The modest financial success of "Harriet the Spy" and an aggressive development slate of kid-oriented and family films has enticed Nickelodeon Movies to open an office in Los Angeles and expand the unit with executive promotions inhouse.
As part of the Tuesday announcement, Nick Movies prexy Debby Beece named Kathrin Seitz to head the venture's new L.A. headquarters as a VP, managing all of the division's feature film efforts on the West Coast. Seitz is presently overseeing the "Rugrats" movie, an animated feature based on the hit Nick show.
Prior to the appointment, Seitz was supervising producer at Nicktoons presiding over the Nickelodeon animated shows "AAAHHH!!! Real Monsters," "Hey Arnold," "Rugrats" and the forthcoming "Angry Beavers." She has also held various positions in feature films at CBS Theatrical Films, Rastar Prods. and Mainline Pictures.
"Kathrin has been an asset to Nickelodeon for six years, and we're fortunate to have her expertise as we move forward with our aggressive development slate of live-action and animated films."
Of the Nick Movies expansion, Beece said that the "Harriet the Spy" experience (it has earned $29 million in box office worldwide) in tandem with its nearly 20-film development roster made opening the new office in the film capital "essential."
The expansion will also find Nick Movies development director Joe D'Ambrosia having offices on both coasts and enhancing his focus to developing movies. His a four-year Nickelodeon veteran.
Additionally, Tanya Heidelberg has been upped to VP of business, strategy and operations for Nick Movies. Her most recent post with Nickelodeon was VP of business affairs for animation and TV production.
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