News

Exclusive: Whalerock Industries, Lloyd Braun’s West Hollywood-based production and consulting company behind such unscripted series as Battlebots, Hyperdrive and Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness, is making a push into podcasting. The company has launched Echoverse, a first-of-its-kind podcast studio focusing on science fiction, supernatural, and fantasy audio experiences, headed by former Syfy executive Mark Stern.

The studio is funded by Whalerock, along with individual investors.

“The sci-fi, supernatural, and fantasy genres represent a significant opportunity in the scripted podcasting market, and Mark Stern is the ideal executive to bring this vision to life.” said Anne-Marie O’Neill, CEO of Whalerock.

Stern was most recently president of Fearless Media Group, which he launched in 2018 as an extension of the work he began as the head of Im Global Television. Prior to that, Stern was president of original content at Syfy for 11 years, where he developed and produced dozens of...

Chicago – “Wild Honey” is a film of transition and redemption, and features a stellar cast anchored by veteran character actress Rusty Schwimmer. The Wilmette Theatre in that Chicagoland suburb is screening the film – partially set locally – on December 12th and 14th, 2018, and Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com will host the Q&A with Schwimmer and writer/director Francis Stokes at the 12/12 presentation. For details and to purchase tickets, click here.

Rusty Schwimmer as Gabby in ‘Wild Honey’

Photo credit: FrancisStokes.com

“Wild Honey” is the story of Gabby (Rusty Schwimmer), a 49 year-old who leaves her dead end relationship with Vince (Todd Stashwick) and moves back in with her mother (Paulette Cary). She also has no job prospects, so reluctantly she makes ends meet as a phone sex operator. This strange profession is interrupted by a caller named Martin (Timothy Omundson), who only wants Gabby’s counsel, and they begin to develop a friendship.

In today’s film news roundup, the DGA honors a pair of members for contributions to the guild, romantic comedy “Wild Honey” gets a release and VFX house Proof expands.

DGA Honors

Unit production manager Kathleen McGill and associate director Mimi (Marian) Deaton have been selected as the recipients of the Directors Guild of America special awards for contributions to the guild.

The duo will be honored at the 71st Annual DGA Awards on Feb. 2 at the Hollywood & Highland Center’s Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood. McGill will receive the Frank Capra Achievement Award and Deaton will receive the Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award.

McGill worked as a Upm on Brian DePalma’s “Snake Eyes,” Ron Howard’s “The Da Vinci Code,” “Frost/Nixon” and “A Beautiful Mind,” Bryan Singer’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “X-Men: Apocalypse” and is currently at work on Simon Kinberg’s “X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Stars: John Hawkes, Anita Barone, Stephen Falk, Karen Black, Dan Castellaneta, Stephanie Jane Markham, Ryan Alosio, Rusty Schwimmer, Daryl Hury, Leon Russom, Carlos Jacott, Duane Whitaker, Todd Robert Anderson, Greg Benson | Written and Directed by Francis Stokes

A charming and endearing tale of one mans dare to dream attitude and his willingness to break every bone in his body on the way to that dream… With a beautiful re-scan, from 35mm film, of the classic award-winning comedy, Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman.

Oscar Nominee John Hawkes (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) is Harold Buttleman, a sweet, charming and somewhat clueless small town tuxedo salesman who wants to be the next Evel Knievel and he is willing to break every bone in his body to get there. Harold teams up with a couple of friends who share his passion for what he wants to accomplish and they shoot a crude video (made...