Exclusive: Danni Conner, Trevite Willis, Avril Speaks, Adetoro Makinde, Letitia Guillory, Ashley Chrisman, and Jessica Funches has been named the 2020 fellows for The Blackhouse Foundation’s 2nd annual Multicultural Producers Lab. The program highlights seven accomplished Black female producers responsible for fiction and nonfiction projects, showcasing the best-of-the-best in film and television.
Blackhouse Foundation launched the program last year with a mission to expand the number of multicultural production companies and executives, to increase their pipeline of content, and to support the sustainability of mid-career independent producers and the scale at which their projects and businesses operate.
In light of the current global pandemic program, this year’s program will consist of virtual symposiums, online workshops, and feedback sessions. Starting on Feb. 5th through the 9th, the 2020 fellows will have the opportunity to engage in in-person industry meetings and a pitch fest to showcase their projects to film studios, networks,...
Blackhouse Foundation launched the program last year with a mission to expand the number of multicultural production companies and executives, to increase their pipeline of content, and to support the sustainability of mid-career independent producers and the scale at which their projects and businesses operate.
In light of the current global pandemic program, this year’s program will consist of virtual symposiums, online workshops, and feedback sessions. Starting on Feb. 5th through the 9th, the 2020 fellows will have the opportunity to engage in in-person industry meetings and a pitch fest to showcase their projects to film studios, networks,...
- 12/9/2020
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Will Smith looks to be starring in the reluctant hero role in "American Can," a drama in development at Sony Pictures and Smith's Overbrook Entertainment.
Smith will play John Keller, a Gulf War veteran looking for a new challenge. He found one after Hurricane Katrina devastated his home city of New Orleans as he helped bring over two hundred elderly people to safety.
Will, his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, and James Lassiter are trying to get Ed Zwick to direct, while Adetoro Makinde and John Lee Hancock penned the script.
Earlier this week came word that Smith had signed onto the grifter feature "Focus" which he will shoot first.
Smith is also said to once again be eyeing "The Accountant" which was previously set up at Warner Bros. Pictures with Mel Gibson directing.
The project is now said to be setup at Media Rights Capital with Sony Pictures, with Gibson no longer involved.
Smith will play John Keller, a Gulf War veteran looking for a new challenge. He found one after Hurricane Katrina devastated his home city of New Orleans as he helped bring over two hundred elderly people to safety.
Will, his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, and James Lassiter are trying to get Ed Zwick to direct, while Adetoro Makinde and John Lee Hancock penned the script.
Earlier this week came word that Smith had signed onto the grifter feature "Focus" which he will shoot first.
Smith is also said to once again be eyeing "The Accountant" which was previously set up at Warner Bros. Pictures with Mel Gibson directing.
The project is now said to be setup at Media Rights Capital with Sony Pictures, with Gibson no longer involved.
- 4/20/2013
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
After picking up the lead role in Focus, Deadline reports that Will Smith will play the lead role in two additional projects.
The next film that Smith has signed onto, The American Can, chronicles the true story of an ex-marine who rescued around 244 people (many of them elderly) who were left stranded after Hurricane Katrina. The American Can refers to the name of a dry building to which the hero transported the stranded. The film is based on John Keller who was seen in the documentary New Orleans My Life, My Home, My Love.
Ed Zwick (Glory, Blood Diamond) will direct Smith from a screenplay written by Adetoro Makinde (shorts: In Time, It Takes A Village) and John Lee Hancock (The Alamo, The Blindside).
According to Deadline, Focus is expected to shoot before The American Can.
As for his third project (reports Deadline)…
The Accountant, will see Smith play a brilliant autistic man who,...
The next film that Smith has signed onto, The American Can, chronicles the true story of an ex-marine who rescued around 244 people (many of them elderly) who were left stranded after Hurricane Katrina. The American Can refers to the name of a dry building to which the hero transported the stranded. The film is based on John Keller who was seen in the documentary New Orleans My Life, My Home, My Love.
Ed Zwick (Glory, Blood Diamond) will direct Smith from a screenplay written by Adetoro Makinde (shorts: In Time, It Takes A Village) and John Lee Hancock (The Alamo, The Blindside).
According to Deadline, Focus is expected to shoot before The American Can.
As for his third project (reports Deadline)…
The Accountant, will see Smith play a brilliant autistic man who,...
- 4/19/2013
- by Alex Corey
- LRMonline.com
Will Smith, his production company Overbrook Entertainment, and Sony have bought the rights to the life story of Hurricane Katrina hero, John "The Can Man" Keller. While John Lee Hancock will be writing the script and directing The American Can, Sony has also bought a spec script about Keller from writer and producer Adetoro Makinde. Keller himself is also one of the associate producers.
Keller, who was a resident of the American Can Company at the time of the storm, helped the other residents of the building -- many elderly and/or handicapped -- and a few refugees stay safe while the flood waters raged outside. Keller also documented his story with photos and videotape. He told The Times-Picayune in 2007, "There were other people rescuing people. But they didn't hot-wire boats, hot-wire cars, swim to the grocery store, come back with food, cook for all those people, organize them, get the thugs off them.
Keller, who was a resident of the American Can Company at the time of the storm, helped the other residents of the building -- many elderly and/or handicapped -- and a few refugees stay safe while the flood waters raged outside. Keller also documented his story with photos and videotape. He told The Times-Picayune in 2007, "There were other people rescuing people. But they didn't hot-wire boats, hot-wire cars, swim to the grocery store, come back with food, cook for all those people, organize them, get the thugs off them.
- 5/24/2009
- by Jenni Miller
- Cinematical
Acording to Variety Will Smith through his production company Overbrook Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment are set to bring the Katrina aftermath to big screen. John Lee Hancock ("The Rookie," "The Alamo") is asigned as writer and directer.The movie is the story of John Keller, an ex-Marine who orchestrated the rescue of 244 of his New Orleans neighbors after their building, the American Can Co., was flooded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The five-story structure sat in 11 feet of water after the breach of the levees.Sony acquired bigscreen life rights to John Keller as well as Adetoro Makinde's spec script, which chronicles the heroism of Keller and will serve as a starting point for Hancock's draft.
- 5/22/2009
- Films N Movies
Will Smith and James Lassiter's Overbrook Entertainment has teamed up to buy the life rights to the story of John Keller, one of the heroes of the Hurricane Katrina disaster that struck New Orleans in 2005.Keller, a 6'7" ex-Marine, kept the 150-odd residents of his building safe for five days during the disaster, helping to get the old and disabled residents out of the affected area as the waters began to go down. You can read more about Keller here - and wonder whether Smith's just producing, or if he'll be tempted to star as well. John Lee Hancock, of The Rookie and The Alamo fame, will write and direct, although the studio has also bought Adetoro Makinde's script about Keller to work from.
- 5/21/2009
- EmpireOnline
Actor will produce Sony film directed by John Lee Hancock.
By Michael Speier
Sony and WIll Smith are teaming up on the story of John Keller, an ex-Marine who helped to save hundreds of his New Orleans neighbors after their building -- the American Can Company -- flooded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
The as-yet-untitled film will be written and directed by John Lee Hancock ("The Rookie.")
James Lassiter, Smith and Ken Stovitz will produce through their Overbrook Entertainment shingle. Back Door Films will also produce; the project is based on the acquired spec script written by Back Door's Adetoro Makinde.
By Michael Speier
Sony and WIll Smith are teaming up on the story of John Keller, an ex-Marine who helped to save hundreds of his New Orleans neighbors after their building -- the American Can Company -- flooded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
The as-yet-untitled film will be written and directed by John Lee Hancock ("The Rookie.")
James Lassiter, Smith and Ken Stovitz will produce through their Overbrook Entertainment shingle. Back Door Films will also produce; the project is based on the acquired spec script written by Back Door's Adetoro Makinde.
- 5/20/2009
- by Michael Speier
- The Wrap
Will Smith, through his production company Overbrook Entertainment, has partnered with Sony Pictures to purchase the rights to the story of a man named John Keller, who who bravely risked his life to organize and carry out a rescue of 244 of his neighbors from a building in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Keller, an Ex-Marine, took it upon himself to rescue the people after the five-story housing complex was submerged in 11 feet of water because the Levees that were intended to protect New Orleans, were breached.
Keller’s story was featured in several publications, and was national news for a short period when details surrounding his act of heroism were revealed. He has said publicly that his only intention was to help the elderly and vulnerable people in the building, and he did not set out to “play a hero”.
John Lee Hancock is currently listed to write and direct the film.
Keller’s story was featured in several publications, and was national news for a short period when details surrounding his act of heroism were revealed. He has said publicly that his only intention was to help the elderly and vulnerable people in the building, and he did not set out to “play a hero”.
John Lee Hancock is currently listed to write and direct the film.
- 5/20/2009
- by Paul Larn
- The Cinema Post
Sony Pictures Entertainment and Overbrook Entertainment have obtained the motion picture life rights to John Keller, an ex-Marine who orchestrated the rescue of 244 of his New Orleans neighbors after their building, the American Can Company, was severely flooded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents of Columbia Pictures. Keller's story will be produced into a feature film by James Lassiter, Will Smith, and Ken Stovitz through their Overbrook Entertainment banner, as well as by Adetoro Makinde's Back Door Films. The film will be written and directed by John Lee Hancock ( The Rookie , The Alamo , the upcoming The Blind Side ).
- 5/20/2009
- Comingsoon.net
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