Industry veterans Amanda Sherwin, Mike Messina and Seth Needle are teaming up to launch a new distribution, marketing and consulting company, Blue Harbor Entertainment. The news comes as the American Film Market opens this week in Santa Monica and executives are searching for partners locally. Blue Harbor plans to distribute 10 to 15 feature films per year and provide advisory services to third parties. The trio is currently negotiating multiple contracts.
“Blue Harbor offers another avenue for filmmakers: an opportunity to hire a distributor and work collaboratively and transparently with them to bring their films to audiences,” Needle said. “Whether you decide to do it after you have the finished drawings, at the packaging stage, or somewhere in between, we are here to help you develop a strategy for success. .”
Blue Harbor Entertainment said it will provide marketing and distribution services, oversee the film’s release across theatrical, home entertainment and digital streaming platforms, and arrange television deals. A service fee will be charged instead. The goal is to help filmmakers find better ways to independently distribute their films. Every year, a number of films are submitted to film festivals in the hope of selling to distributors, but in reality, many films fail to secure contracts on time or end up settling for contracts that are not very profitable. Sometimes I have no choice.
“There’s a lot of consolidation going on in the distribution space, and that means less trading,” Needle says. “And what’s on offer isn’t all that likable. Something needs to be a huge success for most filmmakers to find the upside.”
Needle pointed out that while most distribution deals lock in the rights to a movie for 25 to 30 years, “Blue Harbor” will only be in theaters for a few years.
“A lot of these movies deserve to be released, but they were having a hard time getting released,” Sherwin says.
The company plans to start releasing movies in early 2024.
“A lot of filmmakers are frustrated and think, ‘There has to be another option,'” Messina says. “And that’s what we offer. This isn’t an option for everyone, but for many filmmakers, this is a very attractive solution to the challenges they’ve seen in the market.”
Sherwin, Messina and Needle have worked together on hundreds of releases. The trio most recently held top executive roles at Screen Media. Their recent successes include director Rod Lurie’s critically acclaimed feature film “The Outpost,” which hit the top spot on several of his VOD platforms after its 2020 release. Nicolas Cage’s thriller movie “Willy’s Wonderland.” and the award-winning documentary “Street Gangs: All the Way to Sesame Street,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
“We were able to develop relationships with a number of filmmakers, which allowed us to work more closely with this talent,” says Sherwin.
Sherwin most recently served as Senior Vice President of Marketing at Screen Media, where he executed campaigns for more than 20 releases per year. Prior to this role, Sherwin was a consultant for PBS distribution, theatrical service provider Paladin, and produced everything from the hit film What We Do in the Shadows to the Oscar-nominated documentary For Sama. He oversaw the release of various films up to “. Sherwin began his career at Lionsgate’s predecessor, CFP, where he later became vice president of marketing. She then helped launch her ThinkFilm and served as senior vice president of marketing and distribution.
Messina has worked in the independent film field for over 25 years. She most recently served as Vice President of Distribution for Screen Media, where she oversaw the distribution, marketing, and sales of over 100 films. Previously, Messina led independent film distribution and acquisitions at Starz, where she managed global streaming sales for Starz original series, including “Spartacus” and “Power.” He was also a senior executive at New His Amsterdam Entertainment, where his producer credits included “Dawn of the Dead.”
Needle spent the past 12 years at Screen Media, where he served as executive vice president of global acquisitions and co-productions. During his tenure, he was responsible for such high-profile works as The Outpost, Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, and Stephen King’s The Good Marriage, written by King himself. . He has also established strategic business relationships with Focus He Features, Stars, Roadside Attractions and others. Additionally, Needle oversaw the licensing of all content for the company’s streaming platforms, including Crackle, Popcornflix, and Redbox. Prior to joining Screen Media, Needle worked in Lionsgate’s acquisitions department and Marketcast’s research department.
