A Communications Update
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Corporate Overview A COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE 1 NETWORK MEDIA GROUP (TSX Venture: NTE) Greetings from the front lines of Network, and thank you for taking a moment to check out our first investor communication under our new platform, which we are excited to share with you. This communication is designed to provide you with an overview on Network, further introduce you to our management team and our board, and share with you a sampling of the attention our slate of productions regularly garners from both traditional and entertainment media. Our going forward plan is to communicate regularly with you to best ensure you are well informed on the business of Network Entertainment, as well the broader picture of the U.S. and global entertainment marketplace in which we operate, and in which we have established our work and our brand. Among other material, we will be sending you our news releases, trade media in the form of articles and links that we have earned, and the trailers for our various productions that we produce and release globally. The purpose of these regular investor communications is threefold. First, with your support, we have built a world class company that produces premium content that is embraced and coveted by the world’s most recognizable global broadcasters, streaming services and distributors. We want to start sharing that information with you more fully, beyond our press releases and other communiques, so that you will have a much more informed perspective on the company we have built together. Secondly, our entire team has tirelessly dedicated its time, energy, and resources on not only successfully producing premium content, but we are laser focused on building on that success to create the momentum required to build a highly successful and scalable enterprise. With that momentum in full swing, we will be sharing all of the important ongoing developments that are foundational to architecting our future. Lastly, our team has a lot of pride in what we do every day at Network, and this communication allows us to share that pride with you each step of the way. We appreciate you spending the time to update yourself further on Network, and we truly appreciate your support and trust to date. Our ongoing pledge to you is to consistently work at the highest level to continue to earn the commitment you’ve made to us by building Network into a successful company we can all be proud of. Kind regards, Derik Murray Founder / CEO Network 2 Corporate Overview COMPANY OVERVIEW Network Entertainment produces premium programming for US and Global audiences. Network’s documentaries and docu-series showcase the lives of the world’s most inspiring cultural icons and their endearing legacy. Our films have featured a compelling lineup of icons from the worlds of Music, Movies, Comedy, Sports, Politics and Business. The Network premium brand of programming features A-list casts and highly cinematic, richly crafted storytelling. Our productions are consistently embraced by both popular and critical acclaim garnering awards, record ratings and unparalleled media coverage. SCREEN NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT’S SHOWREEL FACING SERIES 3 MANAGEMENT DERIK MURRAY FOUNDER, CEO Derik Murray, the founder and creative force behind Network Entertainment, began his career creating rich, evocative images as an advertising photographer and television commercial director before focusing his attention on high profile television, film and publishing projects. Derik’s credits include producing the Academy Award shortlisted Facing Ali, a feature documentary with Lionsgate Entertainment, and I Am Bruce Lee, which made its US television premiere on Spike TV where it garnered the highest ratings for a documentary in the network’s history. Derik also produced I Am Steve McQueen, produced and co-directed I Am Evel Knievel, I Am Chris Farley (which surpassed I Am Bruce Lee ratings for Spike TV), Johnny Cash - American Rebel for CMT, The Cowboy for Discovery, and the feature documentary I Am JFK Jr.. Derik executive produced and co-directed the seven-part series Facing for National Geographic, and produced and co-directed I Am Heath Ledger, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017. Most recently, Derik produced and executive produced I Am Sam Kinison for Spike TV, and I Am MLK Jr. which is being readied for release on the Paramount Network for 2018. 4 PAUL GERTZ PRESIDENT, COO After receiving a B.A. in Economics at the University of California, Los Angeles, Paul Gertz went on to attend the University of Southern California, simultaneously earning his Law Degree and M.B.A. before starting his career as the Associate Director of Business Affairs at leading animation producer Ruby-Spears Productions. George Lucas then recruited Paul to Skywalker Ranch in Northern California to become the Director of Business Affairs for Lucasfilm Ltd. Paul was responsible for the business affairs of Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound, THX and Lucas Licensing & Merchandising, and was also the production lawyer on the films Tucker, Willow, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Paul returned to Los Angeles as the Senior Vice-President of Production at famed animation house Hanna-Barbera, where he executive produced his first feature film, the $16 million Once Upon A Forest. He went on to produce three more award-winning feature films: The Pagemaster, a $35 million 20th Century Fox production, Cats Don’t Dance, the $45 million Warner Bros. release which was awarded an Annie for Best Picture of the Year, and 20th Century Fox’s $85 million animated science fiction fantasy Titan A.E. As Executive Producer and Head Writer of Gene Roddenbery’s live action television series Earth: Final Conflict, Paul wrote the majority of the 22 episodes in the first year. The Emmy nominated series finished the season as the #1 new show in first run syndication, and Paul led the $1.1 million per episode production for five full seasons. Paul’s writing credits also include Through the Moebius Strip, a CGI animated film based on the designs of the renowned artist Moebius (“Star Wars” and “Alien”), and he was commissioned to write an episode of David E. Kelley’s Emmy Award winning legal series The Practice. Paul was Executive Vice President at the internationally acclaimed Rainmaker Animation studios, where he executive produced several Direct to DVD feature films based on Mattel’s Barbie and Max Steel brands, as well as an animated version of Jerry Lewis’ The Nutty Professor. Since joining forces with Network Entertainment to produce high quality unscripted productions for international television and theatrical distribution, Paul has executive produced the Academy Award shortlisted theatrical documentary Facing Ali, and I Am Bruce Lee, which made its U.S. television premiere on Spike TV where it garnered the highest ratings for a documentary in the network’s history. Paul also executive produced I Am Steve McQueen, I Am Evel Knievel, I Am Chris Farley, Johnny Cash - American Rebel, The Cowboy, I Am JFK Jr., I Am Heath Ledger, I Am Sam Kinison and a series for National Geographic Channel called Facing. 5 KENT WINGERAK SVP, BUSINESS AFFAIRS Kent began his career in the film and television industry as the Vice President of Business Affairs at WIC Entertainment, the development, licensing and Canadian programming and investment division for one of Canada’s largest national broadcast entities, WIC Television. At WIC, Kent was responsible for the analysis, structuring, negotiation and domestic distribution for over 200 hours of the company’s Canadian production activities. Following this, Kent was Executive Vice President at Peace Arch Productions, one of Canada’s largest publicly listed film and television production entities. Serving as one of the company’s senior executives in the areas of business affairs, development, finance, production and distribution, Kent was a key component of the Peach Arch management team where he was instrumental in the company’s commissioning of over $90 million in production volume, ranking it the fifth largest in Canada. Kent also independently produced and executive produced Now & Forever, a critically acclaimed feature film and winner of several international film festivals, and executive produced The Impossible Elephant, a feature film and winner of the Toronto International Film Festival for children’s YTV Silver Sprocket Audience Award. As the Senior Vice President of Business Affairs at Network since 2003, Kent is a key member of Network’s executive team where he oversees the negotiation, structuring and contractual arrangements for all of the company’s development, financing, production, licensing and distribution activities. Kent has executive produced and spearheaded the business affairs for the company’s growing slate of productions including I Am Sam Kinison, I Am Heath Ledger, I Am JFK Jr., The Cowboy, Johnny Cash - American Rebel, I Am Chris Farley, I Am Evel Knievel, I Am Steve McQueen, I Am Bruce Lee, Facing Ali, the television series Facing and two seasons of Making the Cut, three Life and Times documentaries, The Stanley Cup Odyssey and Anne Murray: The Music of My Life, which he produced for Network. Kent’s 20 years of experience as a business affairs executive in the film and television industry is integral to the success of Network’s ongoing production initiatives. 6 THE BOARD FRANK ANDERSON DR. GREG ZESCHUK EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN DIRECTOR Mr. Anderson has over 35 years’ experience in Dr. Zeschuk is one of the gaming industry’s most the capital markets, 18 years of which he spent as accomplished innovators and entrepreneurs, an investment adviser and partner at the largest having co-founded BioWare Corp, an independent non-bank owned investment firm internationally respected and award-winning in Canada, and more recently as President of an video game developer, where he worked for more independent investment bank.