RANDALL EMMETT (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)


One of the entertainment industry's most prolific film producers, RANDALL EMMETT has produced over
50 feature films since his start as Mark Wahlbergs assistant in the 1990s. Combining financial acumen
with an incisive creative sensibility, Emmett is partner and co-founder alongside George Furla of Emmett /
Furla Films, a production company dedicated to the development, financing and production of top tier
filmed entertainment for the theatrical marketplace with its own equity fund. Also, he is founder & partner
of Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's production company, Cheetah Vision Films.
In the last decade, Emmetts ability to package films with well known actors and filmmakers resulted in
major box office success netting more than a quarter of a billion dollars in the US box office alone.
Additionally, he forged strong partnerships with major Hollywood studios to finance and distribute
commercial films to audiences both domestically and internationally. Aside from high concept films,
Emmett also produced smaller, critically acclaimed indie fare such as Narc and Wonderland. These films
and others played at world acclaimed film festivals such as Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, Venice, Telluride,
and many have been nominated for Independent Spirit Awards and Golden Globe Awards.
Currently, Emmett is shooting 2 Guns, written by Steven Grant/Blake Master and directed by Baltasar
Kormkur, starring Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington. He also recently wrapped two films: Empire
State, written by Adam Mazer and directed by Dito Montiel, starring Liam Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson,
and Emma Roberts, and The Tomb, written by Miles Chapman and directed by Mikael Hfstrm, starring

END OF WATCH Production Notes 30

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.


In addition, Emmett has 2 films in post-production: Broken City, written by Brian Tucker and directed by
Allen Hughes, starring Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and also The Frozen
Ground, written and directed by Scott Walker, starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Vanessa Hudgens, and
Curtis 50 Cent Jackson. In the next few months, 4 films will be released in theaters: End of Watch,
written and directed by David Ayer, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pea, Lay The Favorite with
two-time Oscar nominated director Stephen Frears, starring Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rebecca
Hall, and Vince Vaughn; Fire with Fire, starring Josh Duhamel, Bruce Willis, and Rosario Dawson, and
Freelancers, starring Robert De Niro, Curtis 50 Cent Jackson, and Forest Whitaker.
Emmett's past films include Bad Lieutenant, Righteous Kill, 88 Minutes, King of California, 16 Blocks and
The Contract.
Born and raised in Miami, Emmett graduated from the respected performing arts high school, New World
School Of The Arts. As an undergrad, he attended the prestigious The School Of Visual Arts in NYC.
Presently, he speaks at various industry conferences and mentors up and coming filmmakers at UCLAs
School of Continuing Education. He lives in Los Angeles with his family.

CHRISANN VERGES (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)


Chrisann Verges producing credits include the films End of Watch, Cyrus, Redbelt, Warm Springs (Emmy
Award), Mrs. Harris (Emmy nomination), Gilmore Girls, Fresh, Joe Goulds Secret, Washington Square.
Her documentary credits include Einstein on the Beach: The Changing Image of Opera and Miles Ahead:
The Music of Miles Davis. She produced many music videos including Harlem Shuffle by the Rolling
Stones. She is currently producing the untitled Nicole Holofcener film.

GUY EAST (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)


Guy East is currently Executive Producing Academy Award winner, Ron Howards epic action thriller
Rush, set in the spectacular world of Formula 1, written by two time Academy Award nominee, Peter
Morgan, and starring Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brhl, Olivia Wilde and Alexandra Maria Lara. Universal
Pictures is releasing Rush on September 20th, 2013. Also upcoming is the fast paced thriller Snitch starring
action superstar Dwayne Johnson and Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 31

Easts other recent Executive Producer credits include the politically charged revenge thriller The Ides of
March starring Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei,
Jeffrey Wright and Evan Rachel Wood, and directed by Academy Award winner George Clooney and the
box office hit The Woman in Black starring Daniel Radcliffe. Easts other recent credits include Spitfire
Pictures, an Exclusive Media company, Academy Award winning documentary film Undefeated, the
Grammy Award winning Foo Fighters: Back and Forth and Martin Scorseses BAFTA and EMMY
nominated George Harrison: Living in the Material World.
East is Co-Chairman of Exclusive Media, one of the industrys leading independent production and
distribution companies. Exclusive Medias current production slate includes the romantic music comedy
Can a Song Save Your Life? starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo and Hailee Steinfeld from
writer/director John Carney; the action/comedy Agent: Century 21, starring Cameron Diaz and Benicio del
Toro; A Walk Among the Tombstones starring Liam Neeson; Eli Roths horror thriller The Green Inferno
and Hammers The Quiet Ones, starring Jared Harris and Sam Claflin and The Woman in Black: Angels of
Death.
Under the Exclusive Media banner, Easts past credits include the highly acclaimed horror-drama Let Me
In; The Resident starring Hilary Swank; and Peter Weirs The Way Back.
In early 2003, with his business partner Nigel Sinclair, East launched the independent feature film
production company, Spitfire Pictures which is now Exclusive Medias documentary features label. Prior
to starting Spitfire, Sinclair and East co-founded renowned production company, Intermedia Films, in 1996.
In May 2007, East and Sinclair joined the board of Hammer Films (now called Hammer) following
signature of Spitfires first-look development and production pact with the newly revived British studio.
In 2008, Spitfire was acquired by Dutch strategic investment group Cyrte Investments, and, together with
Hammer, became part of the newly formed Exclusive Media. Hammer is now Exclusive Medias UK
based genre label.
For Spitfire, Easts additional Executive Producer credits include the Grammy-nominated Amazing
Journey: The Story of The Who, the Grammy-winning No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, directed by Martin
Scorsese; and Masked and Anonymous, starring Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman,
Jessica Lange and Luke Wilson.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 32

In 2001, Easts Intermedia Films produced two of the years number one films in the U.S.: K-PAX, starring
Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges, and The Wedding Planner, starring Jennifer Lopez, on which East also
served as an Executive Producer. Other productions on which he served as Executive Producer include
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger; the Academy Award winning
Adaptation, starring Nicolas Cage; Iris, starring Dame Judi Dench which was nominated for three
Academy Awards; the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated The Quiet American, starring
Michael Caine; the Academy Award nominated Hilary and Jackie, starring Emily Watson; K-19: The
Widowmaker, starring Harrison Ford; Enigma, starring Kate Winslet; and Sliding Doors, starring Gwyneth
Paltrow.
Prior to co-founding Intermedia, East founded Majestic Films International, whose films were nominated
for 34 Academy Awards, winning a total of 15, including two Best Picture Awards for Dances with
Wolves and Driving Miss Daisy. East was previously Director of Distribution and Marketing at Goldcrest
Films International, where he was responsible for the international distribution of such Academy Award
winning films as The Killing Fields, The Mission, A Room with a View and The Name of the Rose.
Additionally, East served as Managing Director of Carolco Films International.
East attended the University of Exeter in England, where he studied English and EEC law. He then
qualified as a lawyer at Slaughter & May. In 1985 he was elected to be the first British Director of the
American Film Marketing Association.

TOBIN ARMBRUST (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)


Tobin Armbrust most recently Executive Produced the box office hit The Woman in Black starring Daniel
Radcliffe and is currently Executive Producing Academy Award winner, Ron Howards epic action
thriller Rush, set in the spectacular world of Formula 1, written by two time Academy Award nominee,
Peter Morgan, and starring Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brhl, Olivia Wilde and Alexandra Maria Lara.
Universal Pictures is releasing Rush on September 20th, 2013.
Upcoming films Produced by Armbrust include the fast paced thriller Snitch starring action superstar
Dwayne Johnson and Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 33

Armbrust is President of Worldwide Productions and Acquisitions of Exclusive Media, one of the
industrys leading independent production and distribution companies. Exclusive Medias current
production slate includes the romantic music comedy Can a Song Save Your Life? starring Keira Knightley,
Mark Ruffalo and Hailee Steinfeld from writer/director John Carney; the action/comedy Agent: Century 21,
starring Cameron Diaz and Benicio del Toro; A Walk Among the Tombstones starring Liam Neeson; and
Hammers The Quiet Ones, starring Jared Harris and Sam Claflin and The Woman in Black: Angels of
Death.
Under the Exclusive Media banner, Armbrust Produced Matt Reeves Let Me In and The Resident starring
Hilary Swank as well as Executive Produced Peter Weirs The Way Back.

For Exclusive Medias

documentary feature label, Spitfire Pictures, Armbrust Executive Produced Amazing Journey: The Story of
the Who, Last Play at Shea and Guys and Divas: Battle of the High School Musicals.
Prior to joining Exclusive Media, Armbrust served as a producer at Thunder Road, a production company
with a first look deal at Warner Bros.

Armbrust oversaw over thirty projects in various stages of

development, and Co-Produced Firewall starring Harrison Ford and Paul Bettany.
Before joining Thunder Road, Armbrust spent seven years at Intermedia serving under Co-Founders Nigel
Sinclair and Guy East. At Intermedia he held positions as both a VP of Business Development as well as a
VP of Production. During his tenure, he helped oversee several feature films including K-19 starring
Harrison Ford, Basic starring John Travolta, The Wedding Planner starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew
McConaughey, Adaptation starring Nicolas Cage, National Security starring Martin Lawrence, and
Welcome to Mooseport starring Gene Hackman and Ray Romano and K-PAX starring Kevin Spacey.
Armbrust began his career in the film industry as Head of Acquisitions at The Steel Company, a Los
Angeles based agency which represented some of the largest film distributors in the world, including Canal
Plus, Samsung, and Pony Canyon.
Armbrust received his Bachelors Degree in Political Science at UCSB and a Rotary Scholarship to study
Business at the University of Munich, Germany.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 34

MARY VERNIEU & LINDSAY GRAHAM (CASTING)


Casting Director Mary Vernieu has enjoyed long standing relationships with acclaimed directors Robert
Rodriguez, Darren Aronofsky, David O. Russell, Richard Kelly, Mike Judge, Oliver Stone and David Ayer
as well as many up-and-coming filmmakers. She welcomed Lindsay Graham into her Betty Mae family
where she first began her career as a casting assistant on Oliver Stones World Trade Center. Lindsay has
enjoyed collaborating with Mary on many films since then including Crazy Heart with Scott Cooper, End
of Watch with David Ayer, Silver Linings Playbook with David O. Russell, and The Wrestler, Black Swan,
and Noah with Darren Aronofsky.

MARY CLAIRE HANNAN (COSTUME DESIGNER)


Costume designer Mary Claire Hannan is an auteur directors darling, with the ability to translate unique
filmmakers perspective into daring, stylish, trendy or dramatic wardrobes. She began her career in Quentin
Tarantinos wardrobe department and has gone on to design for filmmakers with singular visions, including
Diablo Cody, David Ayer and Lisa Cholodenko.
In addition to End of Watch, Hannan recently constructed the wardrobe for Juno screenwriter Diablo
Codys directorial debut, Lamb of God. The film stars Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer, Holly
Hunter, and Russell Brand, as well as Julianne Hough playing Lamb, a young conservative woman who
suffers a crisis of faith after surviving a plane crash.
Last year, Hannan built costumes for director Lisa Cholodenkos latest Oscar-nominated feature The Kids
Are All Right. The films star-studded cast includes Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo as
well as young rising actors Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wasikowska. Hannans costumes for the film were
displayed at the Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition, 2011.
In 2007, actor/director Sean Penn tapped Hannan to design costumes for his film Into the Wild, staring
Emile Hirsch. The film earned two Academy Award nominations alongside dozens of other awards and
honors; Hannan received a Costume Designers Guild nomination for Excellence in Costume Design for
Film Contemporary.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 35

Hannan began her design career as a costume supervisor on Quentin Tarantinos Reservoir Dogs. She
rose through the ranks with Tarantino, as the assistant costume designer on Pulp Fiction and went on to
head the department for Jackie Brown.
DAVID S. SARDY (MUSIC)
DAVID SARDY was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1967. Growing up playing in numerous underground
rock bands and touring since the age of 14, he began touring and recording in earnest with his band
Barkmarket in 1987. At the same time, he worked in Off Broadways Theater for the New City as a sound
designer, and writing music for independent films. Sardy and his bandmates were signed as the first artist to
be released on Rick Rubins newly named American Recordings. While touring, recording six albums, and
writing and producing songs for Barkmarket, Sardy gained many fans in other bands, who often asked
Sardy to produce their own recordings. Over time, these productions became more and more successful and
diverse, including seminal recordings from Slayer, The Dandy Warhols, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Marilyn
Manson, Johnny Cash, Oasis, Wolfmother, Jet, LCD Soundsystem, Band of Horses, and Spoon, as well as
Library of Congress recordings of Sacred Harp shape-note singing. He has also won three Grammy Awards
and been nominated two additional times. He recently scored Sony Pictures film Ghost Rider: Spirit of
Vengeance 3D. His music will next be heard in End of Watch and Premium Rush.

DODY DORN (EDITOR)


DODY DORN is known for her innovative editing style, both in film and sound across an eclectic range of
award winning feature, television and documentary projects. Dorn recently completed editing on End of
Watch, written and directed by David Ayer, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena, having been drawn
to the project by the challenge of multiple formats, embracing and exploiting the contemporary fractal
cinematic style. Other credits include Baz Luhrmanns Australia and Christopher Nolan's groundbreaking
film Memento (Academy Award nominee - Best Film Editing). Dorn followed up with Nolan on his 3rd
feature Insomnia starring Al Pacino. A frequent collaborator with writer/director Mike White, Dorn edited
Whites directing debut, the existential comedy The Year of the Dog, starring Molly Shannon and worked
as co-producer and editor on Enlightened Season 1 for HBO starring Laura Dern, also for White. Her
collaboration with Sir Ridley Scott yielded 3 films: Matchstick Men, Kingdom of Heaven and A Good
Year. She has edited several notable pilots: The Good Wife, Chicago Code, Prime Suspect and Touch.
Dorns work on the ABC Mini-series Life with Judy Garland: Me & My Shadows garnered an Emmy
nomination (Best Editing - Mini-series.) Other editing credits include Audrey Wells' Guinevere starring
Stephen Rea & Sarah Polley, Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (Special Jury

END OF WATCH Production Notes 36

Prize - Sundance '97), a documentary by Kirby Dick, and Britta Sjogren's poetic short, A Small Domain
(Grand Jury prize - Best Short - Sundance's '96).

Dorn acted as producer on Chain Camera for

HBO/Cinemax with director/producer Kirby Dick.


Born in Los Angeles, Ms. Dorn began her film career as an Assistant Editor on John Carpenter's movie of
the week, Elvis, starring Kurt Russell. Moving into sound editorial, she worked on such Hollywood
classics as:

Silverado, The Big Chill, Mrs. Soffel, and Children of a Lesser God.

A long term

collaboration with director Alan Rudolph includes work as Supervising Sound Editor on The Moderns,
Choose Me, Trouble in Mind and Made in Heaven. Other sound supervising credits include The Big
Picture, State of Grace and Powwow Highway.

In 1986, Dody formed the sound company, Sonic

Kitchen, and in 1990, won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound on James Cameron's seminal film, The
Abyss. She lives in Venice Beach with her propmaster husband, Kevin Hughes and is currently producing
and editing Mike Whites Enlightened Season 2 for HBO. Future projects see her collaborating once again
with David Ayer on his upcoming feature film Breacher starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Olivia
Williams.

ROMAN VASYANOV (DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)


Roman was born in Moscow 1980. His father was a photographer for soviet propaganda magazine USSR,
and Roman got his first still camera at twelve years old. Now he is 30, he shot more than 300 commercials,
and 3 feature films, his latest feature The Hipsters was nominated for the Golden Globe and won 5 Nika
awards (Russian oscar) including best cinematography. This winter Roman shot for RSA (Ridly Scott
Assosiaton) and Philips Cinema a short film The Gift director Carl Erik Rinsch, and won GRAND PRIX at
the Cannes Lions 2010 in a category FILM CRAFT.

JAIME FITZSIMONS (Captain Reese & TECHNICAL ADVISOR)


Jaime was born and raised in Los Angeles. In 1990, Jaime joined the rank and file of the Los Angeles
Police Department. During his tenure with LAPD, Jaime worked the violent crime and crack infested
streets of Los Angeles promoting through the ranks as a Police Officer, Training Officer, Gang Officer,
Under Cover Narcotics Detective, Detective and Sergeant. In 2005, Jaime left Los Angeles for the Rocky
Mountains where he is currently the Operations Division Commander for a local Sheriffs Office in
Colorado.

END OF WATCH Production Notes 37

With Jaimes almost 23 years of law enforcement experience, he has worked on two films (Street Kings
& End of Watch) with David Ayer as a Technical Advisor in addition to a small acting part. Jaime is
currently working with David Ayer as a Technical Advisor on his new project, Breacher.
NICK CHACON (TECHNICAL ADVISOR)
Nick Chacon grew up in Simi Valley, Ventura County and graduated from Simi Valley High in 2000. He
went on to serve 4 years in the United States Marine Corps with the Infantry field.
Nick is a Purple Heart Recipient. On September 23, 2004 he was severely wounded after being shot in the
face during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Ramadi, Iraq. He underwent a total of 12 surgeries and spent
roughly 6 months in and out of the hospital and spent a total of 2 years in rehabilitation as part of the
Traumatic Brain Injury clinic and Speech Pathology with UCLA.
After beating all of the odds and proving to the world anything is possible he was able to fulfill his
childhood dream and was hired with the LAPD in 2006 where he went on to graduate as class leader. Since
then he has worked for the LAPD for 6 years. He is currently assigned to Newton Division "Shootin
Newton" working street patrol on night watch, in South Central Los Angeles.
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