LA-based Backyard Productions has signed actor/writer/director Steve Burrows after a long-term relationship with the company.

Burrows has appeared in close to a dozen spots at Backyard as an actor and recently directed the independent movie "Chump Change", which was picked up by Miramax after a successful tour on the film festival circuit. The movie is slated for a fall release.

"Backyard has been part of my life for ten years," explains Burrows, who has appeared in "Seinfeld" in addition to being a member of the improvisational comedy group The Groundlings in LA. His first short film "Soldier of Fortune", based on his true-life appearance and subsequent humiliation on the "Wheel of Fortune" game show, won 29 film festival awards.

Merv Griffin was none too pleased, however, as Burrows' work received a lawsuit from the game show king.

"Chump Change" also manages to pull no punches. "[The movie] is based on my unmitigated humiliation at the hands of the studios," explains Burrows, who based the movie on his writing experiences. "I basically tried to write the funniest script possible ñ I knew the writing would hold the movie together regardless of the budget."

After three intense years, the movie was released and caught the attention of Backyard's exec producer Blair Stribley after garnering a Best Comedy Actress Award for Traci Lords at the Aspen Comedy Festival and Best Comedy and Screenplay at SlamDunk! at the Sundance Festival.

Webfiles:
Backyard> http://www.backyard.com