About Us
Hungry Bear is an independent production company dedicated to the creation of motion pictures. We conceptualize, write and produce our own films and have direct channels for their distribution. Our goal is to make movies of the highest quality possible while still maintaining a cost-effective approach to filmmaking.
Hungry Bear has made seven feature films. Our titles have been released internationally and domestically and can be found in such retailers as WAL MART, RED BOX, NETFLIX, ITUNES, and BEST BUY.
Furthermore, Hungry Bear has produced or been executive producers on other filmmakers’ projects helping to bring their vision to the screen and their movie to the marketplace.
MEET THE TEAM
Liz Cardenas Franke
Liz is an actress, writer, director, producer and editor. She has produced six feature films and co-written five of them. She was also the Vice President of International Sales for Engine 15 Media Group, a distribution company in Los Angeles, CA. She stepped down in order to focus exclusively on film production. A member of SAG-AFTRA and Women in Film, Liz is a former reporter for The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a graduate of Texas Christian University.
Steve Franke
Steve is a writer, director and producer. He has produced eight feature films, six of which he co-wrote and directed. Steve has also been the president of his family’s chemical company for the past 20 years. He believes it is important to build a business from the ground up, and that is why he’s been actively involved in every facet of the movies he makes. A graduate of Oklahoma University, Steve also studied film at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Mark Hanson
Mark has over 15 years of experience in the film industry, ranging from actor and producer to marketer and distributor. Mark headed the sales department of Fireside Releasing, where he was a partner. There, he worked on more than 20 feature films and five television series. Greater than his experience, though, was his determination, believing that a “no” is only the first step to getting a “yes.” That attitude has also helped him greatly in all his entertainment pursuits.
Aaron S. Walker
Aaron is a seasoned editor with more than 10 years of experience. He has an extensive background in film and network TV, having served as the Post Production Supervisor and/or Editor on multiple television shows and feature films, as well as on commercials and corporate projects. In addition to his work on five Hungry Bear titles, he has worked on projects for MTV, BET, ESPN, Style Network, NBC, Veria Network, Billboard/Dak Rasheta Productions and Highland Myst Entertainment.
JOHNNY MARSHALL
Johnny is an award-winning sound designer and re-recording mixer with more than three decades of experience in music and film. He has received multiple gold and platinum records and numerous awards from film festivals across the country. He garnered a Special Jury Award for Sound Design at Sundance 2013 and was nominated for the London Critics Circle Film Awards for the film UPSTREAM COLOR. Other notable films include KRISHA and THE GRIEF OF OTHERS, both of which screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.