Steve Franke

CEO, Hungry Bear Productions, Inc.

Producer / Writer / Director

Steve is a producer, director and writer. He has produced six feature films through the production company he shares with his wife, Liz. 

He was also the director and co-writer on the four most recent Hungry Bear features: Serum, a Horror / Sci-fi picture shot on film, starring Derek Phillips of "Friday Night Lights;" Adventures of Bailey: The Lost Puppy, which was filmed on location at an actual exotic wildlife ranch in Texas; and its sequels, “Adventures of Bailey: Christmas Hero,” which was released prior to the holidays in 2012 and "Adventures of Bailey - A Night in Cowtown," which was completed in January 2013. 

Born in Chicago, raised in Texas, Steve has also been the president of his family’s chemical company for the past 19 years. He received a B.A. in Communication with a minor in English from the University of Oklahoma, while also studying film at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Liz Cardenas Franke

President, Hungry Bear Productions, Inc.

Producer / Writer / Actress

Liz is also a producer and writer, as well as an actress. She was a producer alongside Steve on Serum and all three Adventures of Bailey films, which she co-wrote with him.  She also wrote the family feature, Buddy & Me, which is in development with Hungry Bear Productions.

In addition to her work in production, she was also involved in foreign distribution. Up until September 2012, Liz was Vice President of International Sales at Engine 15 Media Group, which is based in Los Angeles, CA, for more than three years. Due to Hungry Bear's current production and its upcoming slate of films, she had to step down from her position and put her work on the distribution end on hold for the time being in order to focus solely on production .

A former reporter with The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Liz graduated with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Sociology from Texas Christian University.

Together, Steve and Liz share a passion for bringing stories to life on screen.  They believe it is essential to be familiar with all facets of the filmmaking process.  That is why they have been actively involved from the very beginning to the very end in each of the movies they produce.

Steve and Liz have put together a core team of professionals they work with locally on each of their projects.  Their goal is to make pictures of the highest quality possible while still maintaining a cost-effective approach to their filmmaking.