Company Launches & Partnerships
New York-based film and media company Cinetic has launched an international sales division in a pre-Cannes Film Festival announcement. Cinetic previously focused on domestic sales but they will now be working with existing sales, management and finance teams to plan film finance and worldwide sales along with acquiring international sales rights. Jason Ishikawa will head the new division. He was previously the Senior Director of Acquisitions at The Film Sales Company.
Comcast’s FreeWheel online-video division has paid upwards of $100 million in cash to acquire French company StickyAds.tv, which provides tools and a private exchange for video publishers to sell ads programmatically. StickyAds’ goal is to help premium publishers “embrace programmatic video in a controlled and totally transparent manner.” The company’s customers include France’s TF1, Yahoo, Deezer, France Télévisions and Spiegel TV, and it claims to serve more than 7,000 websites in 150 countries worldwide.
Ellen DeGeneres has launched her own digital network. Programs will include original Damn, Daniel series for Snapchat; Ellen’s Pet Dish, an animated series featuring her pets, the return of 4-year-old viral sensation Brielle; new episodes of Dance Challenge; #MadeByYou and popular Ellen Show game Epic or Fail. She also signed a content development deal with social media star Tyler Oakley, and will collaborate on a range of original digital projects, with an aim toward developing projects for television.
Skydance Media has aquired game developer The Workshop Entertainment, Inc. which will be used to launch Skydance Interactive, LLC, a subsidiary that will create and own original video games and virtual reality experiences. Workshop gives Skydance the ability to vertically integrate its IP across film, TV and interactive platforms. The company will self-publish and digitally distribute Skydance Interactive titles for VR hardware.
UK film financier The Fyzz Facility has signed a deal with The Tea Shop & Film Company producers Mark Lane and James Harris to launch The Fyzz Facility Pictures. The team will develop existing and new IP and produce three to five feature films and television productions a year with the support of “substantial financial backing.” Under the pact, Mark Lane and James Harris will be made directors along with Fyzz’s Wayne Marc Godfrey and Robert Jones. The two companies have worked together on three films in the last 2 years, including the upcoming thriller 47 Meters Down, which will be released by the Weinstein Company.
Revolution Studios has bought a stake in Latino digital entertainment company Latin Everywhere and has licensed Spanish-dubbed versions of titles for distribution through Latin Everywhere’s OTT platform, Pongalo. Latin Everywhere will leverage Revolution’s strategic investment to expand Pongalo with an upcoming subscription VOD offering. Latin Everywhere’s library includes more than 50,000 hours of film and TV content, including telenovela Juana la Virgen, the basis for the hit U.S. television series Jane the Virgin.
Digital company Fullscreen is changing its name to Fullscreen Media and restructuring into three business units focused on creators, consumers with premium entertainment and advertisers with branded content. Fullscreen Creator Network will provide services to creators on YouTube and other platforms to develop programming, expand distribution and sell merchandise, which also includes management services and direct-to-fan technology Fullscreen Direct. Fullscreen Entertainment will comprise Rooster Teeth and Fullscreen Productions, SVOD services for Rooster Teeth and Fullscreen Live, which will produce 250 live, in-person events in 2016. The third division, Fullscreen Brandworks will consist of a team of content creators and marketing experts that create branded social content and a media network.
Film
Kim Dong-ho has been appointed chairman of the Busan International Film Festival. His role will be to ensure the festival runs smoothly this year, October 6-15. His wider role may be to try to end the conflict over artistic independence that has been going on for upwards of 18 months between festival organizers and the city authorities. Kim, who was one of the festival’s supporters at its start 20 years ago, is currently an honorary executive director.
Matt Alvarez has been named the President of Production at Broad Green Pictures. He has producer credits on Straight Outta Compton and Ride Along. In his new position, Alvarez will be responsible for identifying new projects and handle Broad Green’s slate of films. He will continue his role as producer on films he has in active development at the studio.
Jeff Annison is now the Co-Founder/President of Legion M. He was previously the Chief Executive Officer at Underground Labs, Inc. Paul Scanlan is now the Co-founder/Chief Executive Officer at Legion M. He was previously the Co-Founder/President at MobiT, Inc.
Kyle Bellinger has been upped from Development Executive to Executive Director of Acquisitions & Development at Foresight Unlimited. Talia Goldman is now the Executive Director of Operations & Distribution at Foresight Unlimited. She was formerly the Director of International Sales at IM Global.
Paul Davidson has been upped from SVP to EVP of Film & Television at The Orchard.
Chet Devaskar is now the EVP of Business & Legal Affairs at Covert Media. He was previously the Head, Business Affairs and General Counsel at Treehouse Pictures.
Jamie Stevens is now the EVP of Worldwide Consumer Products, Motion Picture Group at Sony Pictures Entertainment. He was previously the EVP of Global Retail Marketing & Development at NBCUniversal.
Adam Walker has been upped from Head Publicist of Premieres Program to Director, Publicity at Film Forum in New York.
Ana Garanito will now be the Head of Development at Idris Elba’s Green Door Pictures. In her new role she will spearhead scripted film and TV development for the company, which is looking to ramp up its efforts in the arena. She recently worked at Runaway Fridge Productions and FremantleMedia International.
TV
Sean McDonough has been hired as a new color commentator for ESPN in a move to replace Mike Tirico, who is leaving the Worldwide Leader to join NBC Sports. Since 2000, McDonough has worked for ESPN on the World Series, NCAA Final Four and the Olympic Games along with college football, college basketball and Major League Baseball. He has also called NFL games for ESPN Radio since 2013.
Jill Ratner has been upped from SVP to EVP of Litigation at Fox Entertainment Group.
Jonathan Bluman is now the VP of Talent & Casting at ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios. He was previously a Talent Agent at WME. Ayo Davis is now the Head of Talent & Casting at ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios after being the Interim Head of Casting.
Tommy Coriale has been upped from VP of Production to General Manager at DiGa in New York.
Daniel Eilemberg has bene upped from Chief Digital Officer and SVP, Digital to President, Chief Content Officer at FUSION. Boris Gartner has been upped from SVP, Chief Strategy Officer to President, Chief Operating Officer.
Perla Farias is now the SVP of Scripted Development at Telemundo Studios. She was formerly the VP of Novela Development at Telemundo Network in Miami. Carmen Urbaneja has been upped from VP, Novela Production to SVP of Scripted Productions at Telemundo Studios.
Liza Burnett Fefferman is now the SVP of Communications at VH1 and Logo (New York, as of May 2nd, 2016). She was formerly the EVP of Publicity at RADiUS in New York.
Bill Hilary is now pursuing other opportunities. He was previously the President at Fuse Media. Felipe Holguin is now the Co-President, Chief Operating Officer at Fusion Media Group. He was previously the EVP of Digital & News Operations at Univision Communications Inc. Camila Jimenez Villa is now the Co-President, Chief Content Officer at Fusion Media Group. She was formerly the VP of CEO Projects & Analytics at Univision Communications Inc.
Julie Pifher is now the VP of Development at Rive Gauche Television. She was formerly the Director of Development at Workaholic Productions.
Barry Poznick is now the President of Unscripted Television at MGM Television. He was previously the Founder, Chief Executive Officer at Barracuda Productions.
Mia Rondinella is now the SVP of Global Distribution & Strategy at Disney Media Distribution and Disney & ESPN Media Networks. She was formerly the VP of Consumer Data & Analytics at Disney-ABC Television Group.
Sheri Salata is launching an unnamed brand innovation agency. She was formerly the Co-President, Management Partner at OWN. Erik Logan, will now serve as sole president of OWN.
Joseph Schneier has been uppe from Senior Director to VP of Production & Development at Discovery Channel.
Jessica Sebastian is now the SVP of Development at ITV Entertainment. She was formerly the Head of Alternative Programming at USA Network.
Paul Shapiro is pursuing other opportunities. He was previously the SVP of Original Content at Syfy. Erik Storey is also currently pursuing other opportunities. He was previously the SVP of Original Programming at Syfy.
Daniel Tibbets is now the President, General Manager at El Rey Network. He was previously the Chief Content Officer at Machinima.
Andrew Wang is now the Head of Television Development & Production at JuVee Productions. He was previously the VP and Head of Scripted Television Development & Production at Bravo Media.
Jimmy Zasowski has been upped from Senior Director of Affiliate Sales to VP of Business Strategy at Disney & ESPN Media Networks in New York.
Jonathan Schwartz has been upped from EVP of General Counsel & Head, Government Relations and Secretary to Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer at Univision Communications Inc. in New York.
Jacqueline Parkes will be the EVP of Marketing and Creative at MTV in a move to replace longtime MTV marketing chief Tina Exharos, who left the company at the end of last year. Eli Lehrer will be the new EVP overseeing MTV2 and will succeed Chris McCarthy, who was named GM of VH1. Parkes was previously the Chief of Marketing at the MLB while Lehrer was Lifetime’s SVP and Head of Non-Scripted Programming. Kristin Frank, formerly EVP of Connected Content for MTV and VH1, will now be the EVP of Strategy, Revenue & Operations. Erik Flannigan, previously the EVP at Viacom’s Music & Entertainment Group, will now be the EVP of Music/Events Strategy & Development.
Management, PR, Agencies
Hannah Ozer is now a Literary Manager at Kaplan/Perrone. She was formerly the Director of Development at Mad Chance Productions.
George Heller is now a Literary Manager at Brillstein Entertainment Partners. He was previously a Literary Manager at Apostle Management.
Music, Digital, Publishing, Misc.
Eric Legendre and Celine Rotterman have been upped to Co-Managing Directors of International Advertising & Strategic Partnerships at Variety. While at Variety Legendre has planned key events at some festivals and markets, including Cannes, MIP-TV and the Annecy Animation Festival. Rotterman, based in London, has supervised sales across Variety’s platforms for Germany, Central Europe, U.K. Television, Turkey, Russia and the CIS.
Maria Valero is now the VP of Business Affairs at Condé Nast Entertainment in New York. She was formerly the VP of Business Affairs & Content at Audible.
Jesse Goodwin is now the VP of Music Supervision at The Hit House. He was previously the Music Supervisor at Seismic Productions,
Patrick Davenport is now the Chief Operating Officer, USA at MPC Advertising (New York/Los Angeles). He was previously the Managing Director at Co3 & Method Studios.