Dena Hysell – Producer & Owner of Secret Handshake Entertainment, LLC

Dena Hysell has successfully run multiple entertainment companies, inside the studio system and independently. After beginning her career at Gold Circle Films (MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, WHITE NOISE), she decided to jump to a position that combined her creative and production skills. She moved on to run Just Singer Entertainment (principles Sheri Singer and Steve White) In this capacity, she sourced and brought from concept to completion movies for Disney’s specific mandate including such projects as HALLOWEENTOWN 1-3, READ IT AND WEEP, COW BELLES, GO FIGURE, and NOW YOU SEE IT. In addition, she worked on the SoapNet’s flagship series ONE MINUTE SOAPS. She then ran the feature side of Slate of Eight, LLC (principle Alan Jacobs; AMERICAN GUN, NINA TAKES A LOVER), where she developed a dozen viable film projects in budget ranges from 3 million to 80 million. Her feature project DOWN FOR LIFE, starring Danny Glover and Snoop Dogg, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009. She is a graduate (BA, MFA) of Stanford University, served on the Board of Directors for Stanford in Entertainment for two years, and was named a 2009 Stanton Scholar and artist representative for The Aspen Institute’s Socrates Seminar on the relationship between business and government.

Dena currently owns and operates Secret Handshake Entertainment, LLC, which was founded in 2007. Since its inception, the company has worked on award winning projects for multiple outlets. They recently wrapped production and are in post on the feature A Little Help, a film by Michael Weithorn (King of Queens), starring Jenna Fischer (The Office) and Chris O’Donnell. Baxter & MacGuire, Comedy Central’s flagship show for Motherload, was nominated for a 2007 Emmy, and showed at Sundance 2008. The pilot for Tony Millionaire’s Drinky Crow, on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, premiered to an enormous viewer response, and was picked up for 10 episodes. They are currently in post production for the 8 episode reality series America’s Hottest Honey: The Search for the Next Video Vixen. Their next feature, St. Vincent, directed by Walter Hill and starring Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, and Gong Li is scheduled for production May 2010.

NARRATIVE FEATURES

2010
St. Vincent starring Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, Gong Li; directed by Walter Hill pre-production, principal photography begins May, 2010
- Domestic sales: Hal Sadoff & Jessica Lacy, ICM
- Foreign sales: Stuart Ford, IM Global

The Speechwriter directed by Jonathan Lynn
-  Principal photography begins August, 2010

2009

A Little Help starring Jenna Fischer, Chris O’Donnell, directed by Michael J. Weithorn in post production
- Worldwide sales: Strategic Film Partners

2008

Down For Life starring Danny Glover, Snoop Dogg, directed by Alan Jacobs Toronto International Film Festival, 2009 premiere
- Worldwide sales: Odin’s Eye Entertainment

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

2009
Bringing Home the Bacon - (In Post-Production)
One man tries to get an earmark for a useful project: a Museum of Government Waste

I Remember Andrea - When comedy writer Andrea Wachner was invited to her 10 year high school reunion, she did the only logical thing: hire a stripper to impersonate her.
- Shareen Women’s Films, 2009 premiere
- Worldwide sales: Strategic Film Partners

TELEVISION – REALITY

2009
America’s Hottest Honeys: The Search for the Next Video Vixen (In Post-Production)
- 8 episodes / reality show fully financed through brand integration
- 51 Minds optioned US rights for Ray J, shooting standups/wraparounds to integrate him.

TELEVISION – ANIMATION

2009
Digger and Friends NASCAR/Fox Sports Network currently airing, 6 episode order
- The King and Us NFL/Fox Network
- Animated pre-game show series for NFL 2009/2010 season

2008
Drinky Crow Show Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim
- 10 episode order, aired November 2008 – Jan2009
- Animals Fox Network pilot

2007
Baxter & MacGuire Comedy Central 2007 Emmy nomination, 8 episodes

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