Every day, digital libraries grow and expand with countless new titles all vying for your personal attention. With so much new media to consume, it can be hard for a production studio to really stand out from the rest of the crowd. This is where Steve Hutensky, Bruna Papandrea, and Jodi Matterson of Made Up Stories step into the equation.
Made Up Stories is a production vehicle that first opened its doors in 2017. Created as an offshoot of Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Pacific Standard, Made Up Stories would ride the wave of such award-winning projects as Wild, Gone Girl, and Big Little Lies. Championing female voices and offering author-friendly production services, Made Up Stories has become a central figure in the world of entertainment on the subject of feminine voices.
Matterson would end up bringing Little Monsters into the fold as the production team’s first film. Matterson said of the project, “We knew how each other worked and we all kind of complimented each other.”
International Disruptor; Global Obstacles
The rise of entertainment media during the pandemic and its corresponding lockdowns was something that many companies couldn’t overcome. Thanks to the international efforts coordinated by Made Up Stories, the team was able to keep working without a hitch in their process. As the pandemic centered on the globe, having a base out of Sydney, Australia, would prove immensely helpful. As COVID shut down much of Vancouver and Los Angeles, Made Up Stories transitioned to a shoot in Australia where Nine Perfect Strangers was able to come to life without a hitch.
In 2021, the team at Made Up Stories released a full slate of productions including indie projects like Penguin Bloom and The Dry, scoring more than $21 million at the Australian box office when their totals are combined. Matterson said of the box office results, “They really brought Australians back to the cinema for Australian movies, which was so thrilling for us.”
In the wake of their success in Australia, Steve Hutensky and his production team have focused on continuing to grow their work in the region. Made Up Stories has heavily focused on shows like Wolf Like Me, starring Isla Fisher and Josh Gad, as well as its improvisational comedy, Undressed. Hutensky says of their Australian slate, “It’s just another big compartment of our business that excites us.”
Taking Cinema to Britain
The disruptive international efforts fueled by the team at Made Up Stories haven’t been limited to Australia and North America. Instead, the company has pointed its beak outward as it has spread its wings to new regions. Papandrea has long loved working with British Talent and when the opportunity came to craft Anatomy of a Scandal alongside Anthony Minghella, she was happy to do it again.
Sarah Harvey joined the team through her work in British comedy so that she could help fuel the efforts of the production company going forward. Harvey said of her future work with Made Up Stories, “It’s about growing the brand, finding great material, and then figuring out the best places to set that material.”
Sarah Harvey went on to describe herself as a podcast and news junkie while pointing out, “I think, naturally, journalists always know how to tell a great story, so it’s kind of looking at those things as well.”
Big Slate of Productions at the Ready
As Steve Hutensky and Bruna Papandrea continue to build Made Up Stories into an independent juggernaut, their reputation is beginning to cement itself within the industry. Papandrea stated in an interview with Deadline, “We’re really responsible, we come within budget, and we really care about people seeing our stuff.”
Papandrea would go on to add, “I think people see us as a safe pair of hands.”
