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Hollywood chooses Australian team

[Press Release by Head Pictures]

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. Farrelly and Wessler have collaborated previously on "There’s Something About Mary," "Dumb and Dumber" and "Shallow Hal."

Head Pictures directors Steve Baker and Damon Escott will co-direct and Mini Studios producers Steve Kearney and Leanne Tonkes will co-produce their short, entitled The Apprentice. Other directors already in talks include Brett Ratner, Todd Phillips, Josh Gordon. Farrelly will also 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.
The film has also received grant support from Screen Australia, possibly one of the last live action short films to do so. Joan Sauers said, ‘This is a rare opportunity. Screen Australia is thrilled to be supporting Australian film makers involved in a Farrelly Brothers film!’

Steve Baker and Damon Escott began collaborating on projects five years ago. Baker is best known for his prolific short animation work, which includes, An Imaginary Life (winner Tropfest 2007) and Dog With Electric Collar, which opened this year’s Sydney and Brisbane film festivals and is nominated at this year’s AFI awards.

Escott works in short form live action, where he has been rewarded with a string of nominations and awards in music videos, television commercials and short films. Best known are his collaborations with Silverchair, Powderfinger and Bernard Fanning for which he won an ARIA.

This is one of a number of successful projects Head & Mini have collaborated on, the team also have four feature films in development.

Overture will handle US distribution, while GreeneStreet Films is set to sell the film internationally.