Shark Cowboys is currently in post production and seeking funds to finish the film. Please help us by making a tax-free donation.
Shark Cowboys explores the humongous effort of two teams of anglers working to save the sharks of the Gulf of Mexico by participating in a grueling 3-day tournament known as Sharkathon. During this man-powered fishing competition anglers compete to successfully tag-and-release the largest sharks while facing extreme weather, cut lines and the unpredictable gulf itself. With 250,000 sharks being slaughtered around the world daily, these every day Texans competing in Sharkathon are instrumental in gathering research geared towards saving these apex predators.
Duke and Blayne have consistently won First Place Shark over the years through their innovative techniques and constant adaptation.They fish backed by a dedicated crew of friends there to ensure Duke and Blayne can focus solely on catching the largest shark.
Valerie and her son, King, fish focused on conservation and time spent together as a family. Valerie has yet to catch a shark during a competition weekend but, cheered on by her Alamo City Tundra group, she is determined this will be her year to place.
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Rachael Connelly
Director Rachael Connelly is a UT film grad who got her start as a commercial film editor. After working with some of the best directors in Hollywood on award-winning ads and short films Rachael began directing documentaries and commercials herself. Miss Snake Charmer, her directorial debut about the rattlesnake-slaying beauty queens of West Texas, is streaming on Amazon Prime after having a successful run on Hulu. Why not follow up snakes with sharks? She's always loved telling a great story.
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Kevin Ray
Kevin was born and raised in Cleveland, Tennessee. He studied Film and Television at Savannah College of Art and Design. Upon finishing school, Kevin moved to Los Angeles where he worked in both Commercial Editorial and Narrative films. He has since moved to Austin, Texas where he works as an Editor at Union Editorial, while also pursuing independent film projects. He directed a feature documentary called, "The Great Journey" and also a narrative short, "Lawn" that played at the Austin Film Festival. He is a new dad, has a bunch of pets and spends most of his free time being a huge nerd.
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Brian Leong
Working in film for close to two decades, Director of Photography Brian Leong leverages his love of people-watching to capture the human experience. Originally trained as an Editor, Brian uses his experience in the cutting room to inform his shooting style. After first working with Director Rachael Connelly on Miss Snake Charmer, he has since been found shooting Fashion in Los Angeles, Kung Fu Masters in Beijing, Drag Queens in Bangkok, and the world’s fastest man without legs. Shark Cowboys is his latest collaboration with Rachael Connelly.
Shark Cowboys is proud to be fiscally sponsored by the Austin Film Society. With their support any donations to Shark Cowboys are tax-deductible.
With the Ocearch interactive map, anyone can track sharks tagged in the Gulf of Mexico and watch their progress and movements around the world.
Sharkathon works with the Hart Research Institute of Corpus Christie. With the help of thousands of citizen scientists researchers are gaining a wealth of knowledge about the mating patterns and habits of the sharks of the Gulf of Mexico
