Domestic Distributor ScreenReleasing Launches With Team Including Former UTA Agent Mike Rose; Ari Elan Lewis To Handle International Sales

EXCLUSIVE: LA-based production outfit The Screen Company, headed by producer David Brown (The Fallout), is launching a domestic distribution and sales arm.

Distribution arm ScreenReleasing will handle third party acquisitions and look to partner with filmmakers on projects in the development phase. Brown says the company will seek projects across all genres and budget ranges.

Former UTA agent Mike Rose has been brought aboard as Chief Operating Officer (COO) to oversee day-to-day operations at the new division and handle acquisitions. Rose, who most recently served eight years at UTA as Head of Creative Affairs, has also previously worked at Disney, TWC, Miramax, and CAA.

Ari Elan Lewis, who has worked at Confluential Films, Netflix, Universal and John Legend’s Get Lifted Film , has also joined and will serve as Head of Acquisitions and handle international sales.

Brown says of the strategy behind the company: “We will not prolong MG payments over many months or require producers to secure additional financing with a lender. Once our company believes in a project enough to provide a contractual MG, we will cashflow the MG using our daily payments model.”

He continued: “We will never package your film with another title to offset potential losses. We don’t believe in ‘studio accounting.’ We prioritize transparency in financials and will pay out filmmakers’ revenue shares on a nightly basis once funds have been received from exhibitors. We’re currently creating a portal to provide our filmmakers with real-time financials and reporting. I believe distributors should be your partners in business, not some unattainable higher up. We hope to become just that, your partners in distribution for years to come.”

Recently, The Screen Company announced the formation of financing arm ScreenFund, with projects and additional executive hires said to be announced in coming weeks.

Independent producer Brown is best known for producing HBO’s The Fallout, starring Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, and Shailene Woodley, which won the Grand Jury Prize for a Narrative Feature at SXSW in 2021. He was also an executive producer on the Sundance festival title After the Wedding, starring Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, and Billy Crudup.

The Screen Company is repped by Jason Karlov and Carolyn Hunt from Barnes & Thornburg LLP.