Company Launches
British TV execs Pat Younge, Narinder Minhas, and Lucy Pilkington have launched the media company Sugar Films. The new venture will “create programming for young, mainstream and diverse audiences.” Sugar includes a production company, Sugar Films, and a digital arm, Sugar Films Lab.
The parent company of Hallmark Channel is upping its interest in original content with Crown Media Productions. The new arm will allow the Hallmark and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channels to own more of their programming and to control it across multiple platforms internationally. Crown Media Prods. aims to finance the production of up to six telepics in 2015, with the goal of doubling that number by 2016.The production arm will be overseen by Michelle Vicary, exec VP of programming for both cablers, which are units of Crown Media Family Networks.
Film
Fox 2000 has upromoted Erin Siminoff, who worked on the hit The Fault In Our Stars, to EVP Production. Nick D'Angelo was promoted to VP Production.
Marc Evans has replaced Adam Goodman as President of Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Group. The position was left open only for a short while before the 12-year vet took on the role.
Tonia Davis has joined Chernin Entertainment as VP of film. She will report to Chernin film President Jenno Topping. Davis was formerly exec director of production at Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures overseeing the Disney Staff Writing Program,
Universal Pictures’ president of Physical Production Andrew Fenady is leaving the studio after more than 16 years. He will be replaced by Jeff LaPlante, who has been EVP Physical Production since 2011.
Television
A+E Networks’ Robert Sharenow has named a new A&E head of programming. Elaine Frontain Bryant, most recently SVP development and programming for History, has been named EVP and Head of Programming for A&E Network. Lauren Dolgen, an 18-year vet at MTV, has been named Head of Reality Programming and EVP of Series Development. Dolgen was most recently Head of West Coast Reality and EVP of Series Development.
Management, PR, Music, Agencies, Digital, Misc.
MSG chief executive Tad Smith has resigned to become CEO of auction giant Sotheby’s. Smith had been CEO of MSG, the company housing Madison Square Garden and other venues owned by the Dolan family, since March 2014. Smith will succeed William F. Ruprecht at Sotheby’s and serve on Sotheby’s board of directors.
A&E Network executive Neil A. Cohen is exiting to join UTA as an agent in the Alternative TV department. He will be based in the New York offices and represent talent in the cable, network and over-the-top TV fields.
Endemol Beyond USA has named Adrian Sexton as its chief operating officer. Sexton is a digital marketing veteran who previously held top digital media positions at Participant Media and Lionsgate,