Production company No Smoke has brought on Michael Merryman as executive producer. The announcement was made by Andrew Swee, partner and executive producer at Creative Film Management (CFM), the production management company of which No Smoke is a unit.
Merryman has enjoyed a multifaceted career in the space where art, advertising and entertainment intersect. In 2011, he co-founded Durable Goods, a company known for producing moving images for brands and entertainment properties, connecting talent with ideas and communicating clearly with clients in an open, creative atmosphere.
Earlier, Merryman enjoyed a 15-year freelance career beginning while in film school (literally sweeping stage floors) and continuing through nearly every creative department—with forays in the art world, TV and ultimately back to directing commercials—before realizing his true passion as an executive producer. Since then, his focus has always been on bringing his particular point of view to the creative process by working intimately with directors to capture value in their vision while achieving the overarching goals of the clients and agencies that make it all possible.
“Michael’s cross-disciplinary experiences uniquely suit him to help us lead No Smoke and CFM to its next chapter,” Swee said. “He’ll serve as a liaison between talent, ideas, and production while opening new paths to growth.”
Television Academy Unveils Newly Elected Governors; Board To Become The Most Inclusive In Organization’s History
The Television Academy has announced the newly elected members to the Board of Governors who will serve two-year terms from Jan. 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2026. More than 40% of the 31 elected governors are new to the Academy’s boardroom and represent a wealth of experienced professionals across the industry.
After years of outreach and engagement with the diverse television community, the 2025 Television Academy Board of Governors is the most inclusive in the Academy’s history. For the second consecutive year, the Board of Governors reflects gender parity. In addition, 47% of its members are from historically marginalized groups (based on racial and cultural identity, sexual orientation, et al.), the highest in its history, surpassing last year’s record of 45%.
The 13 newly elected governors who will serve a first-ever two-year term are: Kevin Blank (Special Visual Effects); John Boyd (Lighting, Camera & Technical Arts); Allison Dorenbosch (Children’s Programming); Megan Galizia (Television Executives); Trayce Gigi Field (Costume Design & Supervision); Phil Gurin (Producers); Shana Hagan, ASC (Cinematographers); Siddhartha Khosla (Music); Vicki Lemar (Sound); Joseph Litzinger (Reality Programming); Angela Moos (Makeup Artist/Hairstylists); Sean Presant (Writers) and Megan Sleeper (Casting Directors).
Fifteen governors were reelected to serve a second two-year term: Wendy Aylsworth (Science & Technology); Eva Basler (Daytime Programming); Bobbi Banks (Sound Editors); Mary Lou Belli (Directors); Hillary Bibicoff (Professional Representatives); Megan Chao (Documentary Programming); Yvette Cobarrubias (Commercials); David Hartle (Production Executives); Christina Lee (Public Relations); Kate Linder (Performers); Robert M. Malachowski... Read More