Latest news with #Mager
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Marvel, Bill Camp, Molly Ringwald & More Join Dark Comedy ‘Thoughts And Prayers'
EXCLUSIVE: Writer-director Nitzan Bachar 'NB' Mager has set an impressive cast for her debut feature, Thoughts and Prayers. The roster includes Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring franchise), Margaret Cho (Fire Island), Elizabeth Marvel (Presumed Innocent), Alyssa Marvin (Trevor: The Musical), Yul Vazquez (Severance), Bill Camp (Zero Day), and Molly Ringwald (Feud: Capote vs. The Swans). Currently in post-production, Thoughts and Prayers is a dark comedy based on Mager's award-winning, Oscar-qualifying short film, Run Amok. The story follows a teenage girl who decides to stage a musical reenactment of a tragedy that took place at her high school 10 years ago. More from Deadline Tubi Greenlights YA Films Starring Xochitl Gomez, Chase Hudson & Asher Angel Andy Richter & Kevin Nash Join Indie Dramedy 'Caroline' From Morningstar Angeline Bill Camp, Rachel Hilson, Tyler Lofton & Rory Scovel Join Will Ferrell Comedy 'Judgment Day' From Amazon MGM Studios Julie Christeas, Founder and CEO of Tandem Pictures (Nuked, Black Bear), produced alongside Frank Hall Green (Gonzo Girl, Wildlike). Exec producers included Tom Franco, Allison Franco, Tad Selby, Derek Strum, Joav Bally, Jaykant R. Patel, Rama K. Penta, and Rajesh Penta. Mager's script was a quarterfinalist for the Academy Nicholl and FinalDraft Big Break prizes, and a second rounder for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. For Brooklyn-based filmmaker Mager, recent works include Run Amok, which premiered as a Vimeo Staff Pick; Quarantine, I Love You, a web anthology series that took part in the Beyond Film program of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival; and a docu short on Gloria Steinem for her receipt of the John Jay Medal of Justice, for which Mager interviewed the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Her short films have screened and garnered awards at film festivals across the country, as well as Gotham Film Week, and have won awards from the National Board of Review and New York Women in Film and Television. She is repped by Granderson Des Rochers. Wilson is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Cho by WME, manager Sarah J. Martin, and Fox Rothschild; Marvel by Innovative Artists, Viking Entertainment, and Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo; Marvin by Buchwald; Vazquez by Gersh and Untitled Entertainment; Camp by UTA and Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo; and Ringwald by Untitled Entertainment and Barking Dog Entertainment. Best of Deadline 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More Men of Steel: Every Actor Who Has Played Superman - Photo Gallery 'Michael' Cast: Who's Who In The Michael Jackson Biopic
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How 'deaf rage' inspired groundbreaking sign language thriller
"Every day, as a deaf person, you're reminded of your deafness," says William Mager, writer of new BBC thriller Reunion. These reminders can range from having to face medical appointments with no available interpreter to being excluded from important decisions about your own life, he says. "All those things add up over time and generate a sense of injustice," Mager says, adding that artist Christine Sun Kim describes this feeling as "deaf rage". It is a feeling partly borne out of the frustration and isolation of living in a hearing-centred world. This rage, alongside a love of 70s thrillers, is what inspired Mager's new drama. The bilingual thriller features both British Sign Language (BSL), with subtitles, and spoken English. The majority of the cast in Reunion are deaf or use BSL in their roles. The four-part series, from the producers of Adolescence, tells the story of Daniel Brennan (Matthew Gurney), a deaf man on a journey of revenge after spending a decade in prison. Mager, a lifelong fan of 70s thrillers, says he wanted to put his own "twist" on films like Get Carter and The Outfit (which feature "intimidating men in cool clothes" on a mission of vengeance) by drawing on the deaf experience as well. "Reunion starts out like those classic thrillers, but ends up in a very different place," the writer says. As main character Brennan hunts down a man known only as Monroe, viewers become aware of a painful secret he's been hiding and the struggles he is facing to find justice in a hearing-centred world. The Guardian called the performances in the show "outstanding" and the switch between signed and spoken language "utterly seamless", while the Independent says Reunion is "in many ways, a groundbreaking show". Ultimately, Mager says he wanted to touch on issues unique to the deaf community in the programme, as well as providing opportunities for deaf creatives. Mager says communication is a central theme of Reunion and the drama shows how each character struggles with it. One key example is a scene where Brennan's daughter Carly has to pass on painful information to her mother and father that would usually be relayed by professionals, due to a lack of interpreters. "Unfortunately, that's still the reality today," Mager says, explaining his wife recently experienced this, having to interpret for her mother at a hospital appointment, because an interpreter had not been booked. Mager says this shows how deaf people often have to rely on someone else voicing them in order to be understood. "That can be hard for a deaf person to relinquish that control over what they're saying to someone else," he says. Another thing Mager wanted to draw attention to was literacy rates in deaf children. A key plot point in Reunion is that Brennan is unable to read or write in English which, coupled with the prison's failure to book interpreters, means he misses important letters from his daughter and does not have his case details fully explained. "Deaf children often lag behind their hearing counterparts in education, particularly [in] reading and writing," Mager says. The writer adds that, in his opinion, this is partly due to language deprivation, resulting from deaf children not being given access to the language they're most comfortable with from a young age. According to Simon Want, from the National Deaf Children's Society, many deaf children face barriers to accessing a good education. Mager says it was a "joy" to see the actors both deaf and hearing bringing his script to life. On set, deaf first assistant director Sam Arnold worked with hearing first assistant director Alex Szygowski to relay directions to the cast and crew. And hearing actors Anne-Marie Duff and Lara Peake learned to sign for their roles. "They're all fantastic. My favourite thing about making Reunion has been to see the genuine enthusiasm and excitement [of] the cast and crew," Mager says. The writer adds that he hopes the series will "open a door" for deaf creatives both in front of and behind the camera. "I hope that door stays open long enough for more people to pass through it and find creative and fulfilling careers," he says. Reunion Rose Ayling-Ellis on the hidden story of British Sign Language Schoolchildren 'motivated' to learn sign language Campaigners devastated as sign language GCSE scrapped
BBC News
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Reunion: How 'deaf rage' and 70s thrillers inspired William Mager's drama
"Every day, as a deaf person, you're reminded of your deafness," says William Mager, writer of new BBC thriller reminders can range from having to face medical appointments with no available interpreter to being excluded from important decisions about your own life, he says."All those things add up over time and generate a sense of injustice," Mager says, adding that artist Christine Sun Kim describes this feeling as "deaf rage".It is a feeling partly borne out of the frustration and isolation of living in a hearing-centred world. This rage, alongside a love of 70s thrillers, is what inspired Mager's new bilingual thriller features both British Sign Language (BSL), with subtitles, and spoken English. The majority of the cast in Reunion are deaf or use BSL in their four-part series, from the producers of Adolescence, tells the story of Daniel Brennan (Matthew Gurney), a deaf man on a journey of revenge after spending a decade in prison. Mager, a lifelong fan of 70s thrillers, says he wanted to put his own "twist" on films like Get Carter and The Outfit (which feature "intimidating men in cool clothes" on a mission of vengeance) by drawing on the deaf experience as well."Reunion starts out like those classic thrillers, but ends up in a very different place," the writer main character Brennan hunts down a man known only as Monroe, viewers become aware of a painful secret he's been hiding and the struggles he is facing to find justice in a hearing-centred Guardian called the performances in the show "outstanding" and the switch between signed and spoken language "utterly seamless", while the Independent says Reunion is "in many ways, a groundbreaking show".Ultimately, Mager says he wanted to touch on issues unique to the deaf community in the programme, as well as providing opportunities for deaf creatives. 'Unfortunately, that's still the reality' Mager says communication is a central theme of Reunion and the drama shows how each character struggles with it. One key example is a scene where Brennan's daughter Carly has to pass on painful information to her mother and father that would usually be relayed by professionals, due to a lack of interpreters."Unfortunately, that's still the reality today," Mager says, explaining his wife recently experienced this, having to interpret for her mother at a hospital appointment, because an interpreter had not been says this shows how deaf people often have to rely on someone else voicing them in order to be understood."That can be hard for a deaf person to relinquish that control over what they're saying to someone else," he says. Another thing Mager wanted to draw attention to was literacy rates in deaf children.A key plot point in Reunion is that Brennan is unable to read or write in English which, coupled with the prison's failure to book interpreters, means he misses important letters from his daughter and does not have his case details fully explained."Deaf children often lag behind their hearing counterparts in education, particularly [in] reading and writing," Mager writer adds that, in his opinion, this is partly due to language deprivation, resulting from deaf children not being given access to the language they're most comfortable with from a young to Simon Want, from the National Deaf Children's Society, many deaf children face barriers to accessing a good education. 'I hope that door stays open' Mager says it was a "joy" to see the actors both deaf and hearing bringing his script to set, deaf first assistant director Sam Arnold worked with hearing first assistant director Alex Szygowski to relay directions to the cast and hearing actors Anne-Marie Duff and Lara Peake learned to sign for their roles."They're all fantastic. My favourite thing about making Reunion has been to see the genuine enthusiasm and excitement [of] the cast and crew," Mager writer adds that he hopes the series will "open a door" for deaf creatives both in front of and behind the camera."I hope that door stays open long enough for more people to pass through it and find creative and fulfilling careers," he says.
BBC News
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Reunion: Bristol-based screenwriter 'proud' of bilingual series
The writer of a "groundbreaking" new bilingual thriller which uses both British Sign Language (BSL) and spoken English has said he is "proud" to see the show on the four-part series, called Reunion, was written by William Mager from Bristol and stars actors Eddie Marsan and Rose show follows a deaf man determined to right his wrongs while unearthing the truth behind the events that led him to be Mager, who is also deaf, said he wanted to write something "thrilling" that "just happened to include a deaf character". The screenwriter said the show feels like a "new way of telling these stories"."We've had stories before that have deaf characters in them, but having a group of deaf actors and deaf characters and hearing characters who use sign language as well is unusual," he said."Scenes with two deaf characters conversing one another together in sign language and subtitles for hearing viewers - I think that's groundbreaking maybe." Mr Mager said he is "really proud" of the script, which he said he wrote for himself."I wanted to write something thrilling and appealing that just so happened to include a deaf person who uses sign language," he actor and radio BBC Radio Bristol presenter Joe Sims, who also stars in Reunion, said he is "absolutely delighted" to be part of the show."Billy is a good friend of mine. I read it [his script] and it was absolutely incredible," he four-part series aired on Monday evening and can be watched on the BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Reunion TV show: 'Normally deaf people are portrayed as pitiful'
A revenge thriller focused on the story of a deaf man released from prison after 10 years shows "we are different to hearing actors," according to star Matthew BBC One show Reunion, written by deaf scriptwriter William Mager, is a bilingual series featuring British Sign Language, spoken English and some follows the story of Daniel Brennan, newly released and reunited with his estranged daughter four-part series was filmed in Mager's home city of evident both the city - and Sheffield's deaf community - were key inspirations behind the says: "I always wanted to write something set in Sheffield. It feels like we haven't seen much of the Steel City on screen since the days of Threads, The Full Monty and, of course, This is England." Matthew Gurney stars as leading man Daniel previously lived in Doncaster and regularly attended Sheffield Deaf through an interpreter, Gurney says he and Mager used the city's landscapes to build on the characters."He knows the districts, he knows the countryside; he knows the moors, the Pennines... isolation, the lonely roads - that really represents Brennan's character.""There are so many layers that Billy [Mager] has drawn on from the area that really impact the story.""He's a very different character than we've seen before," says the actor, explaining what drew him to the character of Brennan."Normally deaf people are portrayed as pitiful characters - as victims - but Brennan is very different. He's assertive. "I was really drawn to that when I read the script and I knew that was a character I wanted to play."For screenwriter Mager, Brennan is a "classic anti-hero"."He's done a lot of wrong, but he is trying to make amends. "He's a strong-and-silent type, with a lot of emotional baggage and a raging internal conflict," he says."Our lead actor, Matty [Gurney], embodies that internal struggle beautifully - while having a bit of a Jason Statham and Marlon Brando thing going on." The production, created by a predominantly deaf cast and crew, also stars Rose Ayling-Ellis, who became the first deaf person to win Strictly Come Dancing in show features a combination of British Sign Language and spoken communication - with some scenes carrying subtitles. Mager says having deaf people involved in all aspects of the show - both in front of the camera and behind the scenes - was vital to keeping the production as authentic as possible."It's so important to have those voices behind the camera as well as in front of it – just for those little details that might be missed," he says."We have a shortage of deaf people who want to work in crew positions, and a wealth of deaf people who want to be writers, directors and actors. "Hopefully Reunion has gone some way to showing that other careers are possible."The show also stars non-deaf actors Eddie Marsan, Anne-Marie Duff and Lara Peake - with both Duff and Peake having to use sign language in their says it was one of the challenges that made him most nervous about the production."Luckily we had [Brian] Duffy, who is a bit of a legend," he says. "He's deaf and has his own career as an actor, writer and director in theatre, TV and film. "He worked intensively with two of our actors, Lara Peake [who plays Brennan's daughter Carly] and Anne-Marie Duff [who plays Christine], to teach them sign language."The way Duffy works is a bit different from a typical BSL teacher – it's about teaching them muscle memory - remembering the correct hand shapes and where the signs originate from, whether it's the nose, the mouth or the chin."One night during rehearsals, we took Lara out to Sheffield Deaf Club for a few drinks. Me, Matty, Duffy and a couple of interpreters were all watching out for Lara, making sure she was ok."But then she started conversing with random deaf people on her own, buying them drinks, and we knew she was going to be great."Towards the end of the night, she tapped Duffy on the shoulder and signed 'I love the deaf community'. Duffy didn't say anything, just gave her a hug." For both Mager and Gurney, it was important to represent the deaf community in a realistic manner - one that showed deaf people are just as flawed and complex as anyone else."There's a house party scene in episode one where you see a lot of deaf people indulging in the whole spectrum of 'post-watershed' behaviour," says Mager."It feels slightly subversive and naughty that we'll get to see deaf characters having sex, doing drugs, gossiping in BSL on their phones, getting out of their heads and dancing, and generally getting up to mischief."Gurney adds: "We do normal things, we do stupid things. Deaf people make mistakes - we learn from them, we are just the same. "We live with hearing people all the time, we're always there, but you're not exposed to us. "We go to the pub - deaf people are in there having pints. We do all these things - we're just normal and it's nice to show that."As well as raising awareness, Mager hopes the show will open doors for the community: "A door that stays open for more deaf and disabled stories to be told on television." Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
