SVP, Comedy Development
Disney
Los Angeles, CA
Overview:
This role will work for Vice Studios and is responsible for developing new documentary projects and managing the sales and marketing process for all greenlit documentary projects. We are looking for a seasoned executive with extensive experience in documentary development, production and financing, who can excel in the interfacing with talent and their representatives and also documentary financiers and distributors, especially HBO, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. The ideal candidate is extremely organized and detail oriented, has a tenacious work ethic and does not shy away from challenging tasks or conversations, all while acting as a leader of this department and shaping its internal and externally-facing culture.
Responsibilities:
• Establish a documentary slate to meet revenue projections for 5-year plan
• Responsible for overall P&L and profitability for the group
• Guide continued growth of documentary slate that adheres to VICE brand's creative vision
• Support the production of greenlit projects
• Managing the staff of the documentary division, including the Head of Physical Production and any development executives to:
• Read & give notes on outlines
• Supervise the staffing of producers and directors
• Watch dailies and rough cuts, and giving notes
• On-set coverage of productions when necessary
• Manage the marketing and branding of the projects with VICE's marketing departments
• Collaborate with other Vice Studio departments on various issues as needed (Business Affairs, S&P, PR, Digital Media, etc.).
• Execute and refine a content development strategy to:
• Oversee the development budget and work closely with finance
• Manage and push projects through the development pipeline
• Solicit new material and review submitted ideas
• Build and foster relationships with the global creative community to stay on top of latest trends, talent, etc.
• Collaborate with Production, Post-Production and Marketing to see projects through to completion
• Help develop process and best practices for Development
• Manage relationships with financiers and distributors in the domestic and global marketplace via:
• Advising on selling strategy for documentary slate
• Analyzing current slate and create sales strategy that both maximizes profitability and generates maximum exposure for documentary content
• Managing relationships with documentary filmmakers and producers
• Using VICE Media's global reach to identify and establish external network of like-minded producers with strong local market influence and global pre-awareness
• Retaining and cultivate talent using VICE Media ''ecosystem''
• Creating strategy to identify already established key talent relationships across VICE Media and integrate them into appropriate VICE Studios Documentary projects
Qualifications/Experience:
• Bachelor's Degree in Film or Business
• 7–10 years of experience as a studio executive, with at least 3-5 years working in documentaries
• Ability to simultaneously supervise several projects in various phases of production (from development to production to sales and marketing)
• Familiarity with, and a willingness to stay up to date on, current and up-and-coming documentary filmmakers, marketing techniques and sales processes.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to manage a team with a commitment to creating a healthy working environment
• Finesse in juggling competing demands from creative executives and business executives
• Ability to think outside of the box to derive innovative solutions to complex problems ranging from business negotiations to PR crises
• Ability to liaise with third party producers, talent agents, and distributors to create long-standing working relationships
• Willingness to respond after hours for important matters
• Ability to maintain confidential information
Equal Opportunity Employer:
VICE Media (VICE.com, VICE Studios, VICE TV, Virtue, VICE News, Refinery29, PULSE Films, i-D) is an equal opportunity employer. We view everyone as an individual, and we understand that inclusion is more than just diversity – it's about belonging. We celebrate the fact that everyone is unique, and that's what makes us so good at what we do. We pride ourselves on being a company that embraces difference and truly represents the global clients we work with.
This position is not eligible to be performed in Colorado.
Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gp5k19-52-91-67-23-42 in your application.
VICE Media Group is the world’s largest independent youth media company. Launched in 1994,VICE has offices in 35 cities across the globe with a focus on five key businesses: VICE.com, an award-winning international network of digital content; VICE STUDIOS, a feature film and television production studio; VICE TV, an Emmy-winning international television network; a Peabody award-winning NEWS division with the most Emmy-awarded nightly news broadcast; and VIRTUE, a global, full-service creative agency with 25 offices around the world.