Ozy Studios inked development deals with three breakthrough transgender artists. They include Puerto Rican chef Paxx Caraballo Moll, Alabama-based activist Dan Eggers and model Rosalynne Montoya.
Beginning as a digital magazine in 2013, Ozy has moved into podcasts, events and original TV series featured on A+E, History, Lifetime, Amazon, Hulu, OWN, PBS and BBC. Chef Pax, Eggers and Montoya will now be part of those multi-platform storytelling initiatives.
“At Ozy we feel the immense responsibility of pushing culture forward with the content we share and conversations we foster with our audience,” said CEO Carlos Watson. “We feel this is an important moment to highlight the complexity of humanity and the truly diverse life experiences of these incredible talents are one important way in which we can do that.”
“Amplifying voices from within the trans community is not just in-line with Ozy’s philosophy: It’s personal,” said Executive Director of Ozy Studios Chris Rantamaki.
Beginning as a digital magazine in 2013, Ozy has moved into podcasts, events and original TV series featured on A+E, History, Lifetime, Amazon, Hulu, OWN, PBS and BBC. Chef Pax, Eggers and Montoya will now be part of those multi-platform storytelling initiatives.
“At Ozy we feel the immense responsibility of pushing culture forward with the content we share and conversations we foster with our audience,” said CEO Carlos Watson. “We feel this is an important moment to highlight the complexity of humanity and the truly diverse life experiences of these incredible talents are one important way in which we can do that.”
“Amplifying voices from within the trans community is not just in-line with Ozy’s philosophy: It’s personal,” said Executive Director of Ozy Studios Chris Rantamaki.
- 9/7/2021
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Ozy has inked Jody Watley to a talent deal that includes a biopic on the Grammy-winning R&b singer-songwriter-producer.
Ozy and Watley have begun the search for writers to attach to the project.
“When I heard Jody’s story — one of overcoming the odds, of the power of positivity, of defying expectations — I knew it was one we had to share,” said Chris Rantamaki, executive director of Ozy Studios. “Fans will be surprised that Jody has overcome so many formidable challenges in her life that she has never revealed publicly. She is now ready to break her silence and we are honored she trusts us to tell her story.”
A former Soul Train dancer, Watley started out as part of the Los Angeles-based vocal trio Shalamar, which scored a Top 10 single with “The Second Time Around” in 1979 and continued charting into the mid-’80s. Her first solo hit was “Looking for a New Love,...
Ozy and Watley have begun the search for writers to attach to the project.
“When I heard Jody’s story — one of overcoming the odds, of the power of positivity, of defying expectations — I knew it was one we had to share,” said Chris Rantamaki, executive director of Ozy Studios. “Fans will be surprised that Jody has overcome so many formidable challenges in her life that she has never revealed publicly. She is now ready to break her silence and we are honored she trusts us to tell her story.”
A former Soul Train dancer, Watley started out as part of the Los Angeles-based vocal trio Shalamar, which scored a Top 10 single with “The Second Time Around” in 1979 and continued charting into the mid-’80s. Her first solo hit was “Looking for a New Love,...
- 6/30/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Ozy Media has tapped two executives and three executive producers to help expand Ozy Studios’ development and production.
Executives Allison Simmons and Matthew Vafiadis join Ozy Media and will work under Ozy Studios executive director and head of television Chris Rantamaki. Simmons, who joins Ozy from BET Networks and Releve Entertainment, will be the Studios’ senior executive, development. Vafiadis, a former World of Wonder and Discovery exec, joins as senior executive, current & branded.
Ozy has also promoted former director of production Lindsay Rodger to executive producer, scripted & development. Her credits include Netflix’s Between Two Ferns: The Movie and Hulu’s Becoming Bond.
The multi-platform media company also adds producers Brett Webster, Sasha Mitchell-Fuller and Aaron Lorick. Webster, who has worked on Last Call with Carson Daly and NBC’s New Year’s Eve, will serve as an executive producer on The Carlos Watson Show. Mitchell-Fuller, whose credits include...
Executives Allison Simmons and Matthew Vafiadis join Ozy Media and will work under Ozy Studios executive director and head of television Chris Rantamaki. Simmons, who joins Ozy from BET Networks and Releve Entertainment, will be the Studios’ senior executive, development. Vafiadis, a former World of Wonder and Discovery exec, joins as senior executive, current & branded.
Ozy has also promoted former director of production Lindsay Rodger to executive producer, scripted & development. Her credits include Netflix’s Between Two Ferns: The Movie and Hulu’s Becoming Bond.
The multi-platform media company also adds producers Brett Webster, Sasha Mitchell-Fuller and Aaron Lorick. Webster, who has worked on Last Call with Carson Daly and NBC’s New Year’s Eve, will serve as an executive producer on The Carlos Watson Show. Mitchell-Fuller, whose credits include...
- 4/9/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Discovery has given a series order to the gun-making competition series “Master of Arms,” the network announced on Friday.
Each episode of the planned series will pit three builders against each other in two historical challenges, in which they will re-create era-specific weaponry, from the firearms of the frontier to the blades of the Vikings.
A former Army Special Operations Sniper will determine each weapon’s velocity, accuracy, and durability in the armory and in the field, and a panel of expert judges will score each build. The winner of each episode will receive a $10,000 prize.
Also Read: Discovery Orders Steven Spielberg, Alex Gibney Docuseries 'Why We Hate'
No host or judges for the series have been announced.
The series will be produced for Discovery Channel by Matador Content. Todd Lubin, Jay Peterson and Brian Nashel are executive producers for Matador, alongside Chris Rantamaki, Matthew Vafiadis and Bill Howard of Discovery.
Read original story Weapon-Making Competition Series ‘Master of Arms’ Heads to Discovery (Exclusive) At TheWrap...
Each episode of the planned series will pit three builders against each other in two historical challenges, in which they will re-create era-specific weaponry, from the firearms of the frontier to the blades of the Vikings.
A former Army Special Operations Sniper will determine each weapon’s velocity, accuracy, and durability in the armory and in the field, and a panel of expert judges will score each build. The winner of each episode will receive a $10,000 prize.
Also Read: Discovery Orders Steven Spielberg, Alex Gibney Docuseries 'Why We Hate'
No host or judges for the series have been announced.
The series will be produced for Discovery Channel by Matador Content. Todd Lubin, Jay Peterson and Brian Nashel are executive producers for Matador, alongside Chris Rantamaki, Matthew Vafiadis and Bill Howard of Discovery.
Read original story Weapon-Making Competition Series ‘Master of Arms’ Heads to Discovery (Exclusive) At TheWrap...
- 4/6/2018
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Spike TV today announced promotions for a pair of execs in its original series division and the hiring of two others. Chris Rantamaki was upped from VP to Svp Original Series, reporting to Evp Sharon Levy, and Justin Lacob from Director to VP. Hayley Lozitsky and Kevin Bartel both join Spike as VP Original Series, with Lozitsky coming over from Ellen Rakieten Entertainment and Bartel from All3Media. Svp Tim Duffy is leaving Spike after nine years to launch a production company with his twin brother Mike. Related: Spike TV’s ‘Bar Rescue’ Gets 20-Episode Order...
- 6/5/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Tattoo Rescue follows New Jersey tattoo artist Joey Germinario as he and his team travel the country turning failing ink studios into profitable ones, dealing with belligerent owners, obstinate artists and grungy shops with serious health code violations along the way. Spike TV has ordered 10 episodes of the one-hour series, from Charlie Corwin’s Original Media. The series is set to debut next summer. Sweatshop Media also exec produces. The network also announced it has picked up a second season of World’s Worst Tenants, which follows eviction specialist Todd Howard as he and his team forcibly remove problem tenants from the properties they manage. The first season of the half-hour original series, which aired over the summer, averaged 1 million viewers and grew its time slot in key demos. Barry Poznick and John Stevens of Zoo Productions are producers. Justin Lacob is Spike’s Executive in Charge of Production for...
- 11/13/2012
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
MTV has promoted Jackie French to Svp series development. French, described as a driving force behind such MTV hits as Jersey Shore and The Real World, will continue to oversee creative development and production on a number of MTV series, including Jersey Shore, on which she serves as an executive producer, and The Real World, now in its 25th season. French, previously VP, MTV series production, reports to Chris Linn, Evp, MTV Programming and Head of Production. Spike TV has named Chris Rantamaki VP original series. He will oversee the development of non-scripted series, reporting to Sharon Levy, Evp, original series and animation. Rantamaki comes from Discovery Channel, where he was VP of production and oversaw such series as Auction Kings, The Colony, Howe & Howe Tech and Gang Wars.
- 4/19/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
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