Former Millennium President Jeffrey Greenstein Launches Production & Sales Company A Higher Standard — EFM

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Former NBC Universal Television Entertainment chairman Jeff Gaspin is taking a job as VP of unscripted series at Netflix — reporting to Netflix VP of nonfiction series Brandon Riegg. It’s a bit of a reversal for the two execs: In 2010, Riegg joined NBC as vice president of alternative series & development, reporting to the heads of alternative programming there, who in turn reported to Gaspin.

Alan Ritchson (Reacher) and Kevin James (The King of Queens) have been set to lead action-comedy Playdate, which will be directed by Luke Greenfield (The Girl Next Door) from a script written by Neil Goldman (Shrinking).

John Avlon, who recently departed CNN, has officially launched his bid for a New York congressional seat.

EXCLUSIVE: LA’s J Creative Entertainment is expanding into content production, launching a production arm that will develop Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Filipino stories for global audiences.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Kevin Hart‘s Hartbeat has appointed Jay Levine, who previously spent more than a decade at Warner Bros. and WarnerMedia, as CEO. Levine takes over the chief executive role from Thai Randolph, who exited Hartbeat last fall after seven years with the company.

Veteran producer Ted Hope and former European Film Market head Beki Probst have been named as members of the Locarno Film Festival’s new industry advisor board.

Jenelle Riley Deputy Awards and Features Editor When you have the SAG Award nominated ensemble of “American Fiction” – John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Tracee Ellis Ross and Jeffrey Wright (also individually nominated in male lead and Oscar nominated for the film) you have to ask them where it all began. In discussing their first jobs for the union, Ross revealed that, like many actors, she started with a commercial – this one for Infiniti cars.But her co-stars soon revealed surprisingly momentous stories for their first SAG-AFTRA jobs. Wright noted his onscreen debut was opposite Burt Lancaster and Sidney Poitier in the 1991 miniseries “Separate but Equal” about the Brown v.

Donald Trump had another very bad day in court.

James Tynion IV, the New York Times bestselling author behind comic books like Something is Killing the Children and The Department of Truth, on Friday announced the launch of Tiny Onion, an independent multimedia production company that will be active across the publishing, film, television, and animation industries.

Wasserman, the sports and music representation firm that acquired Brillstein Entertainment Partners last year, is officially moving into the non-fiction space.

EXCLUSIVE: Production has wrapped on indie feature Bad Man, starring Seann William Scott (American Pie) alongside Johnny Simmons (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Rob Riggle (21 Jump Street), Chance Perdomo (After We Fell), Andre Hyland (Barry), and Lovi Poe (Chelsea Cowboy).

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Trey Gargano has been named executive vice president of ad sales, taking the reins of the outlet’s efforts to drive millions of dollars in advertising revenue at a time when Madison Avenue has seemed more ambivalent about news content. Additionally, Ryan Roelle has been promoted to senior vice president of national sales, and will focus on endemic and national advertising in addition to leading linear and digital sales across the country.

EXCLUSIVE: German production and sales company Augenschein, whose credits include Joseph Gordon-Levitt thriller 7500 (pictured) and Anna Kendrick sci-fi Stowaway, has sold a minority stake to Erfttal Film, the longtime shareholder in All Quiet On The Western Front producer Amusement Park.

EXCLUSIVE: Paul Rosicker, an agent at Gersh for over 35 years, is moving into management after founding Quest Entertainment and Management with his husband, manager and producer Brian Ferrantino.

EXCLUSIVE: A shake-up is taking place on the eve of EFM at one of the market’s long-standing U.S. sales and production companies.

EXCLUSIVE: Brooklyn-based filmmaker Ged Dickersin (CODA) is launching True Indy, a production company intent on making films that can and should be made independently, with filmmakers telling acutely relevant stories for the world market.

EXCLUSIVE: Brooklyn-based filmmaker Ged Dickersin (CODA) is now launching TRUE INDY, a production company intent on making films that can and should be made independently, with filmmakers telling acutely relevant stories for the world market.True Indy sees the opportunity to attract financing for films that can be made in the one to five million dollar range, reducing the financial risk to investors, and increasing the chances for a return on the investment. The company is introducing its slate of original U.S.-born indies, at the European Film Market during the Berlinale this year, as well as looking to partner with filmmakers from around the world in international co-productions. 

A group of Berlin Film Festival workers have released a statement calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, the “release of all hostages”, and “stronger institutional leadership”, including from the Berlinale, in response to what they describe as the “current assault on Palestinian life”.

Strictly Come Dancing star Craig Revel Horwood allegedly said that one contestant was a “minger” while giving feedback on the show's current live UK tour. While the 2023 series of the BBC show may be over, many of the stars of the show have been busy touring where they have been bringing the magic of the show to venues up and down the country.

Manchester United great Norman Whiteside and a number of supporters have been angered by the club's decision to relocate their season ticket seats at Old Trafford.