The Eva Longoria-directed Flamin’ Hot, Imran J. Khan’s Mustache and the upcoming ESPN bio-doc about NBA icon Bill Walton were among the audience award winners revealed Monday for the 31st SXSW Film & TV Festival.
Flamin’ Hot, which stars Jesse Garcia in the sometimes true tale of the man behind the “flamin’ hot”-branded chip revolution, was named the Audience Award winner in the festival’s Headliners section. The pic, from Searchlight Pictures, will debut June 9 on both Hulu and Disney+.
Related Story SXSW Film Festival Narrative Feature Competition Winners Through The Years – Photo Gallery Related Story Eva Longoria's 'Flamin' Hot' Is First Feature To Hit Both Hulu & Disney+ In Streaming Debut Related Story SXSW 2023: All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews
Mustache, written and directed by Khan, won the Narrative Feature Competition honor, and Julio Quintana’s The Long Game won for Narrative Spotlight. The Documentary Feature...
Flamin’ Hot, which stars Jesse Garcia in the sometimes true tale of the man behind the “flamin’ hot”-branded chip revolution, was named the Audience Award winner in the festival’s Headliners section. The pic, from Searchlight Pictures, will debut June 9 on both Hulu and Disney+.
Related Story SXSW Film Festival Narrative Feature Competition Winners Through The Years – Photo Gallery Related Story Eva Longoria's 'Flamin' Hot' Is First Feature To Hit Both Hulu & Disney+ In Streaming Debut Related Story SXSW 2023: All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews
Mustache, written and directed by Khan, won the Narrative Feature Competition honor, and Julio Quintana’s The Long Game won for Narrative Spotlight. The Documentary Feature...
- 3/20/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
A three-part documentary series titled Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza is heading to Paramount+. Michael John Warren will direct the series exploring the festival’s evolution since it first emerged in 1991 as part of founder Perry Ferrell’s farewell tour with Jane’s Addiction.
“When Lolla was launched in 1991, the concert industry felt like a boring car ride that was running out of gas,” Ferrell shared in a statement. “We pumped new life into the live music experience and set the foundation for the youth’s counter culture to become important and exciting again.
“When Lolla was launched in 1991, the concert industry felt like a boring car ride that was running out of gas,” Ferrell shared in a statement. “We pumped new life into the live music experience and set the foundation for the youth’s counter culture to become important and exciting again.
- 2/1/2023
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
Lollapalooza, the music festival created by Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell, will be the subject of a three-part docuseries on Paramount+.
The streamer has ordered Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza to be directed by Michael John Warren, director of HBO’s Spring Awakening and Nicki Minaj doc My Time Again.
It will explore the iconic festival, which launched as a traveling circus of bands including Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Butthole Surfers, Rollins Band and Violent Femmes in 1991.
The festival subsequently featured bands including Pearl Jam, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Dinosaur Jr., The Jesus Lizard, Sonic Youth and Hole before becoming a standalone festival in Chicago with some international spinoffs.
The series is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and FunMeter, the production company set up by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte that’s behind Apple’s The Big Conn and HBO’s McMillion, in partnership with C3 Presents,...
The streamer has ordered Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza to be directed by Michael John Warren, director of HBO’s Spring Awakening and Nicki Minaj doc My Time Again.
It will explore the iconic festival, which launched as a traveling circus of bands including Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Butthole Surfers, Rollins Band and Violent Femmes in 1991.
The festival subsequently featured bands including Pearl Jam, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Dinosaur Jr., The Jesus Lizard, Sonic Youth and Hole before becoming a standalone festival in Chicago with some international spinoffs.
The series is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and FunMeter, the production company set up by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte that’s behind Apple’s The Big Conn and HBO’s McMillion, in partnership with C3 Presents,...
- 2/1/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
This year, podcasts have been the inspiration for narrative watercooler content including on “The Dropout,” “The Thing About Pam” “WeCrashed” and “Gaslit.”
However, the trend is expanding; the nonfiction community is entering the audio space too, not necessarily to seek out ideas, but to highlight the work that goes into making documentaries.
Docus including Apple’s “The Big Conn,” HBO’s “Allen v. Farrow” and ESPN’s upcoming Title IX doc “37 Words” all feature what has been dubbed “the companion podcast.” Described as a behind-the-scenes look into the making of a nonfiction films or series, companion podcasts are less of a marketing tool and more of a chance for storytellers to give insights into the process of researching, producing, shooting and editing their films.
“As nonfiction has become more central to the business models of all of the streaming services and distribution platforms, there is more and more viewer and...
However, the trend is expanding; the nonfiction community is entering the audio space too, not necessarily to seek out ideas, but to highlight the work that goes into making documentaries.
Docus including Apple’s “The Big Conn,” HBO’s “Allen v. Farrow” and ESPN’s upcoming Title IX doc “37 Words” all feature what has been dubbed “the companion podcast.” Described as a behind-the-scenes look into the making of a nonfiction films or series, companion podcasts are less of a marketing tool and more of a chance for storytellers to give insights into the process of researching, producing, shooting and editing their films.
“As nonfiction has become more central to the business models of all of the streaming services and distribution platforms, there is more and more viewer and...
- 6/17/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Directors James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte discuss the movies that inspired them while making The Big Conn.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Boogie Nights (1997)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Happiness (1998)
World’s Greatest Dad (2009)
Windy City Heat (2003)
Ocean’s 11 (1960)
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Bad Boys (1995)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
Munich (2005)
Fargo (1996)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Delicatessen (1991)
The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet (2013)
The Hole (2009) – Joe Dante’s U.S. trailer commentary, Joe Dante’s Italian trailer commentary, Joe Dante’s British trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review
Dial M For Murder (1954) – Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary
Jaws 3D (1983)
Cave Of Forgotten Dreams (2010)
Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)
U2 3D (2008)
The Pink Panther (1963) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Goodfellas (1990) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Children of Men (2006)
The Imposter (2012)
Other Notable Items
The Big Conn podcast (2022)
The Big Conn docuseries (2022)
Bronzeville...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Boogie Nights (1997)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Happiness (1998)
World’s Greatest Dad (2009)
Windy City Heat (2003)
Ocean’s 11 (1960)
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Bad Boys (1995)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
Munich (2005)
Fargo (1996)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Delicatessen (1991)
The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet (2013)
The Hole (2009) – Joe Dante’s U.S. trailer commentary, Joe Dante’s Italian trailer commentary, Joe Dante’s British trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review
Dial M For Murder (1954) – Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary
Jaws 3D (1983)
Cave Of Forgotten Dreams (2010)
Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)
U2 3D (2008)
The Pink Panther (1963) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Goodfellas (1990) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Children of Men (2006)
The Imposter (2012)
Other Notable Items
The Big Conn podcast (2022)
The Big Conn docuseries (2022)
Bronzeville...
- 5/17/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte brought us the riveting HBO docuseries “McMillions,” about an ex-cop who rigged the McDonald’s Monopoly game promotion for a decade; and their latest, and first project under their FunMeter banner, “The Big Conn,” is now streaming on Apple TV+. “The Big Conn,” which just launched a companion podcast, is also about a real-life account of a massive con — in this case, run by Kentucky lawyer Eric C. Conn, who pillaged Social Security funds. But FunMeter isn’t confined to what Hernandez called “quirky fraud cases,” with upcoming forays into the worlds of sports and music. The partners are also opening their doors to other filmmakers as producers, with a number of yet-to-be-announced projects in the works. “With our company, we always saw it as, ‘Here’s an opportunity for us to help other filmmakers and other producers and other directors,'” Lazarte told...
- 5/13/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Convicted felon Eric C. Conn certainly lived up to his name.
The small-town Kentucky attorney, who described himself as a “wealthy and flamboyant lawyer,” defrauded the U.S. government of more than half a billion dollars in the biggest scam ever perpetrated against the Social Security Administration. His scheme funded a lifestyle that took him to ports of call around the globe, where—again, by his own description—his exploits rivaled James Bond as he “pursued the world’s most beautiful women.”
“You’re dealing with a guy that doesn’t have a moral compass,” noted a lawyer who once represented Conn. “You can’t get mad at a snake for being a snake. It is what it is.”
That observation is proffered in the new documentary series The Big Conn, which began streaming on Apple TV+ over the weekend. The four-part Emmy contender comes from James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte,...
The small-town Kentucky attorney, who described himself as a “wealthy and flamboyant lawyer,” defrauded the U.S. government of more than half a billion dollars in the biggest scam ever perpetrated against the Social Security Administration. His scheme funded a lifestyle that took him to ports of call around the globe, where—again, by his own description—his exploits rivaled James Bond as he “pursued the world’s most beautiful women.”
“You’re dealing with a guy that doesn’t have a moral compass,” noted a lawyer who once represented Conn. “You can’t get mad at a snake for being a snake. It is what it is.”
That observation is proffered in the new documentary series The Big Conn, which began streaming on Apple TV+ over the weekend. The four-part Emmy contender comes from James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte,...
- 5/9/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: FunMeter, the production company behind HBO docuseries McMillion, is bolstering its development team with the hire of former Lightbox and Lionsgate executive Nicole Laufer.
Laufer, who was most recently VP, development at Tina producer Lightbox, joins the company as SVP, Development.
She will be responsible for spearheading development and strategy for FunMeter’s slate of premium documentary series, feature films and other programming.
She reports to FunMeter founders James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte.
It comes as FunMeter’s latest project is set to debut on Apple TV+. The company is behind docuseries The Big Conn, which debuts on the streamer on May 6. The series tells the story of Eric C. Conn – a lawyer living a little too large in eastern Kentucky until two whistleblowers realized he was at the center of government fraud worth over half a billion dollars, one of the largest in US history.
FunMeter is...
Laufer, who was most recently VP, development at Tina producer Lightbox, joins the company as SVP, Development.
She will be responsible for spearheading development and strategy for FunMeter’s slate of premium documentary series, feature films and other programming.
She reports to FunMeter founders James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte.
It comes as FunMeter’s latest project is set to debut on Apple TV+. The company is behind docuseries The Big Conn, which debuts on the streamer on May 6. The series tells the story of Eric C. Conn – a lawyer living a little too large in eastern Kentucky until two whistleblowers realized he was at the center of government fraud worth over half a billion dollars, one of the largest in US history.
FunMeter is...
- 5/5/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Perhaps the most unpredictable trend to come out of the pandemic is the rise of "wacky" true-crime docuseries, with AppleTV+'s "The Big Conn" being just the latest in a line of "crazy-but-true" documentary TV shows that present real crimes with all the dignity and decorum of Paramount's "Bar Rescue." Produced by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte — the men behind the HBO true-crime series "McMillion" — "The Big Conn" is the story of disgraced lawyer Eric C. Conn, who orchestrated the biggest social security scam in American history.
Or did he?
Even after watching all four hour-long episodes of "The Big Conn," I...
The post The Big Conn Review: A Convoluted Story Tries to Make Light of a Real Tragedy appeared first on /Film.
Or did he?
Even after watching all four hour-long episodes of "The Big Conn," I...
The post The Big Conn Review: A Convoluted Story Tries to Make Light of a Real Tragedy appeared first on /Film.
- 5/4/2022
- by Sarah Milner
- Slash Film
It’s another week of unstoppable television. As we barrel towards the end of Emmy eligibility, the mixture of highbrow prestige fare (like “The Staircase”) and four-quadrant blockbusters (like the Mike Myers-led “The Pentaverate”) just keep on coming. Plus, we’ve got new documentaries about Sheryl Crow and a social security scam artist that you won’t believe, Guillermo del Toro’s masterful “Nightmare Alley” like you’ve never seen and the Muppets invading “Holey Moley.” Buckle up. It’s a big week.
On with the television!
“The Pentaverate”
Thursday, May 5, Netflix
Netflix
Mike Myers has been off the radar for a little while. His last film appearances happened in 2018 (including a small role in the Oscar-winning “Bohemian Rhapsody”), the same year he showed up as Dr. Evil in a pair of appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Now, he’s back. And true to form, it’s a wildly ambitious,...
On with the television!
“The Pentaverate”
Thursday, May 5, Netflix
Netflix
Mike Myers has been off the radar for a little while. His last film appearances happened in 2018 (including a small role in the Oscar-winning “Bohemian Rhapsody”), the same year he showed up as Dr. Evil in a pair of appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Now, he’s back. And true to form, it’s a wildly ambitious,...
- 4/30/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Image Source: YouTube user Apple TV
Another shocking true-crime tale will be retold in a new Apple TV+ documentary. "The Big Conn," which debuted at this year's SXSW, recounts the unbelievable story of larger-than-life attorney Eric C. Conn - and one of the largest government frauds in US history. The four-part documentary explores Conn's outrageous lifestyle and the Social Security scam he used to steal over half-a-billion dollars from American taxpayers.
"The Big Conn," created by filmmakers James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, features interviews with several of Conn's victims and former employees. It also highlights the two whistleblowers, former Social Security Administration employees Jennifer Griffith and Sarah Carver, who exposed Conn's scheme.
Conn, who advertised himself as "Mr. Social Security," once headed the largest Social Security law firm in Kentucky. His clients included disabled people, who he promised to win disability payments for as they could not secure funds on their own.
Another shocking true-crime tale will be retold in a new Apple TV+ documentary. "The Big Conn," which debuted at this year's SXSW, recounts the unbelievable story of larger-than-life attorney Eric C. Conn - and one of the largest government frauds in US history. The four-part documentary explores Conn's outrageous lifestyle and the Social Security scam he used to steal over half-a-billion dollars from American taxpayers.
"The Big Conn," created by filmmakers James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, features interviews with several of Conn's victims and former employees. It also highlights the two whistleblowers, former Social Security Administration employees Jennifer Griffith and Sarah Carver, who exposed Conn's scheme.
Conn, who advertised himself as "Mr. Social Security," once headed the largest Social Security law firm in Kentucky. His clients included disabled people, who he promised to win disability payments for as they could not secure funds on their own.
- 4/28/2022
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
Writer-directors James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte recognize a good old-fashioned scam story when they see one.
Their 2020 Emmy-nominated documentary series McMillion revealed how a former police officer managed to rig McDonald’s big-bucks Monopoly game in the 1990s. Their new docuseries for Apple TV+, The Big Conn, delves into an even bigger fraud. They first learned of the story from Peter King, a fellow executive producer on the project.
Contenders TV Docs + Unscripted — Deadline’s Complete Coverage
“We had dinner with him, and he said, ‘Hey, I heard about this interesting lawyer from this really small town in Kentucky, and it looks like he stole about 550 million,’” Hernandez recalled during an appearance at Deadline’s Contenders Documentary and Unscripted event. “We started looking into it, and the rabbit hole just went deeper and deeper and more insane and more outlandish.”
The convicted fraudster, aptly named Eric C. Conn, cooked...
Their 2020 Emmy-nominated documentary series McMillion revealed how a former police officer managed to rig McDonald’s big-bucks Monopoly game in the 1990s. Their new docuseries for Apple TV+, The Big Conn, delves into an even bigger fraud. They first learned of the story from Peter King, a fellow executive producer on the project.
Contenders TV Docs + Unscripted — Deadline’s Complete Coverage
“We had dinner with him, and he said, ‘Hey, I heard about this interesting lawyer from this really small town in Kentucky, and it looks like he stole about 550 million,’” Hernandez recalled during an appearance at Deadline’s Contenders Documentary and Unscripted event. “We started looking into it, and the rabbit hole just went deeper and deeper and more insane and more outlandish.”
The convicted fraudster, aptly named Eric C. Conn, cooked...
- 4/23/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The biggest federal fraud in U.S. history is the subject of Apple TV+‘s upcoming true-crime docuseries, The Big Conn, which is set to premiere Friday, May 6, 2022. Created by Emmy-nominated filmmakers James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, the four-part series tells the unbelievable true story of larger-than-life attorney Eric C. Conn, who defrauded the government and taxpayers over half a billion dollars in a social security scam. All four parts will debut on May 6 alongside a companion podcast that will dig deeper into Conn’s scheme and outrageous lifestyle with additional interviews and behind-the-scenes details. The trailer (watch below) highlights Conn’s rise to local celebrity in his home state of Kentucky before his wild antics and life-ruining deceits come to light. What follows is a nationwide hunt by law enforcement to apprehend Conn as he tries to escape justice. FunMeter Productions is behind the series, with Hernandez and...
- 4/22/2022
- TV Insider
The highly-anticipated Jeff Bridges-led drama “The Old Man” will premiere on FX June 16, the network announced Thursday.
Based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Perry, Bridges stars as Dan Chase, a former CIA agent living off the grid for decades. When a mysterious assassin begins targeting him, he’s forced to exit hiding and finds himself chased by Harold Harper (John Lithgow), a former friend of his from the past. Alia Shawkat, E.J. Bonilla and Gbenga Akinnagbe co-star in the series as CIA operatives helping hunt down Dan, while Amy Brenneman plays Zoe, an ordinary woman who is dragged into the case when Dan rents a room from her. Bill Heck, Leem Lubany and Pej Vahdat are also slated to star in the series.
Bridges executive produces “The Old Man” with creators Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, Warren Littlefield, Dan Shotz, David Schiff and Jon Watts.
Based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Perry, Bridges stars as Dan Chase, a former CIA agent living off the grid for decades. When a mysterious assassin begins targeting him, he’s forced to exit hiding and finds himself chased by Harold Harper (John Lithgow), a former friend of his from the past. Alia Shawkat, E.J. Bonilla and Gbenga Akinnagbe co-star in the series as CIA operatives helping hunt down Dan, while Amy Brenneman plays Zoe, an ordinary woman who is dragged into the case when Dan rents a room from her. Bill Heck, Leem Lubany and Pej Vahdat are also slated to star in the series.
Bridges executive produces “The Old Man” with creators Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, Warren Littlefield, Dan Shotz, David Schiff and Jon Watts.
- 4/21/2022
- by Sasha Urban and Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
The Big Conn Review — The Big Conn (2022) TV Show Review from the 29th Annual South by Southwest Film Festival, a movie written and directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, starring Eric C. Conn, Jordyn Conn, Sarah Carver, Jennifer Griffith, Ned Pillersdorf, and Damian Paletta. Eric C. Conn is the quintessential shyster in its purest [...]
Continue reading: TV Show Review: The Big Conn: Documentary Sheds Light on Shyster Disability Lawyer [Apple TV Plus, SXSW 2022]...
Continue reading: TV Show Review: The Big Conn: Documentary Sheds Light on Shyster Disability Lawyer [Apple TV Plus, SXSW 2022]...
- 3/28/2022
- by David McDonald
- Film-Book
“Fuller House,” which until now could only be seen via streaming on Netflix, is coming to linear TV.
Gac Family has become the cable TV home for “Fuller House.” All 75 episodes of “Fuller House” will begin airing on Gac Family Feb. 28, following an agreement with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. The series will join the original “Full House,” which started airing on Gac Family earlier in February.
“Fuller House” continues the stories from “Full House” — with new and returning characters including D.J. Tanner-Fuller (Candace Cameron Bure), Stephanie Tanner (Jodie Sweetin), Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber), Ramona (Soni Nicole Bringas), Jackson (Michael Champion), Max (Elias Harger) and Tommy Jr. (Messitt Twins). John Stamos produces “Fuller House” and makes guest appearances along with Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, Lori Loughlin and Scott Weinger.
Also in today’s TV news roundup:
Greenlights
• Apple TV Plus has announced “The Big Conn,” a new true crime...
Gac Family has become the cable TV home for “Fuller House.” All 75 episodes of “Fuller House” will begin airing on Gac Family Feb. 28, following an agreement with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. The series will join the original “Full House,” which started airing on Gac Family earlier in February.
“Fuller House” continues the stories from “Full House” — with new and returning characters including D.J. Tanner-Fuller (Candace Cameron Bure), Stephanie Tanner (Jodie Sweetin), Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber), Ramona (Soni Nicole Bringas), Jackson (Michael Champion), Max (Elias Harger) and Tommy Jr. (Messitt Twins). John Stamos produces “Fuller House” and makes guest appearances along with Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, Lori Loughlin and Scott Weinger.
Also in today’s TV news roundup:
Greenlights
• Apple TV Plus has announced “The Big Conn,” a new true crime...
- 2/16/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
National Basketball Assn. legend Michael Jordan was not an easy sell on the docuseries The Last Dance. Producer Mike Tollin told a Producers Guild panel of Non-Scripted Television producers that the NBA had kept 500 hours of footage from Jordan’s final season,1997-1998, pending Jordan’s approval to release it.
Tollin said he had to pin Jordan down for a meeting, then finally convinced him by saying, “Every day, people come to my office wearing your shoes who’ve never seen you play. It’s time.”
When Tollin and director Jason Hehir interviewed Jordan, the athlete opened up about friction between teammates and associates outside of basketball. Tollin said episode seven of The Last Dance shows Jordan at his most vulnerable.
“He says, ‘All I wanted was to be the best basketball player I could be. All I ever asked of all of my teammates was no more than I asked of myself.
Tollin said he had to pin Jordan down for a meeting, then finally convinced him by saying, “Every day, people come to my office wearing your shoes who’ve never seen you play. It’s time.”
When Tollin and director Jason Hehir interviewed Jordan, the athlete opened up about friction between teammates and associates outside of basketball. Tollin said episode seven of The Last Dance shows Jordan at his most vulnerable.
“He says, ‘All I wanted was to be the best basketball player I could be. All I ever asked of all of my teammates was no more than I asked of myself.
- 3/20/2021
- by Fred Topel
- Deadline Film + TV
Apple TV Plus has ordered a docuseries from the team behind “McMillion$,” Emmy-nominated filmmakers James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, about the memorable 1996 TV commercial that advertised a Harrier Jet in exchange for seven million Pepsi points. Hernandez and Lazarte will direct and executive produce “The Jet” through their FunMeter banner.
The Jet” will tell the true story behind the “Drink Pepsi, Get Stuff” promotional campaign and the events that transpired after someone attempted to cash in their Pepsi points for a Harrier fighter jet.
Apple TV Plus, launched November 2019, is home to several award-winning docuseries and documentary films including A24’s “Boy State” directed by Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss; the Grammy Award-nominated “Beastie Boys Story,” R.J. Cutler’s “Dear…”; the GLAAD Media Award-nominated “Visible Out on Television”; the recently-released “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry; Wener Herzog’s Critics Choice Documentary Award-nominee “Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds.
The Jet” will tell the true story behind the “Drink Pepsi, Get Stuff” promotional campaign and the events that transpired after someone attempted to cash in their Pepsi points for a Harrier fighter jet.
Apple TV Plus, launched November 2019, is home to several award-winning docuseries and documentary films including A24’s “Boy State” directed by Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss; the Grammy Award-nominated “Beastie Boys Story,” R.J. Cutler’s “Dear…”; the GLAAD Media Award-nominated “Visible Out on Television”; the recently-released “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry; Wener Herzog’s Critics Choice Documentary Award-nominee “Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds.
- 3/12/2021
- by Mónica Marie Zorrilla
- Variety Film + TV
Apple has ordered a docuseries about the story behind that infamous ’90s Pepsi campaign that advertised a Harriet Jet as a prize — and you won’t need any Pepsi Points to watch it, just an Apple TV+ subscription.
Per the streaming service’s description, “The Jet” tells the compelling true story behind the iconic “Drink Pepsi, Get Stuff” promotional campaign that presented a Harrier Jet at the end of a 1996 TV commercial in exchange for 7 million Pepsi Points.
The docuseries, which comes from the Emmy-nominated filmmakers of HBO’s “McMillion$,” James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, “promises to be an entertaining and nostalgic deep dive into 1990s pop culture and the events that transpired after someone attempted to cash in their points for a Harrier fighter jet.”
That someone was John Leonard, who ended up suing PepsiCo, Inc. in a contracts case tried in 1999, in an attempt to effort to...
Per the streaming service’s description, “The Jet” tells the compelling true story behind the iconic “Drink Pepsi, Get Stuff” promotional campaign that presented a Harrier Jet at the end of a 1996 TV commercial in exchange for 7 million Pepsi Points.
The docuseries, which comes from the Emmy-nominated filmmakers of HBO’s “McMillion$,” James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, “promises to be an entertaining and nostalgic deep dive into 1990s pop culture and the events that transpired after someone attempted to cash in their points for a Harrier fighter jet.”
That someone was John Leonard, who ended up suing PepsiCo, Inc. in a contracts case tried in 1999, in an attempt to effort to...
- 3/12/2021
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
The Jet is coming in for a landing at Apple TV+. The streaming service has ordered The Jet, a docuseries that chronicles the true story behind the ’90s promotional campaign that advertised a Harrier jet in exchange for Pepsi points. It hails from James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, the Emmy-nominated filmmakers behind HBO’s McMillions docuseries about the McDonald’s monopoly game con.
The Jet tells the compelling true story behind the iconic “Drink Pepsi, Get Stuff” promotional campaign that presented a Harrier Jet at the end of a 1996 TV commercial in exchange for 7 million Pepsi Points. The docuseries is billed as an entertaining and nostalgic deep dive into 1990s pop culture and the events that transpired after someone attempted to cash in their points for a Harrier fighter jet.
Hernandez and Lazarte will direct and executive produce the series through their FunMeter banner.
Apple TV+ documentary/docuseries roster includes Boys State,...
The Jet tells the compelling true story behind the iconic “Drink Pepsi, Get Stuff” promotional campaign that presented a Harrier Jet at the end of a 1996 TV commercial in exchange for 7 million Pepsi Points. The docuseries is billed as an entertaining and nostalgic deep dive into 1990s pop culture and the events that transpired after someone attempted to cash in their points for a Harrier fighter jet.
Hernandez and Lazarte will direct and executive produce the series through their FunMeter banner.
Apple TV+ documentary/docuseries roster includes Boys State,...
- 3/12/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
The directors behind HBO’s McMillion$ are tackling another docuseries that sits at the intersection of junk food and commerce.
James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte will direct and executive produce The Jet for Apple TV+. The series will delve into Pepsi’s 1990s promotional campaign that allowed consumers to trade in “Pepsi Points” for merchandise like T-shirts, leather jackets and other items.
Ads for the “Buy Pepsi, Get Stuff” campaign also featured a Harrier II jump jet available for 7 million points. When a man actually managed to gather that many points, it led to a court case over ...
James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte will direct and executive produce The Jet for Apple TV+. The series will delve into Pepsi’s 1990s promotional campaign that allowed consumers to trade in “Pepsi Points” for merchandise like T-shirts, leather jackets and other items.
Ads for the “Buy Pepsi, Get Stuff” campaign also featured a Harrier II jump jet available for 7 million points. When a man actually managed to gather that many points, it led to a court case over ...
- 3/12/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The directors behind HBO’s McMillion$ are tackling another docuseries that sits at the intersection of junk food and commerce.
James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte will direct and executive produce The Jet for Apple TV+. The series will delve into Pepsi’s 1990s promotional campaign that allowed consumers to trade in “Pepsi Points” for merchandise like T-shirts, leather jackets and other items.
Ads for the “Buy Pepsi, Get Stuff” campaign also featured a Harrier II jump jet available for 7 million points. A man tried to cash in that many points, leading to a court case over whether ...
James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte will direct and executive produce The Jet for Apple TV+. The series will delve into Pepsi’s 1990s promotional campaign that allowed consumers to trade in “Pepsi Points” for merchandise like T-shirts, leather jackets and other items.
Ads for the “Buy Pepsi, Get Stuff” campaign also featured a Harrier II jump jet available for 7 million points. A man tried to cash in that many points, leading to a court case over whether ...
- 3/12/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Primetime Emmys take place on September 20 and air live coast-to-coast on ABC. But the majority of awards are handed out at the five Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies that take place in the week leading up to TV’s biggest night. The Creative Arts trophies will be awarded at five events on: September 14 (reality and nonfiction; Sept. 15 (variety); Sept. 16; Sept. 17 and Sept. 19 (mix). The first four of these will stream live on Emmys.com while the last will air on Fxx.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced TV productions, film shoots and entertainment events to shut down all year to slow the spread of the easily transmitted disease, all of this year’s Emmy ceremonies will be held virtually. While Jimmy Kimmel emcees just one show — the Emmys next Sunday — Best Reality Host nominee Nicole Byer (“Nailed It”) has been tapped to preside over all five of the Creative Arts awards.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced TV productions, film shoots and entertainment events to shut down all year to slow the spread of the easily transmitted disease, all of this year’s Emmy ceremonies will be held virtually. While Jimmy Kimmel emcees just one show — the Emmys next Sunday — Best Reality Host nominee Nicole Byer (“Nailed It”) has been tapped to preside over all five of the Creative Arts awards.
- 9/20/2020
- by Paul Sheehan, Marcus James Dixon, Joyce Eng, Daniel Montgomery and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The FBI has taken a beating under President Trump, who has regularly criticized the agency, going so far as to call some of its investigators “human scum.”
That hasn’t done much for FBI morale, but its image gets perhaps a sorely needed boost in one of this year’s most-honored true crime series, HBO’s McMillion$. The six-part series, directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, carefully reconstructs how the FBI busted a stunningly brazen and elaborate fraud: the rigging of McDonald’s popular Monopoly game promotion.
“We weren’t surprised to discover the FBI could be hardworking, doing a good job,” Lazarte tells Deadline. “There’s probably 80 to 90 percent of cases that we, the public, don’t know anything about…We really appreciated that this was a story we actually could tell, and that we could learn about the intricacies of how agents work collectively, how they introduce new ideas…...
That hasn’t done much for FBI morale, but its image gets perhaps a sorely needed boost in one of this year’s most-honored true crime series, HBO’s McMillion$. The six-part series, directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, carefully reconstructs how the FBI busted a stunningly brazen and elaborate fraud: the rigging of McDonald’s popular Monopoly game promotion.
“We weren’t surprised to discover the FBI could be hardworking, doing a good job,” Lazarte tells Deadline. “There’s probably 80 to 90 percent of cases that we, the public, don’t know anything about…We really appreciated that this was a story we actually could tell, and that we could learn about the intricacies of how agents work collectively, how they introduce new ideas…...
- 8/7/2020
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO's doc series about the rigging of the McDonald's Monopoly game, helmed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, was so fascinating to Mark Wahlberg that he signed on as an executive producer. The series, which premiered on Feb. 3 on HBO, reveals the FBI's investigation into the McDonald's Monopoly game scam, which resulted in more than $24 million worth of fraud and almost all rigged winners during the 1990s.
How did you first become involved with the series?
My partner at [Wahlberg’s production company] Unrealistic Ideas, Archie Gips, told me and Stephen Levinson about the ...
How did you first become involved with the series?
My partner at [Wahlberg’s production company] Unrealistic Ideas, Archie Gips, told me and Stephen Levinson about the ...
If you’ve watched HBO’s “McMillions,” about the McDonald’s Monopoly scam, you’d know the absolutely wild story is truly stranger than fiction. “It is very much, if I wrote a script about this and put that in there and gave it to friends to read, they’d be like, ‘Pshhh, that’s not real, that’s just not a believable thing,’” James Lee Hernandez, who co-directed the show with Brian Lazarte, told Gold Derby during our Meet the Experts: Documentary panel (watch above). “But that’s really what happened.”
A six-part series, “McMillions” uncovers how Jerry “Uncle Jerry” Jacobson, then the head of security of the marketing firm working on the game, defrauded $24 million between 1989 and 2001, resulting in nearly no legitimate winner of the $1 million prize during that period. The story involves the Italian mob, an undercover operation, a strip club-turned-strip church called the Fuzzy Bunny, and a colorful array of characters,...
A six-part series, “McMillions” uncovers how Jerry “Uncle Jerry” Jacobson, then the head of security of the marketing firm working on the game, defrauded $24 million between 1989 and 2001, resulting in nearly no legitimate winner of the $1 million prize during that period. The story involves the Italian mob, an undercover operation, a strip club-turned-strip church called the Fuzzy Bunny, and a colorful array of characters,...
- 7/1/2020
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: In a highly competitive situation, Apple has given a straight-to-series order for an untitled four-part documentary series from acclaimed filmmakers Brian Lazarte and James Lee Hernandez, directors of the docuseries McMillion$. Multiple bidders were in the mix and it was a seven-figure deal, sources said.
The new untitled docuseries tells the unbelievable true story of one of the largest scams in government history. Lazarte & Hernandez will produce through their Fun Meter Productions banner. Their 6-part docuseries McMillion$ bowed on HBO in February and told the true story of how $24 million was stolen from the McDonald’s Monopoly game of the 1990s, the mystery mastermind who orchestrated the scam, and the FBI agents who pursued the criminal. Lazarte’s previous credits include Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D, HBO’s Emmy-winning miniseries Sonic Highways and Showtime’s Time of Death. Hernandez’s credits include the Emmy Award-winning Feeln docuseries Wonder Women...
The new untitled docuseries tells the unbelievable true story of one of the largest scams in government history. Lazarte & Hernandez will produce through their Fun Meter Productions banner. Their 6-part docuseries McMillion$ bowed on HBO in February and told the true story of how $24 million was stolen from the McDonald’s Monopoly game of the 1990s, the mystery mastermind who orchestrated the scam, and the FBI agents who pursued the criminal. Lazarte’s previous credits include Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D, HBO’s Emmy-winning miniseries Sonic Highways and Showtime’s Time of Death. Hernandez’s credits include the Emmy Award-winning Feeln docuseries Wonder Women...
- 5/18/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: UTA has signed director, producer, writer, advocate and Academy Award-nominated actor Ellen Page for worldwide representation in all areas.
Page was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the Jason Reitman-directed comedy Juno and starred in Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning film Inception. She recently made her directorial debut alongside co-director Ian Daniel for Netflix’s There’s Something In The Water. The documentary is based on the novel of the same name by Ingrid Walton. The film explores the scourge of environmental racism through the lens of Indigenous and African Nova Scotian women fighting to protect their communities, their land and their futures.
More from DeadlineBig 3 Talent Agencies, Saying There Is "Clear Possibility" Judge May Dismiss WGA's Antitrust Suit, Seek Stay Of Document Discovery - UpdateUTA Signs 'McMillion$' Filmmakers Brian Lazarte & James Lee Hernandez And Their Company Fun Meter ProductionsUTA Makes "Immediate & Painful" Pay Cuts As Coronavirus...
Page was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the Jason Reitman-directed comedy Juno and starred in Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning film Inception. She recently made her directorial debut alongside co-director Ian Daniel for Netflix’s There’s Something In The Water. The documentary is based on the novel of the same name by Ingrid Walton. The film explores the scourge of environmental racism through the lens of Indigenous and African Nova Scotian women fighting to protect their communities, their land and their futures.
More from DeadlineBig 3 Talent Agencies, Saying There Is "Clear Possibility" Judge May Dismiss WGA's Antitrust Suit, Seek Stay Of Document Discovery - UpdateUTA Signs 'McMillion$' Filmmakers Brian Lazarte & James Lee Hernandez And Their Company Fun Meter ProductionsUTA Makes "Immediate & Painful" Pay Cuts As Coronavirus...
- 4/6/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: UTA has signed McMillion$ filmmakers Brian Lazarte and James Lee Hernandez as well as their company Fun Meter Productions for worldwide representation in all areas.
Lazarte and Hernandez’s critically acclaimed six-part docuseries McMillion$ bowed in February. The project, which was from Unrealistic Ideas and Fun Meter Productions, chronicles the true story of how $24 million was stolen from the McDonald’s Monopoly game of the 1990s, the mystery mastermind who orchestrated the scam, and the FBI agents who pursued the criminal. The pair created, directed, wrote and edited the docuseries. They also served as executive producers alongside Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, and Archie Gips.
More from DeadlineUTA Makes "Immediate & Painful" Pay Cuts As Coronavirus Hobbles HollywoodUTA Signs 'Yellow Rose' Filmmaker Diane ParagasCoronavirus Impacting Hollywood Offices: Gotham Group, UTA, ICM Partners Latest To Mandate Working From Home - Update
Lazarte’s previous credits include Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D,...
Lazarte and Hernandez’s critically acclaimed six-part docuseries McMillion$ bowed in February. The project, which was from Unrealistic Ideas and Fun Meter Productions, chronicles the true story of how $24 million was stolen from the McDonald’s Monopoly game of the 1990s, the mystery mastermind who orchestrated the scam, and the FBI agents who pursued the criminal. The pair created, directed, wrote and edited the docuseries. They also served as executive producers alongside Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, and Archie Gips.
More from DeadlineUTA Makes "Immediate & Painful" Pay Cuts As Coronavirus Hobbles HollywoodUTA Signs 'Yellow Rose' Filmmaker Diane ParagasCoronavirus Impacting Hollywood Offices: Gotham Group, UTA, ICM Partners Latest To Mandate Working From Home - Update
Lazarte’s previous credits include Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D,...
- 3/24/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
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