David Letterman signs on as executive director for Ballinran documentary on Paul Shaffer

David Letterman has signed on as an executive producer for Stratford production company Ballinran Entertainment’s upcoming documentary on Paul Shaffer, Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer.

Stratford production company Ballinran Entertainment and its partners announced last week that David Letterman and his production company, Worldwide Pants, have signed on as executive producers for an upcoming documentary, Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer.

On behalf of his partners at Grace Street Media and White Pine Pictures, Ballinran executive producer Craig Thompson told the Stratford Times the agreement with Shaffer’s longtime friend and colleague represents a significant endorsement of the project – a timely story about one of the most influential figures in music and television.

“Paul Shaffer is a longtime friend of David's, and of course, Paul was his bandleader for 30 years, sidekick, collaborator and friend, and it just made sense at the point where we've assembled and we've got a lot of momentum for the project,” Thompson said.

“What you do with these films – and that's why you see so many executive producers on the credits – is you need big names to help get the streaming deals and help you get through the door.”

Thompson said there is a real appetite right now for documentaries on influential people, be it John Candy: I Like Me or a project in the works on the life and career of comedian Martin Short.

Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer will chronicle Shaffer’s rise from Thunder Bay to the world stage; his start in Godspell, his years with the original Saturday Night Live Band, three decades as David Letterman’s bandleader and comic foil, and collaborations with icons including James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Sly Stone and Ray Charles.

While the film will be told through the lens of Shaffer’s life and rise to fame, Thompson said Shaffer will also serve as a guide through the eras of pop music, from the ‘60s to modern day – a concept that, along with the notion of working with an all-Canadian production team, helped convince Shaffer to do this film.

“Any contribution I have been lucky enough to make to the world of music and comedy has only been possible thanks to my working alongside David Letterman,” Shaffer said in a press release. “That’s why Worldwide Pants joining to help tell my story is a dream I cannot wait to share with all of you.”

“Paul Shaffer is a show-business friend who became a real friend; a comedic partner whose quickness and timing saved me night after night (and) a composer, arranger and performer with endless range,” added Letterman in the release. “His vast knowledge and list of collaborators in music make him a living rock-and-roll hall-of-famer. There is no one more worthy of an examination of his life and work."

Also joining as executive producer is Tom Keaney, Emmy-Award-winning executive producer of Letterman’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction for Netflix, and executive producer of the Academy Award shortlisted documentary, ENO, directed by Gary Hustwit.

The documentary is represented internationally by Travis Tammero of the Independent Film Group at UTA. The project was first announced during the Toronto International Film Festival and continues to move forward with strong creative momentum and industry interest.

While the film won’t be shot locally, Thompson said much of the post- and pre-production work associated with it will be done in Stratford, offering a boost for the local economy and creating buzz for Ballinran’s ongoing development of Stageview Studios – a film and television studio planned in the heart of the Festival City.

“I am trying to invest in the creative economy of Stratford by trying to attract big-name projects,” Thompson said. “ … Stratford is going to be the place where much of the work on the film will be done. For example, Scott McKowen the graphic designer did the pitch package; Hayden, who works for me, did the sizzle reel. All of that stuff has been developed here in Stratford. We’re like the content factory … and it’s really tied to my efforts to boost the film economy in the region.

“ … I’ve done a lot of films with well-known people like Stephen Hawking, William Shatner and Alex Trebek, and one leads to another. I wouldn’t be getting this film with Paul Shaffer if it wasn’t for this 30-year track record that we’ve had. … There’s a level of trust … and it could lead to other things down the road, so it’s a boost-up for the local economy.”