Ze Frank Goes to the Movies

It’s hard to believe that Ze Frank’s the show ended well over a year ago. Nothing has filled the void Ze left when his quirky, participatory video show stopped beaming power moves and duckies into our lives daily (though many have tried). Which leaves us wondering, what has Ze Frank been up to? We discovered part of the answer from Frank’s recent appearance on NPR’s radio show, The Sound of Young America (embedded below). Turns out Frank has plied his internet fame into a full blown deal to write a movie for Universal Studios that he’s finishing now.

We knew Frank had signed with United Talent Agency, had pitched a sitcom to CBS that didn’t get picked up, and was working on feature films. As Frank tells the show’s host Jesse Thorn, he flew to Hollywood and made the rounds taking meetings all around town. But half year went by without much progress, Frank says, before he got a deal with Universal. Now the videoblogger is finishing a movie script co-written with South Park writer Erica Rivinoja.

Frank is not alone in jumping from the computer screen to the silver screen. Kent Nichols and Douglas Sarine, the duo behind Ask A Ninja, are remaking Attack of the Killer Tomatoes for producer M. Dal Walton III, the mastermind behind Day of the Dead and Terror Train remakes. Just this week the Hollywood Reporter reported HomestarRunner co-founder Craig Zobel will re-write and direct Loudermilk starring Napoleon Dynamite star Jon Heder.

But traditional media is still trying to get its head around “new media” and it’s clear that new media stars often have difficulty transitioning the other way. Speaking frankly of his experience trying to get into old media, Frank said “I don’t know if there’s a place for me quite yet, but I really do hope there is.” We hope so too, but if not, we’ll always be here for you on the tubes, Ze.