Company Launches & Partnerships
Gulfstream Pictures is launching Gulfstream TV as part of a two-year overall deal with Warner Bros. TV to develop and produce TV projects for network, cable and digital. The division will be overseen by Gulfstream Pictures principals Mike Karz and Bill Bindley, who will also look for a senior-level TV executive. The new pact expands their deal as Gulfstream Pictures renewed their two-year first-look deal with Warner Bros. last year.
Sidney Kimmel Entertainment has partnered Ivanhoe Pictures to form SKE Global. The new venture will co-finance and co-produce local language films in China, South Korea, India and other international territories. Additionally, SKE Global will mine the SKE and Ivanhoe Pictures’ libraries for potential local language remake opportunities. Sidney Kimmel Entertainment also named John Penotti as president to replace Jim Tauber, who recently retired.
Former Marvel Comics executive editor Mike Marts and Marvel writer Joe Pruett are leaving to form AfterShock comics. Marts previously edited X-Men and Guardians of the Galaxy. Facebook senior exec Michael Richter will come on in coming months and join Jon Kramer as co-CEO. Kramer comes from a production and reality TV background. They join Lee Kramer, previously at Endeavor, who will be President and Jawad Qureshi who will be the SVP of Investor Relations.
NBCUniversal International Television Production, Germany’s RTL and France’s TF1 are joining together in a first-of-its-kind co-production pact to produce U.S.-style, English-language procedural dramas for the domestic market with a goal of making three series over two years. Through it, the European broadcasters will be able to secure a pipeline of high-quality procedural content.
Icon Film Distribution and FrightFest, UK’s leading horror film fest, have inked an exclusive partnership that will see Icon release FrightFest-curated films across multiple platforms via Icon’s existing digital partners, including Sky, iTunes and Amazon.
FremantleMedia is partnering with Shanghai Media Group and China Media Capital, to create and develop content for China to be distributed through SMG’s Dragon TV and BesTV platforms. FremantleMedia International will handle worldwide distribution of the content that emerges from the joint venture.
Universal Pictures has entered into a three-year, first-look production agreement with Michael De Luca. Previously he was the president of production at Columbia Pictures.
Chicago Fire executive producer-director Joe Chappelle has signed an overall deal with the companies behind that NBC drama series, Dick Wolf’s Wolf Films and Universal TV.
Emmett/Furla Films has extended it’s partnership with Lionsgate and its Grindstone Entertainment Group for another 10 movies, several of which will be released through the newly launched Lionsgate Premiere label.
Hoodlum has inked a first-look producer pod deal at ITV Studios America for scripted series in the U.S. As part of the pact, it the Australia-based company will also operate out of ITV Studios America’s Los Angeles offices. The production company currently produces the hit ABC series, Secrets & Lies.
Andy Serkis’ The Imaginarium Studios and Red Arrow Entertainment Group are partnering in a joint initiative to develop high-end scripted drama for the international market and are currently recruiting a senior level executive to manage the new venture’s development slate with product being handled for distribution by Red Arrow International.
WME | IMG will acquire Professional Bull Riders Inc. in a deal upwards of $100 million as reported by Bloomberg Business.
Universal has inked a two-year first-look film deal with Robert Kirkman's Skybound Entertainment. Kirkman created The Walking Dead, founded SkyBound in 2010 under the umbrella of Image Comics, where Kirkman is a partner.
Film
Rachel O’Connor is leaving her post as SVP of Production at Sony Pictures to head up the new Pascal Pictures in film and TV in a move that furthers her 17 year working relationship with Amy Pascal that includes films District 9, The Amazing Spider-man, 2012 and more.
Paramount has promoted Elizabeth Raposo from senior vice president to executive vice president. Raposo has run point on both Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation and the Star Trek sequels.
Sony Pictures has hired Sanford Panitch to be the President of International Film & Television. He was previously a Fox executive. In the newly created post, Panitch will generate global film and television co-productions and local-language fare for theaters and TV.
Tommy Harper will be the COO at J.J. Abram’s Bad Robot Productions and will handle the company’s daily operations and report to Abrams, collaborating with Abrams on identifying and creating strategic initiatives for the company.
Daniel Noah, Josh Waller and Elijah Wood’s SpectreVision hired Lisa Wolk Whalen as the new Chief Operating Officer who was previously from NBCUniversal’s Chiller, where she served as Senior Director, Program Strategy.
Jumping the Broom producer Glendon Palmer has joined IM Global as senior vice president of development & production to report to IM Global founder and CEO Stuart Ford and president of production Matt Jackson.
Participant Media’s CEO Jim Berk has resigned and been temporarily replaced by founder and chairman Jeff Skoll.
Jim Amos will be the Senior Vice President, Theatrical Distribution, STX Entertainment Motion Picture Group previously of Fathom Events. He joins Terry Curtin who will head Strategic Marketing & Global Communications and Amy Elkins now head of Media & Marketing Innovation as well as Mark Mulcahy who will be Vice President, In-Theater Marketing. Keri Moore is also coming on to head Creative Advertising & Brand Development from her post at Open Road. Andrew Runyon will head Worldwide Digital Marketing & Technology, snapped up from Paramount Pictures. Robert Springer will be the Vice President, Theatrical Distribution & Operations.
Universal Pictures has tapped Santiago Capdepont as Senior Vice President, Finance, Strategy & Operations, Brand Development. He joins Stephanie Kraus who has been tapped as Senior Vice President, Creative & Brand Assurance, Brand Development and Marc Low who will sign on as Senior Vice President, Consumer Products International, Brand Development.
Candice McDonough will be the new Executive Vice President, Theatrical Publicity, Relativity EuropaCorp Distribution. She was previously at New Line.
Charlie Morrison has been promoted from Creative Executive to VP at Red Wagon Entertainment.
TV
Disney/ABC Television Group digital chief Albert Cheng is leaving after 10 years and will remain through May to ease the transition.
Wayne Goldstein has been upped to senior VP international research for Sony Pictures Television and will handle research supporting the division’s international TV distribution business, as well as sales planning, digital ad sales and marketing.
Athena Wickham, has left J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, to join Jonah Nolan and Lisa Joy’s Kilter Films to run the company’s television development.
Eric Beck has been upped from VP to Senior VP of Corporation Communications at Starz. Shannon Buck has been likewise promoted within Programming Publicity and the same goes for Colleen Curtis within Consumer & Digital Publicity.
Brad Gardner has been promoted to Senior VP of Development & Original Programming, TV Land, previously he was a VP..
Leslie Jacobowitz has been named VP of Post Production at AMC, up from Director.
Jessica Pavao is now the director of development at 3Pas Studios, previously she was a CE at Full Fathom Five.
Management, PR, Music, Agencies, Digital Misc.
CAA has hired Adam Biren as a TV lit agent, he was previously a TV lit servicing agent at UTA.
CBS Radio chief Dan Mason is retiring and Andre Fernandez has been tapped as his replacement. He was previously the COO of Journal Communications.
Branon Coluccio will head original content at Crunchyroll, previously at development at VIZ Productions. Dallas Middaugh will join him to head up Brand & Community, leaving his post as Senior Director at Penguin Random House.
Michael Cagnazzi has been named Senior Vice President of Digital Product Development at AMC, upped from VP.
Mark Deetjen, previously VP at Sony Pictures Television will be the new VP of programming and operations at BUZZR. He’s joined by Jaime Klein, who left GSN to be the VP of Creative Services and Kiesha McCorry who left Lionsgate Television to serve as VP of marketing along with Marissa Mongiello from E! and Style who will be the VP of Traffic.
Kat Hebden has switched from being managing director of FremantleMedia UK Interactive to the same post at Shotglass Media in London.
Brett Murrihy will oversee Asia Pacific for Music at WME Sydney. He previously served as CEO of Artist Voice.