Company Launches & Partnerships
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has partnered with MCN Fullscreen to form the CBC|Fullscreen Creator Network. CBC has more than 2,000 Canadian content creators currently working with Fullscreen, including vloggers Chris and Crawford Collins. The partnership will allow Fullscreen to team up with Canadian brands including Scion Canda, TD Kids Book Club, and Wolf Blass that are already signed up.
Hearst has invested $21 million in Complex Media, a pop-culture oriented media company aimed at male millennials. Complex operates websites relating to, among other things, music, fashion, food, and movies.
The management and production company founded by Rick Yorn and Ian Montone, LBI Entertainment is teaming with U.S. soccer icon Cobi Jones and London-based football agent Kutner to launch LBI Sports. The new agency will have an emphasis on soccer and on building Kutner’s clientele that includes Frank Lampard, Patrick Bamford and Philippe Senderos along with coaches and TV personalities.
Wild Bunch has launched a TV division and set its first two drama series, Medici: Masters Of Florence and Four Seasons In Havana, with sales to launch at the MIPCOM market. The company will co-produce and distribute series for the international marketplace.
Fandango has bought Ingresso.com, an entertainment ticket subsidiary based in Rio de Janeiro, which has 6 million registered customers and is Brazil’s largest online mobile ticketing service.
Jerry Levin and his wife Laurie Ann Levin are forming The Levin Center For Parkinson’s Transformational Health. Levin was formerly the CEO of Time Warner and his wife was previously an agent at CAA before becoming a psychologist. The new center will be dedicated to removing the stigma and working on the emotional well-being of Parkinson’s sufferers.
Although Media General has planned on buying Meredith Corp. in a $2.4 billion deal, Nexstar Broadcasting could put a stop to it as it has offered to acquire Meredith in a $4.1 billion deal. Nexstar, based in Texas has more than 100 TV stations in 58 markets while Media General services 71 stations.
Film
Drew Simon has been named the SVP of Production at STX Entertainment. Previously, he had been VP Film at the Mark Gordon Company.
Robin Jones has been hired as a Development and Production Executive at genre production, finance, and distribution studio Epic Pictures Group. She will have the goal of building an in-house production slate of 6-8 pictures per year, and on identifying high-profile third party acquisitions for Epic Pictures Group’s domestic distribution arm, Epic Pictures Releasing. She was formerly a development executive at Epicenter Management.
Sylvia Ortiz-Moscato has been named the VP of Research Solutions at Screen Engine/ASI. Previously, she was the VP of Multicultural Division at Ipsos. Christina Parish has been named the SVP of Client Services, in Screen Engine/ASI’s TV Division. Previously, she was the VP of Client Consulting at Nielsen Content. Laura Zilli has been named the VP of Research Strategies, previously, she was the Chief Marketing Analyst at Capstone Global Marketing & Research Group.
TV
Gina Kwon has been named an Executive in Amazon’s comedy department. Kwon is an Amazon Featured Imageindependent film producer and previously worked with Arteta on Chuck & Buck, and The Good Girl, the latter a Spirit Award winner for Best Screenplay for Mike White.
Steve Mosko has been named the Chairman of Sony Pictures TV and will report to CEO Michael Lynton. He will continue to oversee all TV operations for Sony Pictures Entertainment Worldwide. He’s been with Sony Pictures TV for more than two decades, overseeing global television production, distribution of film and TV content and the studio’s international networks.
Gene Stein is leaving Sonar Entertainment, where he was their CEO to pursue other opportunities. Thomas Lesinski, a member of Sonar’s board of directors, has been named interim CEO. Previously he was the CEO and founder of Energi Entertainment and prior to that was the President of Paramount Pictures Digital Entertainment and President of Worldwide Home Entertainment for Paramount. Also due to Stein’s departure, Sonar’s creative affairs will now be shepherded by Jenna Glazier and Tom Patricia.
Rosemary Mercedes has been upped from VP to SVP of Corporate Communications at Univision Communications Inc.
Marco Arabit is soon to be named the VP of Distribution, EMEA at Legendary Television. Formerly, he was an Sr. Director of International Programme Sales at Viacom International Media Networks in London.
Sean Boyle is now the VP of Development & Programming at History. Formerly, he was the VP of Development at Discovery.
Derek Bond is now the SVP of Production Strategy at Univision Communications. Formerly, he was the CEO of Imagina Content at Imagina US.
Jennifer Barrett is now the SVP, Legal & Business Affairs at FremantleMedia International. Previously, she was the Head of Legal & Business Affairs at Factual & Daytime, BBC. Hayley Dickson is now the Head of Non-Scripted Global Acquisitions & Development at FremantleMedia International. Previously, she was the company’s VP of Television Acquisitions & Development, Global Content.
Alexis Ehrman has been promoted from her position as Assistant to Tripp Vinson to a Creative Executive, Television at Vinson Films.
Derek Ferguson is now the COO at REVOLT Media & TV. Formerly, he was the Chief Growth Officer at Combs Enterprises.
Dirk Hoogstra is now an Independent Producer. Formerly, he was the EVP, General Manager at History & H2.
Suzanne McCormack has been hired on as the VP Development at Warner Bros. TV-based Chuck Lorre Productions. She was previously a coordinating producer on all Chuck Lorre Productions series. In her new role she will spearhead the development and production of comedy and drama projects for network and cable.
Sara Kendrick is now the Director of Development at 90 Miles Productions. Previously, she was a Manager of Development at Propagate Content.
Julian Keyzer is now the Director of Business Affairs at NBCUniversal. Previously, she was Sr. Counsel of Business & Legal Affairs at Viacom.
Tiegen Kosiak is now the Director of Development at Cinestar Pictures. Formerly, he was the Executive Assistant to Jennifer Levine at Untitled Entertainment.
Gina Mingacci is now the VP of Development & Current Programming at BBC America. Previously, she was Head of Scripted Television at Superb Entertainment.
Reena Singh has been named the VP of Current Programming at Twentieth Century Fox Television. She was formerly the VP at Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films. Anand Shah has been named the VP of Comedy Development. Singh previously was a development and current executive at USA Network and Universal Cable Productions where she worked on series such as Covert Affairs.
Dave Sirulnick is now the Partner, EP at RadicalMedia. Formerly, he was the EVP of News, Documentaries & Specials at MTV.
Jennifer Storms is now the CMO of NBC Sports Group. Previously, she was the SVP of Global Sports Marketing at PepsiCo, Inc.
Dorothy Toran is now the VP of Production at Monami Entertainment. Previously, she was the Executive in Charge of Production at True Entertainment.
Ali Woodruff has been upped from Executive Assistant to Manager of Creative Affairs at Sony Pictures Television.
Lauren Hurvitz has been named the EVP and Chief Communications and CMO for Turner Broadcasting System. She formerly was at Starcom Mediavest Group and Head of global corporate communications and events at AOL. In her new role, she will be responsible for brand reputation across all platforms, strategic communications, media relations, and publicity and head global communications and corporate marketing, reporting to chairman and CEO John Martin Jr.
Ben Tappan has been named the VP Scripted Programming, reporting to EVP Original Programming Jocelyn Diaz at EPIX. As part of his new role, he will work on the two new series, which head into production this fall. He was previously the SVP of Landscape Ent. and oversaw operations for the TV department for Landscape’s first-look series deal with eOne Television and limited-series deal with Fox.
Management, PR, Agencies
Ben Izzo has been upped to agent at Abrams Artists Agency’s New York-based literary division. He previously had been the departmental coordinator in the literary division.
CAA has upped a number of Agent Trainees. Brian Duckler has been upped from Trainee in Sports Consulting to an Executive in Sports Consulting. Jen Entin has been upped from Agent Trainee to an Executive in the Hockey Department at CAA. Robert Mickelson has been upped from Trainee to Agent in the Music department. Praveen Pandian has been promoted from Agent Trainee in Comedy to TV Lit Agent. Kaitlyn Powell has been upped from Trainee to an Executive in Business Development. Jordan Solomon has been upped from Trainee to Agent in Commercial Endorsements at CAA.
Ben Gorman has been hired as a Talent Agent at Don Buchwald & Associates. Formerly, he was an Talent Agent at Pakula/King. Nick Leicht has been hired as a Talent, Lit Agent & at Don Buchwald & Associates. Formerly, he was an Assistant to Iris Grossman at Paradigm.
Michael Kolodny has been hired as a TV Lit Agent at Kaplan Stahler Agency. Formerly, he was a TV Lit Manager at Fineman Entertainment.
Merideth Bajana has been promoted to manager at Grandview/Automatik. Prior to Grandview, she previously worked in both the lit and talent department at WME. Her current list of clients include producer Jeremy Howe and writer Anna Ziegler.
Music, Digital, Publishing, Misc.
Nathan Guetta has been named the VP of Product for Condé Nast Entertainment‘s branded video division. Guetta has previously worked as Director of Marketing, Products and Operations at Samsung Electronics, Head of Content Services at Vodafone, and Product and Project Director at Dailymotion.
Will Keenan is heading the startup company, Streamup, he previously was the President of Endemol Beyond USA from November 2013 until last month.
Dermot McCormack has stepped down as President of AOL Video and Studios.
Amy McGovern has been named the VP of Strategic Sales at VideoAmp, a data and software platform for video and TV marketers. Previously, she was the VP of Digital Video Ad Sales at Fox Networks Group.
Larry Aidem has been named the President and CEO of Fandor, an on-demand streaming service for independent and international films. Formerly he was the Head of the Sundance Channel.
Paul Crewes has been named the Artistic Director for The Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts. He was formerly the Chief Executive and an EP at the Cornwall, England-based Kneehigh Theatre. The Center launched in 2013 and offers theater, dance, classical music and other performing arts programming.
Rafe Oller has been hired on as the General Manager of health and wellness-focused Z Living. In his new position, he will head acquired and original programming, distribution, affiliate relations, advertising sales, marketing and operations. Formerly Oller was a media consultant for Firebrand Creative Group, a 360 branding company focusing on broadcast, cable, OTT and theatrical. Tim Krubsack has been named the company’s EVP and Head of Programming and will create and manage Z Living’s entire programming slate. Krubsack previously was as SVP alternative programming for Syfy/NBCUniversal.
Mike Beck has been named the Sr. EP of Development & Production at Time Inc. Video. Formerly, he was the EP for Time Inc. Video. Ian Orefice has been named the Sr. EP of Original & Current Programming at Time Inc. Video. Formerly, he was an EP of News & Sports at Time Inc. Video. Beck has been with Time Inc. since 2007, while Orefice has been with the company since 2010.
Tom Farrell, who Co-Founded The Workshop, an independent production company, will now take the reins as President and CEO. Todd Donnelly has been named the Partner and Director of Business Development at The WorkShop. Formerly, he Co-Founded Viamedia. Ray Murray has been named the Director of Development. Formerly, he was founded Banyan Productions.
Rick Hong has been named the Director of Business Development at Variety Insight. Formerly, he was a Sr. Manager, Partnerships/Development at Fullscreen.
Paul Slavin has been named the President at Open Road Integrated Media. Formerly, he was the EVP, COO at Everyday Health.
Sharon Taylor has been named the EVP, General Manager at Animal Logic. Formerly, she was the company’s Group Head of Production.