MIRANDA BLACK MAKES "IT" AS STAR
OF NEW COMEDY SERIES " PATTI"
Award-Winning Actress is Subject of Bravo Documentary
Miranda Black, a Canadian actress who is currently the subject of a documentary for Bravo! (USA), has returned home from New York City to work with her long-time friends and collaborators on a new, television comedy. Based on the award-winning, internationally-screened short film Patti Burns and co-starring Seán Cullen, PATTI began production on Nov.18 and will air on The Comedy Network in 2002, with WTN in second window. The six-part, half-hour series chronicles the adventures of a quirky but sexy twenty-something misfit (Black), living on the fringe of society, navigating daily life and trying to fit in.
OF NEW COMEDY SERIES " PATTI"
Award-Winning Actress is Subject of Bravo Documentary
Miranda Black, a Canadian actress who is currently the subject of a documentary for Bravo! (USA), has returned home from New York City to work with her long-time friends and collaborators on a new, television comedy. Based on the award-winning, internationally-screened short film Patti Burns and co-starring Seán Cullen, PATTI began production on Nov.18 and will air on The Comedy Network in 2002, with WTN in second window. The six-part, half-hour series chronicles the adventures of a quirky but sexy twenty-something misfit (Black), living on the fringe of society, navigating daily life and trying to fit in.
In a fateful case of good timing, Miranda is in the dual spotlight of two symbiotic television series: her rise to success as an actor is being documented in the upcoming 13-part Bravo! (USA) docu-series THE IT FACTOR, which follows the experiences of a select group of actors trying to "make it" in New York City, and poses the question: "do you have what IT takes…?" As one of the series’ featured actors, a documentary camera from New York will be on set in Toronto to film Miranda's first lead television role. THE IT FACTOR will begin airing January 6, 2002 on Bravo USA (For more information: www.bravotv.com)
"The timing couldn’t be better," says Miranda. "This is such a unique opportunity to play both a character and myself at once, and also to show people what actors go through in trying to ‘make it.’ It’s a whole new kind of ‘behind-the-scenes’ story – the making of a show as well as the making of an actor – or actors... in the context of the other 11 New York actors, it’s going to be a fascinating tapestry."
Shooting of PATTI began Monday and runs for one month in Toronto and Hamilton. Epitome Studios in Toronto – where Riverdale, Liberty Street and Degrassi were shot – will serve as the primary set location. The six episodes will be shot on HD 24p with film-look. As series creator Mike Souther puts it, "it's how you make modest bucks look like a million bucks."
PATTI the series is based on the award-winning short film Patti Burns, written and directed by Souther. The film has played at festivals in France, Halifax, Vancouver and Yorkton, where it won the Golden Sheaf Award for Best Performance, for Miranda Black as Patti. It's also aired in Canada on The Comedy Network, Showcase Television, WTN, and Air Canada flights; on PBS in the United States; and in France, Spain and Portugal.
Also appearing in PATTI are Seán Cullen (recurring guest on FOX Mad TV; Just for Laughs International Comedy Festival; The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn; his own show Seán Cullen: Wood, Cheese & Children! for The Comedy Network; Unnatural Acts, Paramount Comedy Channel); Rob Tinkler (In a Heartbeat, Disney; Loser directed by Amy Hekerling; The Bobroom; The Comedy Network), Gina Clayton (I Was A Sixth Grade Alien, YTV/FOX Family; Jett Jackson, Disney/Alliance Atlantis; Dear America, HBO/William Fruet), Hamish McEwan (Leap Years, Showtime; The Associates, CTV; Traders, CTV), Adam Reid (The 5th Quadrant, Comedy Network; Leap Years, HBO; Pooch & The Pauper, ABC/Disney), and Balazs Koos (Urban Legend, Tristar; eXistenZ, Alliance/MiraMax).
PATTI is produced by Amaze Film & Television -- Mike Souther is creator/writer/producer, and also directs several episodes; Teza Lawrence is co-creator/writer/producer. Amaze was formed earlier this year by Souther and Lawrence in partnership with Oasis International – one of Canada's few remaining mid-sized distribution companies – who have come on board as an investor and partner in Amaze. The new company has an aggressive slate of projects in development, including four television series and four features.
www.amazefilm.tv
For more information, contact Heli Tuomi, Unit Publicist at (416) 858-5836 or helituomi@fido.ca.- 30 -
For more information please contact Amaze Film + Television.
© 2004 Amaze Film + Television