When we left the story: Steel City Productions is in development with its $1.8-million feature film Stand Up Guys, an action/comedy about five stand-up comics thwarted in their attempt to rob a bank.

To date, producer Kirk Johnson and writer/director/producer Michael Cameron have recorded a solid meeting with wic’s Scott McPherson who is looking at a pay-tv presale opportunity. Wesley Snipes’ production company Amen Ray Films has been enlisted to access some American star talent.

Target shoot date is fall 1998.

with its new $45 million in working capital, Paragon Entertainment is among the first doors bashed on in pursuit of feature film financing. Cameron and Johnson, no dummies, brought Paragon’s Karen Lee Hall their proposal this month.

The irrepressible Cameron hasn’t finished the script, but the pitch was such that Paragon has requested first look upon completion. Among the factors in Stand Up’s court is the ensemble cast, which means the production isn’t dependent on inking a single big star. The project landed its first attachment at the end of September with the signing of David Landers (Laverne and Shirley) who will play a small role as the bank manager.

On the Paragon meeting’s agenda was a discussion of different financing models. The standard presale/broadcaster/Telefilm/tax credit hoops are a possibility. More preferable from Steel City’s perspective is a wraparound deal which could see Paragon absorbing the majority of the budget up front in return for international distribution rights. Steel City would be in line for a percentage off the back end.

Paragon’s interest is terrific, says Cameron, but there are no guarantees on the table so they’re not closing any doors.

To that end, Steel City is putting on a reading of the script for potential investors, distributors and production executives.

On Oct. 20, the production team is corralling 10 actors into a studio at Ryerson’s Rogers Communications Centre for a presentation. It’s particularly important with comedy to hear the timing because it often doesn’t translate off the page, says Cameron. The invite list includes development and distribution execs from Alliance Communications, Paragon and Producers Network Association.

At the same time, Cameron is completing the script for his first short film, Gang Cop. A 15-minute spoof on film noir – to date written to shoot only from the legs down, with gang members identified by bunny slippers, whale feet and such – Steel City will be among the first to apply for the Ontario Film Development Corporation’s new shorts financing program. The budget is $25,000 to $30,000 (the ofdc is looking at about $30,000 x 10 projects), shot on 35mm. Cameron, who wants to direct Stand Up Guys, says the short exercise is about developing a calling card.

In his spare time, Cameron is working on an edit on Dead Game, a feature on a ‘brutal corporate war.’ He sent the script to Fox mid-September on a Wednesday. The phone rang with a rewrite request on Friday, ‘faster than I get a response from people in my area code.’ The budget hasn’t been established. ‘Maybe $70 million,’ says Cameron. ‘Something ludicrous.’