As their new series Estate of Mind arrives on Bell Canada’s Fibe TV1, Jeff Biederman and Jake Horowitz join ScreenMDM Talks to share the genesis of the hybrid docu-comedy series from indies Sideways Dog Productions and Grainey Pictures.
The series, which launches today in Canada, follows a heartbroken genius, played by Alexander Oliver, as he heads from one estate sale to the next, scouring for items to build a machine that will fix his life. Along the way, he meets collectors, antiques experts, and everyday folks hunting for a deal at estate sales, second-hand stores, and flea markets.
The 4×20-minute series was first conceptualized about a decade ago when Horowitz approached fellow Canadian writer Biederman (they had met on the set of the CTV comedy Spun Out) about setting a series against the backdrop of estate sales. They filmed a pilot (the actor they had hired didn’t show up, leaving camera-shy Horowitz to play the part) that didn’t get picked up, but its potential stayed with them.
“There’s a lot of emotion in the objects” at estate sales, says Biederman on ScreenMDM Talks, available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. As a bonus, “a lot of the sets were taken care of and a lot of the funny moments felt real.”
Ten years later, with viewers now far more accustomed to the hybrid real-life/improv format, Biederman and Horowitz decided to dust the pitch off and try again. “There was something about this one that felt special,” Biederman says.
“It was this cool thing in a world before there was Nathan for You and The Rehearsal and How to with John Wilson and Nirvanna the Band the Show,” Horowitz says. “At that point, I think the only thing even close to it was Borat. Once there were more references for what we were doing, people understood it a bit better. And then, to the credit of Paul Gardner at Bell and Bell Fibe in general as this amazing proving ground to do weird things and experiment, they got it right away and trusted us to do it.”
There were lessons learned along the way in this “comedy experiment,” Biederman says, namely your best-laid plans will be tossed. “We realized we have to just adapt, and we can’t fake anything. Everything has to be real. It’s like live television; there’s no recreating the magic of that real moment. Taking those risks to allow the realness and the awkwardness to just happen and not stop it was scary and liberating.”
“There are things that we couldn’t put in because they were too absurdist,” Horowitz adds.
As for what’s next, a second season is in the works, and a feature film is being explored, along with other ideas in this hybrid world of real interactions and improvised comedy. Ultimately, they’re both optimistic about the opportunities for skilled creatives today, despite the challenges of the ecosystem.
“It’s always been the worst time in the industry,” Biederman says. “We’re used to that. Creatively, I think it’s a great time. If you’re interested in comedy and you’re funny, you need to find your people and make something. And if it’s good, the money will follow. I don’t know any content creator, writer, director, or actor who’s really talented and has great material who can’t get their stuff sold. If it’s good, the audience will find it in some way. That really is the hope here.”
Estate of Mind is available now on Bell Fibe. Grainey Pictures can be contacted about international rights to the series.
