First Look Studios

First Look Studios was an independent American film distributor, that specialized in home video releases of films and television series.

First Look Studios
First Look Pictures
TypePrivate
IndustryFilm
Home video
Founded1980 (as Overseas Filmgroup)
FounderRobert Little
Ellen Little
Defunct2010 (as Millennium Entertainment as Successor to First Look Pictures)
FateDormitory
SuccessorMillennium Entertainment (2010 to 2014)
Alchemy (2014 to 2016)
HeadquartersCentury City, California
ProductsDVD, Blu-ray
Total assets$25 million

History

In 1980, Robert and Ellen Little founded Overseas Filmgroup as a film sales company for foreign markets. Overseas Filmgroup expanded towards film financing to give the company greater control over its output. From the beginnings, it competed with fellow, also-defunct film producers J&M Film Sales (later J&M Entertainment), Manson International and Producers Sales Organization as the most successful company with film sales.

Overseas Filmgroup decided to paid $3 million in order to set up operations for Spain, Arizona, Texas, Taiwan, Italy, southern California and Colorado in the mid-1980s, and by 1986, the company became active, setting up a number of domestic theatrical, home video and television syndication sales with New World Pictures and other distributors.[1]

In 1987, while other sales companies is gaining production outfits, the Littles told that they would avoid production, so Overseas Filmgroup had set up a company policy that they would acquire new films via distribution advances, and the three new movies, namely those directed by Roland Emmerich, will be offered to various Mifed buyers.[2] The company is the original international home video distributor for the show Tales from the Darkside, until it was sold off to Lorimar-Telepictures in late November 1987 after Lorimar International president Jeff Schlesinger saw all episodes of the show that was well-suited and combined to become eight ninety-minute episodes from the show.[3]

Films ranged from genre titles such as Blue Tiger (starring Virginia Madsen) and No Way Back (starring Russell Crowe) to art house films, including Antonia's Line, Mrs. Dalloway, The Secret of Roan Inish, Waking Ned Devine, and Titus.[4] In 1993, the company expanded towards North American distribution through its First Look Pictures subsidiary.[5]

In 1998, Overseas Filmgroup went public. Two years later, EUE/Screen Gems acquired a minority interest in the company. In January 2001, as part of a restructuring, Overseas Filmgroup and First Look Pictures became subsidiaries of First Look Media.[6] Overseas Filmgroup was eventually renamed First Look International.[7] Robert and Ellen Little left First Look in 2003.[4]

On July 29, 2005, after a merger with Canadian businessman Henry Winterstern's Capital Entertainment, the combined company became First Look Studios. Winterstern became CEO of First Look and shared the role as chairman with EUE/Screen Gems' Chris Cooney.[8] In November 2005, First Look acquired DEJ Productions from Blockbuster.[9]

In March 2006, First Look acquired Ventura Distribution, a home video distribution company,[10] and acquired the domestic television syndication rights to fifty six films from Pinnacle Entertainment.[11] By 2006, First Look had a seven hundred film library to its own name, and continued to add more with the financing of in house productions.[12] Henry Winterstern resigned from First Look in March 2007.[13] The organization started out First Look Television, a TV syndication company in 2006.[14]

That March, Nu Image acquired the rights to First Look.[15] In November 2010, Millennium Entertainment acquired First Look's assets.[16]

Films

Distributed lines

References
  1. "Overseas Filmgroup assembles pics shot all over the map". Variety. 1986-10-22. p. 51.
  2. "Overseas Filmgroup Avoids Production But Has 3 To Move". Variety. 1987-10-21. p. 56.
  3. "Lorimar Gets 'Darkside' For Offshore Homevid". Variety. 1987-12-02. p. 23.
  4. "First Look Studios at 25".
  5. "First Look Pictures/Overseas Filmgroup - Independent Magazine". Independent Magazine. 1998-01-01. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
  6. "Overseas Filmgroup Changes Name to First Look Media To Reflect the Widened Scope of Its Business and Adds Two Divisions". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  7. Indiewire. "Relaunched First Look Media Bolsters Company In Advance of AFM | IndieWire". IndieWire. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
  8. First Look Studios. "Capital Entertainment Merges With First Look Media to Become First Look Studios". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  9. Hettrick, Scott (November 8, 2005). "DEJ deal to First Look". Variety. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  10. "First Look drives to Ventura for $20 mil". Variety. March 21, 2006. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  11. Dempsey, John (2006-06-14). "First Look pix it up". Variety. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  12. Waxman, Sharon (2007-03-08). "First Look Studios - Henry Winterstern - Movies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
  13. "First Look's Winterstern resigns". Variety. 2 March 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  14. Dempsey, John (2006-06-14). "First Look pix it up". Variety. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  15. "First Look gets a Nu Image". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
  16. First Look Studios Acquired by Millennium Entertainment., retrieved 2016-10-14
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