.png)
2 hours ago
2 ARTICLE AD
EXCLUSIVE: Amazon international originals boss James Farrell is exiting to launch a company focusing on YA movies following the breakout success of Culpa Tuya.
Farrell’s departure has been confirmed in the past few minutes via an internal memo. He sent a note round, which can be read in full below, in which he said he “could think of no better time to do something unexpected, and leave Amazon to start my own company, creating the same type of international YA movies we’ve been making here.”
Farrell said he will be joined in the new venture by “some great friends in the industry,” teasing: “There will be plenty of time to talk about all of that, so for now please humor me with a moment of reflection.” His last day will be in two weeks’ time.
Farrell joined Amazon from Sony Pictures a decade ago and was appointed Head of International Originals in 2018 as Prime Video pushed deeper into the international movie and TV originals space. During his tenure, Amazon has expanded to have teams based in 17 locations producing more than 150 originals per year, Farrell said. “My favorite leadership principle has always been Bias for Action, and it’s the one I always hear about myself from all of you during this time of the year,” he added. “Good things happen when you push the envelope, and so I’ll proudly be taking that LP with me.”
In his exit note, he flagged success stories such as the LOL: Last One Laughing franchise, Clarkson’s Farm, Maxton Hall – The World Between Us and Culpa Tuya, the latter of which we recently revealed has become Prime Video’s most-watched international original of all time. A UK version, My Fault London, will drop tomorrow.
With Culpa Tuya in mind, Farrell is exiting to launch the new outfit that will focus on international YA.
A replacement is not being announced at this point and Farrell’s senior team will report to Amazon MGM Studios boss Jen Salke. His team includes Head of International Originals, Latin America, Canada & Australia Javiera Balmaceda, Head of International Originals, Southern Europe Nicole Morganti, Head of International Originals, Northern Europe and UK Tara Erer and Head of International Originals, India Nikhil Madhok.
James Farrell’s exit note
Hello Amazon Friends!
What a year it has been! Our best ever. So many huge hits around the world. We have brought tens of millions of fans together to watch titles like Culpa Tuya, Apocalypse Z, Maxton Hall, Clarkson’s Farm and most recently Calendar Killer and the upcoming My Fault London, and there is so much more to come. It is for that reason that I could think of no better time to do something unexpected, and leave Amazon to start my own company, creating the same type of international YA movies we’ve been making here, but as part of a new venture with some great friends in the industry. There will be plenty of time to talk about all of that, so for now please humor me with a moment of reflection.
It’s been 10 years since I joined from Sony Pictures in Tokyo. We got off to a fast start with shows like LOL/Documental, and from there we expanded into India, and I got to spend more than a year on the ground there, building that business up before heading off to Latin America and then Europe, with teams now based in 17 locations in total, producing over 150 originals a year. What a journey!
Too many names to mention over a decade but I’ll name a few! Brad for being the only person on my loop who’s still here; Yuuki and Satsuki for being the first two people I hired in Japan; Jen for giving me the opportunity to take this program global; Javi, Nicole, Tara, Thomas, Philip, Ned, Cami, MJ, Aparna and the many other great international leaders who joined early on as we set out to build this thing; and of course all the other studio and prime video team partners in production, legal, BA, PR, marketing and the hundreds of others who it takes to pull off something this ambitious.
My favorite leadership principle has always been Bias for Action, and it’s the one I always hear about myself from all of you during this time of the year. Good things happen when you push the envelope, and so I’ll proudly be taking that LP with me😊
My last day will be Feb 25, but please feel free to reach out and chat any time before or after.
-james
