TROIKA LAUNCHES CHICAGO OFFICE WITH FOUR FEATURE FILMS
Published in Reel Chicago, November 2014
Director Luke Jaden, composer John Beltran and producer Cort Johns are really asking for it.
On the set of “Not Well”
In addition to recently launching Troika Management — a film financing development company based in Chicago with a music division in Detroit and four titles in various stages of production — the ambitious trio is “looking at other projects” and “searching for musicians who want to get into the film business,” says Jaden.
Luke Jaden
“If we see a script and like it, we’ll take it on and produce it,” he explains. “Sometimes we’ll finance it or we know investors and we’ll see if they want a part of it.”
Officially launched this month, Troika boasts the perfect storm of filmmaking disciplines.
Jaden’s resume includes directing credit for “Madman or Martyr,” a 2014 feature documentary about the abolitionist movement in Detroit during the mid-1800’s, which he also wrote and produced.
John Beltran
Beltran’s discography includes twenty solo albums and songs featured on “Six Feet Under” and “Oprah’s Next Chapter.” When introduced by a mutual musician friend from Detroit, he and Jaden launched into a discussion about music and film and then, Jaden recalls, “we had that moment that I call ‘shazam:’ all of the sudden, the seed began to grow.”
Cort Johns
Johns’ experience not only extends to dozens of films including the feature, “Anagram,” which he’s currently producing, but he’s also an entertainment attorney. He and Jaden met on the set of “Madman or Martyr.” Their efforts helped the film earn success beyond most expectations, prompting one CBS affiliate to muse, “17-year-old Luke Jaden could be the next Steven Spielberg.”
Oh yeah, that’s another thing: the directing division of Troika cannot get into a bar without a fake ID. Jaden is currently studying film and finance at DePaul University and describes his transition from teen actor to teen director as “kinda’ surreal, but I enjoyed the journey.”
Here’s a short list of Troika projects with loglines provided by the young maestro himself:
“‘Not Well’ is the story of what goes on in the haunted house before the family moves in… a really interesting perspective.” It was written by Josh Malerman, best-selling author of the HarperCollins novel, “Bird Box,” and is currently being edited by Beast and Company 3’s Adam Pillon, who Jaden describes as a “mastermind.”
“‘Neverland’ is ‘Mystic River’ meets ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild.’” Directed by Jaden and starring Langston Fishbourne (son of Laurence), it is currently being edited by Nick Hyrcyk in Plymouth, MI.
“’Snowbirds’ is a feverish tale of a teenager who goes into the underbelly of Detroit and gets into the metal scrapping business.” Currently in development with Frank Capra III (grandson of Frank) signed as director.
Finally, “an untitled dystopian thriller dealing with teenagers in the style of ‘Stand By Me’ meets Terrence Mallick.” Also written by Malerman, it was cast by PR casting’s Mickie Paskal and Jennifer Rudnicke — who Jaden insists are “absolutely amazing” — and is due to begin filming in Detroit with Jaden at the helm this December.