EXCLUSIVE: The revived Paramount Tv Studios is taking form. Matt Thunell, President of the streaming-focused manufacturing unit of the post-merger Paramount Skydance, has assembled his senior govt staff. It attracts largely from the rosters of Skydance Tv and Showtime/MTV Leisure Studios, the 2 primary entities that had been mixed into the brand new studio, together with Nickelodeon live-action and Awesomeness. He unveiled the construction in an organization memo, a replica of which was obtained by Deadline.
“As we transfer ahead on this new incarnation of Paramount Tv Studios, we should make modifications to place our enterprise for progress and success,” Thunell mentioned within the electronic mail, which you’ll learn in full under. “To do this, we’re evolving our group to raised serve creators, audiences, and companions all over the world via a brand new, streamlined construction. ”
That construction consists of division heads in areas akin to Inventive, Manufacturing, Enterprise Affairs & Authorized, Finance & BA, with some capabilities, together with Expertise & Casting and Company, dealt with although Paramount Footage beneath whose umbrella PTVS sits. Since there have been senior executives in these fields on each the Skydance and Showtime/MTV Leisure Studios aspect, combining the groups has resulted in departures, together with an arrival of a Netflix VP. The exiting executives had been a part of the 1,000 layoffs throughout Paramount yesterday.
One space the place the highest executives from either side are staying on is Inventive. Skydance Tv’s EVP, Head of Improvement Shelley Zimmerman and EVP, Head of Present Carolyn Harris will assume the identical roles at Paramount TV Studios.
In the meantime, Keith Cox, President of Showtime/MTV Leisure Studios, will proceed to supervise the sequence beneath his purview, together with the slate of Taylor Sheridan, and Emily In Paris. Years in the past, when he was at Paramount Community, Cox purchased Yellowstone within the room and has remained a primary liaison for the prolific creator who shall be primarily based at FTVS till his total deal involves an finish in December 2028 and he strikes to NBCUniversal. Zimmerman, Harris and Cox will all report back to Thunell.
The brand new Paramount Tv Studios, launched following the completion of Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount International in August, is overseen by Dana Goldberg, Co-Chair of Paramount Footage and Chair of Paramount Tv. Each Goldberg and Thunell come from Skydance — the place she was CCO and he was President of Tv — with a number of executives on Thunell’s staff there transitioning to PTVS.
Along with Zimmerman and Harris, that features Drew Brown, EVP, Bodily Manufacturing for Skydance TV, who has been named Head of Manufacturing for PTVS, reporting to Thunell.
Keri Flint, EVP and Head of International Manufacturing for Showtime/MTVE, is departing after for greater than twenty years with the corporate.
Executives from Paramount International will lead PTVS’ Authorized and Enterprise Affairs operations. The roles shall be cut up. Virginia Lazalde-McPherson, who a few months in the past was promoted to Chief Acquisitions Officer for Showtime/MTV Leisure Studios, will function Head of BA. She has held Head of BA positions at Showtime and YouTube Originals.
Lance McPherson, EVP, Deputy Normal Counsel and Head of Enterprise & Authorized Affairs for Showtime/MTV Leisure Studios, will turn out to be EVP, Authorized Affairs for FTVS.
Stepping down is Jeff Hegedus EVP, TV Enterprise & Authorized Affairs for Skydance whom Thunell known as “a selfless mentor and a steadfast colleague.”
Thunell went exterior of Paramount in the hunt for Head of Finance, bringing in Mel Rauch, with whom he had labored intently at Netflix the place she served as VP of EMEA (Europe, Center East, and Africa) Content material Finance & Technique.
Arturo Reyes, EVP and International Head of Manufacturing Finance at Skydance, will turn out to be Head of Manufacturing Finance for PTVS, reporting to Rauch.
Leaving is Candice Brancazio, CFO, Paramount Media Networks, Showtime/MTVE Studios. Matt Hengemuhle is also departing his position as SVP, Monetary Planning & Evaluation however will stay at Paramount, transitioning to the Direct to Shopper enterprise. FTVS will appoint a FP&A lead quickly.
Additionally stepping down is Shauna Phelan, EVP, Head of Dwell-Motion Sequence, Movies & Expertise, Nickelodeon and Awesomeness TV, who has held management positions throughout the 2 divisions for seven years. She is in talks to turn out to be a producer on a few of the high-profile tasks she has developed.
It’s unclear whether or not a devoted FTVS govt will succeed her in overseeing the slate, which incorporates the newly ordered by Netflix Victorious spinoff Hollywood Arts, or will that be a gaggle effort.
“Going ahead, we stay dedicated to creating high-quality content material for youths, teenagers and households — constructing on our unbelievable IP, championing new concepts, and working as one unified staff,” Thunell mentioned.
Tricia Wooden, EVP Casting for Paramount Footage, will increase her position to additionally oversee casting for PTVS.
“We imagine this construction will encourage on-screen expertise to work extra seamlessly throughout our Options and Tv Sequence,” Thunell mentioned.
Consequently, Trevor Rose, EVP, Head of International Expertise and Content material Improvement for Showtime/MTVE, shall be leaving the studio however staying at Paramount within the TV Media group that features CBS, CBS Studios and the cable leisure networks.
Different Paramount Footage executives who will increase their purviews to incorporate FTVS oversight embrace COO Courtney Armstrong, CFO Mark Badagliacca, EVP Human Assets Talia Robinson, and EVP International Communications & Media Relations Brooke Robertson.
Skydance’s SVP Advertising and publicity Daybreak Lach will transition to FTVS as SVP, International Communications & Publicity, reporting to Robertson.
“I do know these are loads of modifications, however I’m assured this new construction will strengthen collaboration, streamline decision-making, and super-charge our progress,” Thunell mentioned concerning the new construction whereas additionally thanking the departing executives.
Clockwise Prime L-R: Landman, Dexter: Resurrection, Reacher, Emily In Paris
Paramount+/Netflix/Amazon
Paramount TV Studios’ blended slate consists of such sequence as Landman, Tulsa King, Lioness and Mayor of Kingstown — all from Sheridan — The Company, MobLand, and College Spirits for Paramount+; Dexter: Resurrection for Showtime; Reacher, Cross, and The Runarounds for Prime Video; Basis for Apple TV+; Emily in Paris and XO, Kitty for Netflix; and The Street for CBS.
Upcoming sequence consists of a number of spinoffs, Hollywood Arts, Yellowstone offshoots Y: Marshals, The Dutton Ranch, The Madison and Reacher spinoff Neagley, in addition to Journey or Die for Prime Video and Neuromancer, 12 12 12, and Brothers for Apple TV+.
Because the new Paramount TV Studios incarnation’s launch, it has landed its first sequence inexperienced lights, from Paramount+ for the restricted sequence 9/12 starring Jeremy Robust, which originated at Skydance, and from Netflix for Hollywood Arts. It additionally received a Season 2 renewal for Dexter: Resurrection.
Moreover, the studio signed its first expertise deal, a first-look pact with Jessica Biel’s Iron Ocean, which stemmed from preliminary conversations at Skydance Tv. And will probably be the TV house of the Duffer brothers after they come to Paramount from Netflix in April for an enormous four-year unique movie, TV and streaming deal.
PTVS, which focuses on streaming tasks, is functioning alongside Paramount’s different main TV manufacturing entity, CBS Studios, whose main goal is supplying the CBS broadcast community.
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Right here is Thunell’s memo:
Staff,
Over the previous couple of months, we’ve introduced collectively groups from Skydance, MTV Leisure Studios, Showtime, Awesomeness, and Nickelodeon into one studio targeted on making world-class tv sequence. As we transfer ahead on this new incarnation of Paramount Tv Studios, we should make modifications to place our enterprise for progress and success. To do this, we’re evolving our group to raised serve creators, audiences, and companions all over the world via a brand new, streamlined construction.
Our studio has an enviable roster of senior govt expertise, and after spending time with everybody, I’ve made key management selections to make sure we obtain our bold targets. However this implies we should additionally say goodbye to colleagues we deeply admire and respect. Within the spirit of transparency, I wish to share the next updates on our new management construction:
Manufacturing
· Drew Brown, at present EVP, Bodily Manufacturing for Skydance, would be the new PTVS Head of Manufacturing, reporting to me. Drew is a seasoned govt who has been instrumental in a few of Skydance’s largest exhibits together with Reacher for Prime Video. Previous to Skydance, he led Manufacturing at AMC Studios, the place he was a driving power on sequence together with The Strolling Lifeless.
· With this transformation, Keri Flint, EVP and Head of International Manufacturing for MTVE/Showtime, shall be stepping down. Keri has been with the corporate for greater than twenty years, and in that point, she has been an extremely valued member of our staff. Her credit and accomplishments are too quite a few to depend; we thank her for her lasting influence.
Inventive
· Shelley Zimmerman and Carolyn Harris will proceed of their roles as EVP, Head of Improvement and EVP, Head of Present, respectively, and can proceed to report back to me.
· Keith Cox, at present President of MTVE Studios & Showtime and a champion of Yellowstone since day one, will proceed to supervise our expansive lineup of exhibits from the Taylorverse and can report back to me.
Company Capabilities
· COO Courtney Armstrong, CFO Mark Badagliacca, EVP Human Assets Talia Robinson, and EVP International Communications & Media Relations Brooke Robertson are increasing their respective purviews to embody PTVS, along with their present roles at Paramount Footage. A key strategic initiative for our studio is deeper partnership and collaboration with our Options colleagues. Inserting these leaders throughout the whole studio is a vital first step in reaching this purpose.
· Daybreak Lach, SVP, International Communications & Publicity, will transition from Skydance TV to PTVS, reporting to Brooke.
Enterprise Affairs & Authorized Affairs
· Transferring ahead, Enterprise Affairs and Authorized Affairs will function as two distinct teams. Our Head of Enterprise Affairs shall be Virginia Lazalde McPherson, who beforehand served as EVP, Enterprise Affairs at Showtime, and was International Head of Enterprise Affairs at YouTube Originals previous to that. Bringing a wealth of expertise and top-notch relationships, I’m excited to associate with Virginia on this new position.
· Lance McPherson will transition from his position as EVP, Deputy Normal Counsel and Head of Enterprise & Authorized Affairs to EVP, Authorized Affairs. He’ll oversee all authorized efforts for our studio going ahead.
· Jeff Hegedus is stepping down from his position as EVP, TV Enterprise & Authorized Affairs for Skydance. Jeff is named a selfless mentor and a steadfast colleague. I thank him for his management and dedication throughout lengthy tenure at Skydance.
Finance
· Mel Rauch shall be becoming a member of the staff as Head of Finance. Beforehand, Mel was at Netflix, the place she served as VP of EMEA (Europe, Center East, and Africa) Content material Finance & Technique. I labored intently with Mel at Netflix for a few years, the place she was beloved as a inventive downside solver and trusted enterprise associate.
· Reporting into Mel shall be Arturo Reyes, who will transition from his present position as EVP and International Head of Manufacturing Finance at Skydance into his new position as Head of Manufacturing Finance for PTVS.
· Candice Brancazio, CFO, Paramount Media Networks, Showtime & MTVE, and Matt Hengemuhle, SVP, FP&A, shall be exiting their respective roles, with Matt taking over a brand new remit in our Direct to Shopper enterprise. We’re grateful for his or her management and contributions and we shall be saying a brand new FP&A lead for our studio quickly.
Expertise & Casting
· Trevor Rose will depart from his position as EVP, Head of International Expertise and Content material Improvement for Showtime/MTVE and is transferring to a management position in our TV Media group. With this, Tricia Wooden shall be increasing her position as EVP, Casting for Paramount Footage to additionally oversee casting for PTVS. We imagine this construction will encourage on-screen expertise to work extra seamlessly throughout our Options and Tv Sequence.
Nickelodeon Dwell-Motion and Awesomeness
· Shauna Phelan, EVP, Head of Dwell Motion Sequence, Movies & Expertise, Nickelodeon and Awesomeness TV shall be stepping down. Shauna has been a longtime chief of the Nickelodeon and Awesomeness groups and has been pivotal in shaping these manufacturers. Fortunately, Shauna is just not going far, as we’re in discussions along with her about working with us as a producer on a few of our most essential titles. Going ahead, we stay dedicated to creating high-quality content material for youths, teenagers and households — constructing on our unbelievable IP, championing new concepts, and working as one unified staff.
I do know these are loads of modifications, however I’m assured this new construction will strengthen collaboration, streamline decision-making, and super-charge our progress. Within the coming weeks, we are going to proceed the combination course of, spending time on inventive and enterprise technique beneath our new management staff —extra on that work quickly.
Lastly, I wish to take a second to thank our colleagues who’re transitioning out of their roles. They’ve every contributed enormously to our group, and we’re grateful for his or her management, partnership, and lots of achievements. Please be part of me in wishing them the easiest.
Thanks, as all the time, on your ardour, resilience, and dedication. I can’t look ahead to all that we’ll accomplish collectively. With gratitude,
Matt
