By Mike Fleming Jr | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 10:44am PDT

EXCLUSIVE: WME has signed the screenwriting team of Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith and Karen McCullah, whose breakout came off the spec 10 Things I Hate About You and whose other credits include Legally Blonde, The Ugly Truth, The House Bunny and She’s The Man. They’ve established themselves as the go-to chicks for chick fare, and they are currently scripting The Expendabelles, the female spinoff of Millennium Films’ The Expendables franchise. They also scripted the romantic comedy The Panic Zone, which is out to cast. Smith has separately helmed two shorts sponsored by Glamour Magazine, both of which starred Anna Faris. She was also exec producer of Whip It! McCullah wrote and produced Crazy Kind Of Love, which opens May 31. Both are novelists. The scribes are leaving Paradigm as their longtime agent Lee Cohen becomes a consultant there. Jaret Entertainment’s Seth Jaret continues to manage them.

* This article first appeared in Deadline Hollywood and can be found here.

Content Engine

Karen McCullah, Kirsten Smith enter ‘Panic Zone’

McCullahSmith

“Legally Blonde” scribes Karen McCullah and Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith have written a new original comedy script titled “Panic Zone” that has been optioned by Barnaby Thompson and his London-based Ealing Studios.

Thompson will produce the film with Marc Platt, Adam Siegel and the two scribes. James Spring of Ealing and Ben Latham-Jones of Londinium Films will exec produce.

“Karen and Kiwi wrote a hilarious modern comedy about the perils of being a woman over 35 trying to find love,” said Platt. “We’ve been looking to find the perfect project to collaborate on since ‘Legally Blonde,’ and when I read their script, I knew we’d found it.”

“‘Panic Zone’ is a perfect fit for Ealing and our long tradition of sophisticated screwball comedies built around iconic stars,” added Thompson.

McCullah and Smith are currently writing a high-concept, female-driven feature comedy for Twentieth Century Fox and producer John Davis. In addition to “Legally Blonde,” McCullah and Smith have written the hit comedies “The Ugly Truth,” “The House Bunny,” “She’s The Man” and “10 Things I Hate About You.” Duo are repped by Paradigm and manager Seth Jaret.

Content Engine

20th Century Fox has hired Karen McCullah & Kirsten Smith to adapt 29, the novel by Adena Halpern. John Davis is producing. The book is a high concept comedy about an elderly woman who wakes up in the body of her 29-year old self and finally has the chance to do things right. McCullah & Smith’s credits include Legally Blonde and The House Bunny. In addition to solo projects, they are scripting Love It Or Leave It for Chockstone Pictures, which they are producing with Seth Jaret and Steve Schwartz, Paula Mae Schwartz and Roger Schwartz. The scribes are repped by Paradigm and manager Seth Jaret.

Source: http://www.deadline.com/2012/01/fox-sets-scribe-team-mccullah-smith-for-29/

Content Engine

Via Variety:

Sam Trammell of “True Blood” has joined the cast of indie drama “Long Time Gone” opposite Virginia Madsen and Anthony LaPaglia.

Smokewood Entertainment is producing “Long Time Gone,” with co-founder and producer Sarah Siegel-Magness (“Precious”) making her directorial debut.

Production began Sept. 12 in Los Angeles. Trammell began work Monday.

“Long Time Gone” also stars Zach Gilford, Amanda Crew and newcomer Graham Rogers. Karen McCullah (“The Ugly Truth”) wrote the screenplay based upon April Stevens’ novel “Angel, Angel.”

The story follows a broken family who must cope when the husband (played by LaPaglia) leaves his wife, (played by Madsen) for another woman. Their sons have no idea what to do when their mother refuses to come out of her bedroom for days on end which turns into weeks.

Trammell plays an easy-going landscaper who hires one of the sons as a day laborer and befriends his distraught mother.

Bobbi Sue Luther, Gary Magness (“Precious”) and screenwriter McCullah are producing. Andrew Sugerman and Seth Jaret are executive producing.

Shooting will continue until Oct. 25.

By Dave McNary

Source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118043479?refCatId=13

Content Engine

Via Virginia Madsen’s Blog:

New upcoming project for Virginia Madsen has been confirmed! She has joined the cast of of Smokewood Entertainment’s “Long Time Gone”. Virginia will star in Sarah Siegel-Magness’ drama film, joining the already announced cast of Amanda Crew, Aly Michalka, Madeline Zima and Zach Gilford.

“Precious” producer Sarah Siegel-Magness makes her directorial debut with the pic, which stars Virginia Madsen as Augusta, a woman who suffers a nervous breakdown after her cheating husband leaves her. Zach Gilford and Graham Rogers co-star as her two sons who, along with the latter’s live-in girlfriend (Amanda Crew), attempt to comfort Ryan in her time of need.

Long Time Gone is currently filming in Los Angeles.

Content Engine

Graham Rogers ("Henry") & Seth Jaret (Executive Producer)

From the First Week of production of Long Time Gone. Taken by Writer/Producer Karen McCullah.

This was a beautiful location and a perfect setting for the scene being filmed. Karen and I celebrated the first week of production on a project that has been nine years in the making! Phew.

Content Engine

Via Sierra Madre Patch:

Production crews transformed the Taylor’s parking lot into a Maryland grocery store Tuesday morning as they began production on an independent film called Long Time Gone.

The film stars Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen (Sideways), Golden Globe winner Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace), and Zach Gilford of Friday Night Lights fame.

Echoing sentiments expressed by the producers of the NBC web series In Gale We Trust, which also films in town, unit publicist Cid Swank said they chose Sierra Madre for that “small town feel” needed for the film.

Penned by Legally Blonde scribe Karen McCullah, the film follows a family broken apart by divorce. The grief-stricken mother, played by Madsen, is seemingly inconsolable to her two sons.

But when “carefree Bette (played by Amanda Crew) enters their lives, her outlook on the world revolutionizes the way each has been viewing this situation,” according to Swank’s press release.

“The underlying message is that broken families doesn’t mean broken people,” Sarah Siegel-Magness, who produced the hit film Precious and is making her directorial debut with this picture, said in the release.

On set, producer Bobbi Sue Luther jumped at the opportunity to express her love of Sierra Madre and environs.

“I go hiking in the mountains above here all the time,” Luther said. “I’m going this weekend actually.”

No release date or distribution deal has yet been announced for the film, which will be shooting for the next 30 days at locations all around Los Angeles.

By John Stephens

Source: http://sierramadre.patch.com/articles/virginia-madsen-film-shoots-scene-in-sierra-madre#c

Content Engine

Via Variety:

“Hellcats” star Aly Michalka, model-turned-actor Travis Fimmel and “Californication” thesp Madeline Zima have joined the cast of Smokewood Entertainment’s “Long Time Gone.”

“Precious” producer Sarah Siegel-Magness makes her directorial debut with the pic, which stars Meg Ryan as a woman who suffers a nervous breakdown after her cheating husband leaves her. Zach Gilford and Graham Rogers co-star as her two sons who, along with the latter’s live-in girlfriend (Amanda Crew), attempt to comfort Ryan in her time of need.

Michalka will play Janine, a local girl who went to high school with Rogers and finds herself attracted to him despite being a few years older.

Fimmel will play Jeff, an intelligent Grateful Dead fan who sells pot to Rogers, while Zima will play Annie, an earnest hippie who works at a food co-op and gets fixed up with Gilford.

Karen McCullah (“The House Bunny”) wrote the script, which is based on April Stevens’ novel “Angel, Angel.” Scribe will also produce with Bobbi Sue Luther and Gary Magness, while Andrew Sugerman and Seth Jaret will exec produce.

Production will start next month in Los Angeles.

Michalka, who broke out on the Disney Channel’s “Phil of the Future,” recently appeared in the Screen Gems pics “Easy A” and “The Roommate.” She’s repped by CAA and Prospect Park.

Fimmel recently filmed the FX pilot “Outlaw Country” and will soon be seen in the indie “The Baytown Disco.” He’s repped by Paradigm and Management 360.

Zima, who’s best known for playing mischievous Mia on Showtime’s “Californication,” recently wrapped the indies “Crazy Eyes” and “Lake Effects.” She’s repped by UTA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

By Jeff Sneider

Source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118041881?refCatId=13

Content Engine

“Precious” producer Sarah Siegel-Magness has tapped Graham Rogers for her directorial debut “Long Time Gone.”

Ryan toplines the Smokewood Entertainment production as a woman who suffers a nervous breakdown after her cheating husband leaves her. Rogers will play Ryan’s 18-year-old son Henry, a good-hearted stoner who has flunked out of high school and is determined to comfort her with the help of his estranged older brother (Zach Gilford, “Friday Night Lights”) and live-in girlfriend (Amanda Crew, “Sex Drive”).

Karen McCullah (“The Ugly Truth”) wrote the script, which is based on April Stevens’ novel “Angel, Angel.” Scribe will also produce with Bobbi Sue Luther and Gary Magness, while Andrew Sugerman and Seth Jaret will exec produce.

Rogers, who stars in the upcoming genre pic “1313: Haunted Frat,” will soon be seen alongside “Glee” thesp Chris Colfer in the indie comedy “Struck By Lightning.” He’s repped by APA, Dino May Management and attorney Rick Genow.

By Jeff Sneider

Source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118041771

Content Engine

“Precious” producer Sarah Siegel-Magness is set to make her directorial debut on “Long Time Gone” with Meg Ryan in negotiations to star.

Karen McCullah penned the adaptation which is based on the novel “Angel, Angel” by April Stevens.

Story follows a broken family which is healed when the girlfriend of the youngest son moves in and changes their lives forever.

Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee will cast the pic.

Bobbi Sue Luther, Gary Magness and McCullah will produce through the Magness’ Smokewood Entertainment Shingle. Andrew Sugerman and Seth Jaret are exec producing.

Production is set to start this fall.

Besides “Precious,” Siegel-Magness is also producing “Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer,” which bows in June.

Ryan is also set to make her directorial debut on “Little Black Train.”

Ryan is repped by UTA and Siegel-Magness is repped by CAA and attorney Andrew W. Rosen.

McCullah is repped by Paradigm.

Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

By: Justin Kroll

Source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118037604?refCatId=13

Content Engine