Ample entertainment

EXCLUSIVE : Paul Ben-Victor ( Plane ) and Mercedes Varnado ( The Mandalorian ) are the newest additions to the cast of the action-thriller The Collective from Yale Entertainment . They join a cast that also includes Lucas Till, Ruby Rose, Tyrese Gibson, and Don Johnson, as previously announced. In the recently-wrapped film from director Tom DeNucci, a group of righteous assassins called The Collective take aim at a highly sophisticated human trafficking ring backed by a network of untouchable billionaires. With their backs against the wall, The Collective has no choice but to put their most important mission in the hands of rookie assassin, Sam Alexander (Till). What he lacks in experience he makes up for in savvy, grit, and a keen ability to improvise in the most dangerous situations. He is aided on his journey by Hugo (Gibson) and Liam (Johnson), former CIA operatives turned rogue vigilantes. They face off against Daisy (Rose), the cunning general manager of this … [Read more...] about Paul Ben-Victor & Mercedes Varnado Join Yale Entertainment’s Action-Thriller ‘The Collective’

EXCLUSIVE: Nick and Jon Hamm’s Free Turn Entertainment has hired Robbie Ashcroft as Managing Partner. Ashcroft will join London and Los Angeles-based Free Turn’s management team. He’s joining from The Story Lab and will work on its audio slate and new TV and film slate partnerships among other tasks. Ashcroft was most recently International Development Partner at The Story Lab, where he established a new development and production fund for “original audio projects with multiplatform potential” in partnership with Global Media and Entertainment. This led to the greenlight of podcasts such as John Sweeney’s Hunting Ghislaine . While at The Story Lab, which is the content arm of Japanese ad giant Dentsu, Ashcroft also managed a strategic partnership between the parent company and Yahoo to created mixed reality TV formats from an XR smartstage in Holborn, London. Interstellar used that partnership for its show All Star Dance Off on ITV2 in 2021. “Robbie is a rare … [Read more...] about Nick Hamm’s Free Turn Entertainment Hires The Story Lab Exec Robbie Ashcroft

EXCLUSIVE : Justin Wilkes , Chief Strategy Officer of Imagine Entertainment and President of Imagine Documentaries and Brands, has been promoted to President of the company, headed by Executive Chairmen Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Following Wilkes’ promotion, Co-President of Documentaries Sara Bernstein has been named President Of Documentaries, leading the division. In his new role, Wilkes will be working closely with Imagine’s COO Steve Shikiya, President of Features Karen Lunder, President of Television Kristen Zolner, President of Documentaries Bernstein, EVP of Brands Marc Gilbar, and Brooke Posch, President of Jax Media, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Imagine Entertainment. He will also continue to work with Alex Gibney and the team at Jigsaw Productions across their slate. Wilkes replaces Jax Media’s Tony Hernandez and Lilly Burns who left earlier this month after a year-long stint as Presidents of Imagine Entertainment. The exit of the duo, who departed … [Read more...] about Imagine Entertainment Elevates Justin Wilkes To President

EXCLUSIVE: Pamela Fisher , a leading talent agent in the youth development space, has left A3 where she was a partner and served as VP as well as acting as head of the Youth and Emerging Talent Division. She is segueing to management, joining LBI Entertainment . At the management company, Fisher will oversee the development of rising talent. She will be bringing with her a roster of select artists across film, TV and music whom she will rep in her new role as a manager. That includes her longtime clients Dove Cameron and Jordan Fisher, whom she had shared with LBI for years. Fisher has represented Cameron, a Daytime Emmy Award winner with over 48.2 million social media followers, since she was 14, helping to land her the hit Disney Channel Descendants franchise. Cameron was recently named Best New Artist at the VMAs and AMAs. Pamela Fisher has also represented Jordan Fisher since he was 12 and was instrumental in landing him Fox’s Grease: Live, Netflix’s To All the Boys: … [Read more...] about A3’s Pamela Fisher Joins LBI Entertainment As Manager

EXCLUSIVE : Productivity Media (PMI) and Wind Sun Sky Entertainment (WSS) have hired producer Navid McIlhargey as Head of Content for both companies. McIlhargey, who previously worked at companies including New Regency and Silver Pictures, will be responsible for building a slate of live-action and animated film and TV projects and overseeing the respective content teams. The hire comes on the heels of PMI’s investment and first look distribution deal with WSS for film and TV. Mcllhargey was an executive at Joe Roth’s Revolution Studios and later moved to Joel Silver’s Silver Pictures where he was an executive producer on Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla . He later became EVP at New Regency, overseeing The Darkest Hour starring Emile Hirsch and Joel Kinneman, as well as Broken City , starring Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe. In 2015, he started his own consulting and production shingle, Vandal Entertainment, working on The Hunter’s Prayer . He was a supervising … [Read more...] about Former New Regency & Silver Pictures Exec Navid McIlhargey Joins Wind Sun Sky Entertainment & Productivity Media

EXCLUSIVE: Christian Robinson ( BMF , Interview With The Vampire ) has signed with Cultivate Entertainment Partners for representation. Robinson is an American actor of Panamanian and African American descent, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He began his career co-starring in the Netflix original film Burning Sands , which was an official selection at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. He played Big Country in the drama project following students who pledge to a fraternity as illegal hazing has now moved underground. Additionally, he portrayed the character Capital A in the 2018 horror film The First Purge . On the small screen, Robinson can currently be seen in Season 3 of the Starz hit drama series BMF in the role of Tiny. He also recurred in the AMC+ series Interview With The Vampire portraying Levi. Other TV credits include HBO’s The Watchmen , IFC’s Brockmire, Tell Me A Story for CBS, and Tales for BET. “Christian is a phenomenal actor … [Read more...] about ‘BMF’ Actor Christian Robinson Signs With Cultivate Entertainment Partners

Greenwich Entertainment has picked up all rights excluding TV to the documentary Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV , directed and produced by Amanda Kim, which world premiered in U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. The film will launch its U.S. theatrical release at New York’s Film Form on March 24, being distributed in Canada by Films We Like starting on the same date, ahead of its U.S. broadcast premiere on PBS’ American Masters . Dogwoof acquired UK distribution rights and international sales rights outside of Korea in early January, with a distribution deal and streaming partner for the latter territory to be announced shortly. The doc tells the story of Nam June Paik, a pillar of the American avant-garde in the 20th century, widely regarded as “The George Washington of Video Art,” who coined the phrase “Electronic Superhighway,” and is arguably the most famous Korean artist in modern history. It charts Paik’s artistic evolution, … [Read more...] about Greenwich Entertainment Acquires Sundance Doc ‘Nam June Paik: Moon Is The Oldest TV’ On “Father Of Video Art”

EXCLUSIVE : The White Lotus breakout Sabrina Impacciatore has signed with Gersh and MGMT Entertainment for representation. Impacciatore is one of the Italian stars of the HBO smash’s second season, following the intertwining lives of employees and guests at a White Lotus luxury hotel in Sicily. The anthology created, written, directed and exec produced by Mike White had her playing Valentina, the tightly wound resort manager who falls for the concierge Isabella (Eleonora Romandini). While she’s annoyed for much of the season by the presence on the property of the sex worker Lucia (Simona Tabasco) and her aspiring singer friend Mia (Beatrice Grannò), she winds up sharing her vulnerability and a life-changing moment of physical intimacy with the latter. Mia is then able to realize a personal dream, as she’s granted the opportunity to perform for hotel guests. The White Lotus has thus far nabbed 10 Emmys from 20 nominations for its two seasons, among countless … [Read more...] about ‘The White Lotus’ Breakout Sabrina Impacciatore Signs With Gersh & MGMT Entertainment

In a major organizing victory, the WGA East has won an NLRB-sanctioned election to unionize Leftfield Entertainment , the largest reality TV company on the East Coast whose shows include Pawn Stars , The Real Housewives Of New Jersey, Monster In-Laws and Counting Cars . The union still has to negotiate a contract with Leftfield, however, and that may prove difficult, as the company shot back today that the guild’s organizing campaign was based on “lies” and “unrealistic promises.” The vote to unionize the writer-producers at Leftfield carried by a 2-to-1 margin – 121 in favor to 67 against. “It’s time for production companies like Leftfield to recognize that unionization is here to stay in nonfiction TV,” said WGA East executive director Lowell Peterson. “Writer-producers know how important collective bargaining is to improving their working conditions and to building sustainable careers.” The victory is the biggest to date for the guild in the reality TV field, … [Read more...] about WGA East Wins Unionization Vote At ‘Pawn Stars’ Producer Leftfield Entertainment

EXCLUSIVE : Nick Hamm , director of movies Driven and The Journey and new Netflix series White Lines , is launching London- and L.A.-based entertainment company Free Turn. Hamm is teaming with ex-WPP agency executive Jon Hamm on the firm which will be a hybrid film and TV production outfit and creative advertising agency. The brothers previously co-founded Greenroom Digital which they sold to IPG in 2009. Also aboard at Free Turn are Firecracker Films co-founder Jeremy Groman, who will take the role of Chief Creative Officer, and former WPP agency growth director Gemma Batterby, who will run the business as Managing Director. Hamm is currently in pre-production on Free Turn’s first movie. Factual will be under the guidance of Groman, whose recent projects include ESPN’s World’s Fastest Gamer . The company says it has already inked deals with SVOD and OTT services “to exclusively create brand-funded entertainment for their platforms” and it has recently been … [Read more...] about ‘White Lines’ & ‘Driven’ Director Nick Hamm Launches London- & L.A.-Based Entertainment Company Free Turn