Yahoo News ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ Producer Judy Counihan Joins Pulse Films as Scripted Creative Director (EXCLUSIVE)
“Gangs of London” banner Pulse Films has hired “Fate: The Winx Saga” producer Judy Counihan as its new scripted creative director.
Counihan, who was most recently creative director at Archery Pictures, has worked across Europe and the U.S. in both film and television for the last 25 years. She officially joins the company in the new year.
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The executive has twice won the Oscar for best international feature film, first in 2001 for “No Man’s Land,” and in 1995 for “Antonia’s Line.” Counihan also produced the Oscar-nominated “Before the Rain,” which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and best foreign film at the Independent Spirit Awards.
At “Riviera” and “Operation Mincemeat” production outfit Archery Pictures, Counihan worked across film and TV drama. She was executive producer on two seasons of Netflix’s global hit “Fate: The Winx Saga.”
Prior to joining Archery, Counihan was CEO of All3Media-backed Solution 3 Productions. Her company produced the comedy series “Bucket” for BBC4 and she also executive produced the series “Bulletproof” for Sky. Counihan has also served as head of film and TV at Objective Productions and was executive producer of drama at IWC Media.
“Judy and I first worked together 15 years ago and I have been looking for an opportunity to find a way to work together since” says Jamie Hall, COO of scripted at Pulse Films. “With her unparalleled film & TV experience in the U.K. and U.S. independent film and television production, her exquisite taste and sensibility, she has earned the respect of the industry. A creative leader of Judy’s caliber will accelerate Pulse Films’ ambitions to reach even greater heights.”
Counihan said: “This is such an exciting time to be joining the scripted division at Pulse Films. Pulse has an outstanding slate of projects and exceptional relationships with writers, directors, and onscreen talent. I very much look forward to working with the team to make Pulse the go-to place for high-quality, cut-through, talked about drama.”
Counihan joins a new leadership team at Pulse Films, which is now fully backed by Vice Media Group. Pulse co-founders Thomas Benski and Marisa Clifford, who founded the edgy production outfit back in 2005, departed the company following the takeover earlier this year. The company is now managed by COO of scripted Jamie Hall and global president of commercials and entertainment Davud Karbassioun.
Pulse Films recently launched Season 2 of the Sky and AMC drama “Gangs of London,” starring Sope Dirisu, Joe Cole and Michelle Fairley. Other projects in scripted development include “An Olive Grove in Ends” from novelist Moses McMckenzie, who is also on board for the screen adaptation and drama series “The Perfect Girlfriend,” starring Anna Friel.
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