With filmmaker J.J. Abrams as his principle investor, former William Morris Endeavor board member John Fogelman formally launched FactoryMade Ventures, a hybrid entertainment, media business development and consulting firm.
FactoryMade had alliances in place with global clients Telefonica, Hasbro, RTL Group and Intel by the time Fogelman made Tuesday’s announcement. Abrams (pictured) already has begun developing a project with the newly formed company, as have other talented creators including Michael Bay, Robert Rodriguez, Thom Beers and Whoopi Goldberg.
Initial plans for new ventures include original short-form programming, interactive viewing and gaming experiences, incubating projects for digital and mobile platforms, and launching cable and network television both domestically and in emerging markets such as Brazil, Peru and Colombia.
“We recognize the characteristics of the constantly changing media landscape that continue to shift our view of entertainment,” said Fogelman, CEO of FactoryMade Ventures. “We welcome the industry’s most imaginative and inventive minds to strategize new ventures with us and build them into fully fledged media businesses.”
FactoryMade also has a partnership with Spain’s Telefonica SA to develop content-driven businesses with Telefonica’s subsidiaries Media Networks Latin America SAC and Terra Networks SA, recognizing the growth in Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market.
Abrams, who directed movies like Star Trek and Super 8, as well as creating or co-creating television series such as Felicity, Alias, Lost and Fringe, is a long-standing client of Fogelman’s. Abrams’ producing partner, Bryan Burk, also will be involved in FactoryMade. David Lonner of Oasis Media Group will continue as Abrams’ manager.
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Photo of J.J. Abrams courtesy of flickr user Gage Skidmore, used under Creative Commons license
