Echelon Entertainment 2 to release DVD of Harris’ standup film “Barber Shop Jokes Live in Chicago”

Echelon Entertainment 2 has signed with Mark Harris of 1555 Filmworks to release Harris’ standup comedy film “Barber Shop Jokes Live in Chicago.”

“We’ll distribute the film to Netflix, Amazon, Ebay and Singa Home Entertainment, as well as VOD sites, and take it to all the major markets for international sales,” said Jackie Plaza of Echelon Entertainment.

A release date hasn’t been announced yet.

Glendale, Calif.-based Echelon Entertainment 2 released David Pasquesi’s “Nobody Knows Anything!” DVD in 2003.

“Barber Shop Jokes” is hosted by BLT (“The Evil One”) and features comedians Reggie Reg (“Remember the Titans”), Ill Will (“Def Comedy Jam”) and Bald Head (“BET Comic View”).

Harris shot at the Brotherhood Barbershop on 87th Street in October. Jemell Moore is scoring. Ricardo Islas of Alpha Studios is DP/editor.

“My goal is to do ?Barber Shop Jokes’ in ten different cities,” Harris said. “I want to end up on HBO or Showtime or Comedy Central.”

Harris is associate producer on Islas’ psychological horror feature “Lockout,” which shoots in Chicago, Indiana and Michigan beginning April 14.

Islas is editing Harris’ horror/thriller feature “Holla If You Hear Me,” the story of a group of rappers and R&B singers lured inside a studio and picked off one by one by a killer bent on stealing their music.

Starring Cyn Dulay (“Night Fangs”), Lorenzo Hunt (“The Forgotten West”), Terrence Mardis, Mel Roberson (“Why Men Cheat”), Shelia Chalakee, Cherokee Princess, David Leonard, rapper Revelation 810, comedian BLT, and Danielle Carter (“My Phamily BBQ”).

Harris is producing with Dulay and co-producer Mark Armstrong (“Chickenhead Bound”). Islas shot. Harris and Dulay plan to self-distribute the film to major theatrical markets across the U.S.

“Several companies are showing interest in distributing ?Holla If You Hear Me,’ including Tim Reid’s New Millennium Studios, and we’re leaving all doors open in case we get the right offer,” Harris said. “But it’s time to make sure that we make money ourselves.”

Harris wrote and directed the romantic comedy “Why Men Cheat,” and wrote Barry Bowles’ L.A.-shot college stepping movie “Show Stoppers,” now in post-production.

Bowles goes into production May 15 on Harris’ spec script “Grown N Sexy,” a romantic comedy about a supermodel who falls in love with a homeless man after he rescues her from a robbery.

Email markharrisfilms@sbcglobal.net.