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Comedy Duo Satirize Path to Stardom in HOW TO GET FEATURED ON DEADLINE

By: Apr. 09, 2017
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Acting/writing duo Jacquelyn Zook and Artie O'Daly are set to release How to Get Featured on Deadline, a six-episode sketch series based on their popular internet short of the same name. The series satirizes the manufacturing of a star, as a fame-hungry actress convinces a Deadline editor to write articles about her self-made rise to fame. New episodes are produced by Cap Gun TV (Teachers) and directed by Alex Fendrich (Second City, Bobby & Iza - NBC Playground). Episodes will release weekly on Thursdays via the show's website, with first new episode live Thursday, April 13. Pilot episode is live now at: https://youtu.be/i32TqyoXDZs

Zook & O'Daly wrote and starred in the original How to Get Featured on Deadline short in 2014, taking on the plight of an actress who fails to book a role during pilot season. After receiving industry-wide recognition - as well as a week-long spot on the actual Deadline Hollywood's homepage - they pitched a full web series to Cap Gun TV, who had just successfully sold the web series TEACHERS as a half-hour sitcom for TV Land. Starring Zook and O'Daly, the series also features Corbin Reid (CW pilot Valor, Blair Witch, How to Get Away with Murder), Matthew Bohrer (Masters of Sex, Goliath), and Alejandro Romero (Powder Blue).

In How to Get Featured on Deadline, an Actress (Jacquelyn Zook) has fulfilled the sarcastic demands of a Deadline Editor (Artie O'Daly): She has gotten Rita Wilson to produce a television show based on her one-woman show and wants him to write an article about its immediate premiere. After having been pressured into writing about her before, he has now become a reluctant partner in her plan to achieve full A-list status in Hollywood.

"The first time around, we wanted to explore how an actor would turn a failed pilot season into a win by getting featured on Deadline," says Zook. "But once we discovered the hilarity of pairing someone who so desperately wants to be famous with someone who holds the key to fame, it opened the door to tackle the whole industry."

Over the course of the series, the Editor writes about the Actress's journey to modern stardom, from signing a 3-picture deal to a stint in rehab to starring in a huge Sundance hit.

"Jacquelyn and I studied acting together at Lesly Kahn & Co. in Hollywood," says O'Daly. "And when you study there and hear everyone's stories, you know there's no one path to 'making it'. The Actress in our show would disagree with you. For her, there are certain benchmarks you need to hit to become famous, the most important of which is being consistently featured on Deadline."

Exploring the lengths the Actress will go to to achieve fame is only part of the story. O'Daly's character is also a Lauren Graham super-fan who starts to warm to the idea of how it would feel to be the one who "discovered" somebody.

"It's the seduction of fame, isn't it?" says Zook. "Even the people that never wanted to be famous might change their mind if they were given the chance."

"If it gets him one step closer to meeting Lauren Graham, there's no doubt he would take it," says O'Daly about his character. "Actually, that's why I want to be famous, too. To meet Lauren Graham."

"You need to get featured on Deadline first," Zook adds, half-jokingly. "It's part of the rules."

How to Get Featured on Deadline. Starring Jacquelyn Zook and Artie O'Daly. Produced by Cap Gun TV. Directed by Alex Fendrich. Director of Photography is Westley Gathright. Editor is Zach Vandlik. Written by Jacquelyn Zook and Artie O'Daly.

Trailer is available now:

Follow the creators at:

- Jacquelyn Zook on Instagram @JacquelynZook, Twitter @JacquelynZook,and online at http://jacquelynzook.com/

- Artie O'Daly on Instagram @ArtieODaly, Twitter @ArtieODaly, and online at http://www.artieodaly.com/

- Series online at http://howtogetfeaturedondeadline.com/ and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/deadlinetheseries/

ABOUT JACQUELYN ZOOK

Jacquelyn Zook is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with degrees in theatre and business. You can catch her as the lead in Can I Get a Witness Protection? which received "Best Comedy" at the International Family Film Festival in 2016 and is set for a nationwide release in September 2017. Her film The 60 Yard Line, a comedy surrounding the fandom of the Green Bay Packers, is currently making its own fans on the festival circuit. Coincidentally, Zook's father is the Special Teams coordinator for the Pack. Jacquelyn is also known for her work on Criminal Minds, Franklin & Bash, Teachers, THE HAUNTED Hathaways, and Two Hours in the Dark. Together, Zook and O'Daly are the co-writers of the sketch series, What Would Taylor Swift Do?

ABOUT ARTIE O'DALY

Artie O'Daly is a graduate of the theatre program at CSU Fullerton and attended the Acting Conservatory at SUNY Purchase. Television credits include The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, The Odd Couple, Scorpion, Castle, Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, Chuck, Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, Pushing Daisies, among others. He is the co-writer & star of the popular web series Successful People, winner of Best Web Series at SoCal CIFF 2016 and now streaming on Amazon, Revry, and Dekkoo. He is represented by Melanie Turner at Spotlight Entertainment.

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