Old Tucson Productions, the production unit of Old Tucson Studios, has signed an exclusive co-production agreement with Tucson veteran filmmakers Dick Fisher, Sarah Sher and Ari Palos to develop a comedy television pilot, STARDUST AND THE BANDIT, that will be produced at Old Tucson Studios.

Producers describe the pilot’s premise as a cross between the hit television series 30 Rock and the hilarious Mel Brooks western Blazing Saddles. The pilot’s plot centers on the exploits of an East Coast mob accountant on the run who is placed into the witness protection program as a “bean counter” in Old Tucson’s finance department.  Events spiral hysterically out of control when the mob boss whom the accountant testified against visits Old Tucson Studios while on vacation with his family.  

 Pre-production on the pilot began in April. The filming of the pilot will be open to guests who visit Old Tucson Studios which is providing production services for the show.

 Co-director Sarah Sher says that the “ultimate goal is to have the pilot picked up by a broadcast or cable network for a full season. An anchor series like this in Tucson would go along way in helping to revitalize and promote Tucson’s film industry.”  Arizona Senate bill 1409 which would have retained and improved the tax incentive credits for television and film production in Arizona was not renewed in the last legislative session thus ending the incentive program as of December 31, 2010.

 ”The production will also be a working class room for students from The Art Institute of Tucson,” said co-director Dick Fisher who won the Grand Prize in 1995 at Sundance with his film The Brothers McMullen.  The students will receive course credits and on the job training in exchange for working on the project.”

 Old Tucson Studios CEO/GM Pete Mangelsdorf is the pilot’s Executive Producer. Old Tucson Studios producer Frances Causey and Tucson producer Ari Palos are producing the project. Tucson film talents Dick Fisher and Sarah Sher are co-directing the project.  Fisher, Sher in collaboration with Tucsonans Brian McLaughlin and Josh Zientarski wrote the original pilot script.  The cast and crew will be drawn entirely from local area talent, many from Old Tucson Studios.