Michael Wrenn, who heads Celluloid Dreams' Pacific office, has launcheda production outfit, Firesign, and won New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC)development money for the feature Electric.

Wrenn is working with debut director Brendan Donovan and writer ChadTaylor, who is adapting the script from his own novel. The story, set in thechaos of the Auckland power blackoutsof 1998, charts one man's journey to recovery and the recapture of his firstlove, whom he thought was lost. Simon Millar of US agency The Firmis also attached as co-producer.

Taylor's earlier novel Heavenwas made into a film by writer-director Scott Reynolds in the late 1990s.

Electric is one of several films that Wrenn is developing and packaging through Firesignand he expects to work alongside other producers on most of them. He is also indiscussions about executive producing projects in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

It is expected that some of the films will have Celluloid Dreamsattached. Wrenn has been the eyes and ears of the sales agent in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa since Christmasand says there is capacity to take on up to five films per year from theseterritories. He will also monitor the Asian film scene through markets andfestivals.

Celluloid Dreams is attached to the New Zealand film Marshall as co-producer andsales agent. The project, which is the debut CGI feature of producer PaulSwadel and director James Cunningham, has Michael Rose attached as the UK co-producer.Swadel and Cunningham made the short fantasy/sci-fi films Blinder and Infection,which won a number of awards overseas.

Wrenn moved from London to Wellington to take adevelopment role at the NZFC five years ago but severed ties with theorganisation in late 2004.

He also has a brief to help attract offshore production to New Zealand's Park Road Poston a consultancy basis. The state-of-the-art post-production facility is ownedby filmmaker Peter Jackson.

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