US based Wessler and Farrelly snap up “The Apprentice”.
HOLLYWOOD CHOOSES AUSTRALIAN TEAM
HEAD PICTURES and MINI STUDIOS have announced their involvement in an untitled feature produced by Peter Farrelly and Charles Wessler consisting of two dozen short comedy films in the vein of “The Groove Tube” and “Kentucky Fried Movie.”
Head Pictures directors Steve Baker and Damon Escott & will co-direct and Mini Studios producers Steve Kearney and Leanne Tonkes will produce their short, entitled The Apprentice. Other directors already in talks include Brett Ratner, Todd Phillips, Mike Judge, Josh Gordon and Will Speck. Farrelly also will direct two of the shorts.
“Peter and I are very excited about The Apprentice, our only Australian contribution to the project. Steve’s script is both disturbing and hysterically funny. It is unique and will stand out from all the other short films in the movie. Steve and Damon are terrific filmmakers. We have an amazing team assembled for our movie and these guys fit right in”, Wessler said.
Steve Baker, a multi- award winning director and animator (Winner Tropfest 2007 An Imaginary Life) is currently nominated for an AFI Award for Dog With Electric Collar. Dog opened Sydney and Brisbane film festivals and has just screened at Hiroshima Animation Festival. Damon Escott is a successful director with award winning music videos (Aria winner 2006) for some of Australia’s finest music artists, including Silverchair, Powderfinger, Bernard Fanning, John Butler Trio, Sarah Blasko, End of Fashion and the Grates. He also directs TVC’s for brands including Coke, Nestle, Arnotts etc. The two have collaborated on a number of projects under the HEAD PICTURES banner.
Screen Australia has also come on board with support for The Apprentice, which could end up being one of the final shorts to receive funding.
Overture will handle US distribution, while GreeneStreet Films Intl. is set to sell the film internationally.