EXCLUSIVE: After making his feature directorial debut with The Mattachine Family, Andy Vallentine has launched Huckleberry Media, an L.A.-based film and television production company with a commitment to creating daring narratives, crafting rich characters, and championing artistic innovation and inclusivity.
Joining him as a founding member is Andrew Richards, formerly of Imperative Entertainment, who will serve as VP of Film and Television Development.
In a statement to Deadline, Vallentine said, “Our mission with Huckleberry Media is to champion compelling, character-driven film and television projects. Following the recent success of The Mattachine Family, we’re excited to hit the ground running with a slate of titles that explore diverse human experiences, foster empathy, and challenge societal norms through entertaining and authentic storytelling.”
Added Richards, “I’m elated to be joining Andy as we build out a diverse slate of film and television projects in collaboration with emerging and established storytellers alike. We endeavor to bring fresh, compelling stories to the large and small screens in an ever-changing landscape.”
Already, Vallentine has lined up a slate of four feature projects that he’ll look to direct and produce under the Huckleberry banner. First among them is Safe, written by Andrew Rosendorf and Nate Eppler, which follows a former safecracker who leaves his criminal past behind, only to be dragged back into the underworld with the arrival of an old flame. Second, there’s The Mother and the Wolf, a genre pic scripted by Andy’s husband, Danny Vallentine, which follows a journalist as she races to find the truth behind a sinister cult after her daughter makes a startling accusation. Additionally, the team is developing a feature-length adaptation of the former’s Oscar-qualifying short The Letter Men, based on the real-life love letters between Gilbert Bradley and Gordon Bowsher during WWII, which screened at Tribeca. The company has also optioned Adam Boyer’s musical comedy spec Minnie Buttons, a satire that follows a dysfunctional family which accidentally summons a magical, singing nanny but soon learns their new caretaker has dark plans in store.
While facilitating Vallentine’s personal projects, Huckleberry will partner with outside filmmakers and storytellers to develop new material. Projects on that front include Bury Me at Blue Ridge, an adaptation of a Black List script by Adam Taylor Barker (Savage Salvation) about an Appalachian gravedigger who sets out to fulfill his late wife’s dying wish, sparking the ire of his vengeful father-in-law, and a television adaptation of the legal thriller book series Legacy on Trial by Joe Cargile.
Known for his commercial work for the likes of Mercedes Benz, The Department of Veteran Affairs and Sephora, Vallentine directed and produced The Mattachine Family, a family drama which Giant Pictures released this summer after a successful festival run. Written by Danny Vallentine and exec produced by Zach Braff, the film stars Nico Tortorella (Younger), Juan Pablo di Pace (Fuller House), and Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek).
Before joining Huckleberry Media, Richards worked with veteran producer Jeremy Steckler at both Imperative Entertainment and Condé Nast Entertainment. He’s been involved with the development and production of films including Cat Person, Spiderhead, Mosul and The Old Man & the Gun.
Andy Vallentine is represented by Heroes and Villains Entertainment.
