Steven Piet & Erik Crary Ink First-Look Deal With Universal Content Productions

Director Steven Piet and producer Erik Crary have signed a first-look deal with Universal Content Productions to develop scripted programming with the studio.

Piet and Crary have both worked under Nick Antosca (Hulu’s The Act, Syfy’s Channel Zero) who is under an overall deal at UCP.

Piet directed episodes 5 and 8 of The Act, from Antosca and Michelle Dean, a seasonal anthology series that tells startling, stranger-than-fiction true crime stories. The first eight-episode season follows Gypsy Blanchard (King), a girl trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother (Arquette). Her quest for independence opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, one that ultimately leads to murder. The series premieres March 20 on Hulu. A trailer follows below.

In 2016, Crary produced and Piet directed Antosca’s UCP-produced anthology series Channel Zero: No End House, starring Amy Forsyth and John Carroll Lynch, for Syfy.

Piet, a Chicago native, attended the Savannah College of Art and Design, graduating with a degree in Film before entering the Chicago production industry. Crary, from Lodi, Wisconsin, graduated from the University of Wisconsin before moving to Los Angeles, where he spent several years working for director David Lynch — initially as his assistant, then ultimately as a producer. In 2008 Crary relocated to Chicago, continuing as a producer in both production and post, eventually segueing to writing and collaborating with director Piet. Their first feature, Uncle John, debuted in narrative competition at the 2015 SXSW film festival prior to acquisition and distribution by FilmBuff.

Piet and Crary join UCP’s roster of first-look deals including Charlize Theron’s Denver & Delilah; John Carpenter; Hunting Lane; Kathleen Robertson; Hypnotic (Suits and the upcoming spinoff Pearson for USA Network, and Impulse for YouTube Premium), and Dark Horse Entertainment (The Umbrella Academy) for Netflix.

Piet and Crary are repped by Silent R Management, CAA and Lichter, Grossman.