Erik Feig

Last updated
Erik Feig
Born
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater Vanderbilt University
Columbia University (BA)
OccupationFilm executive
Years active1997–present
TitleFounder and CEO of Picturestart
Spouse
Susanna Felleman
​
(m. 2002)​
Children2

Erik Feig is an American film executive and producer.

Contents

Feig, a graduate of Columbia University, began his career in film as an independent producer. He worked for Summit Entertainment during the 2000s, before becoming president of production for Lionsgate. He left the company in 2018. In May 2019, Feig launched Picturestart, an independent production company. [1]

Early life and education

Feig was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Westport, Connecticut. [2] [3] He attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, for one year. After taking a year off to travel, he transferred to Columbia University in New York City, graduating with a BA in English in 1992. [3] [4] At Columbia, Feig lived in East Campus and studied under James S. Shapiro, Annette Insdorf, and David Denby. [5]

Career

Independent producing (1997-2000)

Feig began his career as an independent producer, working with Sony Pictures producing films including I Know What You Did Last Summer , I Still Know What You Did Last Summer and Slackers , all for Sony Pictures. [4] [6] [7] He had a producing deal with Artisan Entertainment, before being recruited to run the film department at Summit Entertainment. [6]

Summit Entertainment (2001-11)

In 1998 Summit Entertainment, a sales agent at the time, launched its own production department with Splendor and Kill the Man, and by 2001, Feig joined Summit as president of production and acquisitions. [2] He became a partner in 2007. [6] [8]

Feig brought the Twilight book series to Summit after Paramount Pictures passed on it. [6] Although at the time the book had sold only 4,000 copies, Feig noted its strong following online, and its potential to be a franchise for the new studio. [8] [9] He pursued the project and was able to make a deal with author Stephenie Meyer. [10] Feig secured the rights to all four books in February 2006. [8]

Lionsgate (2012-2019)

Summit was sold to Lionsgate for $412.5 million in 2012, [11] and Feig was named president of production for Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. [4] In February 2014, he was promoted to co-president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, overseeing film production and development for the Lionsgate and Summit labels. [12]

Feig first learned of La La Land at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014, when he met with Damien Chazelle, who pitched him his script for a Hollywood musical. At the time, the script was in development at Focus Features. Feig secured a $30 million budget for Lionsgate to produce the film, gambling on the unusual undertaking of an original Hollywood musical. Chazelle's first feature Whiplash had not yet been released when the deal was made. [13] [14] [15]

In February 2018, it was reported that Feig would be leaving Lionsgate, and that he has raised money to launch a new company focused on youth-oriented projects. Lionsgate is expected to be one of the investors in the new company. [16] [17]

Picturestart

In May 2019, Feig announced the launch of Picturestart, a "new media" company. Scholastic granted the company access to its IP. [18] [1] [19] Picturestart intends to produce four to six films and four to six TV series per year. [20]

Personal life

Feig lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife Susanna Felleman and their two children. They were married in New York in 2002. [2] [3]

Filmography

Producer

Executive producer

Related Research Articles

Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American global mass media and entertainment company. Originally a Canadian company, it was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is currently headquartered in Santa Monica, California. In addition to its flagship Lionsgate Films division, its other divisions include Lionsgate Television and Lionsgate Interactive. It owns a variety of subsidiaries such as 3 Arts Entertainment, Pilgrim Media Group and Starz Inc..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Pictures</span> American film production company

Silver Pictures is an American film production company founded by Hollywood producer Joel Silver in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davis Entertainment</span> American film production company

Davis Entertainment is an American independent film and television production company, founded by John Davis in 1984.

Nick Meyer is an American film producer. He is the CEO of Sierra/Affinity and president of film operations for Entertainment One. Meyer was the president of Paramount Vantage until December 2008. In 2007, with Meyer as co-head of Paramount, the Studio received 19 Academy Award nominations. Formerly, Meyer was the president of Lionsgate International, a division of Lionsgate. He founded Sierra Pictures in 2009. In 2011, his Sierra Pictures merged with film sales company Affinity International to become Sierra/Affinity.

Lionsgate Films is a Canadian-American film production and film distribution studio founded in Canada, now a division of Lionsgate Entertainment headquartered in Santa Monica. It is the largest and most successful mini-major film studio in North America.

Original Film is an American film and television production company founded by Neal H. Moritz. Notable films the company has produced include the Fast & Furious franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alliance Films</span> Canadian motion picture distribution/production company

Alliance Films was a Canadian motion picture distribution and production company, which had served Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandeville Films</span> American independent film production company

Mandeville Films is an American film production company headquartered in Burbank, California. Founded in 1995 by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, the company re-formed as Mandeville Films and Television in 2002 after a short hiatus for three years, with Hoberman and Lieberman as partners and co-owners.

<i>The Twilight Saga</i> (film series) Series of romance fantasy films about vampires

The Twilight Saga is a series of romance fantasy films based on the book series Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. The series has grossed over $5.28 billion worldwide. The first installment, Twilight, was released on November 21, 2008. The second installment, New Moon, followed on November 20, 2009. The third installment, Eclipse, was released on June 30, 2010. The fourth installment, Breaking Dawn – Part 1, was released on November 18, 2011, while the fifth installment, Breaking Dawn – Part 2, was released on November 16, 2012.

Skydance Media, LLC is an American production company based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2006, the company entered a five-year partnership to co-produce and co-finance films with Paramount Pictures starting in 2009, and renewed the agreement twice extending to 2021. The company specializes in films, animation, television, video games, and sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point Grey Pictures</span> American independent film production company

Point Grey (PGP) is an American film and television production company, founded in 2011 by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The name of the company comes from Vancouver's Point Grey Secondary School, where Rogen and Goldberg met.

<i>La La Land</i> 2016 film by Damien Chazelle

La La Land is a 2016 American musical romantic drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as a struggling jazz pianist and an aspiring actress who meet and fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles. The supporting cast includes John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, Finn Wittrock, and J. K. Simmons.

Vertigo Entertainment is an American film and television production company based in Los Angeles, founded in 2001 by Roy Lee and Doug Davison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Universe</span> American film production company

Good Universe is an American film production company founded by Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane.

Black Label Media is a Los Angeles based independent film production, television production, podcast, entertainment and finance company founded in 2013. The company had a 25 percent stake in La La Land (2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloria Sanchez Productions</span> American film production company

Gloria Sanchez Productions is an American film and television production company.

Viaplay Group AB, formerly known as Nordic Entertainment Group AB, is a Swedish media and entertainment company headquartered in Stockholm.

<i>Babylon</i> (2022 film) 2022 film by Damien Chazelle

Babylon is a 2022 American epic historical black comedy drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It features an ensemble cast that includes Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, P. J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Max Minghella, Rory Scovel, Katherine Waterston, and Tobey Maguire. The film chronicles the rise and fall of multiple characters during Hollywood's transition from silent to sound films in the late 1920s.

<i>Borderlands</i> (film) Upcoming film by Eli Roth

Borderlands is an upcoming American science fiction action comedy film directed by Eli Roth, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Crombie, based on the video game series of the same name developed by Gearbox Software. It stars an ensemble cast featuring Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Bobby Lee, Florian Munteanu, Gina Gershon, and Jamie Lee Curtis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Kaplan</span> American film producer

Matthew Kaplan is an American film producer. He is known for producing young adult films, including To All the Boys film series. He is the founder and CEO of Ace Entertainment and former president of Awesomeness Films.

References

  1. 1 2 Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 2, 2019). "Ex-Lionsgate Chief Erik Feig Launches Funded Production Shingle Picturestart; Warner Bros, Endeavor Content, BRON Key Backers". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 4, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Weddings; Susanna Felleman, Erik Feig," Archived 2017-10-27 at the Wayback Machine The New York Times, May 19, 2002.
  3. 1 2 3 "Take Five with Erik Feig '92," Archived 2017-12-26 at the Wayback Machine Columbia College Today , 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Block, Alex Ben (2012-02-09). "Erik Feig to Head Movie Production at Combined Summit-Lionsgate". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  5. ↑ "Take Five with Erik Feig '92". Columbia College Today. 2017-09-15. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Finke, Nikki (2012-02-09). "EXCLUSIVE: Summit's Erik Feig To Be Named President Of Production Of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2022-10-23. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  7. ↑ "Erik Feig," Archived 2018-02-16 at the Wayback Machine Variety. Accessed October 27, 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 Barnes, Brooks (2008-11-19). "For Studio, Vampire Movie Is a Cinderella Story". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  9. ↑ Likhtman, Asya (2015-03-18). "Erik Feig tells us his Hollywood life story". The Oxford Student. Archived from the original on 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  10. ↑ Sperling, Nicole (16 July 2008). "'Twilight' hits Hollywood". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-24. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  11. ↑ McNary, Dave (2012-01-13). "Lionsgate buys Summit for $412.5 million". Variety. Archived from the original on 2023-05-08. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  12. ↑ Miller, Daniel (2014-02-25). "Erik Feig named co-president of Lionsgate's film group". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2021-01-23. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  13. ↑ Anthony D'Alessandro, "Encore: How 'La La Land' Director Damien Chazelle, His Team & Lionsgate Faced The Music & Resurrected The Original Hollywood Musical," Archived 2019-12-29 at the Wayback Machine Deadline.com, February 17, 2017.
  14. ↑ Ryan Faughnder, "With 'La La Land,' which hauled in 14 Oscar nominations, Lionsgate's gamble is paying off big," Archived 2020-02-14 at the Wayback Machine Los Angeles Times, January 24, 2017.
  15. ↑ Peter Bart, "'La La Land,' Starz Deal Leaves Lionsgate Singing About Future," Archived 2019-09-09 at the Wayback Machine Deadline.com, December 21, 2016.
  16. ↑ McNary, Dave (2018-02-20). "Lionsgate Film Execs Erik Feig, Patrick Wachsberger Plan Exit". Variety. Archived from the original on 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  17. ↑ Masters, Kim (2018-02-20). "Lionsgate Shake-Up: Top Film Execs Plan Exit (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  18. ↑ Kroll, Justin (May 2, 2019). "Veteran Producer and Exec Erik Feig Launches Media Company Picturestart". Variety. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  19. ↑ Kit, Borys (May 2, 2019). "Former Lionsgate Film Exec Erik Feig Launches New Production Banner". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  20. ↑ Faughnder, Ryan (May 2, 2019). "Former Lionsgate executive Erik Feig gets Warner Bros. backing for new company". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.