In addition to announcing Lopez as director, the time travel movie has onboarded R. Scott Leisk to helm casting and Yaniv ‘Rafi’ Raphael Bar as distribution executive.
The Mutt Productions / Allied Artists rock n’ roll time travel comedy adventure, “Rockin’ In Time,” has begun announcing key attachments. Noted director, Aaron Lee Lopez, (of the Teenage Girl franchise) gets the nod as director, while R. Scott Leisk (Velocity Girl, Colossal Youth) has been tapped to search for and cast the film’s lead character, Lars Olsen, as well as heading overall casting. When asked about the choice of Leisk as Casting Director, Lopez commented that “casting for Rockin’ is challenging as it relies on a number of hybrid actor/musicians, together with famous rock stars who may be making their silver screen debut.” As to directing Rockin,’ Lopez adds “The notion of time travel has always intrigued me and when Kurt [Wipfli] first discussed the Rockin’ In Time storyline, I became excited at the possibilities that emerge when mixing music of the 1980’s – a beloved era that is quite popular today – with present day hyper digitized and diverse genres of music. We have some surprises in store for the audience but suffice it to say that this movie will be a laugh out loud adventure that will be both nostalgic for older audiences and energetic for younger fans of rock n’ roll!”
At the same time, Mutt Productions’ distribution partner, Allied Artists Film Group, announced the appointment of its Sr. Vice President Yaniv ‘Rafi’ Raphael Bar as distribution executive on the Rockin’ In Time feature. Bar will oversee production and coordinate promotion and marketing of the feature film’s global distribution.
“Rockin’ In Time” is a humorous take on today’s nostalgic interest in the music, styles and personalities of the 1980’s music scene, as seen through the eyes of an up-and- coming rock musician thrust 40 years into the future.
A global search for a young guitar hero with lead vocal prowess to play the lead character is currently underway. Casting director R. Scott Leisk commented that “Our casting department is searching valiantly for a diamond in the rough. Our lead character, Lars Olsen, is a rising rock n’ roll virtuoso, who wields his axe as a protege of guitar gods of the 1980s, while simultaneously captivating audiences with his dominant vocal skills. We’re searching every inch of the planet and reviewing screen test auditions on an hourly basis.” Co-Producer Kurt Wipfli, himself a multi-platinum and Grammy Award winning guitarist, is working closely with Leisk to identify the formidable actor/musician who will ultimately be cast in the lead role.
Mutt Productions is a cutting-edge studio located in San Antonio, Texas, specializing in youthful audience content, with feature films including “Teenage Girl: Valerie’s Holiday,” “Teenage Vampire,” “Teenage Girl: First Wheel,” and “Teenage Girl: Skip Day,” among many others to their credit. Mutt Productions’ content often pays homage to and is reminiscent of the late great John Hughes.
The history of Allied Artists is long, varied and legendary. Throughout the years, the Allied Artists brand has been associated with such classic motion pictures as “Papillon,” starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, “Cabaret,” with Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, “Tickle Me” starring Elvis Presley, and “The Man Who Would be King,” starring Sean Connery, Michael Caine and Christopher Plummer, to name but a few.
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Contact: Ron Jacobsohn, Office of Press Relations at (626) 330-0600 x8151 from Los Angeles, (646) 350-0009 x8151 from New York or via Email at: pressrelations@alliedartists.net.