Company Launches, Partnerships & Deals
Tessa Ross and Juliette Howell have partnered to create a yet unnamed new production company to cover both film and TV production and to open before the end of 2015. Tessa Ross was the former head of Film4 while Howell was previously Working Title’s TV head.
In a competitive battle, 20th Century Fox TV has signed Dan Fogelman through his Rhode Island Ave Productions banner to a four-year overall development deal. His previous deal was at ABC Studios. Under the new Fox agreement, he will develop projects within a variety of genres that he will then produce and write himself or oversee other writers. Fogelman’s pilot, Grandfathered received an order from Fox this year. On the feature side, Fogelman produced Me and Earl and the Dying Girl which is releasing today.
CAA has formed CAA Premium Experience, a full-service hospitality, event management and marketing practice. It stems from recent acquisitions: corporate hospitality companies Beyond Sports & Entertainment and Goviva. The new companies will pair with CAA’s Inside Sports & Entertainment Group to form the new venture. The company will have upwards of 50 staffers.
PBS has partnered with Brightcove to launch a new Android app which gives users access to video from PBS and member stations, full-length episodes from new primetime programs and PBS archives, with national and local station content updated daily.
Vimeo and Fullscreen are collaborating to bring exclusive content to Vimeo On Demand. The partnership launches with the global release of #O2LForever on June 23, featuring disbanded vlogging supergroup O2L.
Film
Big shake-up at 21st Century Fox as Rupert Murdoch has stepped down as CEO and handed over the reins to his sons. James Murdoch will be promoted from co-COO to CEO of 21st Century Fox and Lachlan Murdoch will become executive chairman. Rupert Murdoch will continue as an executive chairman. Chase Carey is also stepping down as COO but will remain until May 2016 in a to-be-determined role. In addition, Roger Ailes will continue to report directly to Rupert Murdoch at the Fox News Channel.
James Myers has been promoted from Director of Development to VP of Production at Summit.
Tobias Riehl has been upped from Sales Director to Co-Managing Director of Paramount Pictures Germany. Likewise Florian Ritter has been promoted from Co-Managing Director from her position as Marketing Director.
Lynn Heymont is now the EVP of Human Resources at Participant Media, she was previously the company’s SVP.
Long-time production executive Mark Sourian will join Universal Pictures as EVP of Production. Sourian comes to Universal from DreamWorks Studios where he has served in the production ranks since 1997 and most recently as an independent producer with the company. He had a first look production deal with Dreamworks previously. Sourain joins Erik Baiers who has also been named EVP of Production for the studio, he was upped from SVP, a job he held since 2012. He will continue to report to co-Presidents of Production Peter Cramer and Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, who made the announcement.
Loren Schwartz has joined Warner Bros. as the feature division’s new EVP of genre marketing and creative advertising. Schwartz will report to the EVP of marketing, Blair Rich and president of worldwide marketing and international distribution, Sue Kroll. He left Screen Gems as their marketing EVP and that post was promptly taken by Danielle Misher who was promoted into his position.
Anthony Bregman’s Likely Story production company, headed by Anthony Bregman has hired on Peter Cron as VP of Film Production and Jeff Stern as VP of Scripted TV. Cron was a former Weinstein Company CE while Stern hailed from HBO’s Fair Harbor Productions. Ryan Featherman was also promoted to story editor on the TV side. All three have also worked at Scott Rudin Productions. The company’s in preproduction on James Schamus’ Indignation and James Ponsoldt’s The Circle.
Jason Brenek has been named the President of Home Entertainment and EVP for IMAX. He was previously the SVP of International In-Home and Head, Global Business Development & Strategic Partnerships for The Walt Disney Company.
Tracy Kain is now the VP of National Ad Sales for the Western Region & Detroit Region, Screenvision, up from just overseeing the Detroit region. Christine Martino has been promoted from VP to SVP of National Ad Sales as well.
Indie financing and production house IM Global, subsidiary of Reliance ADA , a has formed a co-financing and admin partnership to handle music publishing, distribution and market services with music rights management company Kobalt. Under the deal Kobalt will handle domestic and foreign releases of soundtracks and manage the rights to scores and songs for IM Global Films, IM Global Music and IM Global Television.
Danielle Misher has been upped to EVP, Marketing for Screen Gems. She will report to Dwight Caines, president of Domestic Theatrical Marketing for Sony Pictures Entertainment. Misher will spearhead the marketing for Clint Culpepper’s division, handling the creation of campaigns including trailers, posters, television ads, and publicity.
Gillian Bohrer has been named Co-President of Production for Lionsgate, up from EVP of Production and Development for the studio. Bobby Cohen also joins the studio as Co-President of Production. HE was previously a Senior Producer at Secret Hideout.
TV
Showtime long-time chairman and CEO Matthew Blank is stepping down and with it Showtime President David Nevins will take over the role effective January 1, 2016. Blank will continue in his role as chairman, working on big-picture strategy. In his new role, Nevins will be responsible for all aspects of the daily and strategic management of the division, creative development and acquisition of premium programming and marketing, and for all of the other business functions at Showtime. He will continue to report to Blank but will also report to Moonves.
Univision Communications Inc. promoted Roberto Ruiz to EVP, Strategy and Insights. Ruiz joined UCI in 2008 as Vice President of Strategy + Insights.
Daniel C. Murdock is the new VP and Corporate Controller for Comcast. He was previously the Deputry Chief Accountant, Securities and Exchange Commission in D.C.
Bela Bajaria has been named President of Universal Television, promoted from EVP.
Comedy writer-producer Chuck Tatham is extending his pact with 20th Century Fox TV in another overall deal for two years. He will continue to work on the studio’s flagship live-action comedy Modern Family, with an executive producer credit next season. He previously served as Co-EP on Arrested Development and Back To You.
Ian Lamarra is the new Creative Director of Bookhouse in London. He was formerly the Creative Director for Alaska TV.
Brandon Meyer has been promoted from Manager to Director at FremantleMedia North America in their Scripted Programming department.
Glenda Pacanins has been upped from VP of Programming Strategy Integration to SVP of Programming & Content at Telemundo in Miami. Leonor Sotillo has been named SVP of Programming Strategy, up from VP.
Fox Networks Group has entered into a three year first-look deal with producer Scott Rudin who will develop and produce projects for three networks: Fox through 20th Century Fox TV, FX through FX Prods, and National Geographic Channel through National Geographic Studios. Garrett Basch of Film Rites is in discussions to oversee the TV side. He is repped by WME and Ziffren Brittenham. His upcoming films include Zoolander 2, Steve Jobs, The Intern and Mistress America.
Crown Media Family Networks, Home of the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, has hired Angela Megrey as their VP of social media.
Deborah Bradley has been named EVP of Networks and Programming Optimization, Content Strategy & Commercialization at Turner Broadcasting System, up from SVP of Program Acquisitions.
Paula Cavalcanti is the new CEO of FremantleMedia Brazil. He was previously the Production Director of TV Bandeirantes.
Muse Entertainment USA has hired Lydia Storie as VP Development, Meghan Mathes as Director of Development and promoted Scott Clayton to Manager of Development. They will grow Muse Entertainment’s slate of scripted programming, especially serialized drama and large-scale event miniseries and comedy. Storie hails from Endemol Studios’ where she was Director of Development and Mathes was previously a Manager of Development at Evolution Entertainment.
Vanessa Grunstein is the new VP of Business Affairs for NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group. She was previously the VP of Business & Legal Affairs at Ryan Seacrest Productions.
Allie James has been promoted from Manager to Director at MTV in their Scripted Development department.
Tracey Pakosta has been named EVP of Comedy Programming for NBC Entertainment, previously Pakosta was the EVP of Comedy for Universal TV. Vernon Sanders has been named EVP of Current Programming at NBC Entertainment, a shift from their Comedy Programming department.
Glen Freyer is the new EVP of Rock Shrimp Productions. He hails from Atlas Media where he was SVP of Development.
Jeff Grosvenor has been named VP of Comedy Development at WB Television. He hails from Le Train Train Productions where he was EVP of Development.
Scott Stemmermann has been named VP of Digital Marketing at NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution, up from Director.
Meghann Wu has been named SVP of Strategy & Business Development at Viacom Music and Entertainment Group, up from VP.
Management, PR, Agencies
Jay Rosenthal is now a Partner of Entertainment & New Media at Mitchell Silberberg Knupp in D.C. He was previously a General Counsel at the National Music Publishers’ Association.
Nigel Meiojas has left ICM Partners. While at ICM he repped Alexander Ludwig, Lucas Black, Jerry O’Connell and Robert Duvall among others. Per Deadline, he is “expected to become an agent at United Talent Agency” and it’s not confirmed which clients will be leaving with him.
Katherine Rowe is now the SVP for Shelter PR. She was previously the SVP of Slate PR.
Thruline Entertainment has made longtime talent manager Marc Hamou a partner, bringing the company’s partner count to six. His client list includes Emily VanCamp, Jay Baruchel and Rex Lee among others. Christina Karakasidis has also been promoted to manager. She started there in 2009 as an assistant and most recently was a talent coordinator.
Ellie Schiff has been upped from coordinator to Agent in Paradigm’s TV Literary division.
Kate Rosenbaum has signed on to Slate PR as VP and will work closely with co-founder Simon Halls on their entire roster, which includes Ridley Scott, Ang Lee, Brett Ratner and Bryan Singer among others. She hails from 42West where she spent eight years working on feature campaigns.
Hilary Craven has been named the CMO of Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners. She was previously the Head of Experiential & Earned Media at 72andSunny.
Jacob Hastad has been upped from assistant to Manager of Talent at Gotham/Principal.
Bruce Solar is the new EVP of Worldwide Music at APA. He hails from The Agency Group where he was SVP and Head in their LA offices.
Music, Digital, Publishing, Misc.
Dick Costolo is stepping down from his post as Twitter’s CEO and Co-founder and chairman Jack Dorsey will serve as interim CEO starting July 1. Costolo, who signed on in 2009 as COO will remain on Twitter’s board. Dorsey meanwhile will continue to head Square, the company he founded in 2009 while Twitter searches for a permanent CEO.
Funny Or Die has hired John Schneider as President of Sales. Previously he headed Blank Screen Ventures, a digital media consultancy, working with start-ups OnScroll and Percolate.
Ellie Duque has been named publisher of Entertainment Weekly, taking over for Melissa Mattiace.
Hasbro has signed on Meghan McCarthy as Head of Storytelling for the company’s Girl brands and report to EVP and Chief Content Officer, Stephen Davis. In her new position she will develop story and characters across the company’s portfolio of brands. She will also develop the upcoming My Little Pony animated feature film currently slated for release in 2017. Previously she was an EP on the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series on Discovery Family Channel, now in its fifth season. In addition Coral Wright has been named a Creative Executive there. Wright makes the move from Monsterfoot Productions where Wright was also a CE.
Bryan Weiser has been named a manager of business affairs for DC Entertainment. He was formerly a manager for Business & Legal Affairs at 3 Ball Entertainment.
Sameer Deen is the new SVP of Univision Digital in Miami. Deen was previously SVP Multi-Platform Distribution & Strategy at Scripps Networks Interactive.
Sean Mills has been named head of Original Content at Snapchat, he formerly was the President of NowThis.
Adam Smith has been promoted from Regional VP to SVP of National Sales at Vevo. Prior to joining Vevo, Smith spent five years in Sales at MySpace.
Joan Halpern Weise has been named a Manager of Labor Relations at Netflix. She was previously the Assistant National Executive Director, Contracts at SAG-AFTRA.
Kre8 Media, a DRTV, digital media and brand advertising agency, has upped Stephen Pickens to the new position of Vice President, Partnership Development. Pickens was the first hire of Kre8 Media in 2009 as their Director of Client Services and Business Development.