Working Title has tapped up-and-coming filmmaker Max Joseph to direct an untitled DJ project that will serve as his feature directorial debut following his award-winning “Follow the Frog” commercial and the acclaimed short documentary “12 Years of DFA Records,” TheWrap has learned.
Joseph, who co-hosts MTV’s “Catfish” with Nev Schulman, wrote the script with Meaghan Oppenheimer.
The coming-of-age story follows a young DJ as he works on what he hopes is his first hit track.
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With five male leads and one female lead, Joseph is currently auditioning hot young actors and actresses, as shooting will begin this July in Los Angeles.
Joseph is a well-respected filmmaker whose short films, ads, and sponsored pieces have gone viral, including his 2013 “Follow the Frog” commercial, which has more than 4.3 million views on YouTube. Produced by Aaron Weber of Wander, “Follow the Frog” won TED’s prestigious Ads Worth Spreading Challenge as well as a bronze Cannes Lion for “short form Internet film.”
Working Title’s untitled DJ movie won’t be Joseph’s first foray into the world of electronic music, as he previously directed the Weber-produced short documentary “12 Years of DFA Records: Too Old to be New, Too New to be Classic.” Released in 2013, “12 Years” recently screened at SXSW and received critical acclaim within both the film and music industries.
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Joseph appears in front of the camera as co-host of MTVs “Catfish,” which is the network’s most successful show. The series returns for its third season Wednesday night.
While Joseph is best known for “Catfish,” the Working Title feature deal has been in the works since before its first episode aired, as talks started in 2012 following the success of Joseph’s viral Nike ad “Make it Count.”
Joseph is represented by CAA, Underground and Gang, Tyre, Ramer and Brown.
Watch Joseph’s “Follow the Frog” video below.