While its prime focus continues to be content production, the venerable EUE/Screen Gems has made one significant change in its NYC business model, ending its long-time involvement in operating and maintaining large shooting stages in the city. EUE/Screen Gems has relocated from its facility home on the East Side of Manhattan–where it produced countless TV commercials and launched the careers of many directors–and now set up shop in light, airy, stylish offices on Greenwich Street in the West Village. The production company is putting its full energy into creating and producing content for ad agencies, brands and media firms, as well as its extensive projects in the TV programming and entertainment space.
Doug Wedeck, executive VP and exec producer of EUE/Screen Gems, said that to the best of his knowledge, the company’s former NYC studio space is not currently being operated as stages for shooting. He and the other executives at EUE are unaware of what’s in store for the stage space at this time. As EUE/Screen Gems does not own the building, they are not privy to the owner’s future plans.
“It was great to have the stages,” said EUE exec producer John Posimato. “We built some great relationships there and produced some really memorable work. But this is the right move for EUE/Screen Gems in New York today and going forward.”
EUE/Screen Gems continues to operate its major shooting stage complexes in the South. Based in Wilmington, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, those studios have been home to numerous feature film, television and advertising projects.
Meanwhile, joining Wedeck and Posimato at the new Greenwich Street headquarters are such EUE/Screen Gems senior managers and leaders as COO Chris Cooney, EP/director of new business John Caffera and EP Tony Caronia. Recent ad projects produced by EUE/Screen Gems include the newly launched TV campaign for Rolaids featuring celebrity chef Guy Fieri, as well as commercials for such brands as Bank of America, Ethan Allen, the Boy Scouts of America and the Australian Gold line of sun care and salon products. Digital work from EUE includes web videos for Skinny Cow and Lean Cuisine.
EUE/Screen Gems now includes divisions focusing on advertising content creation and production–both in digital media and more traditional channels–and an entertainment division headquartered in L.A. that is represented by Creative Artists Agency.
The company continues to shoot commercials for major global brands and agencies around the world, Posimato pointed out, tapping a wide range of directorial talent. “Our size and scope have allowed us to develop lots of far-reaching relationships, both with clients and with directors,” he said. EUE/Screen Gems currently works closely with a number of advertisers for which it has preferred vendor status, and collaborates closely on production jobs with agencies, independent production consultants, client procurement departments and other stakeholders.
As for the capabilities available in the company’s new Greenwich Street home, Wedeck observed that, aside from no longer having big shooting stages, nothing has changed except the address, the decor and the vibe. “We still handle everything here from production through post, and that’s particularly important when dealing with longer format web projects,” he said.
Working out of three floors of a classic brick building in the heart of a bustling creative hub of ad agencies, production companies and tech firms, the new NYC space is a far cry from the former home of “Guiding Light,” the CBS daytime drama that was produced on EUE/Screen Gems’ midtown stage for years.
“Everyone loves working down here,” Wedeck said of the new headquarters. “It’s just a really great environment, and it reflects how we’ve adapted to the changing demands of our industry.”
How The Hollywood Awards Calendar Has Been Affected By The Wildfires
Hollywood's awards season has all but come to a rare halt as the wildfires continue to disrupt life and work in the Los Angeles area. There are near daily updates from the Hollywood guilds and organizations that put on awards shows as the industry navigates the ongoing crisis.
Here's an overview of the major upcoming awards shows, from the Oscars to the Grammys, including updated dates for nominations.
Producers Guild and Writers Guild award nominations
Postponed, no new dates announced
The Writers Guild of America nominations were to be announced Jan. 8, a date that was pushed to Jan. 13 and then postponed indefinitely. The Producers Guild of America nominations for feature films were to be announced on Jan. 10, which was pushed to Jan. 12 and then postponed to an unspecified date this week.
Academy Award nominations
Jan. 23
The Oscar nominations have been twice-delayed — they were initially slated for Jan. 17, then Jan. 19, before being delayed again. The delay in the announcement accommodates an extended voting deadline, as many Academy members have been affected by the wildfires.
The nominations will be announced via a "virtual presentation," eschewing press on site.
Critics Choice Awards
Jan. 26
Originally slated for Jan. 12, the awards were set to take place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, only miles from the Pacific Palisades neighborhood where fire was raging.
The awards will be broadcast live on E!, hosted by Chelsea Handler.
Grammy Awards
Feb. 2
By virtue of announcing their nominations back in November, the Grammys' schedule has largely been unaffected by the wildfires. Some... Read More