Focus
In Conversation with Niccolo Messina, Founder of V Channels
Niccolò Messina doesn't love movies, "They put my brain on pause." He doesn't appreciate Hollywood, "It is always behind." Still, Italian entrepreneur Niccolò Messina may hold the key to preserving independent cinema in the streaming age. With his groundbreaking platform, VChannels, he has established a thriving network of 15 YouTube AVOD-specialized media, boasting an impressive 300 million monthly views and a dedicated audience of 120 million. Messina's impact on the industry cannot be ignored. Mario Niccolò Messina came to Hollywood [...]
In Conversation with Erik Barmack
To understand contemporary Hollywood's international growth, you must consult Erik Barmack. He has worked in television and new media production and distribution for over 25 years. He founded Wild Sheep Content, a production, strategic growth, and packaging company that has sold twenty projects to ten global partners over its first year of operation. Previously, as Netflix VP and head of the original international series, Barmack shaped today's fiction TV business. He brought Netflix hits such as Spanish Money Heist and [...]
Focus on Lionsgate with Sandra Stern
Our periodic meeting with Hollywood's executives takes us to Sandra Stern, recently appointed Vice Chairman of the Lionsgate Television Group. Stern has been a vital member of the Company's senior management team for the past two decades. She has helped guide Lionsgate's television business to record-breaking revenue growth every year of her tenure. She has been instrumental in tripling the size of its television slate, which encompasses dozens of series on a wide array of U.S. networks and platforms. "I've [...]
Interview with Nancy Cotton, MGM+
Our periodic FOCUS on United States Audiovisual Industry talents is dedicated today to Nancy Cotton, Executive Vice President, Head of Scripted Programming for MGM+ (former EPIX). Ms. Cotton, what is your role at MGM+? "My title is Senior Executive, Scripted Programming, and I oversee all original scripted programming on behalf of the network. In the simplest terms, I work closely with writers and filmmakers to help bring their stories to life on screen. We currently only make a limited [...]
