'Sopranos' creator back in business with HBO

David Chase, the creator of "The Sopranos," is back in business with HBO.

Not with a "Sopranos"-related project, but with "Ribbon of Dreams," a miniseries about the invention of cinema and the growth of Hollywood.

The project, which doesn't have a release date yet, will follow two characters, a college-educated engineer and a cowboy with a violent past as they work together to produce films at the dawn of the motion-picture industry.

"The miniseries will follow the two main characters as theybegin as employees of D.W. Griffith, and then cross career paths withJohn Ford, John Wayne, Raoul Walsh, Bette Davis, Billy Wilder andothers who gave shape to Hollywood as it grew from the age ofrough-hewn silent Westerns, to the golden era of talkies and the studiosystem, to the auteur movement, to television, and finally to thepresent day," according to HBO's press release. "'A Ribbon of Dreams' takes its name from Orson Welles’description, 'A film is a ribbon of dreams.'"

HBO's Monday press release is below.

DAVID CHASE TO DEVELOP MINISERIES ABOUT THE CREATION OF HOLLYWOOD FOR HBO

            LOS ANGELES, March 16, 2009 -- David Chase, multi-award-winning creator of “The Sopranos,” is returning to HBO to develop a miniseries about the invention of cinema and subsequent growth of the Hollywood film industry, it was announced today by Richard Plepler, co-president, HBO, and Michael Lombardo, president, Programming Group and West Coast Operations, HBO.

            Entitled A RIBBON OF DREAMS, the miniseries will begin in 1913 and follow two men, one a college-educated mechanical engineer, the other a cowboy with a violent past, who form an unlikely producing partnership and together become pioneers and then powers for a time in motion pictures.

            Chase will write and executive produce the miniseries, as well as direct the initial episodes.  Paramount Pictures chairman and CEO Brad Grey, who executive produced the landmark HBO series “The Sopranos” with Chase, will also serve as an executive producer on the miniseries.  A RIBBON OF DREAMS will be an HBO/Paramount Pictures/Chase Films production.

            The miniseries will follow the two main characters as they begin as employees of D.W. Griffith, and then cross career paths with John Ford, John Wayne, Raoul Walsh, Bette Davis, Billy Wilder and others who gave shape to Hollywood as it grew from the age of rough-hewn silent Westerns, to the golden era of talkies and the studio system, to the auteur movement, to television, and finally to the present day.  A RIBBON OF DREAMS takes its name from Orson Welles’ description, “A film is a ribbon of dreams.”

            Chase said, “It gives me pleasure to think of working, together with Brad, with HBO, again.  These are all people who, obviously, occupy a special place in my heart.”

            “For seven years, David Chase dazzled and entertained the world with ‘The Sopranos.’  He’s a remarkable talent,” noted Plepler, “and we’re very excited to be working with both David and Brad again.”

            “The return of David Chase to HBO is great news for our viewers,” observed Lombardo.  “The epic scope of this miniseries will provide the perfect setting for his remarkable creative gifts.”

            “David is a master storyteller who has once again chosen a fascinating subject,” said Grey.  “I am excited for this project as an executive producer, a friend and a huge fan of David’s, and am grateful to HBO’s incredibly talented leadership of Richard and Michael for partnering with us.”

            Prior to creating “The Sopranos,” hailed as one of the most significant series in television history, Chase executive produced the series “I’ll Fly Away” and “Northern Exposure,” and created and executive produced the critically-lauded drama “Almost Grown.”  Chase is also currently writing a feature film for Paramount Pictures.  He is represented by UTA and attorney Michael Gendler.

            Kary Antholis, president, HBO miniseries, will oversee the project.

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