By MCN Editor editor@moviecitynews.com

Relativity Media Reinforces Executive Ranks

Posted Thursday, May 12th, 2011 - Comments Off on Relativity Media Reinforces Executive Ranks
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2011

(Beverly Hills, CA) May 12, 2011 – Relativity Media and Elliott Management Corporation announced today that Relativity’s President Michael Joe will be joining their financial partner Elliott Management Corporation; Steve Bertram, current COO & CFO, will assume the role as President & CFO of Relativity; Brian Edwards, formerly the COO and General Counsel of Mark Burnett Productions, has joined Relativity as COO.

In Joe’s new capacity at Elliott Management Corporation, he will help to manage Elliott’s entertainment assets, specifically, working closely with Relativity to optimize the Elliott-Relativity partnership. Joe will remain in Los Angeles.

Said Joe, “Given my background in the business, this position allows me to leverage all of my resources to help build Relativity’s and Elliott’s partnership. I look forward to continuing to work with Ryan, Steve, Brian and the entire Relativity team.”

Kavanaugh added, “This move, coupled with Bertram and Edwards’ expertise and experience, creates a dynamic platform. Given Relativity’s future plans, and given Steve and Brian’s close involvement with the DreamWorks Animation IPO and their guiding of the sale of DreamWorks LLC to Viacom, there is no better management team I could imagine.”

“Michael has a sterling reputation in the entertainment industry,” said Jesse Cohn, Portfolio Manager at Elliott. “We had identified the need for this role at Elliott, and we are fortunate to fill it with someone with Michael’s credentials, valuable experience at Relativity and Universal, and a close pre-existing working relationship with our team.”

As President & CFO, Bertram will assume supervision of the company’s operations worldwide, while maintaining oversight of banking relationships and corporate finance responsibilities. Bertram will be reporting directly to Kavanaugh.

“Relativity has an exciting future and these changes will strengthen our operation and enable us to continue developing new opportunities,” says Bertram. “Michael Joe has been a great partner to me and I look forward to continuing our work together in his new capacity.”

In addition, Edwards, formerly the COO and General Counsel of Mark Burnett Productions, has been appointed to Relativity’s COO, where he will manage the studio’s business affairs, legal and business administration, while working side by side with Steve Bertram managing day-to-day activities across all divisions.

While at Mark Burnett Productions, Edwards led the negotiations for company’s recently-announced joint venture with Hearst Corporation while also working on such series as Survivor, The Apprentice and NBC’s upcoming The Voice. Previously, Edwards was a partner in Overnight Productions, following an eight year executive role at DreamWorks, where he rose through the ranks as General Counsel and COO. Prior to DreamWorks, he was a partner at law firm, Greenberg Glusker. Edwards earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism and law degree with honors both from the University of Texas.

“Relativity is doing things no other studio in town is doing, and they have proven to be the innovator and to be the leader of needed change within our industry. I jumped at the chance to join this incredibly talented team. The company is led by an impressive management team and I look forward to being a part of the organization, and to helping Relativity grow to new levels.”

Relativity currently has the box office hit Limitless in theaters. Looking ahead, Relativity will release Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer based on the popular kids book series on June 10th, 2011, followed by David Ellis’ Shark Night 3-D on September 2nd, 2011. On November 11th, 2011, the studio will release the highly-anticipated Immortals, starring Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Isabel Lucas, Freida Pinto, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz, with John Hurt and Mickey Rourke. The studio is about to begin production on a yet-to-be titled Snow White film starring Lily Collins as Snow White, Oscar®-winner Julia Roberts as the queen and Armie Hammer as the prince.

ABOUT RELATIVITY MEDIA, LLC
Relativity Media is a next-generation studio engaged in multiple aspects of entertainment including full-scale film and television production and distribution, the co-financing of major studio film slates, music publishing, sports management, and digital media. Additionally, the company makes strategic partnerships with, and investments in, media and entertainment-related companies and assets.

To date, Relativity has committed to, produced and/or financed more than 200 motion pictures. Released films have accumulated more than $15 billion in worldwide box office receipts. Relativity’s recent films include: Hop, Limitless, Battle: Los Angeles, Season of The Witch, Little Fockers, The Fighter, The Social Network, Salt, Despicable Me, Grown Ups, Dear John, It’s Complicated, Couples Retreat, and Zombieland. Upcoming films for Relativity include: Shark Night 3D, Immortals, Anonymous, Bridesmaids, and Cowboys & Aliens. 36 of the company’s films have opened at No. 1 at the box office. Relativity films have earned 60 Oscar® nominations, including nods for The Fighter, The Social Network, The Wolfman, Nine, A Serious Man, Frost/Nixon, Atonement, American Gangster and 3:10 to Yuma. 55 of Relativity’s films have each generated more than $100 million in worldwide box-office receipts.

Relativity owns and operates Rogue Pictures, a company that specializes in films targeted to the 13-25 year old audience, and RogueLife, Relativity’s digital studio which is developing original content for the Web, and creating sustainable online platforms and communities. RelativityREAL, Relativity’s television arm, is currently producing 14 series and more than 20 pilots including Police Women for TLC, Coming Home for Lifetime, and The Great Food Truck Race for Food Network.

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