Channel 4 Greenlights Make That Movie, a New Comedy Series from Sam Campbell and Joe Pelling

Image: Ch 4 Press

By Jon Donnis

Channel 4 has announced that production is set to begin on Make That Movie, an exciting new six-part scripted comedy series created by the 2022 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Sam Campbell, best known for his appearances on Taskmaster. The series will be directed by Joe Pelling, the creative force behind Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, bringing a unique blend of surreal humour and sharp wit to the project.

Make That Movie centres on a charismatic yet unconventional director, played by Sam Campbell himself, who embarks on a madcap quest across the UK to find ordinary people with extraordinary ideas for feature films. Once he finds a promising concept, Sam and his eclectic crew of filmmakers have just three days to turn that idea into a cinematic masterpiece—or at least, a finished film.

Joining Campbell's on-screen team is a stellar cast of comedic talent. Lara Ricote, the 2022 Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer, stars as Jess, the enthusiastic but perpetually frazzled runner. Aaron Chen (Fisk) plays Sebastian, the show's somewhat unorthodox intimacy coordinator. Helen Bauer (Am I Being Unreasonable?) steps into the role of Pat, the no-nonsense sound engineer, while David Hargreaves (This Country) portrays Winnie, the grizzled yet wise cinematographer who's seen it all.

Sam Campbell offered his trademark offbeat humour when discussing the series: "It's a bit like one of those shows where they fix up someone's garden. But this is about something people genuinely care about—movie magic. Let's be honest with ourselves, a garden has never grossed over a billion dollars at the box office…"

Charlie Perkins, Channel 4's Head of Comedy, expressed her enthusiasm for the project: "Sam epitomises the colour, creativity, and innovation that Channel 4 comedy stands for. He has an undeniable, completely unique and enormous comedy brain and is generous and tenacious in his artistry—the perfect figurehead for this new-era comedy gang-show. This is going to be fun."

The series is being produced by the award-winning Blink Industries, known for their work on Dead End: Paranormal Park and Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, ensuring that Make That Movie will carry a distinctive visual and comedic style. The series has been commissioned by Charlie Perkins, Head of Comedy at Channel 4, and Joe Hullait, Commissioning Executive. Executive producers for Blink Industries include James Stevenson Bretton, Sam Campbell, and Joe Pelling, with William Kay serving as the producer. BBC Studios will manage the international distribution of the series.

As production gears up, additional casting announcements and transmission details will be revealed in the coming months. With its innovative premise, a talented cast, and the creative vision of Campbell and Pelling at the helm, Make That Movie is poised to become a standout addition to Channel 4's comedy slate, offering viewers a fresh and hilariously unpredictable take on the art of filmmaking.