Director Martin Canellakis has joined bicoastal/international hungry man. He comes over from bicoastal Coppos Films, where he had been represented first as part of the Marty+Brian directorial duo, and then as an individual helmer after he and Brian Aldrich each decided to go solo late last year (SHOOT, 12/3/99, p. 1). Aldrich continues to direct spots via Coppos Films….The directing team of Adam Cameron and Simon Cole, a.k.a. Joe Public, is staying put at bicoastal Headquarters, having recently finalized a new contract….Director Ra’uf Glasgow has joined Dublin Productions, Hollywood….Director/cameraman David Len, has signed with Marina del Rey, Calif.-based Metro Pictures…. Envision It, a Miami-based house recently formed by executive producer Alana Rothlein, has signed director Chi Chi Zhang for spot representation….Publicly traded, Burbank-headquartered Four Media Company (4MC), has acquired SVC Television, a London post/visual effects/design facility, for approximately $5.3 million….Executive producer Michael Pollock is exiting Version2 Editing (formerly Vito DeSario Editing), New York, to pursue a career as a convergence and broadband consultant. Pollock will be replaced by Linda Rafoss, former Ogilvy & Mather, New York, senior producer/partner….Tim Larson heads a newly formed group, DownStream LLC, which has just bought Portland-Ore.-based post house DownStream from direct response agency The Tyee Group, Portland. The deal comes shortly after Euro RSCG Worldwide’s acquisition of a majority stake in Tyee. Larson, who was VP of Downstream the past four years, will take over as the facility’s president and general manager….
HBO Inks Two-Year First-Look Deal With Sharon Horgan and Her Production Company Merman
HBO has signed a two-year first-look television deal with BAFTA-winning and Emmy®-nominated actor, writer, and producer Sharon Horgan (“Bad Sisters,” “Catastrophe”) and her multi award-winning production company Merman. HBO has also given a straight-to-series order for a new original comedy series, the first project under this deal, from Horgan and produced by Merman, with Horgan serving as writer, star, and executive producer.
This comedy series follows a 50-year-old divorcee’s search for sex and love while juggling caring for her ailing parents and parenting her should-be grown up son.
Amy Gravitt, executive VP, HBO & Max Comedy Programming, said, “We’re thrilled to be reunited with Sharon. Her willingness to offer up her own experiences through the characters she creates makes us all feel a little less lonely, that is what sets her comedy apart so brilliantly. She also has such a sharp eye for material and a strong desire to shepherd other people’s stories, we’re looking forward to the new talent she will bring into the fold.”
Horgan said, “I’m so happy to once again be working with Casey [Bloys], Amy, Francesca [Orsi] and the team at HBO, and really excited that Merman get to continue to tell stories for a company that’s been home to some of the most iconic television shows ever created.”
Horgan has created and starred in such series as “Pulling,” “Catastrophe,” “Motherland,” “Amandaland” and BAFTA and Peabody winning series “Bad Sisters,” which recently released its second season. She received Emmy® nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (“Catastrophe”), Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (“Bad... Read More