FilmDistrict
 FilmDistrict logo | |
| Former type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Fate | Merged with Focus Features |
| Successor(s) | Focus Features |
| Founded | September 2010 |
| Founder(s) |
Graham King Timothy Headington Peter Schlessel |
| Defunct | February 2014 |
| Headquarters |
1540 2nd Street Suite 200 Santa Monica United States |
| Key people |
Peter Schlessel (CEO) Adrian Alperovich (COO) Christine Birch (President of Marketing) Jim Orr (President of Distribution) Lia Buman (EVP of Acquisitions) |
| Products | Motion pictures |
| Employees | 45 |
| Website | www.filmdistrict.com |
FilmDistrict is an American independent motion picture company based in Los Angeles. It was a promising company that specialized in acquisitions, distribution, production, and financing. FilmDistrict was founded in September 2010 by Peter Schlessel in partnership with Graham King and Timothy Headington.
FilmDistrict's releases were distributed by Culver City-based Sony Pictures Entertainment for home & media markets, and after January 2014 those operations will be handled by Focus Features and Universal Studios Home Entertainment respectively. Co-productions with Sony, such as Pompeii will be retained by Sony-owned TriStar Pictures after 2014.
History
FilmDistrict acquired and released between four and eight wide release, commercial titles per year. This includes select titles from GK Films and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions.[1][2] In December 2010, FilmDistrict and Netflix signed a Pay-TV deal.[3]
The studio partnered with Sony Tristar on select films starting with Soul Surfer and Looper. FilmDistrict's CEO Peter Schlessel also made alternative distribution arrangements for their film releases. In 2012, Schlessel closed a three-picture distribution deal for their 2012 films to go through Tom Ortenberg’s Open Road Films. Open Road released Lockout, the Luc Besson-produced sci-fi action movie that stars Guy Pearce and Maggie Grace, on April 13, 2012. Open Road also released the Red Dawn remake on November 21, 2012. On Open Road's official website they list Playing The Field as the third film.[4]
On March 23, 2012, Peter Schlessel announced that FilmDistrict hired Christine Birch as President of Marketing as the company rebuilt its distribution team. She worked on The Help, Real Steel and War Horse when she was at DreamWorks Pictures.[5] On April 12, 2012, Schlessel announced Jim Orr has joined FilmDistrict as the new President of Distribution. He held similar positions when he was at MGM and Paramount Pictures.[6] At the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, FilmDistrict bought the U.S. rights for romantic thriller Dead Man Down[7] and horror film Oculus.[8] On May 31, 2012, they have hired three new executives: Tracy Pollard (Senior VP of Creative Advertising), Brad Goldberg (Senior VP of Media), and Anna Baxter (Senior VP of Digital Marketing). FilmDistrict also announced that Adrian Alperovich has been promoted from President of Acquisitions and Operations to COO.[9] On June 25, 2012 FilmDistrict announced they have hired Elissa Greer as Senior Vice President of Publicity.[10]
In April 2013, FilmDistrict announced the launch of a unit, High Top Releasing, which "will provide distribution-for-hire services including sales, in-theatre marketing and print control support, film rental negotiation and collection capabilities to independent producers who have the ability to provide their own prints-and-advertising and marketing resources."[11]
On October 2, 2013, it was announced that Peter Schlessel would be replacing James Schamus as CEO of Focus Features effective January 2014, and FilmDistrict was shut down as a distributor. Future FilmDistrict titles will be absorbed and released under Focus Features.[12] FilmDistrict's final film credit is Paul W.S. Anderson's Pompeii, which the company produced and financed with German-based Constantin Film. Sony Tristar will handle U.S. distribution.
Filmography
Released
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2011 | Insidious | FilmDistrict's first release; produced by Alliance Films and IM Global. |
| April 8, 2011 | Soul Surfer | co-release with TriStar Pictures; produced by Mandalay Pictures, Enticing Entertainment and Brookwell/McNamara Entertainment. |
| August 26, 2011 | Don't Be Afraid of the Dark | distribution only; produced by Miramax Films and Guillermo Del Toro. |
| September 16, 2011 | Drive | distribution only; produced by Bold Films and OddLot Entertainment. |
| October 28, 2011 | The Rum Diary | distribution only; produced by GK Films and Infinitum Nihil. |
| December 23, 2011 | In the Land of Blood and Honey | distribution only; produced by GK Films. |
| April 13, 2012 | Lockout | co-release with Open Road Films; produced by EuropaCorp. |
| June 8, 2012 | Safety Not Guaranteed | distribution only; produced by Big Beach. |
| September 28, 2012 | Looper | co-release with TriStar Pictures; produced by Endgame Entertainment and DMG Entertainment |
| November 23, 2012 | Red Dawn | distribution only; co-produced with Contrafilm |
| December 7, 2012 | Playing for Keeps | distribution only; produced by Millennium Films and Nu Image. |
| January 25, 2013 | Parker | distribution only; produced by Incentive Filmed Entertainment and Sierra Pictures. |
| March 8, 2013 | Dead Man Down | distribution only; produced by IM Global, WWE Studios and Original Film |
| March 22, 2013 | Olympus Has Fallen | distribution only; produced by Millennium Films and Nu Image. |
| April 5, 2013 | Evil Dead | distributed by TriStar Pictures; co-production with Ghost House Pictures |
| September 13, 2013 | Insidious: Chapter 2 | distribution only; co-production with Blumhouse Productions, Stage 6 Films and Entertainment One |
| November 16, 2013 | Wer | distribution only; co-production with Sierra/Affinity, Incentive Filmed Entertainment, Prototype and Room 101, Inc. |
| November 27, 2013 | Oldboy | distribution only; co-production with 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks and Good Universe |
Upcoming films
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| February 21, 2014 | Pompeii | co-release with TriStar Pictures; produced by Constantin Film and Impact Pictures. |
References
- ↑ Kilday, Gregg (September 27, 2010). "King's FilmDistrict taps Bob Berney". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ↑ "filmdistributorguide - Film District". Distributorreportcard.com. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
- ↑ [http://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/netflix-adds-filmdistrict-its-streaming-service-22925: FilmDistrict Netflix] Retrieved July 6, 2010
- ↑ Open Road Films (June 28, 2012). http://www.openroadfilms.com/coming-soon/playing-the-field/. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ Christine Birch Joins FilmDistrict as Marketing President
- ↑ Deadline, The. "FilmDistrict Hires Jim Orr As President Of Distribution". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
- ↑ Fleming, Mike (2012-05-17). "FilmDistrict Buys U.S. Rights To Colin Farrell-Noomi Rapace Pic 'Dead Man Down'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
- ↑ Fleming, Mike (2012-05-16). "FilmDistrict Acquires 'Oculus': Cannes". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
- ↑ Kilday, Gregg (2012-05-31). "FilmDistrict Names Three New Marketing Executives". Hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
- ↑ Deadline, The. "FilmDistrict Hires New Line’s Elissa Greer As SVP Publicity". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
- ↑ Deadline.com
- ↑ "Focus Features Hires Peter Schlessel to Replace James Schamus as CEO". October 2, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2013.