Fake Empire Productions

Fake Empire Productions
Privately held
Industry Film industry
Genre Production company
Founded Los Angeles, California U.S. (2003, as College Hill Pictures)
Founders Josh Schwartz
Stephanie Savage
Headquarters Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Key people
 Josh Schwartz
Stephanie Savage
Products Films
Television series

Fake Empire Productions is the production company that was formed in 2010 by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage to develop and produce television series and feature films. Their most notable productions include the series Gossip Girl (developed by Schwartz and Savage), Chuck (co-created by Schwartz and Chris Fedak), Hart of Dixie (created by Leila Gerstein and produced by Schwartz, Savage, and their producing partner Len Goldstein) and The Carrie Diaries (developed by Amy B. Harris and produced by Schwartz, Savage, and their producing partner Len Goldstein). The company was formed to focus on television projects and produce films, with the intent of branching out into online series, music and books.[1] Schwartz formerly operated under the banner of College Hill Pictures, Inc., which folded in the making of Fake Empire.

Overseen by Len Goldstein, the television division of Fake Empire is based at Warner Bros. Television, which distributes the Gossip Girl, Chuck, Hart of Dixie, The Carrie Diaries, Cult, and The Astronaut Wives Club television series.[2] The film division of the company is based at Paramount Pictures and is run by Lis Rowinski.[3]

Productions

The following table lists the production credit of Fake Empire, and its previous incarnation, College Hill Pictures, Inc.

Title Format Year
The O.C. Television series 2003–2007
Gossip Girl Television series 2007–2012
Chuck Television series 2007–2012
Hart of Dixie Television series 2011–2015
Fun Size Film 2012
The Carrie Diaries Television series 2013–2014
Cult Television series 2013
Endless Love Film 2014
No Cameras Allowed[4] Documentary Film 2014
The Chamomiles Animated series 2015
The Astronaut Wives Club Television series 2015
Monster High Film 2016

Logo

Former College Hill Pictures logo.
The Fake Empire logo for the Chuck TV series, featuring key elements of the show.
The Fake Empire logo for the Hart of Dixie TV series, featuring key elements of the show.
The Fake Empire logo for the The Carrie Diaries TV series, featuring key elements of the show.
The Fake Empire logo for the Cult TV series, featuring key elements of the show.

The company's end-of-credits logo for College Hill (top right) used to be a note book with 'College Hill Pictures, Inc.' written on the subject line. This logo was used for all seasons of The O.C. and for the first three seasons of both Gossip Girl and Chuck.

The new company's Fake Empire logo is a sketch pad with key features of the show drawn onto the pad with the name Fake Empire underneath. The new logo was first used on September 13, 2010 after the end credits of Gossip Girl, making Gossip Girl the first Fake Empire produced series to feature the logo. The pictures that are drawn onto the sketch pad for the end of Gossip Girl's logo are sketches of a cell phone, a New York cab, a pair of heel shoes (which is a reference to the fashion on the show), and two New York sights (above).

On Chuck's (two down, right) logo are sketches of a laptop, the Nerd Herd car, a pair of Converse, a gun, and a pocket protector (middle right).

On Hart of Dixie's (three down, right) logo there are fingers and sketches of the town gazebo, George Tucker's pick-up truck, Zoe's stethoscope (which ties into the medical aspect of the show), a pair of high heel shoes, and Burt Reynolds (the mayor's pet alligator).

On The Carrie Diaries' (bottom right) logo there are sketches of leg warmers, sunglasses, a boombox radio, various New York City sights, and Carrie's name into the rainbow.

On Cult's logo (four down, right) there are sketches of filming equipment, Billy Grim's name and various other significant sketches of a clapboard, lights, a car, and a hand.

On The Astronaut Wives Club's logo (five down, right) there are upcoming sketches.

Productions in development

According to Deadline.com Fake Empire is set to produce and develop the Let It Snow novel into a feature film. The book is an anthology of three short stories and the plan will make the film into a teenage Love Actually. The script will be written by Jordan Roter.[5]

Fake Empire are also set to develop a book named Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick into a feature film.[6] It was annoced that Schwartz was set to write and direct the Jay McInerney novel, Bright Lights, Big City with Fake Empire producing.

On July 13, 2011, The Hollywood Reporter released the news that Fake Empire would be producing an upcoming film adaption of The Luxe (book series) to be also produced by Alloy Entertainment (who also produce the Fake Empire produced TV series Gossip Girl). The producers see the movie as a young Moulin Rouge, a music-driven story featuring contemporary artists and fashion set against a period backdrop.[7]

The Hollywood Reporter said that a novel named Forgotten, written by Cat Patrick is to be turned into a movie with Fake Empire to produce. The movie's screenplay will be written by Oren Uziel (Mortal Kombat: Rebirth).[8]

Paramount Pictures has acquired The Likeness, a novel by Tana French for Stephanie Savage to adapt and to produce with Josh Schwartz through Fake Empire. The book is a sequel to a 2008 novel named Into the Woods, which Paramount has also acquired.[9]

On April 12, 2012, Paramount Pictures bought a comedy pitch named 'Status Update' from the production studio about how high school goers use social media sites.[10] Also, on May 3, 2012, Variety reported that Warner Bros. was to develop a Little Shop of Horrors remake with Fake Empire to produce.[11]

Deadline reported on August 2, 2012 that Universal Pictures will be remaking the 1981 film, Endless Love with Fake Empire producing. The remake will be written by Gossip Girl producer Joshua Safran.[12] It was confirmed on March 21, 2013 that Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde will co-star in the remake.[13]

ABC ordered "The Astronaut Wives Club" to series on February 5, 2014. The series is based on the book of the same name by Lily Loppel about the spouses of astronauts in 1969. The pilot will be written by Stephanie Savage. The series will premiere in early Summer 2014 with a 10 episode first season.[14]

Schwartz was Savage will produce and write the 2016 film, "Monster High", based on the Mattel toy line about the sons and daughters of the world's most famous monsters.[15]

Failed productions

Fake Empire produced the television pilot Georgetown for ABC in 2011, but the pilot was not picked up to series. It starred Jimmy Wolk, Katie Cassidy, Kevin Zegers, Daisy Betts, Joe Mazzello, and Condola Rashad.

On September 30, 2011, it was reported that Fake Empire had sold a half-hour comedy pilot script to FOX. The show is about three childhood friends who are now fathers. The script is written by Barry Schwartz, who is also set to co-executive produce.[16]

It was reported on October 19, 2011, that Fake Empire would be adapting the UK TV series Misfits into a US series. The series revolves around teenagers who find themselves in an electric storm which gives them superpowers. Creator of the UK series, Howard Overman will help to pen the US script and will be an executive producer.[17]

The CW bought a monster high school drama from Fake Empire on September 12, 2012. The series is named 'Copeland Prep' and is about a high school that is so competitive that it turns its students into monsters. Catherine Hardwicke, who directed the first Twilight film has been brought on to executive consult the project.[18] The day after, September 13, 2012, FOX bought a comedy pilot named 'Losing Our Cool' to be written by Whip It! writer, Shauna Cross.[19]

In October 2012, ABC bought a pilot from the company written by Karen Croner, based on her experience of growing up in the Hollywood Hills, the show is about a woman returning with her son to live with her rock-n-roll family.[20] Also in October, it was announced that Warner Bros. is developing a 'Midnighters' television series to be produced by Fake Empire and Alloy Entertainment. Co-creator of Fake Empire's 'Chuck', Chris Fedak is also helping to develop the series.[21]

Members

Staff members of Fake Empire, all of whom have production credits on at least one of the above shows/movies, have included, in alphabetical order:

References

  1. ↑ Jennifer Armstrong (2010-03-23). "Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage launch production company, Fake Empire". EW.com. Retrieved 2011-06-11.
  2. ↑ Nellie Andreeva (2010-10-14). "Schwartz, Savage form production company". TheHollywoodReporter.com. Retrieved 2011-06-11.
  3. ↑ Mike Fleming (2010-04-27). "Paramount Gives 'Gossip Girl' Co-Creators First Look Feature Producing Deal". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2011-06-11.
  4. ↑ Kendall (2014-07-29). "Fake Empire Produces No Cameras Allowed". http://blog.fakeempire.com. Retrieved 2014-07-29.
  5. ↑ Mike Fleming (2010-05-31). "Paramount And Fake Empire Buy 'Let It Snow'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2011-06-11.
  6. ↑ Mike Fleming (2010-05-31). "Paramount Wins 'Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  7. ↑ Borys Kit (2011-07-13). "'Gossip Girl' Team Heading Back in Time With Feature 'The Luxe' (Exclusive)". TheHollywoodReporter.com. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  8. ↑ Daniel Miller (2011-10-27). "Paramount Taps Hot Writer to Adapt 'Forgotten' for Hailee Steinfeld to Star (Exclusive)". thehollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
  9. ↑ Mike Fleming (2011-11-02). "Paramount Acquires Novel ‘The Likeness’ For Stephanie Savage To Adapt". deadline.com. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  10. ↑ Mike Fleming (2012-04-12). "Paramount Buys Comic Pitch ‘Status Update’". deadline.com. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  11. ↑ Jeff Sneider (2012-05-12). "WB setting up 'Little Shop of Horrors' remake". variety.com. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  12. ↑ Mike Fleming Jr. (2012-08-02). "Universal, Scott Stuber Working On ‘Endless Love’ Remake". deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  13. ↑ Borys Kit (2013-03-21). "Universal Finds Its 'Endless Love' Leads". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  14. ↑ Whitney Friedlander (2014-02-05). "ABC Orders Stephanie Savage’s ‘Astronaut Wives Club’ to Series". variety.com. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  15. ↑ Jen Yamato (2014-05-22). "Universal Dates Mattel Adaptation ‘Monster High’ & Untitled R-Rated Comedy For 2016". deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  16. ↑ Nellie Andtreeva (2011-09-30). "Fake Empire Comedy Among Latest Pilot Script Sales". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2011-10-02.
  17. ↑ Joesf Adalian (2011-10-19). "Gossip Girl's Josh Schwartz Planning a Remake of the U.K. Hulu Hit Misfits". nymag.com. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
  18. ↑ Nellie Andreeva (2012-09-12). "CW Buys Monster High School Drama From Fake Empire And Catherine Hardwicke". deadline.com. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  19. ↑ Nellie Andreeva (2012-09-13). "Comedy From Fake Empire & Writer Shauna Cross Lands At Fox As Put Pilot". deadline.com. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  20. ↑ Nellie Andreeva (2012-10-15). "ABC Buys Dramedy Soap From Fake Empire". deadline.com. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  21. ↑ Lesley Goldberg (2012-09-05). "'Chuck' Creators Adapting 'Midnighters' Book Trilogy for Fox". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  22. ↑ Mike Fleming (2010-03-23). "Leonard Goldstein Joins Fake Empire". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2011-08-11.

External links