Businessmen, Exhibitors, and Filmmakers Combine to Launch Promising New Film Distribution Venture
August 9, 2005 (Press Release) --
New Independent Distribution Company Enters the Fray
Businessmen, Exhibitors, and Filmmakers Combine to Launch Promising New Venture
August 9, 2005, West Hollywood, CA – Filmmaker and nine-time Grammy Award-winning music producer, Joe Nicolo has teamed up with Jeffrey D. Erb, Frank Vitolo, Robert L. Robinson, Jr., Dani Englander, and Brett Donowho to launch Kindred Media Group, an independent distribution company handling domestic and worldwide rights to various film projects.
Funded by private equity, Kindred will be headed up by Jeffrey D. Erb, a veteran entrepreneur, having raised capital for, built, and sold several prior companies with long-time partner Robert L. Robinson, Jr. Coming from a family background of theatrcial exhibition, Dani Englander will head up theatrical distribution. Ms. Englander is part of the McCall family, who owns both Marquee Cinemas and All-Star Cinemas.
The relationship with Marquee and All-Star allows Kindred to guarantee theatrical distribution to the projects that it elects to distribute.
Nicolo, who founded Ruffhouse Records, sold the Company to Sony after having produced albums such as Kriss Kross, Cypress Hill, the Fugees, Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill with sales surpassing 100 Million worldwide. Nicolo’s film experience producing “Shade” with Merv Griffin and RKO picutures, starring Jamie Foxx, Gabriel Byrne, Thandie Newton, Sylvester Stallone and Melanie Griffith, brings relationships and P&D deals with Warner, Universal and Blockbuster/DEJ for home video.
Frank Vitolo brings 25 years of film experience to the company, having worked as an actor with notable directors such as Mike Nichols, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Philip Kaufman, Woody Allen, Allen Parker and the like. As a producer, Mr. Vitolo has put together numerous pictures including titles such as Hometown Legend, The Music Within, Carry Me Home, Tough Luck, Return to Sleepaway Camp, and Woody Cisco and Me.
Brett Donowho spent the past fourteen years as agent, manager, executive and producer and has worked with some of the industry's top writers, directors and actors. Brett is currently producing a feature he developed titled The Music Within, and has several other features slated for 2005, including Glimmer for Armada Entertainment.
“We’re excited about our team and the projects we currently have on slate,” states Erb, “The unique ability we have to insure theatrical exhibition and provide all other forms of distribution allows us to fill what is rapidly becoming a void in independent film distribution through the mergers and acquisitions of other distribution companies.”
Kindred Media Group has set its sights on seven feature films that it is preparing for distribution. The company was present at the Cannes Film Festival this year, negotiating opportunities before announcing its existence. Kindred maintains offices in West Hollywood, CA and Eagleville, PA.
# # #
Businessmen, Exhibitors, and Filmmakers Combine to Launch Promising New Venture
August 9, 2005, West Hollywood, CA – Filmmaker and nine-time Grammy Award-winning music producer, Joe Nicolo has teamed up with Jeffrey D. Erb, Frank Vitolo, Robert L. Robinson, Jr., Dani Englander, and Brett Donowho to launch Kindred Media Group, an independent distribution company handling domestic and worldwide rights to various film projects.
Funded by private equity, Kindred will be headed up by Jeffrey D. Erb, a veteran entrepreneur, having raised capital for, built, and sold several prior companies with long-time partner Robert L. Robinson, Jr. Coming from a family background of theatrcial exhibition, Dani Englander will head up theatrical distribution. Ms. Englander is part of the McCall family, who owns both Marquee Cinemas and All-Star Cinemas.
The relationship with Marquee and All-Star allows Kindred to guarantee theatrical distribution to the projects that it elects to distribute.
Nicolo, who founded Ruffhouse Records, sold the Company to Sony after having produced albums such as Kriss Kross, Cypress Hill, the Fugees, Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill with sales surpassing 100 Million worldwide. Nicolo’s film experience producing “Shade” with Merv Griffin and RKO picutures, starring Jamie Foxx, Gabriel Byrne, Thandie Newton, Sylvester Stallone and Melanie Griffith, brings relationships and P&D deals with Warner, Universal and Blockbuster/DEJ for home video.
Frank Vitolo brings 25 years of film experience to the company, having worked as an actor with notable directors such as Mike Nichols, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Philip Kaufman, Woody Allen, Allen Parker and the like. As a producer, Mr. Vitolo has put together numerous pictures including titles such as Hometown Legend, The Music Within, Carry Me Home, Tough Luck, Return to Sleepaway Camp, and Woody Cisco and Me.
Brett Donowho spent the past fourteen years as agent, manager, executive and producer and has worked with some of the industry's top writers, directors and actors. Brett is currently producing a feature he developed titled The Music Within, and has several other features slated for 2005, including Glimmer for Armada Entertainment.
“We’re excited about our team and the projects we currently have on slate,” states Erb, “The unique ability we have to insure theatrical exhibition and provide all other forms of distribution allows us to fill what is rapidly becoming a void in independent film distribution through the mergers and acquisitions of other distribution companies.”
Kindred Media Group has set its sights on seven feature films that it is preparing for distribution. The company was present at the Cannes Film Festival this year, negotiating opportunities before announcing its existence. Kindred maintains offices in West Hollywood, CA and Eagleville, PA.
# # #
Email
Print
SPAM
