Park Pictures Launches Film Division
Partners Jackie Kelman Bisbee (at left) and Lance Acord hope they have the force with them as they break into entertainment with "Robot & Frank."
Park Pictures Launches Film Division, Announces Slate
Jackie Kelman Bisbee and Lance Acord, partners in Park Pictures, have formed a narrative feature company, Park Pictures Features. Also named as partners in Park Pictures Features is independent film producer Galt Niederhoffer and award-winning producer Sam Bisbee. Park Pictures Features' first project will be the family comedy "Robot & Frank," starring Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Liv Tyler and Jeremy Strong. The robot will be voiced by Liev Schreiber.
Written by Christopher Ford, the film marks the feature film directorial debut of Park Pictures' Director Jake Schreier. The film is currently shooting in New York with Niederhoffer, Bisbee, Kelman Bisbee and Acord producing. The film is executive produced by White Hat/TBB. Matt Lloyd is the Director of Photography.
Park Features' next projects will mark the feature directorial debut of Lance Acord and a new project from British director Ringan Ledwidge, who is represented for commercials in the US by Smuggler and in the UK by Rattling Stick. The company will also produce adaptations of Sam Lipsyte's best-selling novel "The Ask," which will be directed by Steven Shainberg, and the late David Foster Wallace's short story, "Little Expressionless Animals."
Set in the future, "Robot & Frank" follows an aging curmudgeon, Frank (Langella), a confused loner with a love for books. His one friend is the librarian Jennifer (Sarandon) that he regularly visits. Other than his library outings and weekly visits from his son, Frank lives a quiet, lonely life until his grown-up kids (Marsden, Tyler) install a caretaker robot to care for their dad. An unlikely friendship begins.
"At Park Pictures we've had the opportunity to work closely with many talented directors in the commercial arena," says Kelman Bisbee, "so it's a natural evolution for our company to grow and to work in the feature film arena as well. 'Robot & Frank' is a beautiful story that's both touching and funny. We're enjoying the process of bringing this film to reality."
"Park is a company comprised of filmmakers, so as we grow and evolve it only makes sense to develop and produce their feature projects," says Acord. "Being a commercial production company, we have a unique opportunity to utilize our resources within the industry to economically and efficiently make long form films. Having Galt on board has been great. Her knowledge and expertise is such an amazing asset. It's been exciting to see 'Robot and Frank' go into production.
Park Pictures plans to produce two films in the first year, the first being "Robot & Frank." The company will draw on its roster of directing talent (which includes Acord, Schreier and Niederhoffer, along with Ellen Kuras, Joachim Back, Gary Freedman, Steven Shainberg, 300ml and Alison Maclean), as well as other New York-based directors, to make films that it says will have strong visual, narrative, and commercial appeal.
Acord, whose "The Force" Super Bowl spot for VW has been an awards show favorite this year, has shot a number of feature films as Director of Photography, including "Lost In Translation," "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Being John Malkovich."
A writer/director/producer, Niederhoffer brings fifteen years of experience in film, having brought eight films to Sundance, with seven of them winning awards at the festival including Best Director and Best Cinematographer, Best Screenplay and the Audience Award. Bisbee produced the Academy Award-winning live action short film "The New Tenants" in 2010 and currently has four screenplays in development.
Published 18 July, 2011
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