Amplify Pictures Produces New Comedy Series ‘Mt. Mystic’ and Embraces Self-Financed TV
Amplify Pictures Expands into Self-Financed Indie Series with ‘Mt. Mystic’
Amplify Pictures, the production company notable for its work on the HBO docuseries 100 Foot Wave, is amplifying its efforts in the realm of self-financed independent series.
Founded by Joe Lewis, the former head of comedy and drama at Amazon Studios, Amplify is set to produce a new series based on the YouTube pilot Mt. Mystic Rangers. This series is the brainchild of creators Jeremiah Dunlap and Cory Quintard, who also star in the six-part show. The pilot, which premiered on the Google-owned streaming service in March, has garnered over 250,000 views.
Mt. Mystic takes a mockumentary approach reminiscent of Reno 911!, following a dysfunctional team of park rangers as they navigate budget cuts and various forms of chaos—both natural and supernatural—in one of the most unpredictable state parks on Earth. Each episode delves into the rangers’ personal challenges and their often humorous attempts to maintain order at Mt. Mystic State Park.
The ensemble cast includes Beta Angarole, Josh Black, Tenea Intriago, Mindy Lopez, Robyn Quintard, and Moiba Mustapha. Dunlap directs the series, which is produced by Amplify Pictures in collaboration with Foundry Mass. Joe Lewis serves as executive producer alongside Rachel Eggebeen, Colin King Miller, and Luke Esselen for Amplify Pictures, with Dunlap, Quintard, and Andrew Secunda contributing from Foundry Mass. Production is scheduled to begin next year.
This initiative marks Amplify Pictures’ ongoing shift toward self-financed projects. The company recently collaborated with Duplass Brothers Productions to create the comedy crime-thriller Sleep King, directed by Jay Duplass, and partnered with Ben Schwartz and Lauren Lapkus to transform the Funny or Die comedy The Earliest Show into a series.
Amplify aims to fully finance independent series without relying on networks, streamers, or distributors. This trend is gaining momentum across the industry; last year, Mark Duplass successfully sold the independently financed series Penelope to Netflix, inspiring others to pursue similar paths.
“We’re thrilled to be producing Mt. Mystic with Jeremiah and Cory,” said Amplify Pictures CEO Joe Lewis. “It’s hilarious, inventive and shows how independent series can thrive on platforms like YouTube. Amplify is excited to help lead the shift as creators, digital distribution, and television start to work together to create the next generation of hits.”
Dunlap and Quintard expressed their enthusiasm, stating, “Joe Lewis and the entire Amplify Pictures team are the perfect partners for Mt. Mystic, and they understood the vision from Day 1. We’ve been working on this show for six years, and to finally see the first season come to life is a dream come true. It feels like the perfect time for a slightly ridiculous look into the world of park rangers who dedicate their lives to protecting our beautiful parks and our right to enjoy them, which thankfully still exists.”
Dunlap and Quintard are represented by Daniel Vang at 3Arts Entertainment and attorney Benjamin Rubinfeld at Ziffren Brittenham LLP.
