CAA: Argentinian director Pablo Trapero has signed with CAA. He was scooped up after winning the Best Director Silver Lion honors at the Venice Film Festival for El Clan, a film that broke records in the country for best domestic box office open. The film had its North American premiere at TIFF where its competing in the festival’s Platform program for next generation international filmmakers.
WME: Veteran reality producer and creator of the ABC series, Wipeout, Matt Kunitz, has signed with WME. The move was instigated after his long-time agent, Greg Lipstone, left ICM Partners. Prior to Wipeout he produced MTV’s The Real World for five seasons and has also executive produced seven seasons of Fear Factor. Kunitz continues to be repped by attorney David Tenzer.
CAA: International movie star Jackie Chan has signed back up with CAA after leaving WME. His agent, now manager at WME, Philip Button left the agency to join STX, Chan will star in The Foreigner. CAA will have the goal to package, find funding and sell projects developed by Chan’s company, SR Media Corporation, with attention on U.S.-China co-productions. Not only does SR Media Corporation produce films, it also is among China’s biggest luxury product retailers, and a partner in Chan’s rapidly growing cinema chain business.
CAA: Filmmaker Ava DuVernay has shifted from Paradigm to CAA. Her previous film, the 2014 Martin Luther King biopic, Selma, was nominated for a Golden Globe for best director and two Academy Awards, for best picture and best original song, winning the prize for the latter. The filmmaker is attached to an untitled Participant murder-mystery Hurricane Katrina project in active development and wrapped on Venus Vs., a documentary about Venus Williams. On the TV side, she’s on board to direct, write and executive produce the series Queen Sugar, ordered to series by OWN.
UTA: The agency has signed its very first Periscope talent, that of artist Amanda Oleander who has upwards of 250,000 followers and 30 million hearts for her live videos. She’s been signed in all areas with the goal to expand her brand online and in traditional areas of entertainment. She’s a visual artist and illustrator who has become one of the app’s biggest breakouts. While other digital stars have used Periscope live-streaming capabilities to develop their audience, Oleander is native to the platform.
WME: Digital producer Defy Media has signed with WME. The representation comes with the target to package a development slate of original TV and film projects for several platforms, including linear TV for Defy Media. Defy is best known for the Smosh comedy channel on Youtube. The company also has a development deal with Brett Ratner and James Packer’s RatPac Entertainment, which is also repped by WME.