Screen Future Leaders
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Feature Future leaders in sales and acquisitions t is to those buyers and sellers working sons or daughters learning the trade of will do another focus at another market. in the trenches at Cannes that Screen the family business, or youngsters who The idea was not to offend or exclude, but Iturned as inspiration for its special have lucked into the acquisitions game. to shine a light on the highly skilled and May 2012 feature. The notion was not to We decided to focus on 50 of these often uncredited base of young talent in address the CEOs, managing directors or “future leaders”, but this is not some pro- the independent world. veterans known by everyone and quoted vocative power list, nor were the subjects A word on some of the criteria. Age is by Screen during every market. This time selected by a spurious scientific process. not the principal measure of inclusion we wanted to shine a light on the next We contacted company chiefs and cur- here, but rather years spent in a particu- generation of leaders in this small but rent leaders in the field, asking who they lar discipline. Emil Elmer has only just crucial piece of the financing and distri- thought was on the up and up. Sellers started in sales, having spent years in bution puzzle — the younger executives selected their own staff, young buyers acquisitions; Peter Kujawski has just who take the meetings, mill around the that impressed them and other young switched from sales to acquisitions; screenings and often close the deals. sales executives. Buyers selected young Laird Adamson had a background in pro- The business of independent distribu- sales, marketing and business affairs duction before sales. We are not celebrat- tion and international sales is an uncon- execs, some of their own staff or buyers in ing youth so much as the journeys of ventional, sometimes mysterious one. other territories whose performance they these executives towards becoming lead- Unlike film-making, there are few courses rate. As in the film business in general, ers in their respective fields under differ- you can attend to learn the ropes or get a this list was put together based on the ent mentors and territorial influences. foot in the door. Most sellers have worked unscientific methods of word of mouth, We at Screen hope you enjoy reading hard getting to know the buyers, film- good experiences and strong reputations. the backgrounds and comments of our makers and deal structures over several Many names came up over and over 50 Future Leaders In Sales & Acquisi- years under the mentorship of their first again, so I’m sure we have captured some tions as much as we did. Here’s to the or second bosses. Buyers owe the same incredible talent in this feature. No doubt next 50. debt to their mentors, whether they be we’ve missed others, in which case we Mike Goodridge, editor n 6 Screen International at Cannes May XX, 2012 Feature KeY Age: s SeLLeRBB UYeR Beattie Henry Henry Adamson a l ird 28 B Begley o d ri 39 s 36 B l aird adamson The expansion of partnerships with digital Head of international sales distribution platforms is also very Magnolia Pictures (US) significant.” n Attended The Wharton School, University Jeremy Baxter Henry Beattie d ori Begley of Pennsylvania, and Amherst College Head of acquisitions Acquisitions manager worldwide Senior vice-president of acquisitions (Economics). Protagonist Pictures (UK) Momentum Pictures/Alliance Films (UK) Magnolia Pictures (US) n Started out interning for Merchant Ivory and Universal Pictures. n Studied film and literature at Warwick n Studied French and Italian at Oxford n Began at Sony Pictures Classics in 2000, as n First job was with Miramax International, University. University. manager of acquisitions, working on titles then worked in production with Killer Films. n Started in acquisitions with Focus Features n In 2006, joined New Line’s London from directors such as Pedro Almodovar, n Joined HDNet Films in 2006 and moved to in 2005. acquisitions and development office. David Gordon Green, Spike Lee and Robert international sales in sister company n Served as worldwide acquisitions manager n In 2008, joined Momentum Pictures and Altman. Magnolia Pictures in 2007 where he has at Universal Pictures International from 2006. was promoted to acquisitions manager in n After a stint as associate programmer for represented films from directors such as n Joined Protagonist Pictures in 2008. early 2011. Responsible for bringing in titles the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, she joined Brian De Palma, Steven Soderbergh and Hal “My initial route into film was as a script including The Raid, Headhunters, Trollhunter Magnolia Pictures where she is senior Hartley. reader and via post-production, which pro- and George Lucas’ Red Tails. vice-president of acquisitions. “I was very fortunate in that my first job was vided a good overview of the industry and “As an obsessive film fan, I knew I had to try “Reflecting on the changing independent at Miramax, with one of the most interesting insights into the challenges films face as they and get a foothold in the industry after grad- distribution landscape drives home how teams in international distribution, and that leave the creative realm and enter the market. uating. I was lucky to land an internship at fortunate I am to have spent the bulk of my second was with one of the savviest and “An internship at Focus helped me New Line despite having no knowledge of my career with two very distinct industry most internationally attuned producers progress with the acquisitions team at Uni- the business and no contacts. leaders. working today. It was a great foundation, versal where I first worked with Ben Roberts. “I have to acknowledge Alexandra Rossi “At the start, there was no better place for one that informed and, in Christine Vachon’s Ben has been an incredible guide and men- who taught me all the basics, and then at fundamental education than Sony Pictures case, really nurtured my interest in the inter- tor — it will be fantastic to watch what he Momentum Robert Walak who has been a Classics — learning about the business in national marketplace. achieves heading the BFI Film Fund. fantastic mentor in terms of my next steps. I that unique universe rivals the most robust “Now at Magnolia, Eamonn Bowles, “At Protagonist I enjoy working across a really enjoy the search for exciting projects graduate film programmes. Years later, Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner have created broad range of speciality, genre and commer- and the chance to help film-makers’ visions joining Magnolia sharply expanded that a tremendously innovative and inspiring cial projects, and the excitement of launching reach audiences. I’d love to work even more education. While bloated production budg- environment. It is about always looking for a emerging talent. The aim has to be ensuring closely with talent, either within distribution ets, irresponsible p&a spends and box-office better approach and embracing new ideas. films reach the right audiences, and with the or moving more actively into production. misfires left the industry littered with failed “Moving forward I expect to work closely advancement of digital it’s more important “It’s a tricky time for distributors, given distribution companies, the team at Magno- with all rights distributors on alternative than ever for film-makers to form strong the technological advances impacting the lia worked tirelessly on an innovative, release strategies which cater to the sales and distribution partnerships in order industry, but if you have good taste and the hybrid releasing strategy to help fix the bro- evolving and unique needs of each territory. to stand out from the crowd.” right films, there will be an audience.” ken model. n 8 Screen International at Cannes May XX, 2012 Feature Bermann Baxter Jeremy Jeremy t s ephanie 29 B 31 s Comte Buckley Yohann Yohann Jason Jason 28 s 31 s “It is immensely gratifying to continue Jason Buckley diversified audiences. Even though several nection with the directors, so I guess the growing with a company that remains com- Director of international sales economies have weakened, others have natural step in two or three years is produc- mitted to traditional distribution while pio- Lakeshore Entertainment (US) strengthened and the fact remains the same tion... but right now I’m enjoying being in neering the most demonstrably successful — people love to be entertained.” the right place at the right time.” model for a growing on-demand, digital n Graduated from Bowling Green State world.” University, Ohio, with a bachelor of arts and Yohann Comte Christine d’souza sciences in film studies and film production. Deputy head of sales Vice-president content sales and s tephanie Bermann n Joined Lakeshore Entertainment in 2006 Gaumont (Fr) project finance Head of acquisitions and began working for the president of Preferred Content (US) Mars Films (Fr) worldwide marketing and distribution in 2007. n Started at Gaumont as financial controller. n Moved to Lakeshore’s sales department in n Moved into sales at ARP Selection, followed n Graduated from the University of Arizona in n Joined StudioCanal (France) as junior third quarter of 2007. by four years as head of international sales at 2006. acquisitions manager in 2006. “I began my career as an assistant in mar- Roissy Film and a further one-and-a-half years n Started as an intern at Jerry Bruckheimer n Became head of acquisitions at Mars Films keting and distribution. Over time my inter- at EuropaCorp when it bought Roissy. Films and became an assistant at Paradigm in 2007.