I worked as an associate producer on 16 To Life, a romantic comedy from Emmy-nominated director Becky Smith (Queer Eye For The Straight Guy), a film that puts a wry, witty and unpredictable ensemble cast in a small-town locale reminiscent of a Capra comedy. Often compared by critics to Juno and Sixteen Candles, 16 To Life follows Kate, played by Hallee Hirsh (ER, You’ve Got Mail), a small town girl whose angst about her sexual inexperience fuels a comic quest for love and understanding on a birthday to end all birthdays—Kate’s turning Sweet 16 and she’s never been kissed.

My primary responsibility on this film was to devise and coordinate a theatrical distribution and marketing strategy for the film.  With most of the movie industry’s major independent distributors going bankrupt or closing in the past two years, the independent film industry’s climate was not well suited to release a small indy film like 16 To Life.  Despite the adversity, led by the film’s six ‘Best Feature’ awards won during a year on the film festival circuit, 16 To Life is now slated to have a limited theatrical release in 14 markets in the Midwestern US and California in the fall of 2010, including deals struck with Rave Motion Pictures and AMC Theaters, as well as a limited release in Canada, Europe and The Middle East.

You can learn more about the film at www.16tolifethemovie.org.

Project: 16 To Life
Director: Becky Smith
Role: Associate Producer
Available: Available on DVD, VOD and Netflix
Awards: Named ‘Best Picture’ at  The 2010: Methodfest, Landlocked Film Festival, Kansas International Film Festival, Female Eye Film Festival, Iowa Motion Picture Awards, North Carolina International Film Festival, among other awards.