LIGHTNING ENTERTAINMENT JOINS “THE PACK”
Lightning To Partner on Financing and Production for New Horror/Thriller; Will Also Handle U.S. and International Sales
Los Angeles, CA – May 9, 2014 — Lightning Entertainment announced today that it has come aboard as a financing and production partner on THE PACK – an Australian horror/thriller being directed by Nick Robertson (“The Runner”) and produced by Michael Robertson (“The Reef,” “Black Water,” “Road Train”) and Kent Smith (“2:37,” “The Tree”) under their new genre label, BREAKOUT Movies. General Manager and Executive VP Ken Dubow states “Lightning’s production investment in THE PACK underscores the company’s commitment to the growth of our business and our ability to get involved with the right film projects at their inception.”
THE PACK will be the debut theatrical release of Kojo, a leading post-production and special effects company in Australia (THE BABADOOK, WOLF CREEK 1 & 2, THE LUCKY ONE, NO RESERVATIONS) that bows its new Australian distribution operation with the film. Distribution rights for all territories outside of Australia & New Zealand are being handled by Lightning, which will introduce the film project in Cannes.
Producers are eying a late June 2014 start date for principle photography. The film will be shot on location outside of Adelaide, South Australia, with the support of the South Australian Film Corporation.
The move continues Lightning’s longstanding relationship with producer Michael Robertson as they previously collaborated on a number of successful titles including “The Reef” and “Road Train”.
Lightning’s sales and acquisitions consultant Richard S. Guardian introduced the project to the company at first draft script stage, continuing his long relationship with the Australian production industry. “Following the success of “The Reef”, Michael and I have been looking for an appropriate project in which to continue our relationship, and THE PACK will be the first of several commercial properties on which we will collaborate.”
THE PACK follows hardened farmer and devoted family man Adam Wilson, who is shocked to discover that the last of his livestock have been mauled to death on his rural ranch. Making matters worse, his wife informs him that their home veterinary business is failing, making a comfortable future uncertain for their feisty teenage daughter and young son. When a determined bank representative makes a surprise visit to the ranch to threaten foreclosure on the property, Adam firmly reassures his family that they are going nowhere, and that he will fight for the place that they call home.
Adam plans a celebratory feast that night, hoping to allay everyone’s concerns about the future, but dark shadows lurk outside their isolated farmhouse. A large pack of hungry and ferocious feral dogs circle restlessly in the darkness, thirsty for blood, waiting for their chance to attack. Suddenly the power to the farmhouse is cut and the evil hounds are unleashed, triggering a bloody and desperate battle for survival. With no way to call for help, Adam must protect his family from the violent onslaught of vicious evil howling outside their door!
About Director Nick Robertson
Nick Robertson is a third generation filmmaker who has been working in the industry for over twenty years. He began his career in Sydney as a photographic assistant working for a large commercial studio and in 1993 left to Los Angeles and enrolled in the UCLA Film School studying direction.
He started his directing career in 1995 through Prodigy Films and was widely regarded as one of the most exciting new talents to emerge on the Australian advertising scene.
Nick joined Radical Media in the year of 1998 and rocketed into a strong international directing career, working on large campaigns for Ford, Toyota, McDonalds, Infinity, Lynx, Mountain Dew, Mitsubishi, Audi and VW.
In 2003 his short film “The Runner” starring Peter O’Brien and Lisa Hensley was showcased at numerous festivals including the International Melbourne and New Yorks Film Festivals.
In 2007 Nick joined Plaza Films where he shot award-winning campaigns for Mail Plus, Smirnoff Ice, NBN Co and Subaru. He also finished a series of campaigns for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia through Goodby Silverstein San Francisco and M&C Saatchi Sydney.
At the beginning of 2014 and after six wonderful years Nick left Plaza Films to pursue a career as a freelance director where he enjoys the freedom of being able to move from project to project.
About Kojo
KOJO is an integrated storytelling company with over 23 years experience and offices in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. KOJO creates stories that connect for national and international clients through its core services of content creation, digital, television and film and live events.
For more information please visit www.kojo.com.au
About Lightning Entertainment:
Established in 2001 and based in Beverly Hills, CA, Lightning Entertainment is a leading independent entertainment company specializing in the international sales, licensing, representation, marketing and distribution of premier independent content in all available media. With a strong presence at major international film markets and established relationships with key distributors in global territories, Lightning focuses on monetizing superior films theatrically and in ancillary markets including home entertainment, television, emerging media, and video-on-demand & digital platforms. The company represents one of the largest libraries of high-quality pictures in today’s independent marketplace.
Lightning Entertainment distributes films of every genre in the United States and Canada, boasting a remarkable presence on both in-store and digital shelf space. Their distribution arm reaches all available nationwide home entertainment platforms including (but not limited to) Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Redbox, Netflix, iTunes, Google Play, Hulu, Xbox, Sony Playstation, Amazon, Vudu, and most major video-on-demand cable providers. Lightning Entertainment’s domestic distribution branch features the ability to adaptively generate domestic revenue in a rapidly changing industry.
For more information on Lightning Entertainment, please visit www.lightning-ent.com.
