FOCUS Features announced today that Academy Award®-nominated and Golden Globe® winning producer and executive Jim Burke has been named President of Production. Burke's appointment continues FOCUS Features diversification and expansion of its film slate to include a greater number of specialty and wide release films. Additionally, current FOCUS Features Senior Vice President of Production, Josh McLaughlin, has been promoted to Executive Vice President, reporting to Burke. FOCUS Features CEO Peter Schlessel, to whom Burke will report, made the announcement.
"I have known Jim for many years and not only does he have a tremendous talent for both developing and producing films, he's also a passionate advocate for filmmaking talent," said Schlessel. "Jim's breadth of experience is the perfect fit to lead our production efforts as we continue to grow the
FOCUS Features brand with a mix of both specialty films and wide releases. Josh's contributions since I joined the company have been invaluable and I am pleased to announce his promotion, one that he earned by taking stewardship of our production slate while the company transitioned under our new mandate."
Jim Burke's film and television career spans several genres and formats from prestige pictures to wide release films and television programming. Most recently he produced the Golden Globe winning feature THE DESCENDANTS which was also nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture; and a win for Best Adapted Screenplay. Burke also produced the film CEDAR RAPIDS and served as executive producer on the Academy Award-nominated film THE SAVAGES. In 2004, Jim, along with Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, created the production company Ad Hominem.
Prior to Ad Hominem, Burke spearheaded the Rysher's foray into feature films and oversaw the development, production and release of the company's motion pictures. Rysher's diverse slate included the Sundance audience award winner BIG NIGHT, as well as PRIMAL FEAR, KISS THE GIRLS, PRIVATE PARTS and THE SAINT. Burke also co-produced 2 DAYS IN THE VALLEY, KINGPIN AND ELECTION. Prior to Rysher, Burke was Vice-President of
Warner Bros. Television Domestic Distribution.
Focus Features' Josh McLaughlin has been with the company since 2012 where he joined as Senior Vice President. Prior to that he held the posts of Executive Vice President at Chernin Entertainment and as Executive Vice President and Co-Head of the motion picture division of The Mark Gordon Company. While at The Mark Gordon Company McLaughlin produced Kasi Lemmon's TALK TO ME starring Don Cheadle, which was released by
FOCUS Features.
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