Platform One Media Rebranded As Boat Rocker Studios, Scripted And Katie O’connell Marsh Elevated To Vice-chair, Boat Rocker Studios
TORONTO, ON – December 8, 2020 – Boat Rocker Media, an independent, integrated global entertainment company, has realigned its Studio offering in response to the company’s rapid growth. The update sees the further integration of Boat Rocker Studios, including the rebrand of Platform One Media (Invasion, Rust, Beacon 23) as Boat Rocker Studios, Scripted and executive-level role and title changes, effective immediately.
Over the last five years, Boat Rocker has quickly scaled from a Toronto-based production company to a global entertainment company, operating in six countries, with over 875 employees and producing over 50 television series annually across scripted, unscripted, and kids & family content.
As part of the reorganization, Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier, Boat Rocker Media Co-Executive Chairmen, assume the additional roles of Co-Chairmen, Boat Rocker Studios, and Michel Pratte, Boat Rocker Media President, assumes the additional title of General Manager, Boat Rocker Studios, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Studio. Additionally, Katie O’Connell Marsh, formerly Platform One Media’s Chairman & CEO, assumes the role of Vice-Chair of Boat Rocker Studios, working directly with Fortier, Schneeberg and Pratte to attract more high-profile creators, talent and opportunities to the Studio, while continuing to lead all scripted activities.
“As the global media industry continues to evolve, so does our business within it. We believe that now is the perfect time to lean into the growing Boat Rocker brand and use it to its fullest potential to help build out, across all genres, the company’s incredible slate of projects,” said David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, Boat Rocker Media’s Co-Executive Chairmen and Co-Chairmen of Boat Rocker Studios. “The addition last year of Katie to our already stellar senior leadership team was huge for the company. Her instincts, creative taste and strategic acumen are second-to-none, and we couldn’t be more excited to work more closely with Katie in her new role to identify additional and exciting opportunities for the Studio.”
“By folding Platform One and Temple Street under Boat Rocker Studios, Scripted, we will streamline our scripted operations and continue to build a slate of dynamic shows that connect with audiences globally,” said O’Connell Marsh. “It’s been really inspiring to work with Dave, Ivan and Michel and I look forward to our continued collaboration moving ahead.”
Platform One Media was acquired by Boat Rocker in 2019 and has established itself as a preeminent Studio with a roster of shows in production and development, including the Simon Kinberg sci-fi drama Invasion (Apple) and Rust (Showtime) starring Jeff Daniels and Maura Tierney, based on Phillip Meyer’s novel American Rust and executive produced by Academy Award-nominated writer Dan Futterman. Additionally, Platform One signed first-look deals with TeaTime Pictures (Dakota Johnson/Ro Donnelly); Peephole Productions (Lena Headey); Jaywalker Pictures (Laura Dern); and, Jennifer Fox.
The newly reconfigured Boat Rocker Studios will also see the following changes to the Studio leadership team, designed to allow for increased collaboration across genres in key markets globally:
Jay Peterson, formerly Co-Founder & CEO Matador Content and Managing Director of Boat Rocker Studios, Unscripted, takes on the role of President, Boat Rocker Studios, Unscripted— responsible for the Studio’s unscripted division, including: Matador Content, Proper Television and continued collaboration with Insight Productions. In his new role, Jay will lead Boat Rocker’s global unscripted content growth mandate that will include aggressive expansion into documentaries and doc-series, new co-productions with traditional broadcasters and streamers alike, as well as innovative IP-sourcing deals with top-tier talent and leading audio companies. Peterson will report to Michel Pratte, President, Boat Rocker Media and General Manager, Boat Rocker Studios.
Todd Lubin, Matador Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer assumes Matador’s top leadership role. Following the successful launch of Apple’s and Matador’s Dear… in summer 2020, Todd led the Matador team in the production and delivery of one of the most ambitious new unscripted series produced during the pandemic: Go-Big Show. With celebrity judges Snoop Dogg, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Nettles and Cody Rhodes, and host Bert Kreischer, Go-Big Show premieres January 7, 2021 on TBS.
Jon Rutherford, formerly Managing Director of Boat Rocker Studios, Kids & Family, is elevated to the role of President, Boat Rocker Studios, Kids and Family, responsible for the Studios’ kids & family series and franchises, while maintaining his title of President, Boat Rocker Studios, Rights, responsible for international distribution sales, brand and licensing efforts for the Studio. Jon and his teams have had a banner year, launching new kids and family series and working with global buyers to sell hundreds of hours of finished catalogue amidst the pandemic. Jon and his team will be launching multiple new franchises in 2021 and 2022, including the much-anticipated, pre-school series Dino Ranch (in partnership with Disney Jr., CBC and Jazwares) in early 2021. Rutherford will report to Michel Pratte, President, Boat Rocker Media and General Manager, Boat Rocker Studios.
Steve Lescroart, formerly Co-President of Platform One Media, is upped to the role of President, Boat Rocker Studios, Scripted, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Studio’s scripted division, including oversight of Temple Street, Boat Rocker’s premiere Canadian-based scripted production company. Steve has worked with the rest of the scripted team within the Boat Rocker family to navigate the difficult waters of filming on four continents during the pandemic and will be focusing on delivering multiple series in 2021 as well as a global co-production strategy in partnership with Temple Street and Boat Rocker’s global sales team. Lescroart will report to Katie O’Connell Marsh, Vice-Chair, Boat Rocker Studios and Michel Pratte, President, Boat Rocker Media and General Manager, Boat Rocker Studios.
“I could not be prouder of the team and culture we have built at Boat Rocker and our family of companies,” said Michel Pratte, President, Boat Rocker Media and General Manager, Boat Rocker Studios. “The fact that our newly realigned Studio senior leadership team is drawn exclusively from executives from within the broader company ranks is a testament not only to the quality of those executives, but to our collective commitment to grow the Boat Rocker brand globally. This realignment will allow for more internal collaboration and efficiency, as we build a more scalable operating model and strive to be the best partners to creators and buyers around the world.”
About Boat Rocker Media
Boat Rocker Media (Boat Rocker) is an independent, integrated global entertainment company that harnesses the power of creativity and commerce to tell stories and build iconic brands for audiences around the world. Boat Rocker Studios, the company’s main creative engine, creates, produces and distributes award-winning content and franchises across all major genres via its Scripted, Unscripted, and Kids & Family divisions. The Studio also distributes and licenses thousands of hours of its own and third-party content worldwide. Boat Rocker also owns or invests in companies in the entertainment industry that bolster the company’s strategic and operational goals, including Insight Productions (Unscripted), Jam Filled Entertainment (2D and 3D Animation), Industrial Brothers (Kids & Family Animation) and Untitled Entertainment, a global talent management company that represents leading on-screen talent and celebrities. Finally, Boat Rocker Ventures acquires, invests and builds consumer-facing entertainment intellectual property and technology. It has investments in Serial Box, MarcoPolo Learning, CAA Creative Labs and Bustle. A selection of Boat Rocker’s projects include: Orphan Black (BBC AMERICA, Space), Dear…(Apple TV+), Lip Sync Battle (Paramount Network), The Amazing Race Canada (CTV), MasterChef Canada (CTV), The Next Step (Family Channel, CBC), The Loud House (Nickelodeon), Remy & Boo (Universal Kids, CBC), and Dino Ranch (Disney Jr, CBC). For more information, please visit www.boatrocker.com.
Press Contact:
Matt Salvatore
Boat Rocker Media
msalvatore@national.ca
343-542-3543