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New MMA TV comedy show in production
By Zach Arnold | April 28, 2007
Hergott Productions Gears Up To Start Production On New MMA TV Show
CORONA DEL MAR, Calif., April 26, 2007 – Hergott Productions, Inc. President James Hergott announced today the production of a brand new fictional MMA TV show. The show will be a “Reno 911” type comedic take off on the popular “The Ultimate Fighter” TV show. Mr. Hergott stresses that the TV shows will be very respectful of the MMA community it’s fighters and its fans but will be an absolutely hilarious take off on the MMA reality show phenomenon. Mr. Hergott comments, “I am very enthusiastic about this project and I think that both MMA and non MMA fans alike will enjoy it.”
Mr. Hergott recently resigned as president of Imperia Entertainment, Inc. and is now concentrating on his own projects including this one. He is the creator and will serve as producer/director and one of the writers on this project.
A major top five studio has signed on to likely distribute the first 14-episode season based on the response of the pilot episode. More information about the show and our partners will be given over time as we close in on production.
Please contact us if you meet one of the following criteria:
-Are a fighter/actor or other performer who has auditioned either in person or by tape/DVD for Mr. Hergott and/or Ms. Johnson for “Never Submit” or any other projects that they have been involved in (non union performers are preferred).
-Are an MMA contact looking to partner who has had a working relationship with Mr. Hergott in the past or who is looking to establish one for this project. This includes MMA journalists, reporters, sponsors, promoters, MMA related products, fighter managers etc.
-An actor who has not auditioned but has a significant improv or comedic resume.
-A top fighter who has not auditioned but is interested in a cameo or other opportunity in connection with the project.
-Crew/Camera/Sound/Editing experience etc.
-Comedy or TV writing experience.
-Ring or cage builder.
-Live in the Orange County area and have possible locations for shooting. Example: home, gym etc.
-Interested in other partnerships opportunities in regards to this project.
If interested, please contact Stephanie Johnson at:
ABOUT JAMES HERGOTT
James Hergott was born in Cornwall, Ontario in 1976. Always an imaginative spirit, Hergott’s film career began in high school at age thirteen when he got his first home video camera. His cast and crew were comprised of other kids in his neighborhood. Though Hergott struggled with a learning disability in his early years, he was found to be of superior intellectual caliber with an escalated sense of ingenuity and creativity. While in college at York University, Hergott started his own business, a 1-900 job line servicing all of Canada. His new venture skyrocketed, and he even turned his dorm room into his corporate headquarters, but he never lost his true passion for filmmaking. In 1999, his biggest break yet came when he met Hollywood producer Tarquin Gotch at the Toronto Film Festival. The two formed an instant friendship and working relationship. Gotch was so impressed with Hergott’s tenacity and love of filmmaking that he took him under his tutelage. Together they developed the Showtime biopic “Call Me Donald” on real estate mogul Donald Trump. The collaboration garnered national media attention for Hergott in the industry cornerstone Variety which reported “Young Buck, Plays Trump Card” in their April 1999 issue. The Don himself also praised Hergott’s work and in a personal letter to the young filmmaker, Mr. Trump wrote that he was “extremely talented” and wished him the best in his “burgeoning career.”Hergott also went on to co-write the feature film “Brothers” with Gotch, which is scheduled to begin production in Canada in early 2006. The partnership led to the co-founding of Steinberg Gotch Entertainment with Hergott, Gotch and famous sports agent Leigh Steinberg. In 2004, Hergott went solo with the production and direction of his first feature film “All That I Need.” The film debuted at the Cannes International Film Festival Market in 2005 as part of a roster of films presented by a Beverly Hills production company. Following the success of the film at Cannes, executives decided to offer Hergott the presidency of the company, a challenge he eagerly accepted. In this position, he was able to secure a limited theatrical release of “All That I Need” with the Regal/UA Theatre chain that exhibited the film on screens across the country. Hergott has also been featured in over 200 media outlets throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as a number of national publications including Indie Slate and Create Magazines.
Topics: Media, MMA, Press Releases | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
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“(non union performers are preferred).”
Uh…. interesting. Based on what I vaguely remember hearing from Cindy Ortiz, Imperia was pretty shady and lame. I wonder if this Hergott, INC. will be too.
“Non union performers preferred” is a common business practive when producing small budget films, since this keeps the production costs much lower than if you’re using SAG-members (or members of any other film union). Quentin Tarantino for example wasn’t a member of the DGA, but became one in order to shoot an episode of ER, only to quit right after again to go on and shoot “Four Rooms” with Robert Rodriguez, since the DGAs rules don’t allow a movie to have two Directors (RR did the same thing for “Sin City”, when he got Frank Miller on board as Co-Director). “From Dusk til Dawn” for example was shot entirely with a non-union crew (and was striked in turn by the IATSE, because they thought that a budget of more than 10 mio $ warranted a crew made up of union-workers).
But all in all this press release doesn’t look too good. Let’s put it this way, a press release that spends more lines talking about the creator/producer than the actual product (even if in the earliest pre-production stages) looks a bit weird, especially considering the whole thing reads more like a no-budget amateur production, than a professional one. And I really wonder what “top five major studio” is interested in this project. Neither Fox, Paramount, Universal, Warner or Walt Disney distribute projects like that. The only one that i could see doing it would be Lionsgate, but seriously, they’re not a major studio…
If they do this they really should use comedic/improv actors for most of the main roles and not fighters. Maybe a few fighters like Mayhem would be a good fit. I would audition for this, but I’m working on projects halfway across the country until the beginning of ’08.
I agree with Canson. Definitly go with actual actors/comedians.
Well don’t i look like a horses ass about the non union thing.
They should get some of the guys from channel 101 (whoever isn’t working at acceptable TV now.) Every one of those guys is hilarious and i’m pretty sure non-union.
http://www.channel101.com
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Imperia is pretty shady. Here’s where i wish i hadn’t taken a vacation from updating my site for a month, there were about a dozen links regarding people pulling out of Never Submit and a bunch of crap about issues with the company. What do you expect from a company that’s one big hit was a movie about a girl and her pet seal?
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