Ascent Media Group has appointed Erika Callahan to the newly-created post of Vice President, Global Marketing and Communications. Previously a partner in the independent marketing and distribution firm Beyond the Box Productions and a former Vice President of Worldwide Corporate Marketing and Promotions at Warner Bros., Callahan brings broad expertise in strategic marketing, market analysis and brand development within the media and entertainment industry. Her role will be to direct marketing and communications for all Ascent Media Group business units worldwide.
Callahan will report to Ascent Media Group Senior Vice President Tom Kuehle, who said that her appointment is part of an effort by the company to apply consistency in its global communications. “We are seeking to strengthen our brand and focus our message,” said Kuehle. “That task requires a person of considerable experience and fresh thinking, and that is what we found in Erika. She offers an unusual balance of entrepreneurial and corporate experience, of creative thinking and an appreciation for the discipline required by a large, global entity. We were most impressed with her determination, her strong point of view and her ideas for attacking this challenge.”
Callahan described her new role as a rare opportunity to assist in leading an organization that is helping to redefine the media and entertainment landscape. “Ascent Media Group occupies the middle ground between content owners and content consumers,” she observed. “Our ability to create, format, manage and distribute content is unequalled and that makes this a very dynamic company. We have great business units operated by great people and I am very excited to be a part of it.”
Callahan joined Beyond the Box Productions in 2005 and was involved in developing innovative marketing strategies for independent films and other entertainment content. Previously, she spent nine years at Warner Bros., as Vice President for Family Entertainment and Worldwide Corporate Marketing, and Vice President for Marketing, International Recreation Enterprises. In the former role, she was responsible for developing strategies to drive revenue growth across numerous family entertainment properties and films worldwide, including Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes, Powerpuff Girls and DC Comics. She also facilitated multi-million dollar creative joint ventures, and developed non-traditional marketing and distribution strategies for animation properties.
Callahan is a member of the Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), Women in Film, the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) Club and the Independent Film Project.
About Ascent Media Group
Santa Monica, California-based Ascent Media Group, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ascent Media Corporation (Nasdaq:ASCMA), which provides creative and technical services to the media and entertainment industries. Through more than 40 facilities in regions of Southern California, New York, Atlanta, London and Singapore, Ascent Media provides effective solutions for the creation, management and distribution of content to major motion picture studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, advertising agencies and other companies that produce, own and/or distribute entertainment, news, sports, corporate, educational, industrial and advertising content.
Contact:Ascent Media Creative Services Jeremy Monsayac, 818-260-6267 jmonsayac@ascentmedia.com
Asian World Film Festival Announces Dates, Opening and Closing Films, Special Programs, and Gala Awards Ceremony
The Asian World Film Festival (AWFF), Los Angeles' annual celebration of Asian filmmakers, announced the dates and highlights of its highly anticipated 10th anniversary edition. Taking place November 13-21, 2024, the festival will showcase a diverse range of new movies and special programs and celebrate Asian cinema’s legacy. Opening night will feature the critically acclaimed Korean drama, “A Normal Family,” while the Filipino romantic drama “Hello, Love, Again” is the closing film. Screenings will be presented at the Culver Theater, Culver City, November 13-20. A star-studded Closing Night Gala and Award Ceremony will be celebrated at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) complex November 21. Georges N. Chamchoum, AWFF Executive Director, said “We have chosen ‘heritage’ as this year’s theme to honor our first decade. This focus underscores AWFF's commitment to Asian cinema’s rich past as well as its ongoing efforts to champion contemporary and emerging Asian film.” OPENING AND CLOSING FILMS Directed by award-winning filmmaker Hur Jin-ho ("The Last Princess," "Happiness"), "A Normal Family" is a searing family drama that stars Sul Kyung-gu and Jong Dong-gun. Multi-layered yet accessible, the film was meticulously crafted in widescreen and premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival to critical acclaim. The heartwarming sequel to Philippine box office phenomenon "Hello, Love, Goodbye," "Hello, Love, Again" reunites director Cathy Garcia-Sampana ("The Hows of Us," "One More Chance") with stars Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards. The filmmaker, actors, and other cast members will attend the screening at the film’s festival debut. MAIN PROGRAM - IN COMPETITION AWFF's main... Read More