Company Launches
Producers Jonathan Roberts and Adam Trahan have teamed to form new talent management company Silver Fox Entertainment (SFE). Roberts will serve as CEO while Trahan will serve as president and head of talent.
Emmy nominated director Neil Marshall (Game Of Thrones) and his agent Marc Helwig have launched a TV/film production company called Applebox Entertainment. They have signed a two-year overall deal with Legendary TV. The duo will develop scripted dramas that focus on elevated genre fare and projects with worldwide appeal.
Film
Sean Cocchia has been upped to EVP Business Operations and General Manager, Disney Channels Worldwide. The longtime Disney exec will oversee the division’s Strategy and Operations and Franchise and Brand Management groups; Disney Media Sales and Marketing; and Radio Disney.
Universal Pictures International has named Rob Huber managing director for the UK and Ireland. He will replace Niels Swinkels, who was promoted in December last year to the role of EVP International Distribution.
Television
CBS has brought on Lisa Ammerman to the newly created position of VP Talent Booking, following her work as Senior Segment Producer for The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson. Before that she was a casting producer for CBS’ Survivor and The Amazing Race.
Robert Mills has been promoted to SVP Alternative Series, Specials & Late-Night Programming for ABC Entertainment. Mills was previously a VP and had been running ABC’s alternative department on an interim basis since the November departure of the network’s previous head of alternative, EVP Lisa Berger.
Bruce Rosenblum took over Legendary Television in 2013, and he has been looking to hire a president of scripted television. He has now brought in veteran TV lit agent Lauren Heller Whitney. The company’s top scripted executive, EVP Peter Johnson, has extended his contract and will now report to Whitney.
MSNBC has hired Tom Colicchio, the award-winning chef, restaurant owner, and founder of Crafted Hospitality, as its first food correspondent across all platforms. Colicchio will produce original reporting and video for MSNBC's TV shows, and host a new weekly food show on Shift, MSNBC’s new digital video experience.
Tribune Broadcasting appointed Bart Feder to Senior Vice President of News. Feder, who worked at CNN, will be responsible for overseeing all news operations and news production for Tribune Broadcasting's 42 owned or operated stations.
Discovery Channel has upped Michael Greco to EVP programming and research. Greco will oversee program strategy and long- and short-term planning for Discovery Channel's primetime, daytime and late-night programming.
Digital
LiquidThread has restructured its executive ranks and promoted Brent Poer to global creative director. Juan Davila is now managing director of global business development at Starcom MediaVest’s branded entertainment division. LiquidThread also has tapped John Doyle as senior VP, managing director, USA; and upped Jill Griffin to managing director, operations, USA. Management, PR, Music, Agencies
Paradigm Talent Agency has promoted five agent trainees to agents. Will Douglas, Dan Moresco and Jamie Hughes have gotten upped in the Talent department. Varun Lella has been promoted in the Digital department, and Gabriel Mena in the agency's Film Packaging, Financing and Sales division.