from variety
David Eick inks NBC writing deal
'Battlestar' exec producer signs two-year pact
By JOSEF ADALIAN
"Battlestar Galactica" exec producer David Eick is expanding his role
in the NBC universe, inking a two-year overall deal with the Peacock’s
studio arm.
While Eick has spent most of his career at either NBC or predecessor
Universal working as a producer or exec, this seven-figure pact reps
the first time he’s signed an overall for his work as a scribe. Deal
kicks in June 1.
Even as he continues to work as a nonwriting producer shepherding
various projects -- including the long-in-the-works "BSG" prequel
"Caprica" for Sci Fi Channel -- Eick has begun penning projects by
himself and with partners.
"My focus now is probably going to be a little less about casting a
wide net and a little more on focusing on one, two or maybe three
projects a year, maybe writing one myself," Eick said.
So far this season:
* Eick is working on "AKA," a family adventure from scribe Kerry
Ehrins ("Friday Night Lights"), which Eick describes as "Little Miss
Sun****ne" meets "Thelma and Louise."
* Eick is shepherding a project from scribe Dario Scardapane
that’s a sort of modern-day "Hart to Hart."
* And as a solo scribe, Eick is working on an adaptation of an
existing Universal property, the title of which is being kept under
wraps pending completion of a rights deal. Eick has a track record
adapting properties for U: In addition to "Battlestar Galactica," he
also oversaw this season’s remake of "The Bionic Woman," which fizzled
out after a boffo bow.
Universal Media Studios drama chief Elisa Roth said that over the past
two years, Eick "has blossomed as a writer" and that the studio now
felt comfortable making a deal with him in that capacity.
"What I like about David is that he brings an incredibly unique
perspective to existing titles," she said. "He also has a broad
creative range and consistently brings in commercial bents on
unorthodox ideas."
Eick told Daily Variety that after years of giving scribes notes, "It
was time to stop telling them what I think they should do and put my
money where my mouth is. The jury’s still out on how well I’ll do."
The adaptation project Eick is working on will rep his first solo stab
at creating a pilot. Last year, he teamed with John McNamara on the
Fox prototype "Them"; he also penned several "BSG" scripts.
"When you have to decide for yourself what the doorknobs look like,
it’s a whole different experience," he said, adding that he now finds
himself sending drafts of scripts to the writers he used to oversee as
a producer.
Eick’s pre-"BSG" producer credits include the USA Network skein "Cover
Me" and the CBS drama "American Gothic."
He is repped by Endeavor.
|
