The idea for DAVE vs. HOLLYWOOD came to the writer, Brad, when he was watching a SEINFELD episode rerun and got to thinking about the auditions for the show. Specifically, he began wondering: Whatever happened to the guy who was second choice to play Kramer, but lost out to Michael Richards? Then director Daniel read Matthew Perry’s book which included an anecdote about a friend of Perry’s who was originally offered the role of Chandler Bing on FRIENDS, but turned it down to star in another show which was quickly canceled and forgotten. (Of course Matthew then was offered FRIENDS and jumped at the chance.) We got to talking about the long odds of success for those trying to make it in show business, and the enormous role that timing and good fortune play, and how the struggle could be funny for an actor who is talented but doesn’t have connections, luck or good fortune. And if this actor was willing to pursue his goal by taking an unconventional, anything goes route it’d be all the funnier.
Director Bio
Daniel Katz was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, and emigrated to the United States at the age of four. Growing up in San Francisco, he was immersed in Azerbaijani, Armenian, Russian/Soviet, Jewish, and American cultures—an eclectic mix that has been central to shaping his creative vision and global approach to filmmaking.
Daniel has built an international filmmaking career. He directed the Azerbaijani reality TV series Ideya Qazandi, served as Director of Photography on the documentary E.L.I. for Gabriel Beristain, and has directed and shot a range of narrative films, documentaries, music videos, and commercials. Most recently, Memories of Love Returned, a documentary he co-produced, has won numerous awards at festivals around the world.
Brad Dickson was a staff writer for The Tonight Show for fourteen years, focusing mostly on writing the opening monologue. He’s written and sold screenplays to several of the major studios that were never made which helped him decide to produce and co-direct his own film. His stage plays have been produced in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, and a small town in Canada the name of which he cannot remember. He once won an Emmy Award.
