Company Launches & Partnerships
Frederator Networks, the media company founded by longtime animation exec Fred Seibert, will co-launch a Spanish-language YouTube animation network with Mexican animation studio Anima Estudios called Atomo Network. The channel will recruit Spanish-language animators, and provide them with audience-development and programming services.
HBO has signed a major content deal with Hulu Japan which will now have exclusive and wide-ranging access to HBO series, comprising hundreds of hours of programming. Hulu Japan, owned by HJ Holdings, is separate from the U.S.-based Hulu, which is owned by Disney, 21st Century Fox, and NBCUniversal.
Fox Innovation Lab has partnered with Swedish telecom power Ericsson to promote virtual reality, ultra HD, and other next gen video technologies. They plan to work on multiple projects to provide what they call “true connected content experiences.” The Fox unit has heavily promoted VR experiences based on the studio’s movies Wild and The Martian.
Vivendi has begun a hostile takeover for French vidgame company Gameloft, founded by France’s Guillemot brothers, who also started Ubisoft. Vivendi had just owned 30% of Gameloft. Vivendi has since offered 6 Euros per share for Gameloft, representing a 50% premium over the share price when Vivendi started building up its stake in the company last fall. As of Monday, Gameloft shares had been upped to 6.64 Euros per share, up from its 5.48 Euro closing price prior to news of Vivendi’s intention.
Canal Plus is in discussions with Qatari-owned beIN Sports over an exclusive distribution agreement. If approved by anti-trust authorities in France, the deal would give Canal Plus execs a revenue boost while also giving beIN Sports better carriage in France.
Citizen Skull Productions, helmed by Mark Myers, has launched a new management division called CSP Management. CSP manages on camera talent, DPs, Directors, writers, social media influencers and below the line talent. Jane Henriksen has signed on as Partner of CSP Management. She was previously the President of Henriksen Talent Management brings with her veteran actor Lance Henriksen (Aliens), Danielle Bisutti (Insidious: Chapter 2) and Adam Korson (Hot In Cleveland).
NextVR, a leader in bringing immersive live streams of sporting events to viewers, has teamed with Fox Sports. The five-year partnership will allow NextVR stream virtual a wide range of events to which Fox Sports holds the broadcast rights live through VR, starting with Sunday’s Daytona 500, beginning at 1 p.m. ET. The race will be available to view for free through the NextVR portal. Samsung Gear VR owners can download the NextVR app on any Gear VR headset-compatible phones.
NBCUniversal-owned Fandango has acquired the film buff-friendly site Flixster, along with Flixster’s well-known subsidiary, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The deal was reached with Warner Bros. Entertainment, which owned Flixster and Rotten Tomatoes. As part of the deal, Warner Bros. will take an equity stake in Fandango, becoming an ongoing strategic partner.
The Associated Press has launched a new portal for virtual reality and 360-degree news content and is partnering with tech company AMD on the venture, which will provide software and hardware support. The content will be available for headsets including the Oculus Rift, the Samsung Gear VR, and the Google Cardboard.
Time Inc. has acquired /Drive and Fast Lane Daily, two of the most prevalent automotive channels on YouTube. The two properties will now be folded into the Time Inc.-owned website TheDrive.com. TheDrive, launched in 2015, is part of the The Foundry, a recently-launched Time Inc. unit focused on content production.
Film
Nicole Seligman is leaving her post as President of Sony Entertainment at the end of March after 15 years with the company to pursue other opportunities. In her position she was credited with getting the company through the corporate computer hacking scandal as well as heading the big move in New York for Sony.
Christine Benitez has joined the Paramount Pictures as VP of Multicultural Marketing. In her new role, she will be responsible for the development and implementation of strategies that reach multicultural audiences across all marketing disciplines for the studio’s theatrical releases. A 15-year multicultural marketing veteran, Benitez joins Paramount from The Walt Disney Studios where she was Director of Multicultural Initiatives.
Steve Barnett has been named the President of Production at Endurance Media. Barnett joins James Tomlinson, who is VP Production. Barnett has spent 20 years as an exec and producer at companies such as WWE, Dimension Films and Atmosphere Entertainment, where he was a producer on 300.
Christophe Lambert is now pursuing other opportunities. He was previously the CEO at EuropaCorp I Paris. Former Universal Pictures chairman Marc Shmuger will take over the position in an interim capacity.
Mike Leeder has been hired as an Executive Producer at 108 Asia in Hong Kong. He was previously a Freelance Producer/Casting Director.
Claudia Lewis will leave her post as President Production at Fox Searchlight as of May 23rd, 2016 and will pursue other opportunities.
Max Pirkis has been named the Head of Acquisitions and Distribution at Embankment. In his new role, he will manage Embankment’s acquisitions slate while also coordinating international delivery and distribution of current Embankment titles. Greg Martin will now report to Pirkis as an Acquisitions and Distribution Exec. Sara May is leaving her consultancy role at Embankment to pursue other opportunities.
TV
Dave Mace has been hired as the EVP of Development at Brian Graden Media where he oversee the development of television and digital content for the company. Previously, he served as VP of Alternative and Non-Fiction Programming at A&E, where he oversaw Storage Wars, Flipping Vegas, and Lachey’s Bar. During his lengthy career, he also founded VH1’s Creative Lab, Viacom’s first-ever internal team devoted to creating innovative, forward-thinking development.
Peter Bazalgette has been upped from Non-Executive Director to Non-Executive Chairman at ITV (as of May 12th, 2016).
Paul Lee has left his post as President of ABC Entertainment and is now pursuing other opportunities. Channing Dungey has been upped from EVP of Drama Development, Movies & Miniseries to the President at ABC Entertainment. She becomes the first black executive to run one of the major networks’ entertainment divisions.
Rabih Gholam has been hired as the President of Unscripted Television at Studio71. He was previously the EVP and Head of Unscripted Programming at Ryan Seacrest Productions.
Morgan Greco has been upped from Sr. Director to the VP of Social Media & Fan Engagement at A+E Networks in New York.
Emily Levitan has been hired as the Senior Manager of Development, Film & Television at Activision Blizzard Studios. She was previously the Creative Executive at Shiny Penny Productions.
Damian Pitman has been hired as the Head, Development at betty in London. He was previously the Head of Development at Optomen Television.
Adam Reed has been upped from EVP to the President at Thinkfactory Media.
Angela Santone has been upped from SVP to the EVP, Global Chief Human Resources Officer at Turner in Atlanta.
Sarah Wright has been upped from Controller, Acquisitions to the Director, Acquisitions at Sky in London.
Julia Veale has been upped from SVP to EVP Business, Product Development and Management at Showtime Networks. She will continue to oversee product strategy, product development and product management for Showtime subscription services across various platforms, technologies, and devices including the Showtime streaming service, Showtime Anytime.
Management, PR, Agencies
Gary Marenzi has been named Head of Entertainment Sales & Partnerships in a newly appointed position at IMG. He will head global sales for entertainment programming. Marenzi was previously the President of Paramount International Television, MGM Worldwide Television and UIP Pay Television. He most recently worked as a consultant via Marenzi & Associates.
Chad M. Christopher, Esq. has been named the Principal Partner at Stone, Genow, Smelkinson, Binder & Christopher, LLP.
Richard Fisher and Paul Reisman have been upped from VP to the Co-Heads of the Theatrical Division at Abrams Artists Agency in New York. Billy Serow has been upped from VP to the Head of Voice-Over Division at Abrams Artists.
Annick Muller has been brought on as the new SVP at Wolf Kasteler P.R.’s New York office, effective March 1. She was previously a publicist at IDPR, where she began in 2001. She will continue her work with personal clients, on award campaigns and with television networks in launching new and current programs.
Music, Digital, Publishing, Misc.
The strategic video content studio Magnet Media has hired Neil Chase as its first Chief Strategy Officer. Chase previously served as a digital media consultant, as SVP, Editorial for Federated Media Publishing, and as Continuous News Editor at The New York Times.
Joseph Meehan has been hired as an Associate Manager in Features & Business Development at Variety. He was previously the Features Coordinator at Variety. Hanna Pachman has been hired as a Sales Coordinator at Variety Insight. She was previously a Creative & Market Coordinator at Ramo Law.
Bailey Rosser has been hired as the Vice President of Content Strategy & Audience Development at Ripple Entertainment He was previously the Audience Development Strategist at YouTube Space LA.
Martin Tremblay has been hired as the EVP of Strategy & Development at The Just for Laughs Group. He was previously the President at Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
Patti Coleman has been hired as the SVP and Head of Business & Legal Affairs at Rhino Entertainment. She was previously the SVP of Business & Legal Affairs at Warner Bros. Records.