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EXCLUSIVE: The Hard Times Of RJ Berger co-creator/executive producer David Katzenberg has been tapped to direct MTV’s half-hour comedy pilot Dumb Girls, from Awkward creator/executive producer Lauren Iungerich. The ensemble project, which will be produced in-house, revolves around a group of twentysomethings and recently cast Christine Evangelista, Xosha Roquemore, Josh Kelly and Nico Evers Swindell as its four leads. This is Katzenberg’s second pilot-directing gig at MTV. He also helmed the pilot for RJ Berger, which was canceled last month after two seasons. Katzenberg has an existing relationship with Iungerich and directed four episodes of her breakout MTV hit Awkward, which wraps its first season Tuesday.
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Hard Times was really, really bad. Good luck with this one.
Did you see the pilot? It was pretty good. Can’t comment on the series however
I agree that Hard Times was bad if not unwatchable. Nice enough guy and I’m sure he’d be directing all of this if his last name wasn’t Katzenberg. I’m just a tad confused on why a director announcement for an MTV scripted show is even newsworthy?
MTV with the exception of Janolarri has the worst executives…Those two women have no idea what they are doing and are just so arrogant…Annmarie and Polly …oh man what pieces of work..And MTV pays no money so after you suffer the abuse of selling something to them you don’t get paid well
and there is no back end….
Honest man is completely correct. Katz is a nice enough guy, but got the job only after the first 5 choices passed – mainly due to MTV itself and their complete lack of ability. Janolarri while showing thoughtfulness and courtesy to outsiders -DJ internally drives his idiot sycophants (C. Spencer being his most trusted version of an inept Luca Brasi), so it’s all on him. ‘Awkward’ shows promise and Lauren Iungerich is a super talent – but she must be getting a hell of a payday to be still doing shows for what the whole industry knows to be the the three stooges of network development. Not a hater, just a truth sayer.
No directors passed on MTV. I work at an agency and i know the producers were looking for the best fit- they barely submitted to anyone. Lauren really likes working with Katzenberg- i’m pretty sure she chose him. But i don’t know why she’s not directing it herself. She directed a great episode of Awkward- my favorite this season (and maybe the strongest directed episode). She shows a lot of promise as a director and I hope she gets to direct more of her show next season. Hope this wasnt cuz she is a girl. Hope MTV is good to her cuz she has a big future ahead of her.
Honest and Inside are correct. Katz seems like a good person, but he needs to move away from anything MTV related. MTV’s Z Gallerie office decor reflects the executive talent they attract. They got lucky with Awkward and they’ll tank that one very soon. Time for a make over.
Rolling calls is not entirely correct. They put out calls to several A list feature directors who also like doing pilots. They all passed and it trickled back down to Katz. Proof that the MTV execs have a bad rep.