Damian Abraham and Producer Zach Feldberg Team Up to Start Cut & Paste Pictures

Damian Abraham and Zach Feldberg Launch Cut & Paste Pictures in Toronto

Damian Abraham, the frontman of punk band F*cked Up, and former CBC producer Zach Feldberg have officially launched Cut & Paste Pictures, a new production company based in Toronto, Canada. Although the company has been operating quietly since last year, it has now publicly unveiled a development slate that features scripted, unscripted, and documentary projects.

The co-founders describe their company as focused on “authored voices rooted in music, counterculture, and outsider perspectives.” Their choice of the name Cut & Paste reflects a DIY approach to creativity and storytelling.

Among the projects currently in development, Cut & Paste is pre-producing a feature-length documentary that highlights the unexpected lifelong friendship between Rise Against guitarist Zach Blair and professional wrestler Hassan ‘MVP’ Assad. Directed by Scott Barber, known for This is Gwar, filming will commence this summer in Texas, where both subjects are located.

Additionally, the company is developing the scripted feature film I Just Want to Talk to You, based on 1970s recordings by Charles K Brown. The film, which delves into themes of teenage angst and unrequited love that ultimately led to the dissolution of Brown’s band, is written and directed by Kelly McCormack of A League of Their Own, with co-writing credits going to Tess Degenstein of The Monkey. This project brings together the creative team recognized for the Sundance title How Brief.

Another scripted project in development is the half-hour comedy series Hoser, co-created by Abraham and Ehren ‘Bear Witness’ Thomas from The Halluci Nation. Written by Greame Wilson of Freaks on Fire, the series follows a disgraced American podcaster who inadvertently relocates to Canada.

On the unscripted side, the company is working on the factual series Exit Strategy, which examines life after incarceration with the AEW pro wrestling star and former convict MVP. The slate also includes a unique lifestyle series featuring musician Tim Hill of The Halluci Nation, and a documentary focused on Southern Ontario’s suburban punk rock culture, directed by Caitlin Starowicz of She Walks with Apes.

In December, Cut & Paste Pictures premiered the short documentary SNFU: A Band From Edmonton, which chronicles the Canadian punk legends SNFU, in partnership with Trust Records. The film made its debut at The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas, following funding support received from the Bell Fund Slate Development Program.

Outside his musical career, Abraham has accrued production credits on various notable projects, including Vice’s The Wrestlers and MuchMusic’s The Wedge. He is also the creator of the podcast Turned Out a Punk, which features discussions with prominent figures about their punk backgrounds. His band F*cked Up has been active for 25 years, known for its ambitious concept albums that blend hardcore punk with art-rock elements.

Feldberg, an International Emmy-winning producer, brings a wealth of experience from his tenure at CBC, where he held leadership roles on several acclaimed projects. He managed productions such as the HBO Max co-production Sort Of, Son of a Critch, and Fakes, and was involved with Mike Mildon and Jackson Rowe’s For Heaven’s Sake, which had ties to Paramount+ in the U.S.

Reflecting on the mission of Cut & Paste Pictures, Abraham stated, “After two decades leading a band with a swear word for a name, and years spent working across podcasting and television chasing era-defining moments, I’ve learned that the culture you want to see in the world doesn’t just happen. Cut & Paste is an extension of that mindset – a home for stories that are raw, strange, and often overlooked.”

Feldberg added, “We called our company Cut & Paste because it reflects the culture and ethos that shaped us – making things from scratch, by hand, and seeking out voices that hadn’t yet broken through. Our aim now is to pair that creative drive with the infrastructure and partnerships needed to bring those stories to scale.”