Rocky Mudaliar and his Abrupt Entertainment banner has signed with Verve for representation.
The move follows Mudaliar producing the true crime documentary Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story, a film that chronicles comedian Dane Cook’s rise to fame and the shocking financial betrayal by his own family.
The film about Cook — who at one time was the most successful stand-up anywhere, earning upward of $20 million a tour — debuted earned a Best True Crime Documentary nomination at the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards on Oct. 13. Brett Harvey directed the Funny Money documentary that will start streaming on Netflix in November.
Vancouver-based Abrupt Entertainment specializes in premium documentaries and talent-driven nonfiction programming.
The signing with Verve for representation will look to help Abrupt expand its U.S. development and production operations. Other doc credits include the Unbreakable: The Dolph Lundgren Story and Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo, which was released through Universal Pictures.
Mudaliar also co-founded Stage Zero Entertainment alongside music icon Timbaland to bridge traditional entertainment with next-generation music and technology ventures. Mudaliar and his Abrupt banner are currently producing an untitled documentary about a major rock band, with Emmy-nominated and fellow Verve client Sam Lipman-Stern to direct.
As a Canadian company, Abrupt has a track record in international co-productions, production financing and tapping tax incentives and other soft money subsidies to get its documentaries made.