Company Launches & Partnerships
ComScore has completed the stock swap acquisition of Rentrak it spoke of last fall. The deal will allow comScore to measure more than 260 million desktop screens, 160 million mobile phone screens, 95 million tablet screens, 40 million television screens, 120 million video-on-demand screens, and 40,000 movie theater screens making it a powerful tool to analyze the digital and TV audience.
Condé Nast Entertainment is forming CNE Studios and it will be headed by Emmy-winning producer/director Al Edgington. The studio will produce unscripted television series developed by CNE. CNE now has five unscripted television series in production or on the air. The studio will grow CNE into a full-service production company, developing and producing projects in film, television and digital video.
Julian P. Hobbs and Elli Hakami are teaming to launch Talos Films. Based in New York, Talos will produce content for global audiences including event documentaries, docu-dramas, scripted and unscripted series and formats. Sky Vision, the international distribution and production arm of Sky and UK-U.S. indie October Films and funding the company. Hobbs most recently headed up scripted development and production at History. Hakami was formerly MTV’s EVP of Current Series and Programming, with credits including Catfish and The Challenge.
Brian Flanagan and Vidiots founders Michael and Anthony Amoia are joining together to launch new full-service production house Switchblade Entertainment to produce non-scripted television, documentaries, sports programs, and commercial content for cable, digital and mobile. They will operate in a 20,000 square foot production facility in New York, where all types of content can be created, edited and distributed in one facility. Flanagan has executive-produced over 40 non-scripted TV shows. Vidiots will slowly fold into the Switchblade banner.
Chris Culvenor and Paul Franklin have launched Eureka, a production company in partnership with FremantleMedia with an office in LA and three projects set up at cable networks. Culvenor was previously Endemol Shine’s SVP of Development and Franklin was their EVP of Programming. They’ve previously developed, adapted and produced franchises such as MasterChef, The Biggest Loser, The Voice, Fake Off, The Apprentice and Project Runway.
IMAX Corporation has signed a distribution and marketing partnership with the Discovery Channel. The deal includes 18 months of exclusive paid global television rights for up to 10 IMAX documentary films to be released through the IMAX Original Film Fund (Fund), following the titles’ theatrical release across the IMAX institutional theatre network. This marks IMAX’s first television distribution agreement for original content. Discovery Channel will air IMAX documentaries worldwide following their theatrical IMAX release, and consult on development, production and marketing.
Subscription-based digital service Premo, set to start next month, has signed content partnership deals with Gravitas Ventures, Oscilloscope and Cinedigm. Its goal is to become a major source for digital entertainment aimed at multicultural millenial viewers. Premo will stream content on multiple platforms including short-form programming.
Film
21st Century Fox announced they will trim $250 million from its personnel costs. Per the corporate statement: “We are looking across our film and television businesses to transform certain functions and to reduce costs. As part of this process, which is in its early stages, today some colleagues from Fox Networks Group and 20th Century Fox will be offered a generous benefit package if they opt to voluntarily leave the Company.”
Sophie Cassidy has been upped to SVP Production and Acquisitions at Open Road Films. She was previously VP Production & Acquisitions and joined Open Road in 2014 and was part of Lawson’s team acquiring and producing films such as Mother’s Day, Oliver Stone’s Snowden and 50 Shades Of Black.
Joshua Deitell has been promoted to the position of VP of International Sales and Acquisitions from Manager of Sales and Acquisitions at The Solution Entertainment Group. Deitell will oversee international sales efforts for Asia and Eastern Europe for all of The Solution Entertainment Group’s feature film productions and sales titles. Deitell joined in 2013 as a development coordinator and rose through the ranks to his newly appointed role of VP.
Randy Lake has been upped from GM and EVP to the President of Studio Operations & Imageworks at Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Peter Lawson is now pursuing other opportunities (as of March 2016). He was previously the EVP of Production & Acquisitions at Open Road Films.
John McCauley has been upped from CMO to the Chief Strategic Development Officer at Screenvision.
John Logan Pierson has been named the VP of Features at Film 44. He was previously the Director of Film & Television Production at The Weinstein Company.
Christopher Wells has been named the Director of Repertory Programming, the Quad Cinema at Cohen Media Group in New York. He was previously the Programmer at the IFC Center.
TV
Michael Ellenberg will leave his post as EVP drama development for HBO but will segue into a production deal with HBO. Casey Bloys has been promoted from EVP of Comedy to President, HBO Series, Late Night and Specials and will oversee drama series following Ellenberg’s leave. Bloys began at HBO in 2004 as Director, Development, HBO Independent Productions, and after several promotions was named EVP in 2013.
Jimmy Jellinek has been named the VP of content marketing and digital innovation for TBS and TNT. Jellinek will lead the development of all content marketing for TBS and TNT, multi-platform content publishing and social media amplification.He was previously the President of Entertainment and COO for Playboy Enterprises and the Editorial Director of Playboy and Playboy.com.
Elaine Bedell will leave her post as Director of Entertainment and Comedy at ITV at the end of February. She had been at ITV for seven years and responsible for ordering and overseeing a wide-ranging slate of hit programs including Britain’s Got Talent, The X Factor and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Anna Bean has been upped from Coordinator to Manager of Development at Jupiter Entertainment in New York. Harrison Land has been upped from Senior Director to the VP, Development.
Lisa Behlendorf has been upped from VP to the SVP of Production at Original Productions. Susan Terrill has been upped from Development Casting Director to the VP of Talent at Original Productions.
Lesley Grant has been named the Senior Development Producer of Scripted Programming at Temple Street Productions (Toronto). She was formerly the Drama Production Executive at CTV. Laura Notarianni has been upped from Director to the Senior Director of Scripted Programming. Trish Williams has been named the VP of Scripted Programming. She was formerly a Co-Executive Producer of the series Saving Hope.
Helen Gregory has been named the Creative Director at Pinewood Television (UK). She was formerly the Co-Creator, Co-Executive Producer at The Catch.
James Murdoch has been named Chairman of pay TV conglom Sky TV. He is succeeding Nicholas Ferguson. Murdoch joined the board in 2003 as Chief Exec and previously served as Chairman from 2007 to 2012. Murdoch also became Chief Exec of 21st Century Fox, which owns a 39% stake in Sky, in 2015.
Tim van Rongen has been named the SVP at Simon Cowell’s joint venture with Sony Music, Syco Entertainment. Rongen co-created the Starmaker format and was an on-air judge on the Dutch version of the show. In 2010, he joined Talpa Media Group as a Global Casting Director and was executive producer for The Voice and The Voice Kids.
Ruth Anne Herman has been upped from SVP to the EVP of Human Resources at Fox Networks Group.
Tom Lerner has been named Manager of Television at Storyscape Entertainment. He was previously the Executive Assistant of US Scripted Television at Entertainment One. Sandy Shenkman has been upped from Director of Development to the VP of Television at Storyscape Entertainment.
DJ Nurre has been upped from SVP to the EVP of Programming & Development at 3 Ball Entertainment.
Noel Siegel has been named the Head of Production & Development at Bray Entertainment in New York. She was formerly the SVP of Production & Development at National Geographic Channel in Washington D.C.
Bob Tuschman is pursuing other opportunities. He was previously the GM, SVP at Food Network in New York.
Michelle Van Kempen has been named the Head of Policy & Development at The Non-Fiction Producers Association. She was formerly the Co-Principal, Executive Producer at Film Garden Entertainment.
Christian Vesper is now pursuing other opportunities. Vesper was formerly the SVP of International Programming, Development, Acquisitions & Co-Productions, SundanceTV in New York.
Assaf Blecher has been named the VP of Development and Content at Israel’s Keshet Broadcasting. He will oversee development of non-scripted content including game shows, entertainment and reality I their LA offices. He was previously VP, Development and Programming for TV and Digital for Dick Clark Productions and MD of Keshet DCP.
Sharon Hall has been named President, Endemol Shine Studios, the scripted shingle under Endemol Shine North America. Previously she launched Alcon’s TV division in 2012 and was President of Alcon Television until she left in July, producing such projects as Alcon’s first scripted series, The Expanse for Syfy.
Laura Nichols has been named the in the new position of Chief Communications Officer at National Geographic Partners. She was previously the Global Communications EVP for the MPAA.
Caroline Perez has been named VP of Development and Production, Science Channel. She will be responsible for bringing new series to the network while supervising the development and production of concepts to green light, in addition Perez will scout writers, producers and talent for new programming. She was previously VP, Production & Development at Destination America.
Management, PR, Agencies
Counsel Craig Averill has been named Partner at Serling Rooks Hunter McKoy & Worob, LLP.
Kevin Herrera is now the Principal at moopsy. He was previously the Head of Digital at Gersh.
Gary Stiffelman is now a Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP. He was previously a Partner at Ziffren Brittenham LLP.
Music, Digital, Publishing, Misc.
It’s expected Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer will announce more widespread layoffs and business unit closures after Q4 earnings reports are released. This follows the closure of its Yahoo Screen video hub with a cut of 10% of the workforce (around 1000 employees), today that number is reportedly “up to 15%.”
Adrian Benjamin has shifted from Manager of Client Services to Client Manager, BracketPro Sales Lead at Omnigon in New York. Becki Wronko Civello has been upped from Managing Director to VP of Client Services. Joanna Solowey has been promoted from Director to the VP of Marketing & Communications. Jake Stone has been upped from Senior Manager of Client Services to the Director of North American Sales. Manish Dayal has been upped from Director, PMO to the VP of Client Engagement and Managing Director in their Los Angeles office.
Lori Rovner has been upped from VP to the SVP, Business & Legal Affairs at Skydance Media. Ashley Johnson has been promoted from Executive Assistant to Creative Executive at Skydance Media. Carolyn Harris has been upped from VP to the SVP of Television at Skydance Media.
Suzanne Kolb has been named the EVP, GM of Discovery Digital Networks (Los Angeles/San Francisco). She was formerly the President at E! Entertainment.
Valeska Rodriguez is now a Research Coordinator at Variety Insight. She was formerly a Tracking Assistant at Variety Insight.
Nick Soares has been named the CEO at GoDigital, Inc. He was previously the CEO at Distribber.com.
Amanda Berman-Hill has been named the SVP and Head of West Coast Writer Relations at Sony/ATV Music Publishing. She was formerly the VP, Creative at Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jennifer Knoepfle has shifted from SVP of Creative to the SVP and Head, West Coast A&R at Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
Alisa Coleman has been upped from Senior EVP to the COO at ABKCO Music & Records, Inc.
Andrew Robbins has been named the Senior Director of Film/TV Music at Manhattan Production Music. He was previously the Director of Film/TV Music at MusicBox.