For readers that may be unaware, when a press release arrives in an email inbox, the first item in every press release is the location of where the action that is about to be described takes place. For example, press releases covering the White House always start out “WASHINGTON D.C.” Increasingly, press releases having to do with film projects have “ATLANTA-“ at the beginning. It still takes some getting used to.
The latest is from Sony Interactive Entertainment, in collaboration with Ideas United, announced the release of five pilots produced for the PlayStation Emerging Filmmakers Program. Ideas United is the parent of a large creative collective called We Make and PlayStation invited the writers and filmmakers involved there to submit their concepts for an original television program. Out of hundreds of submissions, 10 of them were chosen for their creators to pitch directly to PlayStation executives and film industry professionals. Five concepts were then greenlit for production of a pilot.
Atlanta-based Moonshine Post-Production was the post-production partner on the project. This can mean a variety of things – there are myriad part of post-production but for this project Moonshine handled all post including creative offline editing, color finishing, sound design and mixing. Moonshine has been involved in several projects readers may be familiar with, including The Vault with James Franco, Let’s Be Cops with Damon Wayans Jr., and, closer to home, Offbeat Eats with Jim Stacy.
“We’re thrilled to introduce the winners and their pilot episodes, which showcase their incredible talent and unique creative vision,” said Eric Lempel, SVP of Worldwide Marketing, SIE. “We’re delighted that PlayStation is part of their journey and hope our audience enjoys the episodes as much as we enjoyed working with these talented filmmakers to develop these productions.”
All of the shows were filmed in Atlanta, back-to-back over five weeks. The shows range in genre from comedy to family drama to science fiction, including:
Banned in Boise
Created by Max Cannon & Brandon Sullivan, Directed by Jeremy Inman
Two would-be filmmakers plot revenge on their former employers by challenging them in a local film festival — and winning by any means necessary.
Hyperreal
Created by Gordon Freas & Amanda Freas, Directed by Steven Wilson
A desperate young man with a devastating diagnosis signs up for a secret, experimental treatment that makes him an unwitting pawn in a madman’s dark scheme.
Orthus
Created by Shira Rosenzweig, Directed by Taylor Maxwell
An FBI agent and a ruthless hitman share a twisted secret, which they must protect at all costs — no matter what, or who, gets in the way.
The Many Lives of Ayn Winters
Created by Steve Spalding, Directed by Sarah Wilson Thacker
A young woman returns home to discover a house full of secrets, and an unusual power that could unlock the mystery surrounding her sister’s death — if it doesn’t kill her first.
Two Roads
Created by Vanessa King & Miranda Sajdak, Directed by Ashton Avila
A family in witness protection struggles to fit in with their surreal new surroundings, while the dark secret they keep makes their once-ordinary life anything but.
“It’s been an incredible adventure since we launched this one-of-a-kind program for emerging storytellers made possible by PlayStation, and this opportunity has truly changed the lives of the creators,” said David Roemer, CEO at Ideas United. “We’re extremely proud of the pilots, and we can’t wait for the PlayStation audience to experience them starting this weekend.”
To see more of all the pilots: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/playstation-video/emerging-filmmakers/
To learn more about Moonshine: https://www.moonshinepost.com/news/
