Pixel Brothers makes first foray into features via co-production deal with Hollywood company

“Make no little plans” is a deeply-rooted Chicago philosophy that Pixel Brothers’ three partners are taking to heart, as they expand their range of services into feature film production.

Such a move puts Pixel Brothers in an elite category of being one of very few Chicago production houses with a solid stake in Hollywood theatricals.

Partner Andrew Ryann said the company will co-produce a slate of four films with newly formed L.A.-based Hollywood Farms, LLC, a partnership of writer Justin Ware, and producer Kirkland Tibbels.

Tibbels is a longtime friend of PBI development director John Patterson, who brought the two entities together. One particular screenplay on the proposed slate attracted blockbuster producer Ian Bryce (“Hancock,” “Transformers”) to the venture.

Funding by a local venture capital group is pending, noted Patterson, “and with Ian Bryce interested in producing the slate,” whose budgets range from $7 million to $75 million, “financing should come quickly.

Pixel Brothers-Hollywood Farms first movie will be a romantic comedy, “Amsterdam,” written by Ware and Tibbels. Ware scripted the 2003 comedy, “Men of Action,” and his screenplay for another comedy, “American Summer,” is currently in production.

Set against the background of the exotic city of Amsterdam, the story is about four friends who embark on a journey of human sexuality while they explore the deep, unexpected complexities of sex, friendship and love.

When funding is completed, production is scheduled to start in early 2009. Pixel will shoot the movie and bring the post back to Chicago.

“We are also in conversations about the opportunity to open edit suites in L.A. and hire additional people in L.A. as another business expansion,” Patterson said

The Ware screenplay that attracted Bryce, who is producing with Tibbels, is “Amazing Girl,” currently in development. It is budgeted at $75 million.

Pixel Brothers is located in new space at 400 N. Wolcott; phone, 312/773-7373. See