Rob Cotterill's cinematic odyssey commenced in 1994, laying the groundwork for an illustrious and remarkable career in the realm of filmmaking. The trajectory of his journey was significantly influenced by a stroke of good fortune, as he had the serendipitous opportunity to cross paths with Jason Eisener on the set of the popular television series TRAILER PARK BOYS. This chance encounter served as a catalyst, igniting a creative partnership that would ultimately give rise to a multitude of successful and critically acclaimed projects.
The dynamic duo's inaugural collaborative endeavor was a fake trailer for HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, which they courageously submitted to the prestigious SXSW Grindhouse Trailer Competition held in the vibrant city of Austin, Texas. To their utter astonishment, they emerged victorious, thereby receiving a triumphant boost that propelled them to bring their creative vision to life by crafting a feature-length version of the film.
The phenomenal success of TREEVENGE, coupled with the immense popularity of their viral shorts REPORT CARD and THE NUMBER TO HEAVEN, served as a catalyst for the creative team behind HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, ultimately leading to the establishment of Yer Dead Productions, a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based production house, in order to focus on the production of genre-centric films.
With their partnership solidified, the team redirected their attention towards bringing the feature-length film HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN to life, a project that had been brewing in their minds for quite some time.
The film's premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival marked a significant milestone in its journey, and it went on to achieve further success by being included in the TIFF Top Ten Canadian films of 2011, a testament to its quality and impact on the film industry.
Rob Cotterill and Jason Eisener continued their collaborative efforts, with various projects at different stages of development following their work on HOBO. Throughout this period, Cotterill remained an essential part of Yer Dead Productions, playing a key role in the production of segments for two anthology feature films. The first of these films was Y IS FOR YOUNGBUCK, which was part of the larger ABC'S OF DEATH project. This film made its world premiere at the prestigious 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was showcased for the first time. The second film was SLUMBER PARTY ALIEN ABDUCTION, one of the five segments featured in V/H/S/2. This anthology film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, providing a platform for its debut to a global audience.
Rob's most recent endeavour was the production of Jason's short film, ONE LAST DIVE, a cinematic masterpiece that has left audiences shaken to their core with its heart-stopping, spine-tingling, and utterly terrifying one-minute runtime. The film's impact was so profound that it has been hailed as "The Scariest 1 Minute Movie Ever" by The Huffington Post, a testament to its unrelenting suspense and unflinching portrayal of fear. Since its release, ONE LAST DIVE has garnered an astonishing number of views, exceeding the one million mark, and has been handpicked by the esteemed Vimeo Staff, a badge of honour that underscores its exceptional quality and craftsmanship.
