Exclusive: More details are emerging about the restructuring in the film division of Fifth Season earlier this week. Along with the change at the top of the unit, with Alexis Garcia stepping down to launch a new venture Fifth Season’s backing and Christopher Slager being promoted to replace him as Head of Film, there were layoffs across the division, sources tell Deadline.
A total of nine employees were impacted, the majority of them in BA as the indie studio no longer will have an in-house BA team. Instead BA services will be outsourced to firms that have larger infrastructure to accommodate a growing development and production slate while also delivering cost savings.
Also leaving as part of the cuts are one creative executive, Janice Lee, VP Film Development and Production, and a VP Physical Production, sources said. Fifth Season’s TV operation was not impacted.
In a recent Q&a with Deadline,...
A total of nine employees were impacted, the majority of them in BA as the indie studio no longer will have an in-house BA team. Instead BA services will be outsourced to firms that have larger infrastructure to accommodate a growing development and production slate while also delivering cost savings.
Also leaving as part of the cuts are one creative executive, Janice Lee, VP Film Development and Production, and a VP Physical Production, sources said. Fifth Season’s TV operation was not impacted.
In a recent Q&a with Deadline,...
- 3/29/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Fifth Season has promoted Christopher Slager to head of film as it expands in-house production and development and announced that Alexis Garcia is leaving to set up his own venture with backing from the company.
Slager, who has been at Fifth Season for some time, previously served as a partner and SVP of film finance and sales at Endeavor Content, and before that worked at WME.
Prior to that he was at Focus Features. Credits include The Florida Project, Mudbound, The Banker, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Pig, and the Book Club franchise.
Slager will take charge of the film studio...
Slager, who has been at Fifth Season for some time, previously served as a partner and SVP of film finance and sales at Endeavor Content, and before that worked at WME.
Prior to that he was at Focus Features. Credits include The Florida Project, Mudbound, The Banker, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Pig, and the Book Club franchise.
Slager will take charge of the film studio...
- 3/27/2024
- ScreenDaily
Fifth Season has upped Christopher Slager to Head of Film as the studio expands its in-house production and development of feature films.
Slager will oversee the studio’s anticipated productions including Netflix/Artists Equity’s Animals, starring Matt Damon and directed by Ben Affleck, as well as the Samuel L. Jackson and Joel Kinnaman movie The Beast directed by Emmy winner James Madigan.
Alexis Garcia, who previously managed features, will launch a new venture with backing from Fifth Season, details to be announced down the road. Garcia will remain a consultant to the studio during his transition.
Among those titles on the horizon for Fifth Season under Slager’s watch are Stephen Chbosky’s Nonnas, starring Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, and Linda Cardellini; Jan Komasa’s Anniversary, starring Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Dylan O’Brien, Zoey Deutch, Phoebe Dynevor, Madeline Brewer, Mckenna Grace, and Daryl McCormack; Nick Rowland’s She Rides Shotgun,...
Slager will oversee the studio’s anticipated productions including Netflix/Artists Equity’s Animals, starring Matt Damon and directed by Ben Affleck, as well as the Samuel L. Jackson and Joel Kinnaman movie The Beast directed by Emmy winner James Madigan.
Alexis Garcia, who previously managed features, will launch a new venture with backing from Fifth Season, details to be announced down the road. Garcia will remain a consultant to the studio during his transition.
Among those titles on the horizon for Fifth Season under Slager’s watch are Stephen Chbosky’s Nonnas, starring Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, and Linda Cardellini; Jan Komasa’s Anniversary, starring Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Dylan O’Brien, Zoey Deutch, Phoebe Dynevor, Madeline Brewer, Mckenna Grace, and Daryl McCormack; Nick Rowland’s She Rides Shotgun,...
- 3/27/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Christopher Slager has been promoted to head film operations at Fifth Season, with longtime features head Alexis Garcia exiting the company to launch a yet-to-be revealed venture.
Garcia, whose new outfit is receiving backing from Fifth Season, will remain with the company as a consultant through the transition.
According to Wednesday’s announcement from Fifth Season co-CEOs Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, Slager will focus on in-house production and development. The company’s recent film credits include 80 for Brady, the Apple Sundance acquisition Flora and Son and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter.
“Christopher is one of the most dynamic and entrepreneurial executives working today,” said Taylor and Rice. “We believe there is a huge opportunity ahead in the film space, and we are committed to expanding our focus on in-house production and development under his leadership.”
Added Slager, “Over the last decade and a half, I’ve been inspired...
Garcia, whose new outfit is receiving backing from Fifth Season, will remain with the company as a consultant through the transition.
According to Wednesday’s announcement from Fifth Season co-CEOs Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, Slager will focus on in-house production and development. The company’s recent film credits include 80 for Brady, the Apple Sundance acquisition Flora and Son and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter.
“Christopher is one of the most dynamic and entrepreneurial executives working today,” said Taylor and Rice. “We believe there is a huge opportunity ahead in the film space, and we are committed to expanding our focus on in-house production and development under his leadership.”
Added Slager, “Over the last decade and a half, I’ve been inspired...
- 3/27/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Once the Hollywood strikes were over, Fifth Season, run by co-CEOs Chris Rice and Graham Taylor, moved in to get production on six series up and running by January, including The Savant, starring and executive produced by Jessica Chastain.
The new limited series for Apple TV+ is the first production under a first-look deal Fifth Season Television has made with Chastain’s Freckle Films (George & Tammy), run by President Kelly Carmichael, to develop and produce projects.
In addition to The Savant, which marks Fifth Season’s seventh series at Apple TV+, other series that ramped up quickly after the strikes include Season 2 of Apple TV+’s Severance and the upcoming The Chief Of War starring Jason Momoa and Lady In the Lake (in post-production) with Natalie Portman — all on Apple TV+ — Season 2 of Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers starring Nicole Kidman and Australian series The Last Anniversary, which Kidman produces.
The new limited series for Apple TV+ is the first production under a first-look deal Fifth Season Television has made with Chastain’s Freckle Films (George & Tammy), run by President Kelly Carmichael, to develop and produce projects.
In addition to The Savant, which marks Fifth Season’s seventh series at Apple TV+, other series that ramped up quickly after the strikes include Season 2 of Apple TV+’s Severance and the upcoming The Chief Of War starring Jason Momoa and Lady In the Lake (in post-production) with Natalie Portman — all on Apple TV+ — Season 2 of Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers starring Nicole Kidman and Australian series The Last Anniversary, which Kidman produces.
- 3/22/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Fifth Season, the company formerly known as Endeavor Content, is cutting around 12% of its workforce as a result of the impact of the dual Hollywood strikes.
The company, which is behind series such as Severance and Normal People, is axing 30 positions, across both executive and administrative roles.
It is the second time this year that the business, which is now majority owned by Korean studio Cj Enm, which paid $785M for an 80% stake, has had to make cuts following layoffs in April.
The company is run by Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, who are Co-CEOs. Joe Hipps runs the TV side of the business as EVP, TV Development and Production and Alexis Garcia runs the film group.
On the TV side, it is also behind See, Killing Eve, The Night Manager, Tokyo Vice, and upcoming projects such as Alma Har’el’s Lady in the Lake starring Natalie Portman for Apple.
The company, which is behind series such as Severance and Normal People, is axing 30 positions, across both executive and administrative roles.
It is the second time this year that the business, which is now majority owned by Korean studio Cj Enm, which paid $785M for an 80% stake, has had to make cuts following layoffs in April.
The company is run by Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, who are Co-CEOs. Joe Hipps runs the TV side of the business as EVP, TV Development and Production and Alexis Garcia runs the film group.
On the TV side, it is also behind See, Killing Eve, The Night Manager, Tokyo Vice, and upcoming projects such as Alma Har’el’s Lady in the Lake starring Natalie Portman for Apple.
- 8/24/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Fifth Season, the film and TV studio behind “Severance,” “80 for Brady” and “Normal People,” has been hit with layoffs as it cuts 2% of its staff, TheWrap has confirmed.
The cost-cutting measures will impact eight executives, including Marketing SVP Beth McPhee, communications SVP Sharon Liggins and Jennifer Saull, who serves as counsel for TV business and legal affairs.
Additional team members departing the company are TV creative director Shelby White, physical production VP Danielle Gerber, TV creative manager Kyle Plimpton, film creative director Ryan Bernstein and travel coordinator manager Josh Workman.
Also Read:
Endeavor Content Rebrands as Fifth Season
Originally launched as Endeavor Content in 2017, the studio is behind Apple TV+ hit “Severance,” Paul Mescal-led “Normal People,” “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” “The Lost Daughter,” “Killing Eve,” “Tokyo Vice,” “80 for Brady,” “Book Club 2: The Next Chapter” and “The Night Manager.”
In September, the studio rebranded from Endeavor Content...
The cost-cutting measures will impact eight executives, including Marketing SVP Beth McPhee, communications SVP Sharon Liggins and Jennifer Saull, who serves as counsel for TV business and legal affairs.
Additional team members departing the company are TV creative director Shelby White, physical production VP Danielle Gerber, TV creative manager Kyle Plimpton, film creative director Ryan Bernstein and travel coordinator manager Josh Workman.
Also Read:
Endeavor Content Rebrands as Fifth Season
Originally launched as Endeavor Content in 2017, the studio is behind Apple TV+ hit “Severance,” Paul Mescal-led “Normal People,” “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” “The Lost Daughter,” “Killing Eve,” “Tokyo Vice,” “80 for Brady,” “Book Club 2: The Next Chapter” and “The Night Manager.”
In September, the studio rebranded from Endeavor Content...
- 4/27/2023
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Fifth Season has laid off eight employees — or 2% of the workforce — including comms chief Sharon Liggins.
The cuts also include Shelby White, director, TV creative; Daniell Gerber, VP physical production; Kyle Plimpton, manager, TV creative; Ryan Bernstein, director, film creative; Beth McPhee, SVP, marketing; Josh Workman, manager, travel coordinator; and Jennifer Saull, counsel, TV business and legal affairs.
In September, Fifth Season, the production company behind “Severance,” “Cha Cha Real Smooth” and “The Lost Daughter,” launched as the rebranded Endeavor Content, which changed its name in a move to distinguish itself from its former parent company that shares its Endeavor moniker.
Run by co-CEOs Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, Fifth Season was founded as Endeavor Content in 2017 with production, sales and distribution assets within Endeavor, WME and Img. In 2022, Endeavor Content was spun out of Endeavor, which still has a 20% stake in the company, with Korean media giant Cj Enm...
The cuts also include Shelby White, director, TV creative; Daniell Gerber, VP physical production; Kyle Plimpton, manager, TV creative; Ryan Bernstein, director, film creative; Beth McPhee, SVP, marketing; Josh Workman, manager, travel coordinator; and Jennifer Saull, counsel, TV business and legal affairs.
In September, Fifth Season, the production company behind “Severance,” “Cha Cha Real Smooth” and “The Lost Daughter,” launched as the rebranded Endeavor Content, which changed its name in a move to distinguish itself from its former parent company that shares its Endeavor moniker.
Run by co-CEOs Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, Fifth Season was founded as Endeavor Content in 2017 with production, sales and distribution assets within Endeavor, WME and Img. In 2022, Endeavor Content was spun out of Endeavor, which still has a 20% stake in the company, with Korean media giant Cj Enm...
- 4/27/2023
- by Jennifer Maas and Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
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