ICM veteran Greenspan to try prod'n
The new company, called International Artists Entertainment, will initially concentrate on managing the careers of a number of Greenspan's agency clients, all rising writers and directors. On the list are director Kevin Hooks ("Passenger 57"), director Mike Newell ("Enchanted April"), writer Sally Robinson ("Housesitter,""A Far Off Place,""Medicine Man"), director Rob Bowman ("Airborne"), French director Rene Manzor ("Boca de Oura") and Canadian playwright Brad Fraser ("Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love").
Many of those clients, including Robinson and Newell, will continue to also be represented by ICM.
Producing an option
Greenspan is also be looking to break into producing, having affiliated himself with producer John Davis of Davis Entertainment in a non-exclusive, first-look arrangement for film projects coming from Greenspan's clients.
"Having my own company was something I've thought about for the past couple of years," said Greenspan, who has been at ICM for 15 years. "And as the business has changed, I have come to realize that it's impossible for one agent to do it all (for a client)."
Greenspan also pointed to a desire to get into production as a motivating factor.
"It has always been frustrating for me to put a project together and then have to step away once it was up and running," he said.
International Artists Entertainment's first project is the feature film "Creative Differences," a romantic comedy written by Sally Robinson with Mike Newell attached to direct. Greenspan is putting together a financing and distribution deal to get the project up and running. He will produce the film with Craig Anderson.
Opening offices
He is also in the process of opening offices in Century City and London over the next couple of weeks, with plans "to concentrate on the international market."
Greenspan hopes to open offices in Toronto within the year and, in addition to representing a number of international clients, will look for financing and co-production ventures abroad.
'Personal representation'
"My company will try to emphasize the personal representation of our clients, " he said. "Sometimes that's difficult to find at many of the large agencies these days."
