XTR Steps Up Doc Sales & Distribution With Hire Of Cinetic Media’s Shane Riley

08.11.2022 - 21:09 / deadline.com

EXCLUSIVE: XTR, the non-fiction studio behind Apple’s They Call Me Magic and Oscar-nominated feature doc Ascension, has hired Shane Riley as Head of Sales and Distribution Strategy. 

Riley will lead the distribution and sales of feature documentaries and series across both XTR Studios and its non-fiction streaming platform, Documentary+, as well as help build and execute the overall content strategy of the studio.

He joins from Cinetic Media, the management and sales agency behind Oscar-winning doc Summer of Soul, Chris Smith’s HBO docu-series 100 Foot Wave, and Higher Ground’s Descendant. He also represented XTR titles such as We Met in Virtual Reality, Faya Dayi, and The Thief Collector at Cinetic.

Riley also previously worked at First Run Features and Scott Rudin Productions.

XTR, which recently opened its 35,000-square-foot studio in Echo Park, recently launched original docs for its streaming service and has produced and financed over 80 documentary features and series since its founding in 2019.

“I’m thrilled to join the team at XTR and help advance the ways we’re reaching audiences,” said Riley. “Since the team opened their doors in 2019, I’ve gotten to watch the company grow its dynamic slate and expand its ways of collaborating with world-class filmmakers. XTR is well situated to take on this moment and be the go-to studio for nonfiction storytellers and creative partners across the community.”

“Shane shares our vision for the future of nonfiction, and is beloved by filmmakers and platforms alike,” added Kathryn Everett, XTR Co-Founder and Head of Film. “We’re excited to build on Shane’s deep understanding of the distribution landscape together and continue to ensure that our films reach the broadest audience