HBO is bringing back Matt Damon and Ben Affleck‘s documentary series “Project Greenlight” — 11 years after its last installment.
The series, which chronicles the search for a first-time director and explores the filmmaking process, aired for two seasons in 2001 and 2003. Both Affleck and Damon will be back to executive produce.
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The decade since the show last aired has been a dramatic one for filmmaking: YouTube, streaming, and video-on-demand have changed the way people make, distribute and watch movies.
“‘Project Greenlight’ was ahead of its time,” said Affleck. “Now that technology has caught up to the concept, we thought it was a perfect time to bring it back. A whole new generation of filmmakers has grown up sharing everything, and the next big director could be just an upload away. It is really great having ‘Project Greenlight’ back at HBO.”
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Added Damon: “‘Project Grenlight’ works — careers have been launched and sustained as a direct result of this contest. Pete Jones, John Gulager, Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan are just a few of the PGL alums who’ve gone on to do great things in Hollywood, and Ben and I are really proud of that.”
Other executive produces include Adaptive Studios’ Marc Joubert, TJ Barrack, Perrin Chiles and Marshall Lewy, and Miramax’s Zanne Devine.
The show begins with a digital competition, and follows the winner from pre-production and casting through principal photography and post-production.
Working from a Hollywood-vetted script and surrounded by a team of professionals, the new director must learn to cope with pressure from the studio and producers, navigate on-set politics, and lead a veteran cast and crew — all while keeping the production on-time and on-budget. It requires a skill set even many veteran directors haven’t mastered.
The show will be produced for HBO by Adaptive Studios in association with Pearl Street Films and Miramax.
