WHSTV Elevates Leigh London Redman to EVP, Scripted Programming, and Names Kevin E. Fortson (Production) and Matt Matzkin (Business Affairs) to Newly Created EVP Positions for Both WHSTV and WHUTV
(July 31, 2019 – Burbank, CA) – Warner Horizon Scripted Television (WHSTV) — the division of the Warner Bros. Television Group which produces original scripted primetime programming for on-demand/streaming platforms as well as basic cable channels — today announced that Leigh London Redman has been elevated to a newly created position of Executive Vice President, Scripted Programming. Additionally, Kevin E. Fortson (production) and Matt Matzkin (business affairs) have been promoted to newly created Executive Vice President posts in Production and Business Affairs for both Warner Horizon Scripted Television as well as Warner Horizon Unscripted Television.
London Redman, Fortson and Matzkin report to Warner Bros. Television and Warner Horizon Scripted Television Presidents Susan Rovner and Brett Paul. On unscripted matters, Fortson and Matzkin report to Mike Darnell, President, Warner Bros. Unscripted and Alternative Television. Rovner, Paul and Darnell all report to Warner Bros. Television Group President & Chief Content Officer Peter Roth.
Susan Rovner and Brett Paul said: “As we enter into a time of great opportunity in the entertainment industry, with the demand for compelling, breakthrough content at an all-time high, we are incredibly fortunate to have such supremely talented and highly respected executives like Leigh, Kevin and Matt leading the team at Warner Horizon Scripted Television. Leigh’s impeccable taste in material and ability to collaborate with our artists has greatly expanded our possibilities for success, allowing WHSTV to expand its footprint and seamlessly transition into the multiplatform digital future. Kevin and Matt are also continually innovating, with Kevin finding ways to maximize production resources in an environment that demands nothing less than the highest on-screen production values. Matt combines creativity with tenacity and the desire to make the best deals possible for the company, with a sense of fairness and respect in an ultra-competitive marketplace. These promotions are truly and richly deserved.”
Scripted Programming
As Executive Vice President, Scripted Programming, Leigh London Redman will spearhead day-to-day creative affairs activities related to all original scripted programming — including dramas, comedies, event series and more — produced by WHSTV. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing development of new television shows and supervising current programming efforts for existing series. As of July 2019, WHSTV is producing 13 series under London Redman’s supervision: “Animal Kingdom” and “Claws” for TNT; “Cherish the Day,” “David Makes Man” and “Queen Sugar” for OWN; “The Flight Attendant” for HBO Max, WarnerMedia’s forthcoming streaming service; “Fuller House,” “Medical Police” and “You” for Netflix; “Krypton” for SYFY; “Pennyworth” for EPIX; “Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists” for Freeform; and “The Right Stuff” for National Geographic.
Prior to her promotion, London Redman had served as Senior Vice President, Scripted Programming, since 2015. She joined the company in 2010 as Vice President, Scripted Programming. In addition to WHSTV’s 13 current series which were developed during her tenure, London Redman was also involved in the development of previous programs such as “Dallas” and “Longmire,” among others, during her time at the Studio. Before joining WHSTV, London Redman worked in drama development at CBS Television Studios and contributed to the development of “The Good Wife,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “90210,” “Jericho” and “Swingtown,” among many other series. She began her entertainment career at the Agency for the Performing Arts.
Production and Business Affairs
As Executive Vice President, Production, Kevin E. Fortson will oversee all aspects of physical production — including budgeting, scheduling, staffing and more — for series produced by WHSTV. Fortson also oversees WHSTV’s production staff, which manages the activities of more than a dozen shows across seven cities in three different countries.
In his role as Executive Vice President, Business Affairs, Matt Matzkin serves as the top business executive for the production unit, serving as its lead dealmaker. He is charged with negotiating or supervising negotiations for WHSTV’s pacts with creative talent — including performers, producers, writers and directors — as well as spearheading license agreements with the on-demand/streaming platforms and cable companies for WHSTV’s programming. Matzkin also manages the business affairs team.
In addition to their responsibilities for scripted programming, both Fortson and Matzkin also supervise production and business affairs matters, respectively, for reality programming produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, a unit of Warner Bros. Unscripted and Alternative Television, led by Mike Darnell. In this capacity, Fortson and Matzkin work closely with Brooke Karzen, Executive Vice President and Head of Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. Unscripted series produced by the division include “The Bachelor” franchise — including “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise” — for ABC, as well as “Ellen’s Game of Games,” “Ellen’s Greatest Night of Giveaways,” the upcoming “Little Big Shots with Melissa McCarthy,” and “The Voice” for NBC.
Prior to being elevated to EVP, Fortson served as Senior Vice President, Production, WHTV, since 2006, shortly after the division was formed. Before that, he had served as Senior Vice President, Operations, Warner Bros. Studio Facilities (WBSF), since 2004. In that role, he was charged with directing the operational activities for all in-house and independent television and feature film production on Warner Bros. Studios’ 110-acre lot and adjacent 32-acre Ranch facility. This included scheduling for all 34 soundstages and numerous exterior sets (including New York Street, Brownstone Street/Ashley Boulevard, Midwest Street, Hennesy Street, French Street and The Jungle), as well as audience coordination, stage and back lot maintenance and special projects.
Before his time at WBSF, Fortson spent 11 years with Telepictures, rising to the level of Senior Vice President, Production, where he was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day production staffs for one of the industry’s most prolific producers of network, first-run syndicated and cable television series. Programs produced by Telepictures during his tenure included “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” “The Bachelor” and “Extra,” to name a few. While at Telepictures, Fortson supervised the design and construction of the company’s former Glendale, Calif., production and post-production facility, a 45,000-square-foot complex which boasted two soundstages, 30 digital editing suites, a newsroom and production office space. Before joining Warner Bros., Fortson held positions at Investigative News Group, Genesis Entertainment, Metromedia, Fox and Group W.
Before his promotion to EVP, Matzkin had been Senior Vice President, Business Affairs, WHTV, since 2015. During his tenure, he has negotiated key creator and talent deals for all of the production unit’s series, as well as overall agreements for producers such as Ava DuVernay and Kaley Cuoco. Matzkin joined WHTV in 2012 as Vice President, Business Affairs. Prior to that, he had had worked in business affairs at Warner Bros. Television for six years, rising to Vice President after having joined the department as Director. During his tenure at WBTV, Matzkin was the business affairs executive on a number of long-running series, including “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Middle,” “Mike & Molly,” “One Tree Hill,” “Smallville,” “Two and a Half Men” and “The Vampire Diaries,” among many others. He also worked closely with WBTV-based producers Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Kevin Williamson.
He joined WBTV initially in 2004 as Director, Legal Affairs, where he worked for two years. Prior to coming to Warner Bros., Matzkin was Director, Legal Affairs, at Hearst Entertainment, after having begun his career as an associate at the law firm then known as Katten, Muchin & Zavis.
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