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EXCLUSIVE: Here’s your first look at California Schemin’, the first feature directed by Scottish actor James McAvoy.
Currently in post-production, the film has been picked up by Studiocanal for release in the UK and Ireland. Bankside Films are handling international sales, while UTA Independent Film Group is repping North America, and will be showing a promo at the forthcoming EFM.
Ahead of the market, a series of new deals have been locked on the pic. Those include: Aardwolf (Airlines) and Magic Film (CIS) in addition to the previously announced pre-sales in Estonian Theatrical Distribution (Baltics), Beta (Bulgaria), HBO (Eastern Europe), MCF (Former Yugoslavia), Cinetel (Hungary), Front Row (Middle East), NOS Lusomundo (Portugal) and Green Light (Ukraine).
California Schemin’ is based on Gavin Bain’s autobiography of the same name, which was later re-printed as Straight Outta Scotland. The story was later adapted into the 2013 SXSW documentary The Great Hip Hop Hoax. The synopsis reads: In the late 90’s, Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd had their musical ambitions consistently ridiculed for having the ‘wrong’ accents, so they went for broke and reinvented themselves as Californian rappers. ‘California Schemin’ shows how the duo re-recorded their own tracks with fake accents and turned up in London claiming to be an established duo on the California scene as well as childhood friends with Eminem. They quickly bagged themselves a record deal, a hefty sum in advances, and an appearance on MTV until it all came crashing down.
McAvoy also stars in the film alongside Séamus McLean Ross and Samuel Bottomley (How To Have Sex). The film is produced by Danny Page of Homefront Productions and Michael Mendelsohn of Patriot Pictures, alongside Paul Aniello of Tartan. Archie Thomson (Deep State 2) and Elaine Gracie (Romantic Getaway) adapted the screenplay, while Kahleen Crawford serves as casting director.
Executive Producers include Natalie Perrotta and Jim Steele for Patriot Pictures, Naysun Alae-Carew, Nic Crum, Lauren Lamarr for Blazing Griffin; Steven Little and Kieran Hannigan for Screen Scotland; Stephen Kelliher and Yana Georgieva are Executive Producers for Bankside Films. Co-producers are Barry Hutchison and Fiona Hutchison for Zertex Media, and Isabelle Georgeaux for Pont Neuf Productions.
James McAvoy is represented by UTA, United Agents, The Lede Company, and Sloane Offer. Séamus McLean Ross is represented by Clarence Conway at Independent Talent. Samuel Bottomley is represented by Ellie Martin-Sperry at 42mp. Archie Thomson is represented by Nick Fenwick at Curtis Brown. Elaine Gracie is represented by Abby Singer at Casarotto Ramsay & Associates. Michael Mendelsohn and Patriot Pictures are represented by UTA, Ryan Webb of Greenberg Glusker, and Anne Jordan, ESQ.
