AVI HAAS
PRODUCER
Avi Haas brings twenty-five years of training, experience and expertise in film, theater, communications and business management to the field of film production.
While attending the prestigious theater school at the University of Kansas located in Lawrence, Kansas, Avi received his inspiration to become a filmmaker when joining the crew of ABC Film’s The Day After starring Jason Robards.
In 1985, Avi started his professional life in the cellular communications industry. He ascended over a period of eight years to head one of the largest cellular resellers in the New York Tri-State region.
In 1993, Avi moved to Los Angeles to fulfill his dream to become a filmmaker using his acquired business management, financial, marketing and theater production skills from his previous experiences.
In Los Angeles, Avi began working alongside the Oscar winning producer Jonathan Sanger, a relationship that endures today, as they developed many new projects over the next couple of years. In 1996, Avi joined Jonathan as a member of the producing team for Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a pilot for Warner Television, starring Scott Bacula and Maria Bello filmed in Seattle.
Avi continued collaborating with Jonathan in various projects throughout the next few years. He joined Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner’s Cruise/Wagner Productions as Associate Producer on the Academy Award nominated Without Limits. Avi spent the rest of 1996 and the first quarter of 1997 working closely as part of the producing team with Jonathan, Robert Towne and Paula Wagner in Los Angeles and Eugene, Oregon.
After completing work on the C/W project he started consulting and freelance producing. He began a long relationship with Mel Brooks and his company Brooksfilms developing various projects including the 2005 hit The Producers. At Brooksfilms, he worked on numerous development projects such as Not-Human, The Beast of Bataan and Stephen King’s Dolan’s Cadillac. He especially enjoyed his work as producer of Showtime’s Lovingkindness written and to be directed by Ann Bancroft before her untimely passing.
Avi has been developing and producing independently through Haas Filmed Entertainment since March 1997 in addition to collaborating with Jonathan Sanger on various projects. Avi’s independent producing debut was Curb Entertainment and Fertile Films’ Inconceivable, a motion picture developed by Bob Weis and Diane Friedel‑Weis. Inconceivable received the Independent Spirit Award in 1998 and a Best Actress award at the SilverSand Film Festival in 1999, among others.
Avi was also involved in developing numerous additional feature film and television projects. These include Mortal Kombat Krusades with Threshold Entertainment, Landfishers with Daniel L. Paulson Productions and Paramount Television and the independent features: The Hitchhiker, Succession of Wolves, Life and Death at 17, Paul Verhoeven’s The Paperboy and Toni Morrison’s Tar Baby.
In 2003-4, Avi was asked to head up a team for Enigma Entertainment; his goal – to develop a state-of-the-art movie studio outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. He worked with some of the leading entertainment architects, technical specialists and real estate executives to create the world’s most advanced studio. He traveled extensively between Los Angeles, New York and Miami. Because of the then astronomical Vegas land values, the project was shelved for the time being.
In 2006, Avi became the Head of Physical Production for Grand Illusions Entertainment based at Raleigh Studios Hollywood, where he helped develop numerous projects. He was Co-Producer of GI’s 100 Feet, which he filmed in Hungary and New York City. Postproduction was done entirely in Los Angeles.
As of 2009, he is focused on development of the franchise motion picture UFO, based on the Gerry Anderson ‘70’s cult classic TV show. VFX wizard Matthew Gratzner will direct UFO. Avi is producing. His long time colleague and collaborator Jonathan Sanger is Executive Producing.
He also is developing two smaller independent projects.
Avi Haas was born and raised in New York City. He has lived, studied and worked overseas in both Europe and the Middle East. Avi has been immersed in the arts from an early age, influenced by his family of renowned professional musicians. He has been involved with and contributed to numerous arts organizations. Avi is an avid gourmet chef, wine connoisseur and published photographer.