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Viacom Productions Signs Television Development Deal with Francis Ford Coppola and American Zoetrope Television
LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Jan. 29, 2002--Michele Conklin, Senior
Vice President, Creative Affairs, Viacom Productions, announced today
Viacom Productions has reunited with Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope
Television and has signed a development deal with the company.
Prior to this agreement, Viacom Productions had an exclusive two-year
development deal with American Zoetrope Television in 2000 to produce
series television.
Coppola's American Zoetrope made its mark on the small screen by producing
several highly acclaimed movies and mini-series, including the Emmy Award-winning
epics "The Odyssey" and "Moby Dick." Current television
projects include a one-hour pilot for the WB called "In My Life,"
written by Ira Underleider, and a gothic-thriller hour script at HBO with
Clive Barker and David Goyer.
Maira Suro, President, American Zoetrope Television, will executive produce
all American Zoetrope television productions, along with Coppola.
VIACOM PRODUCTIONS' MS. CONKLIN SAID:
"We are excited to be working with Francis Ford Coppola and American
Zoetrope Television again. We think Francis and Maira's creative vision
and ability to attract gifted writers and directors will yield the kind
of distinctive television we love to produce."
SAID AMERICAN ZOETROPE'S MS. SURO:
"I'm thrilled about our new home and to have found such enthusiastic
partners in Viacom with Perry, Steve and Michele," said Ms. Suro.
"Our company's focus continues to be very selective and targeted
in the material that we develop. Viacom understands and supports that
philosophy. We have a lot of momentum with our pilot pick-up at the WB
and our projects at HBO, and we're looking forward to carrying that in
to next season. It all feels pretty good right now."
ABOUT COPPOLA'S AMERICAN ZOETROPE:
Francis Coppola founded American Zoetrope in 1969 with the notion that
the future of cinema was electronic and based primarily on writers. Under
Coppola's leadership and philosophy, American Zoetrope has produced a
library of award-wining films, including "American Graffiti,"
"The Godfather, Parts II & III," "The Black Stallion,"
"The Outsiders" and "Rumblefish," "Peggy Sue
Got Married," "The Conversation," "Apocalypse Now,"
"Bram Stoker's Dracula," "Don Juan DeMarco," "Mi
Familia" and the recent hit, "The Virgin Suicides." In
addition to the television and film companies, Coppola also founded "All
Story," a short story magazine and winner of the coveted National
Magazine Award for best fiction. American Zoetrope Television intends
to draw from this pool of talented writers for their projects. American
Zoetrope Television is repped by ICM.
ABOUT VIACOM PRODUCTIONS:
Viacom Productions develops and produces series and movies for network
television and cable. Current series include NBC's "Ed," The
WB's "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," HBO's "Oz," Showtime's
"Resurrection Blvd." and "The Chris Isaak Show," and
Lifetime's "The Division." Viacom Productions is a division
of The Paramount Television Group, which is part of the entertainment
operations of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA).
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