Gaumont Launches U.S.-Based Division Run By Katie OConnell, Sets Projects From Bryan Larger And Michael Hirst

French film studio Gaumont is just about the latest foreign production company to determine a U.S. outpost and tap an experienced U.S. TV executive to operate it. Gaumont today introduced today the launch of Gaumont Worldwide Television, a completely independent studio located in La, made to produce drama and comedy television programming for that U.S. and worldwide marketplaces. Former NBC mind of drama Katie O’Connell will run the organization as Boss, with The new sony Pictures TV business professional Richard Frankie drawn on as COO. GIT also introduced its first couple of projects that'll be come to MIPCOM the following month: Hannibal, a 1-hour drama series compiled by Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Larger, and Madame Tussaud, a six-hour miniseries compiled by The Tudors creator Michael Hirst. Hannibal will explore the first relationship of Thomas Harris’ signature character, famous mental health specialist Dr. Hannibal Lector, and the patient, a youthful FBI criminal profiler named Will Graham, who's haunted by his capability to sympathise with serial murders. Larger is executive creating with Martha P Laurentiis that has created three Hannibal Lector features: Hannibal, Red-colored Dragon and Hannibal Rising. Madame Tussaud is dependant on it by Michelle Moran and follows the turbulent existence of Madame Tussaud, who had been not merely a great artist, a formidable business lady and entrepreneur but additionally made it the disasters from the French Revolution and also the Reign of Terror that taken away buddies, family as well as an entire life-style. Hirst is executive creating with Alan Gasmer and Sherry Marsh. This marks the go back to the company for OConnell, who offered as mind drama programming for NBC from 2006 until December 2008 when she left included in NBC’s massive executive shakeup. Just before that, OConnell was EVP of Development and Current Programming for Imagine Entertainment. Frankie most lately held the positioning of EVP Business Procedures at The new sony Pictures TV. OConnell and Frankie have triggered board Erik Pack, located in London, who'll mind Worldwide Distribution and Co-Production for GIT. Pack formerly offered as EVP of Worldwide Sales and Co-Productions at London-based production and distribution company Energy. Financing for GIT was arranged and structured by Evolution Media Capital, a good investment banking firm for that entertainment and media industries. The roll-out of GIT occurs the heels of leading Canadian production company Shaftesbury Films starting a U.S. arm and tapping former Columbia TriStar Network TV leader Tom Mazza to operate it. This past year, Montreal-based Cineflix released U.S.-based Cineflix Galleries and drawn on former top AMC scripted executive Christina Wayne to operate it.