Writer-director-actor Mike Binder formed Sunlight Productions with his brother Jack Binder as a vehicle to produce and promote a unique brand of comedy films and television projects. Together they have produced, written and directed almost a dozen films and television concepts from script to screen, and have several others in development. We are a small boutique company making one project at a time and striving to give each one greater quality as we progress. We are also interested in making each production experience enjoyable for ourselves, for our artisans, our backers, our co-workers, and our audience.
Life is short, we love making films and we love having a good time. Our goal is that you can see that in our work.
Mike Binder began his career as a stand-up comedian in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. This path eventually led to his own HBO One Night Stand special, HBO’s Detroit Comedy Jam, and The Eleventh Anniversary of the Comedy Store special, with Robin Williams, Richard Pryor and Jim Carrey.
His years of stand-up also yielded a secondary benefit: developing a point of view as a writer. His first screenplay, Coupe De Ville, caught the attention of director Joe Roth, who helmed the film for Universal, which soon led to another feature, Crossing the Bridge, marking Binder’s directorial debut. From there, he wrote and directed the poignant, Indian Summer, for Touchstone Pictures.
With HBO’s critically acclaimed hit series, The Mind of the Married Man, Binder created a true water cooler show that pushed buttons, provoked thought, and most importantly, made people laugh.
Binder wrote, directed, and starred in the feature, The Search for John Gissing, with Alan Rickman and Janeane Garofalo, which went on to win the “Critics’ Award” at the 2002 Sarasota Film Festival. He also wrote, directed, and starred in both Londinium, with Stephen Fry and Colin Firth, and The Sex Monster, for which Binder received both the “Best Film” and “Best Actor” nods from the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. In addition, Binder co-starred in The Contender, with Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges and Gary Oldman, and Steven Spielberg’s futuristic thriller, Minority Report, opposite Tom Cruise.
The Upside of Anger, written and directed by Binder, premiered in 2005 at the Sundance Film Festival. With an ensemble cast, including Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, Alicia Witt, Erika Christensen, Keri Russell and Evan Rachel Wood, it was widely received to rave reviews, and released by both New Line Cinema and Media 8 Entertainment.
Man About Town, an ensemble piece featuring Ben Affleck and Rebecca Romijn, is a dramatic comedy set in the world of Hollywood super-agents. It is now available on DVD through Lions Gate Pictures.
His newest project, Reign Over Me, stars Adam Sandler. Playing a man having lost his family in the September 11th attack on New York City, he runs into his old college roommate, played by Don Cheadle. Rekindling the friendship appears to be the one thing able to help the man recover from his grief. Reign Over Me was released this past March by Columbia Pictures.
Jack Binder has been producing quality feature films and television with his brother, writer/director/actor Mike Binder, since 1985, beginning with HBO’s, The Detroit Comedy Jam, and culminating with Reign Over Me (Columbia Pictures), starring Adam Sandler and Don Cheedle in 2006.
After joining up to produce live and filmed comedy programming with then stand-up comic and writer, Mike Binder, Jack moved to Los Angeles and worked his way through the production ranks via HBO Original Programming Series and Comedy Specials, and feature films with Michael Phillips Productions & Mercury/Douglas Films.
Joining back up with his brother Mike, Jack worked on Coupe de Ville (Universal), directed by Joe Roth, written by Mike Binder, and co-produced both Crossing The Bridge (Touchstone) and Indian Summer (Touchstone); both written and directed by Mike Binder.
The two then formed Sunlight Productions in order to make independent comedy films, including The Sex Monster (starring Mike Binder, Mariel Hemingway), Londinium (Starring Colin Firth, Mariel Hemingway, Mike Binder, Irene Jacob, Stephen Fry), and The Search For John Gissing (starring Alan Rickman, Janeane Garofalo, Mike Binder, Alan Corduner, Juliet Stevenson).
Sunlight Productions continued television and filmmaking with Jack Producing HBO’s, The Mind of The Married Man, as well as The Upside of Anger (New Line Cinema), starring Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, Mike Binder, Erika Christensen, Keri Russell, Evan Rachel Wood and Alicia Witt, and Man About Town (Lion’s Gate Films), starring Ben Affleck, Rebecca Romijn, John Cleese, Mike Binder, Gena Gershon, Kal Penn and Adam Goldberg; all written and directed by Mike Binder.
Jack continues as the Producer of Columbia Pictures’ feature, Reign Over Me, starring Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Liv Tyler, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Saffron Burrows. Many projects are underway in development.
Rachel has been with Sunlight for what seems (to her) like an eternity. She started with The Mind Of The Married Man, and has worked on The Upside of Anger, Man About Town, and Reign Over Me, serving as Co-Producer on the latter two. Doing so, she has been, and is, involved in every single aspect of the creative side of making the films. She also is convinced that she is the only sane one working here.
Rachel, who is from Oakland, recently got married. She went to Camp Tamakwa as did her father Jamie and her brother Aaron. She dreams of world domination and a pill that subtracts all of the calories from Indian Food.
FUN FACT: Rachel played Bobby Slayton’s wife (the woman who screamed profanities down to the guys playing poker) in The Mind of the Married Man. She landed the role by accident and has no desire to act.
Lauren first started working for Sunlight Productions as a P.A. on The Mind of the Married Man in 2002. Somehow that experience failed to traumatize her, leaving her still working with us today.
FUN FACT: Lauren attened Mike Binder’s wedding when she was 4 years old.
Bryan has been working with Sunlight Productions since March of 2005, and we love him.
FUN FACT: Contrary to popular belief (since he eats healthy, is smart, and has the most positive attitude of the group) he is actually a Binder (as in Mike and Jack).
Alex is the newest member of our team. He helps us do simple things that we REALLY should know how to do on our own. What he does not know is that we are actually faking it, so he can feel good about himself, as well as his ‘new’ job.
FUN FACT: Alex is French and moved to California whe he was 12 years old. Amazingly enough, the only accent he has is ‘valley girl.’
Steve has been an editor for Sunlight Productions since The Mind of the Married Man. Mike Binder likes him because he knows how to make his jokes funnier than they actually are. Guess it’s too bad Steve doesn’t follow Mike around in real life.
FUN FACT: Steve has a very cute little daughter (who is still a very new addition to his family) and he loves her more than anything :)
Michael’s first job with Sunlight Productions was The Upside of Anger. He plays a huge role in the editing process and makes us all smile, all of the time.
FUN FACT: Michael is a pisces.