The Cinemart, the production company behind Amazon’s “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” and Netflix’s “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,” has signed an overall deal with Banijay’s Truly Original.
Under the new pact, The Cinemart will expand its development and production operations in premium documentaries and other genres of unscripted programming through Truly Original, a subsidiary of Banijay backed by co-CEOs Steven Weinstock and Glenda Hersh.
Run by co-CEOs and producing partners Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro, The Cinemart was founded by Nason in 2011. The production company’s programming lineup currently includes “Welcome to Leith” (PBS), “The Kalief Browder Story” (Paramount), “Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story” (Paramount), “Fyre Fraud” (Hulu), “LulaRich” and “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” (Amazon), “The Pharmacist” and “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” (Netflix), with numerous features and series in production and development.
Truly Original’s notable series include “Ink Master,...
Under the new pact, The Cinemart will expand its development and production operations in premium documentaries and other genres of unscripted programming through Truly Original, a subsidiary of Banijay backed by co-CEOs Steven Weinstock and Glenda Hersh.
Run by co-CEOs and producing partners Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro, The Cinemart was founded by Nason in 2011. The production company’s programming lineup currently includes “Welcome to Leith” (PBS), “The Kalief Browder Story” (Paramount), “Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story” (Paramount), “Fyre Fraud” (Hulu), “LulaRich” and “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” (Amazon), “The Pharmacist” and “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” (Netflix), with numerous features and series in production and development.
Truly Original’s notable series include “Ink Master,...
- 5/7/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
“Sex Education” Season 4 opened to 12 million total views during the Sept. 18-24 viewing window, subsequently ending the No. 1 streak of One Piece” on Netflix Top 10’s English-language TV chart and bringing the Moordale students’ story to a close on a high note.
The finale featured several new faces alongside the original crew including “Schitt’s Creek” star Dan Levy, Thaddea Graham (“Doctor Who”), Lisa McGrillis (“Somewhere Boy”), Marie Reuther (“Kamikaze”), Jodie Turner Smith, Eshaan Akbar.
“One Piece” remains fairly high above the competition, landing in third place on the chart. After recently scoring a Season 2 pickup, the show gained another 6.2 million total views in its third full week of availability.
In its first four days of availability, the live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga quickly sailed to the top of Netflix’s top 10 chart with 18.5 million total views. During the Aug. 28-Sept. 3 viewing window, the series reached the Top 10 in 93 countries,...
The finale featured several new faces alongside the original crew including “Schitt’s Creek” star Dan Levy, Thaddea Graham (“Doctor Who”), Lisa McGrillis (“Somewhere Boy”), Marie Reuther (“Kamikaze”), Jodie Turner Smith, Eshaan Akbar.
“One Piece” remains fairly high above the competition, landing in third place on the chart. After recently scoring a Season 2 pickup, the show gained another 6.2 million total views in its third full week of availability.
In its first four days of availability, the live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga quickly sailed to the top of Netflix’s top 10 chart with 18.5 million total views. During the Aug. 28-Sept. 3 viewing window, the series reached the Top 10 in 93 countries,...
- 9/26/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
“Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” is back. Three new episodes of the Netflix docuseries dropped on Wednesday, providing a closer look at the days leading up to the 2021 murder of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, and what happened between those deaths and Alex Murdaugh’s conviction in March 2023.
While the first season, which premiered on Feb. 22, led up to the trial, Michael Gasparro and Julia Willoughby Nason, the docuseries’ director/executive producers, knew there was more story to tell.
“We kind of had a lot in the wings ready to go, and a lot of unfinished business essentially that we were really excited to dive back into,” Willoughby Nason says. “When I saw the witnesses on the stand during that six-week trial, I wanted to interview them. I wanted to see what they really wanted to say. So we won’t run a rehash anything, but we wanted to go more...
While the first season, which premiered on Feb. 22, led up to the trial, Michael Gasparro and Julia Willoughby Nason, the docuseries’ director/executive producers, knew there was more story to tell.
“We kind of had a lot in the wings ready to go, and a lot of unfinished business essentially that we were really excited to dive back into,” Willoughby Nason says. “When I saw the witnesses on the stand during that six-week trial, I wanted to interview them. I wanted to see what they really wanted to say. So we won’t run a rehash anything, but we wanted to go more...
- 9/20/2023
- by Emily Longeretta
- Variety Film + TV
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal Season 2 primarily serves as a rehash of Alex Murdaugh's early 2023 trial, but the third episode, "A Tangled Web We Weave," offers something different: a sit-down interview with Curtis "Cousin Eddie" Smith. Smith has spoken to the media in the past, but the Netflix docuseries marks his first major interview since Murdaugh was convicted of murdering his wife Maggie and son Paul in what's been called South Carolina's "trial of the century." It's a big get by directors/executive producers Michael Gasparro and Julia Willoughby Nason, and they make the most of the opportunity, asking Smith about Murdaugh's drug use, his involvement in the suicide-for-hire and check-cashing schemes, and the double homicide.
- 9/20/2023
- by Claire Spellberg Lustig
- Primetimer
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal is returning for a second season. Netflix has renewed the true crime series, and new episodes will arrive on the streaming service later this month.
The show follows the events surrounding Alex Murdaugh and the murders of his wife and son. Michael Gasparro and Julia Willoughby Nason are executive producers of the series, and three episodes have been produced for season two.
Read More…...
The show follows the events surrounding Alex Murdaugh and the murders of his wife and son. Michael Gasparro and Julia Willoughby Nason are executive producers of the series, and three episodes have been produced for season two.
Read More…...
- 9/5/2023
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
A scene from ‘Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal season one’s director/executive producer Julia Willoughby Nason and executive producer/showrunner Michael Gasparro are continuing to explore the infamous Murdaugh family with season two of the Netflix documentary series. Netflix has confirmed season two of Murdaugh Murders will consist of three new episodes, premiering on September 20, 2023.
Season one was a deep dive into the Murdaughs, one of South Carolina’s most prominent – and now controversial – families. Season two picks up the story in the aftermath of family patriarch Alex Murdaugh’s murder conviction.
Netflix offers this synopsis of the upcoming second season directed by Willoughby Nason and Gasparro:
“On March 2, 2023, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. The world watched with bated breath as a verdict was announced. The people of the Lowcountry had...
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal season one’s director/executive producer Julia Willoughby Nason and executive producer/showrunner Michael Gasparro are continuing to explore the infamous Murdaugh family with season two of the Netflix documentary series. Netflix has confirmed season two of Murdaugh Murders will consist of three new episodes, premiering on September 20, 2023.
Season one was a deep dive into the Murdaughs, one of South Carolina’s most prominent – and now controversial – families. Season two picks up the story in the aftermath of family patriarch Alex Murdaugh’s murder conviction.
Netflix offers this synopsis of the upcoming second season directed by Willoughby Nason and Gasparro:
“On March 2, 2023, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. The world watched with bated breath as a verdict was announced. The people of the Lowcountry had...
- 8/31/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal will be back with more. Netflix announced today it has ordered a second season of the three-part documentary series, which will premiere globally on September 20 on the streamer.
Directed by Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason, Season 1 of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal takes on one of the most sensational murder cases in recent years, one that saw prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh accused in the shocking deaths of his wife and son. In March, he was sentenced to life in prison for shooting his wife with a rifle and blasting his son with a shotgun.
The renewal news comes the same week that it was reported Murdaugh had agreed to plead guilty to federal fraud charges in a separate case that alleged he stole millions of dollars from clients. Additionally, his son Buster today is to appear on Fox Nation’s special The Fall of the House of Murdaugh...
Directed by Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason, Season 1 of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal takes on one of the most sensational murder cases in recent years, one that saw prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh accused in the shocking deaths of his wife and son. In March, he was sentenced to life in prison for shooting his wife with a rifle and blasting his son with a shotgun.
The renewal news comes the same week that it was reported Murdaugh had agreed to plead guilty to federal fraud charges in a separate case that alleged he stole millions of dollars from clients. Additionally, his son Buster today is to appear on Fox Nation’s special The Fall of the House of Murdaugh...
- 8/31/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix has ordered a second season of the documentary series “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal.” Season 2 will premiere with all three episodes on September 20.
The series covers the true story of Alex Murdaugh, who was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul in 2021. Season 2 will feature first-hand accounts from those who were there the days leading up to and following the murders, including the family’s former housekeeper Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, Libby Murdaugh’s caregiver Mushelle “Shelly” Smith, Alex Murdaugh’s cousin Curtis Edward Smith and juror Gwen Generette. Returning voices from Season 1 include Paul’s ex-girlfriend Morgan Doughty, Paul’s friend Anthony Cook and Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein.
Season 1 of “Murdaugh Murders” debuted as Murdaugh’s trial was actively unfolding. It premiered on Feb. 22 and Murdaugh was found guilty of both murders on March 2. The attention on the case propelled the series to solid viewership numbers,...
The series covers the true story of Alex Murdaugh, who was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul in 2021. Season 2 will feature first-hand accounts from those who were there the days leading up to and following the murders, including the family’s former housekeeper Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, Libby Murdaugh’s caregiver Mushelle “Shelly” Smith, Alex Murdaugh’s cousin Curtis Edward Smith and juror Gwen Generette. Returning voices from Season 1 include Paul’s ex-girlfriend Morgan Doughty, Paul’s friend Anthony Cook and Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein.
Season 1 of “Murdaugh Murders” debuted as Murdaugh’s trial was actively unfolding. It premiered on Feb. 22 and Murdaugh was found guilty of both murders on March 2. The attention on the case propelled the series to solid viewership numbers,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
The creative forces behind four of the documentary films and shows that are hoping to compete at this year’s Emmys took some time to chat with Gold Derby and discussed several topics including their favorite documentaries, surprising subjects covered by docs and the changing nature of what documentaries can be. This was part of Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts panel on TV Documentaries that included Ellen Goosenberg Kent (“Afghan Dreamers”), Michael Gasparro (“Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal”), Zach Heinzerling (“Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence”) and Jimmy Chin (“Wild Life”).
You can watch the TV documentary group panel above with the people behind these four programs. Click on each person’s name above to be taken to each exclusive interview.
Gasparro sighted classic documentary films like “The Thin Blue Line” as his entry point into the genre but also cited one that was a milestone for documentary series.
You can watch the TV documentary group panel above with the people behind these four programs. Click on each person’s name above to be taken to each exclusive interview.
Gasparro sighted classic documentary films like “The Thin Blue Line” as his entry point into the genre but also cited one that was a milestone for documentary series.
- 6/2/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Trying to get people on camera to talk about the titular family for “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,” was a tough thing to accomplish for executive producer Michael Gasparro. “It was terribly difficult to get people. This is a small community. We had a really hard time talking to people. It’s Hampton, South Carolina. They were scared and I think that people are still scared,” he tells Gold Derby during our recent Meet the Experts panel on TV Documentaries (watch the exclusive video interview above).
But fear about the family wasn’t the only reason the crew had a hard time talking to people. “There’s also multiple documentaries, so it was very competitive and it was an ongoing story, which is also really difficult since you’re not taking a story from the past and telling it today.”
See over 300 video interviews with 2023 Emmy contenders
“Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,...
But fear about the family wasn’t the only reason the crew had a hard time talking to people. “There’s also multiple documentaries, so it was very competitive and it was an ongoing story, which is also really difficult since you’re not taking a story from the past and telling it today.”
See over 300 video interviews with 2023 Emmy contenders
“Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,...
- 6/2/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
The saga behind Netflix’s Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal was a monster to take on, with added pressure on the filmmakers as details unfolded in real time while they were in production. Directed by Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason, the doc series chronicles the powerful and wealthy Murdaugh family in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and several criminal investigations into unsolved deaths surrounding the family — culminating in the trial and sentencing of former lawyer Alex Murdaugh for the 2021 murder of his wife and son. Investigators say the same son, Paul, caused a boating accident in 2019 that killed his friend Mallory Beach.
Furthermore, the documentary was released before Murdaugh was sentenced on March 2. Willoughby Nason says the story is far from over, given that the investigations into the family are still active.
Willoughby Nason spoke to THR about the challenges (and trepidations) of taking on such complicated subject...
Furthermore, the documentary was released before Murdaugh was sentenced on March 2. Willoughby Nason says the story is far from over, given that the investigations into the family are still active.
Willoughby Nason spoke to THR about the challenges (and trepidations) of taking on such complicated subject...
- 6/1/2023
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This story about “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” first appeared in The Race Begins issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
The trial of Alex Murdaugh, the South Carolina former lawyer now convicted of murdering his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, captivated true-crime audiences in real-time as it played out in early 2023, with no less than four documentary series popping up in the last few months, all looking to unravel how a prominent Southern family could fall from grace in such a brutal fashion. Among them is Netflix’s “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,” a three-part documentary series that opted to orient its story not with the 2021 double-murder, but rather with a mysterious boat accident that took place two years earlier.
“Looking at the story as a whole, the more you started getting into it, the crazier it got,” executive producer and showrunner Michael Gasparro said. “Every time, the boat...
The trial of Alex Murdaugh, the South Carolina former lawyer now convicted of murdering his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, captivated true-crime audiences in real-time as it played out in early 2023, with no less than four documentary series popping up in the last few months, all looking to unravel how a prominent Southern family could fall from grace in such a brutal fashion. Among them is Netflix’s “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,” a three-part documentary series that opted to orient its story not with the 2021 double-murder, but rather with a mysterious boat accident that took place two years earlier.
“Looking at the story as a whole, the more you started getting into it, the crazier it got,” executive producer and showrunner Michael Gasparro said. “Every time, the boat...
- 5/31/2023
- by Libby Hill
- The Wrap
Directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason were never short on angles through which to investigate the crimes, casualties and collusions of the powerful Murdaugh family of South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
The most obvious one would have been to tell the story through Alex Murdaugh, a former solicitor who’s currently on trial for the 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. Thanks to dozens of live feeds on YouTube, the ongoing courtroom drama has emerged as the trial of the year.
But once they were on the ground in the Lowcountry, the directors behind Netflix’s new docuseries “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” were told there was only one place to start –– the 2019 boat crash that had killed Mallory Beach.
“I think what people don’t understand is that had there not been a boat crash years prior, and had Mallory Beach not died the way she did...
The most obvious one would have been to tell the story through Alex Murdaugh, a former solicitor who’s currently on trial for the 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. Thanks to dozens of live feeds on YouTube, the ongoing courtroom drama has emerged as the trial of the year.
But once they were on the ground in the Lowcountry, the directors behind Netflix’s new docuseries “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” were told there was only one place to start –– the 2019 boat crash that had killed Mallory Beach.
“I think what people don’t understand is that had there not been a boat crash years prior, and had Mallory Beach not died the way she did...
- 2/22/2023
- by Hunter Ingram
- Variety Film + TV
Best Ever Channels and The Stand Group announced Tuesday the launch of a new Fast (free ad-supported streaming TV) comedy channel Witz. Featuring stand-up comedy specials, talk shows and curated library programming, the channel is set to launch later this year.
Fast channels are designed to mimic live television with ads, as opposed to on-demand subscription-based services like Netflix and Hulu. In collaboration with tech supplier Wurl, Witz will broadcast “true live” feeds with real-time stand-up performances from comedians. Additionally, the channel will feature newly produced stand-up specials from Rich Vos titled “Vos Anonymous”, Derek Gaines’ pandemic special called “Why Was I Home Anyway?,” Laurie Kilmartin’s “45 Jokes About My Dead Dad” and Aaron Berg “Stands Down.”
“We think the new homerun in comedy is to mirror the physical comedy experience with a digital one.” said The Stand Group’s partner Cris Italia. “With their technical, syndication and marketing prowess,...
Fast channels are designed to mimic live television with ads, as opposed to on-demand subscription-based services like Netflix and Hulu. In collaboration with tech supplier Wurl, Witz will broadcast “true live” feeds with real-time stand-up performances from comedians. Additionally, the channel will feature newly produced stand-up specials from Rich Vos titled “Vos Anonymous”, Derek Gaines’ pandemic special called “Why Was I Home Anyway?,” Laurie Kilmartin’s “45 Jokes About My Dead Dad” and Aaron Berg “Stands Down.”
“We think the new homerun in comedy is to mirror the physical comedy experience with a digital one.” said The Stand Group’s partner Cris Italia. “With their technical, syndication and marketing prowess,...
- 1/25/2022
- by Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: A Slight Change of Plans, one of the breakout podcasts of the year, is being adapted as a television documentary series from the team behind docs including Fyre Fraud and LuLaRich.
The Cinemart, which is also behind Time: The Kalief Browder Story, has acquired the rights to the audio series from host and creator Dr. Maya Shankar and Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries.
Shankar, who served as Senior Advisor in President Barack Obama’s White House, is a cognitive scientist who studies how and why we change and the series looks at how people navigate changes of all kinds.
The series, which was named as the best show of the year by Apple, featured the likes of Tiffany Haddish, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Riz Ahmed and Kacey Musgraves as well as those such as a young man who builds cancer detection tools and who finds himself in the throes of his own stage 4 diagnosis,...
The Cinemart, which is also behind Time: The Kalief Browder Story, has acquired the rights to the audio series from host and creator Dr. Maya Shankar and Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries.
Shankar, who served as Senior Advisor in President Barack Obama’s White House, is a cognitive scientist who studies how and why we change and the series looks at how people navigate changes of all kinds.
The series, which was named as the best show of the year by Apple, featured the likes of Tiffany Haddish, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Riz Ahmed and Kacey Musgraves as well as those such as a young man who builds cancer detection tools and who finds himself in the throes of his own stage 4 diagnosis,...
- 12/8/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb TV is throwing its first big coming out party.
The Amazon-owned free streaming service has unveiled a slew of news today as part of its debut at the NewFronts advertising event.
The streamer has handed a series order to High School, a coming-of-age dramedy series based on the memoir from Tegan and Sara Quin from Housebroken co-creator Clea DuVall, Plan B Entertainment and Amazon Studios, and ordered three unscripted series, including one from country music star and American Idol judge Luke Bryan.
This comes after it revealed it was in development with a slew of a projects including a new comedy from The Good Place creator Mike Schur as well as a second season of LeBron James-exec produced docuseries Top Class and a first look at its reboot of Leverage.
Lauren Anderson and Ryan Pirozzi, Co-Heads of Content & Programming, IMDb TV, spoke to Deadline about all of the...
The Amazon-owned free streaming service has unveiled a slew of news today as part of its debut at the NewFronts advertising event.
The streamer has handed a series order to High School, a coming-of-age dramedy series based on the memoir from Tegan and Sara Quin from Housebroken co-creator Clea DuVall, Plan B Entertainment and Amazon Studios, and ordered three unscripted series, including one from country music star and American Idol judge Luke Bryan.
This comes after it revealed it was in development with a slew of a projects including a new comedy from The Good Place creator Mike Schur as well as a second season of LeBron James-exec produced docuseries Top Class and a first look at its reboot of Leverage.
Lauren Anderson and Ryan Pirozzi, Co-Heads of Content & Programming, IMDb TV, spoke to Deadline about all of the...
- 5/3/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb TV, Amazon’s free-streaming video service, has ratcheted up its spending on original content — and more broadly, the e-commerce giant is trying to make the case to Madison Avenue that it has amassed a huge audience for ad-supported video content.
At Amazon’s first NewFronts presentation for advertisers Monday, IMDb TV announced unscripted series with country star Luke Bryan and famed interior designer Jeff Lewis (“Flipping Out”). In addition, IMDb TV has ordered “On Call,” a new half-hour drama from prolific producer Dick Wolf and Wolf Entertainment, Universal Television and Attn:, following a pair of police officers on patrol in Long Beach, Calif., with each episode tracking the duo as they respond to a new radio call, arriving on the scene to resolve an incident.
Those will join a growing slate of originals at IMDb TV, the two-year-old AVOD service that competes with the likes of the Roku Channel,...
At Amazon’s first NewFronts presentation for advertisers Monday, IMDb TV announced unscripted series with country star Luke Bryan and famed interior designer Jeff Lewis (“Flipping Out”). In addition, IMDb TV has ordered “On Call,” a new half-hour drama from prolific producer Dick Wolf and Wolf Entertainment, Universal Television and Attn:, following a pair of police officers on patrol in Long Beach, Calif., with each episode tracking the duo as they respond to a new radio call, arriving on the scene to resolve an incident.
Those will join a growing slate of originals at IMDb TV, the two-year-old AVOD service that competes with the likes of the Roku Channel,...
- 5/3/2021
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Retrofit Films is entering the shortform interactive content game with the first-ever minutelong Lgbtq Instagram soap series Hidden Canyons from creator Brant Rotnem. Co-directed by Fawzia Mirza (CBS’s The Red Line), the first season consists of 26 episodes that are a minute or less and follows seven friends as they navigate the relationships and challenges of Lgbtq life in the titular fictional city of Hidden Canyons. The first nine episodes will debut on the social media platform on May 17 at 5 p.m. Pt/8 p.m. Et. The remaining episodes air Wednesdays and Sundays through early August.
“We often see reductive depictions of the Lgbtq+ world in media,” said Rotnem. “I wanted to tell stories that speak to the nuances we don’t get to see. For instance, what is the community’s relationship to materialism and success? Should we structure romantic relationships like straight couples, or redefine them in our own way?...
“We often see reductive depictions of the Lgbtq+ world in media,” said Rotnem. “I wanted to tell stories that speak to the nuances we don’t get to see. For instance, what is the community’s relationship to materialism and success? Should we structure romantic relationships like straight couples, or redefine them in our own way?...
- 5/15/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Quibi and LeBron James’ Uninterrupted sports media company are teaming up for a new docuseries about a cheating scandal that has gone down in baseball infamy.
The short-form content platform has ordered “Sign Language” (working title), a series which aims to give viewers an inside look at the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal and its unprecedented fallout.
Per the logline for the series, it will look to “transcend the baseball diamond to explore larger themes of greed, cheating, corruption, sportsmanship, and social media activism.” News of the series comes around two months after it was announced that “Slow Burn” producers Leon Neyfakh and Andrew Parsons are looking to hit a home run with a podcast about the Astros’ controversial World Series-winning 2017 season, which they then intend to adapt into a scripted series.
“Sign Language” also hails from investigative filmmaking company The Cinemart, which last year released the Hulu doc “Fyre Fraud...
The short-form content platform has ordered “Sign Language” (working title), a series which aims to give viewers an inside look at the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal and its unprecedented fallout.
Per the logline for the series, it will look to “transcend the baseball diamond to explore larger themes of greed, cheating, corruption, sportsmanship, and social media activism.” News of the series comes around two months after it was announced that “Slow Burn” producers Leon Neyfakh and Andrew Parsons are looking to hit a home run with a podcast about the Astros’ controversial World Series-winning 2017 season, which they then intend to adapt into a scripted series.
“Sign Language” also hails from investigative filmmaking company The Cinemart, which last year released the Hulu doc “Fyre Fraud...
- 5/15/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Entertainment One has picked up international rights to Hulu’s documentary on the disastrous Fyre Festival.
“Fyre Fraud” looks at the unscrupulous dealings of Billy McFarland, the self-aggrandizing huckster who sold thousands of tickets to a music festival in the Bahamas that turned out to be a sham. Duped by a promotional campaign on social media featuring rapper Ja Rule and bikini-clad models, the festival-goers found themselves scrambling for food and shelter on a remote island, with musical acts nowhere in evidence.
McFarland is now serving a six-year jail sentence. “Fyre Fraud” looks into how the scam was built and the personalities, especially McFarland, behind it.
“As soon as it was launched, this brilliantly made film garnered huge critical acclaim for its quality execution and access to the key players and has instantly become widely talked about,” said Noel Hedges, eOne’s executive vice president of acquisitions for international distribution.
“Fyre Fraud” looks at the unscrupulous dealings of Billy McFarland, the self-aggrandizing huckster who sold thousands of tickets to a music festival in the Bahamas that turned out to be a sham. Duped by a promotional campaign on social media featuring rapper Ja Rule and bikini-clad models, the festival-goers found themselves scrambling for food and shelter on a remote island, with musical acts nowhere in evidence.
McFarland is now serving a six-year jail sentence. “Fyre Fraud” looks into how the scam was built and the personalities, especially McFarland, behind it.
“As soon as it was launched, this brilliantly made film garnered huge critical acclaim for its quality execution and access to the key players and has instantly become widely talked about,” said Noel Hedges, eOne’s executive vice president of acquisitions for international distribution.
- 2/19/2019
- by Henry Chu
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan actress Dina Shihabi has signed a development deal with Propagate for Habibti, a scripted series based on her experiences living in Los Angeles with her Saudi friends.
The series follows three Saudi women as they straddle two cultures, navigate life in the big city, build lives for themselves in the U.S. and return home to the Kingdom. Shihabi created, wrote and executive produces Habibti. Michael Gasparro, Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens and Linh Le also are EPs.
“When we met Dina and heard her story, we were instantly hooked,” Propagate co-CEOs Silverman and Owens. “Developing authentic voices has been part of Propagate’s DNA, and it has been our mission to identify unique talent like Dina and share their stories with the rest of the world. We believe this coming of age story of a young Saudi actress will tap into the cultural zeitgeist...
The series follows three Saudi women as they straddle two cultures, navigate life in the big city, build lives for themselves in the U.S. and return home to the Kingdom. Shihabi created, wrote and executive produces Habibti. Michael Gasparro, Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens and Linh Le also are EPs.
“When we met Dina and heard her story, we were instantly hooked,” Propagate co-CEOs Silverman and Owens. “Developing authentic voices has been part of Propagate’s DNA, and it has been our mission to identify unique talent like Dina and share their stories with the rest of the world. We believe this coming of age story of a young Saudi actress will tap into the cultural zeitgeist...
- 9/4/2018
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The Fyre Festival was a disaster on such an epochal scale that it’s become an adjective for abject failure: The heavily hyped “luxury concert” — taking place in April of last year on a small island in the Bahamas and scheduled to feature Blink-182, Migos and Disclosure — collapsed before it had even started. Far from the luxury accommodations and celebrity-chef-prepared meals promised by its producers — entrepreneur Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule — concertgoers were met with flimsy tents, boxed lunches, near-total disorganization and long waits for flights to return to the mainland.
Just two days after McFarland, who pleaded guilty to two counts wire fraud in March, was arrested for running a fraudulent ticket-selling operation while he was out on bail, a docuseries on the event has been announced. Premiering on Hulu in 2019, the series is a collaboration between The Cinemart, Billboard, Hulu and Mic and will tell the story of the failed festival,...
Just two days after McFarland, who pleaded guilty to two counts wire fraud in March, was arrested for running a fraudulent ticket-selling operation while he was out on bail, a docuseries on the event has been announced. Premiering on Hulu in 2019, the series is a collaboration between The Cinemart, Billboard, Hulu and Mic and will tell the story of the failed festival,...
- 6/14/2018
- by Jem Aswad
- Variety Film + TV
George Zimmerman, who fatally shot black teenager Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, in 2012, has now been accused of harassing a private investigator working on a documentary about the Martin case, the Associated Press reported.
According the the AP, Zimmerman was issued a summons on May 3 for arraignment on a charge of misdemeanor stalking. The arraignment is scheduled for May 30.
Citing a sheriff’s report, the AP reported that the investigator contacted Zimmerman last year on behalf of filmmaker Michael Gasparro, who’s making a Jay Z-produced documentary about Martin.
Also Read: George Zimmerman's Attempt to Sell Gun Used to Kill Trayvon Martin Canceled
The investigator subsequently received 55 phone calls, 67 text messages, 36 voicemails and 27 emails from Zimmerman in December, according to court records.
Zimmerman was acquitted of of all charges relating to Martin’s death. He has, however, been entangled in a legal issue or two since then.
The court records don’t list an attorney for Zimmerman, according to the AP.
Read original story George Zimmerman Accused of Stalking Investigator for Jay Z-Produced Trayvon Martin Documentary At TheWrap...
According the the AP, Zimmerman was issued a summons on May 3 for arraignment on a charge of misdemeanor stalking. The arraignment is scheduled for May 30.
Citing a sheriff’s report, the AP reported that the investigator contacted Zimmerman last year on behalf of filmmaker Michael Gasparro, who’s making a Jay Z-produced documentary about Martin.
Also Read: George Zimmerman's Attempt to Sell Gun Used to Kill Trayvon Martin Canceled
The investigator subsequently received 55 phone calls, 67 text messages, 36 voicemails and 27 emails from Zimmerman in December, according to court records.
Zimmerman was acquitted of of all charges relating to Martin’s death. He has, however, been entangled in a legal issue or two since then.
The court records don’t list an attorney for Zimmerman, according to the AP.
Read original story George Zimmerman Accused of Stalking Investigator for Jay Z-Produced Trayvon Martin Documentary At TheWrap...
- 5/7/2018
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
The 2017 luxury music festival that seemed too good to be true and ultimately became a disaster is the subject of a new Hulu docuseries. It will stream the untitled project about the Fyre Festival and produce along with the Cinemart, Billboard and Mic.
Set for a 2019 premiere, the series recounts the events leading up to and during the Bahamian festival, as well as its eventual collapse and aftermath. The show will feature interviews with inside sources ranging from local Bahamians and stranded festivalgoers to vendors, investors and others.
Organized by Fyre Media founder Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule, the Fyre Festival was supposed to be an ultra-luxury concert experience that was plagued from the get-go by myriad problems with security, accommodations and fan and artist relations. It descended into chaos, leaving its attendees furious and spawning numerous lawsuits. Hulu said the docuseries will serve as a cautionary tale for...
Set for a 2019 premiere, the series recounts the events leading up to and during the Bahamian festival, as well as its eventual collapse and aftermath. The show will feature interviews with inside sources ranging from local Bahamians and stranded festivalgoers to vendors, investors and others.
Organized by Fyre Media founder Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule, the Fyre Festival was supposed to be an ultra-luxury concert experience that was plagued from the get-go by myriad problems with security, accommodations and fan and artist relations. It descended into chaos, leaving its attendees furious and spawning numerous lawsuits. Hulu said the docuseries will serve as a cautionary tale for...
- 4/17/2018
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Jay Z produced the upcoming documentary series about the life and legacy of Trayvon Martin, Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story. The six-part, unscripted series premieres in July on the Paramount Network.
In the teaser clip for the series, a quote cloud forms as people from Martin's life reflect on his death. "I don't want this to be swept under the rug," one person says. "They say that time heals all wounds," another declares. "It does not."
Martin, an unarmed, black 17 year old, was shot and killed in Florida in February 2012. The shooter,...
In the teaser clip for the series, a quote cloud forms as people from Martin's life reflect on his death. "I don't want this to be swept under the rug," one person says. "They say that time heals all wounds," another declares. "It does not."
Martin, an unarmed, black 17 year old, was shot and killed in Florida in February 2012. The shooter,...
- 2/26/2018
- Rollingstone.com
After 12 years with Tmt Entertainment, veteran talent manager and producer Michael Gasparro has exited to launch his own company, Gasparro Management Company. Gasparro will bring along clients including Nick Sandow (Orange Is The New Black), Bridget Regan (Jane The Virgin, The Last Ship), Shane McRae (Sneaky Pete) Raúl Castillo (Looking, Seven Seconds), Dina Shihabi (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), and Samantha Soule (Godless), among others. He will continue to be based in New…...
- 8/16/2017
- Deadline TV
Spike TV, which is rebranding as Paramount Network in January of 2018, has ordered Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story as a mini-series. The six-part drama is expected to premiere on Paramount Network in 2018. Shawn Carter, Harvey Weinstein, David C. Glasser, Chachi Senior, Sybrina Fulton, Tracy Martin, Jenner Furst, Nick Sandow, Julia Willoughby Nason, and Michael Gasparro are executive producing.Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story is based on the book, Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin, by Martin's parents Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, as well as the book Suspicion Nation: The Inside Story of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It, by Lisa Bloom.Read More…...
- 4/11/2017
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
The Sundance Film Festival continues to embrace the diversity of great content being made today, with a full roster of special events programming that features established festival favorites like Jill Soloway, Rashida Jones and Gina Prince-Bythewood.
Read More: Sundance 2017 Announces New Frontier Lineup, Including 22 Vr Experiences and 11 New Installations
Making its world premiere at the fest is “I Love Dick,” Soloway’s Amazon comedy featuring Kevin Bacon as the titular Dick, a “charismatic artist” who upends the marriage of Kathryn Hanh and Griffith Dunne. In addition, the Netflix documentary “Hot Girls Wanted” gets a sequel directed by Rashida Jones; “Turned On” explores “the intersection of sex and technology,” per the official release.
Broadcast networks find themselves surprisingly well-represented in the line-up, with the ABC comedy “Downward Dog” (featuring Allison Tolman as a young woman with a special relationship with her dog) as well as the Fox limited series “Shots Fired,...
Read More: Sundance 2017 Announces New Frontier Lineup, Including 22 Vr Experiences and 11 New Installations
Making its world premiere at the fest is “I Love Dick,” Soloway’s Amazon comedy featuring Kevin Bacon as the titular Dick, a “charismatic artist” who upends the marriage of Kathryn Hanh and Griffith Dunne. In addition, the Netflix documentary “Hot Girls Wanted” gets a sequel directed by Rashida Jones; “Turned On” explores “the intersection of sex and technology,” per the official release.
Broadcast networks find themselves surprisingly well-represented in the line-up, with the ABC comedy “Downward Dog” (featuring Allison Tolman as a young woman with a special relationship with her dog) as well as the Fox limited series “Shots Fired,...
- 12/5/2016
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Entertainment One has scooped up U.S. distribution rights for “The Wannabe,” Patricia Arquette‘s first film since winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Boyhood” in February, TheWrap has learned. Co-starring “Boardwalk Empire”‘s Vincent Piazza and “The Sopranos” alum Michael Imperioli, director Nick Sandow’s drama follows a duo obsessed with American mafia culture. Martin Scorsese served as an executive producer, with lead producers in Piazza, Lizzie Nastro and Michael Gasparro. Dean Devlin and Traction Media are also billed as EPs, with Electric Entertainment fully financing the project. Devlin’s Electric sales outfit continues to shop international rights at the Cannes Film Market.
- 5/19/2015
- by Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
Entertainment One has picked up North American rights to the The Wannabe, which marks Patricia Arquette's follow-up to her Oscar-winning performance in Boyhood. Vincent Piazza and Michael Imperioli also star in the drama, which was written and directed by Nick Sandow. Lizzie Nastro, Michael Gasparro and Piazza produced the film, which was executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Dean Devlin and Traction Media. Electric Entertainment fully financed the project. The domestic deal was brokered by Traction Media (Short Term 12, The Secret in Their Eyes) and by Larry Greenberg and Katharyn Howe for eOne. Devlin’s Electric is selling international
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- 5/19/2015
- by Tatiana Siegel, Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This is the first of a daily report on the various international sales agents who will converge at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica for 10 days beginning November 4 at the American Film Market.
The film and television production company Electric Entertainment, owned by producer/ writer and previously an actor, Dean Devlin, has recently launched an international theatrical film and television sales and acquisitions division. Devlin has appointed industry veteran Sonia Mehandjiyska to run the new division, which will represent Electric’s original productions as well as third-party product from A-list filmmakers and seasoned television producers from around the globe.
Dean Devlin's Electric Entertainment has recently acquired two new projects, Critical Hour and No Good Deed as director vehicles for Devlin and Electric's Marc Roskin respectively. Eric Tipton wrote Critical Hour, and Brandon Boyce ( Apt Pupil, Wicker Park) penned No Good Deed. Devlin, Roskin and Electric’s Rachel Olschan are producing both projects.
Dean and I spoke together about his plans and his incredible trailblazing in the international film business.
How was Toronto?
Toronto was interesting as the place to begin international sales again. It's been a while since I started Voltage with Nicholas Chartier.
What decided you to return to international sales?
Since 2004, we have been independent and we have about 100 hours of entertainment. We have studios in Portland, a state-of-the-art post-production facility here in L.A. We think we can leverage all these assets to bring down costs, not only for ourselves but for others. We want to capitalize on what such a workflow can bring to the marketplace.
What size films are you looking to make and represent internationally?
$25 million and under to start. We want to build on our brand identity. We want to continue with the genres we have been doing.
I notice that you began as an actor in 1980 as the boy in The Bodyguard, and then you wrote 1992 you wrote Universal Soldier. Then you wrote and produced Stargate and Independence Day. Are you still writing?
Yes, in fact I wrote and am now producing Geostorm with Skydance Pictures' David Ellison and Dana Goldberg and Paramount.
(Author’s note: I just realized, as I write this, that Geostorm will actually be Dean’s directorial debut!)
Will Paramount release U.S. And Electric Entertainment take foreign?
No, actually Paramount will take worldwide rights to this film as it is larger than those we will take on initially.
I notice you also are working in television. Which do you prefer, TV or theatrical?
When I started, TV was very formulaic. Now movies are more expensive and predictable and TV has exploded. With all the channels, it has become more creative. I love TV as much as I love film.
You have also produced documentaries – well you exec produced Who Killed the Electric Car? and other docs (Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story and Bellflower , Becoming Santa and Go Far: The Christopher Rush Story) give you thanks. Will you continue with docs?
We all know about passion projects. I don't have plans for docs, but there are some which I feel passionate about and so I get involved with them.
Any plans for U.S. Distribution?
No plan yet. But it's interesting to see all the forms of releasing, like iTunes releasing before theatrical on certain types of films. Perhaps in the distant future we will get into U.S. Distribution, but not yet.
You showing such intelligence in your planning and executing. It's a pleasure to see you at work.
Thank you. I think that to have any creative freedom requires risk taking. People are quick to criticize the studio system but we know they are taking risks every day and I think we need to share the risk which is what I am doing.
Well you are really keeping up with the times and the changes and I wish you great success. And thank you for taking the time to talk with me about Electric.
Industry vet Sonia Mehandjiyska serves as Head of International Distribution
Mehandjiyska introduced Electric’s slate to buyers at the Toronto International Film Festival and is proceeding on sales at the American Film Market. She was previously Head of Sales at Global Screen, a Bavaria-Telepool joint venture in Munich, Germany, where she negotiated license agreements on theatrical films, TV Series and M.O.W.’s for one of Europe’s biggest libraries.
Since 2003, Mehandjiyska has served in a variety of international distribution positions with Gibraltar Entertainment, Lightning Entertainment and Echo Bridge, where she served as Vice President of International Sales in their London office.
Devlin commented, “Sonia’s business acumen, professionalism, and taste for material represents exactly what I am looking for in the person we want to head our new division. We welcome her to the Electric family, and look forward to working with her as we present our product to the global marketplace.”
“I am thrilled to be working with Dean as he builds Electric into a full-service independent production and distribution company. His reputation and astonishing body of work is indisputable, and an inspiration as I move half-way across the globe to join the company,” said Mehandjiyska.
The first project for the new division is The Wannabe, a film written and to be directed by Nick Sandow, starring Patricia Arquette ( Stigmata, True Romance, “Boardwalk Empire”), Vincent Piazza ( Jersey Boys, “Boardwalk Empire”), and Michael Imperioli (“Oldboy,” “The Sopranos”). Martin Scorsese will Executive Produce the project. Electric Entertainment is fully financing the film and Executive Producing along with Traction Media (Short Term 12). Lizzie Nastro (Bluebird) and Michael Gasparro are producing. Set in New York City during the early 1990s, the film centers on Thomas (Piazza), a man obsessed with mob culture who attempts to fix the jury in the trial of John Gotti. But as the plot is foiled and he’s rejected by the ones he idolizes most, he sets off with Rose (Arquette), a neighborhood fixture, on a ride worthy of mob lore.
Electric recently wrapped its fifth and final season of TNT’s action-packed drama “Leverage,” which starred Academy Award® Winner Timothy Hutton and was Executive Produced by Dean Devlin, John Rogers, Chris Downey and Marc Roskin. “Leverage” won the 2013 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Cable TV Drama.
Electric’s other television credits include TNT’s "The Librarian" starring Noah Wyle, which was the highest rated movie on cable that year (2004), its sequel, “The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines” and the third installment of the franchise, “The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice.” Along with Bryan Singer’s Bad Hat Harry production company, Electric produced SyFy Channel’s “The Triangle,” which won an Emmy for its Visual Effects, and was the highest-rated miniseries on the cable channel since “Steven Spielberg Presents Taken” (2002).
Devlin is currently in pre-production on his feature directorial debut, Geostorm, which he is producing with Skydance Pictures’ David Ellison and Dana Goldberg and his Electric Entertainment team of Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan. Paramount retains worldwide rights to the film.
The film and television production company Electric Entertainment, owned by producer/ writer and previously an actor, Dean Devlin, has recently launched an international theatrical film and television sales and acquisitions division. Devlin has appointed industry veteran Sonia Mehandjiyska to run the new division, which will represent Electric’s original productions as well as third-party product from A-list filmmakers and seasoned television producers from around the globe.
Dean Devlin's Electric Entertainment has recently acquired two new projects, Critical Hour and No Good Deed as director vehicles for Devlin and Electric's Marc Roskin respectively. Eric Tipton wrote Critical Hour, and Brandon Boyce ( Apt Pupil, Wicker Park) penned No Good Deed. Devlin, Roskin and Electric’s Rachel Olschan are producing both projects.
Dean and I spoke together about his plans and his incredible trailblazing in the international film business.
How was Toronto?
Toronto was interesting as the place to begin international sales again. It's been a while since I started Voltage with Nicholas Chartier.
What decided you to return to international sales?
Since 2004, we have been independent and we have about 100 hours of entertainment. We have studios in Portland, a state-of-the-art post-production facility here in L.A. We think we can leverage all these assets to bring down costs, not only for ourselves but for others. We want to capitalize on what such a workflow can bring to the marketplace.
What size films are you looking to make and represent internationally?
$25 million and under to start. We want to build on our brand identity. We want to continue with the genres we have been doing.
I notice that you began as an actor in 1980 as the boy in The Bodyguard, and then you wrote 1992 you wrote Universal Soldier. Then you wrote and produced Stargate and Independence Day. Are you still writing?
Yes, in fact I wrote and am now producing Geostorm with Skydance Pictures' David Ellison and Dana Goldberg and Paramount.
(Author’s note: I just realized, as I write this, that Geostorm will actually be Dean’s directorial debut!)
Will Paramount release U.S. And Electric Entertainment take foreign?
No, actually Paramount will take worldwide rights to this film as it is larger than those we will take on initially.
I notice you also are working in television. Which do you prefer, TV or theatrical?
When I started, TV was very formulaic. Now movies are more expensive and predictable and TV has exploded. With all the channels, it has become more creative. I love TV as much as I love film.
You have also produced documentaries – well you exec produced Who Killed the Electric Car? and other docs (Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story and Bellflower , Becoming Santa and Go Far: The Christopher Rush Story) give you thanks. Will you continue with docs?
We all know about passion projects. I don't have plans for docs, but there are some which I feel passionate about and so I get involved with them.
Any plans for U.S. Distribution?
No plan yet. But it's interesting to see all the forms of releasing, like iTunes releasing before theatrical on certain types of films. Perhaps in the distant future we will get into U.S. Distribution, but not yet.
You showing such intelligence in your planning and executing. It's a pleasure to see you at work.
Thank you. I think that to have any creative freedom requires risk taking. People are quick to criticize the studio system but we know they are taking risks every day and I think we need to share the risk which is what I am doing.
Well you are really keeping up with the times and the changes and I wish you great success. And thank you for taking the time to talk with me about Electric.
Industry vet Sonia Mehandjiyska serves as Head of International Distribution
Mehandjiyska introduced Electric’s slate to buyers at the Toronto International Film Festival and is proceeding on sales at the American Film Market. She was previously Head of Sales at Global Screen, a Bavaria-Telepool joint venture in Munich, Germany, where she negotiated license agreements on theatrical films, TV Series and M.O.W.’s for one of Europe’s biggest libraries.
Since 2003, Mehandjiyska has served in a variety of international distribution positions with Gibraltar Entertainment, Lightning Entertainment and Echo Bridge, where she served as Vice President of International Sales in their London office.
Devlin commented, “Sonia’s business acumen, professionalism, and taste for material represents exactly what I am looking for in the person we want to head our new division. We welcome her to the Electric family, and look forward to working with her as we present our product to the global marketplace.”
“I am thrilled to be working with Dean as he builds Electric into a full-service independent production and distribution company. His reputation and astonishing body of work is indisputable, and an inspiration as I move half-way across the globe to join the company,” said Mehandjiyska.
The first project for the new division is The Wannabe, a film written and to be directed by Nick Sandow, starring Patricia Arquette ( Stigmata, True Romance, “Boardwalk Empire”), Vincent Piazza ( Jersey Boys, “Boardwalk Empire”), and Michael Imperioli (“Oldboy,” “The Sopranos”). Martin Scorsese will Executive Produce the project. Electric Entertainment is fully financing the film and Executive Producing along with Traction Media (Short Term 12). Lizzie Nastro (Bluebird) and Michael Gasparro are producing. Set in New York City during the early 1990s, the film centers on Thomas (Piazza), a man obsessed with mob culture who attempts to fix the jury in the trial of John Gotti. But as the plot is foiled and he’s rejected by the ones he idolizes most, he sets off with Rose (Arquette), a neighborhood fixture, on a ride worthy of mob lore.
Electric recently wrapped its fifth and final season of TNT’s action-packed drama “Leverage,” which starred Academy Award® Winner Timothy Hutton and was Executive Produced by Dean Devlin, John Rogers, Chris Downey and Marc Roskin. “Leverage” won the 2013 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Cable TV Drama.
Electric’s other television credits include TNT’s "The Librarian" starring Noah Wyle, which was the highest rated movie on cable that year (2004), its sequel, “The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines” and the third installment of the franchise, “The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice.” Along with Bryan Singer’s Bad Hat Harry production company, Electric produced SyFy Channel’s “The Triangle,” which won an Emmy for its Visual Effects, and was the highest-rated miniseries on the cable channel since “Steven Spielberg Presents Taken” (2002).
Devlin is currently in pre-production on his feature directorial debut, Geostorm, which he is producing with Skydance Pictures’ David Ellison and Dana Goldberg and his Electric Entertainment team of Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan. Paramount retains worldwide rights to the film.
- 11/4/2013
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Vincenzo Amato, David Zayas, Neal Huff, Mike Starr and Slaine have joined Patricia Arquette on the cast of The Wannabe and Dean Devlin’s nascent Electric Entertainment will commence pre-sales at the Afm next month.
Nick Sandow is set to start shooting on October 28 in Brooklyn on the story of a man obsessed with Mob culture who goes on the run with a woman after he attempts to fix the John Gotti trial. Vincent Piazza and Michael Imperioli also star.
Devlin (pictured) serves as The Wannabe executive producer with Martin Scorsese while Lizzie Nastro and Michael Gasparro produce.
Electric is fully financing the project and executive producing and represents sales along with Traction Media.
Electric’s head of distribution Sonia Mehandjiyska will oversee pre-sales in Santa Monica.
Nick Sandow is set to start shooting on October 28 in Brooklyn on the story of a man obsessed with Mob culture who goes on the run with a woman after he attempts to fix the John Gotti trial. Vincent Piazza and Michael Imperioli also star.
Devlin (pictured) serves as The Wannabe executive producer with Martin Scorsese while Lizzie Nastro and Michael Gasparro produce.
Electric is fully financing the project and executive producing and represents sales along with Traction Media.
Electric’s head of distribution Sonia Mehandjiyska will oversee pre-sales in Santa Monica.
- 10/23/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Executive Producers Martin Scorsese and Dean Devlin announced today that The Wannabe, a film written and to be directed by Nick Sandow, has added Vincenzo Amato (Golden Door), David Zayas (“Dexter,” Annie), Neal Huff (Moonrise Kingdom), Mike Starr (Goodfellas) and Slaine (The Town) to round-out the cast.
The film also stars Patricia Arquette (Stigmata, True Romance, “Boardwalk Empire”), Vincent Piazza (Jersey Boys, “Boardwalk Empire”) and Michael Imperioli (“Oldboy,” “The Sopranos”) and will be produced by Lizzie Nastro (Bluebird) and Michael Gasparro. Electric is fully financing the project and executive producing and distributing the picture along with Traction Media.
The Wannabe will commence principal photography in Brooklyn, NY on October 28th. Electric’s Head of Distribution, Sonia Mehandjiyska is kicking-off sales for the title at the upcoming American Film Market.
Set in New York City during the early 1990s, The Wannabe centers on Thomas (Piazza), a man obsessed with mob culture...
The film also stars Patricia Arquette (Stigmata, True Romance, “Boardwalk Empire”), Vincent Piazza (Jersey Boys, “Boardwalk Empire”) and Michael Imperioli (“Oldboy,” “The Sopranos”) and will be produced by Lizzie Nastro (Bluebird) and Michael Gasparro. Electric is fully financing the project and executive producing and distributing the picture along with Traction Media.
The Wannabe will commence principal photography in Brooklyn, NY on October 28th. Electric’s Head of Distribution, Sonia Mehandjiyska is kicking-off sales for the title at the upcoming American Film Market.
Set in New York City during the early 1990s, The Wannabe centers on Thomas (Piazza), a man obsessed with mob culture...
- 10/22/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Electric Entertainment’s Dean Devlin, who co-founded Voltage Pictures with Nicolas Chartier, has launched an international film and television sales division.
Sonia Mehandjiyska has been hired to head the unit and will represent Electric productions as well as third-party product, kicking off in Toronto with crime drama The Wannabe from executive producer Martin Scorsese.
Mehandjiyska previously served as head of sales at Global Screen in Munich and prior to that held senior posts at Gibraltar Entertainment, Lightning Entertainment and Echo Bridge.
Nick Sandow wrote and will direct The Wannabe, which takes place in 1990s New York. Patricia Arquette, Vincent Piazza and Michael Imperioli will star in the story of a man who tries to fix the trial of mobster John Gotti and sets off on a wild ride with a female companion.
Electric Entertainment is fully financing the film and serves as executive producer with Traction Media. Lizzie Nastro and Michael Gasparro are the producers.
“Sonia’s business...
Sonia Mehandjiyska has been hired to head the unit and will represent Electric productions as well as third-party product, kicking off in Toronto with crime drama The Wannabe from executive producer Martin Scorsese.
Mehandjiyska previously served as head of sales at Global Screen in Munich and prior to that held senior posts at Gibraltar Entertainment, Lightning Entertainment and Echo Bridge.
Nick Sandow wrote and will direct The Wannabe, which takes place in 1990s New York. Patricia Arquette, Vincent Piazza and Michael Imperioli will star in the story of a man who tries to fix the trial of mobster John Gotti and sets off on a wild ride with a female companion.
Electric Entertainment is fully financing the film and serves as executive producer with Traction Media. Lizzie Nastro and Michael Gasparro are the producers.
“Sonia’s business...
- 9/5/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
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