Rob Simonsen has been hired to score the upcoming indie comedy Imogene. The film is directed by Shari Springer Sperman and Robert Pulcini (American Splendor) and stars Kristen Wiig as a New York playwright who stages a fake suicide attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend, only to end up being forced into the custody of her gambling-addict mother. Annette Benning, Darren Criss, Natasha Lyonne, June Diane Raphae and Matt Dillon are co-starring. Michelle Morgan has written the screenplay and Alix Madigan (Winter’s Bone), Celine Rattray (The Kids Are All Right) and Trudie Style are producing the Anonymous Content and Maven Pictures production. Simonsen has also recently co-scored the dramedy Seeking a Friend for the End of the World starring Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley for Anonymous Content. No release date has been announced yet for Imogene, but the film is expected to come out later this year.
The composer also the comedy The English Teacher coming up. The film marks the theatrical feature directing debut of Craig Zisk (Weeds, United States of Tara) and stars Julianne Moore as an English teacher whose life is upended when a former star pupil returns to her small town after failing miserably as a playwright in New York. The movie also stars Greg Kinnear, Lily Collins, Nathan Lane, Nikki Blonsky and Michael Angarano. Dan and Stacy Shariton have written the script and Robert Salerno (21 Grams, A Single Man), Naomi Despres (High Crimes), Matthew Chausse and Ben LeClair (Year of the Dog) are producing the Artina Films production. The English Teacher is currently in post-production and a release later in 2012 is expected.
Simonsen has also scored Hulu’s first scripted original series Battleground. The workplace comedy is set in the world of political campaigns and follows a head campaign strategist and his staff who strive to win a senate seat for their underdog candidate in a race with national consequences. The series is executive produced by JD Walsh, Hagai Shaham and Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man). Simonsen has previously collaborated with Webb on the 2009 indie hit (500) Days of Summer. To watch the first couple of episodes and find out more about Battleground, visit Hulu.
