Blue Ant Media Sets Leadership Across Merged Group

Blue Ant Media has unveiled new leadership across its yet-to-be-named studio and rights business following its acquisition of marblemedia.

Mark Bishop and Matthew Hornburg, co-presidents of Blue Ant Studios, commented: “In an era where creativity meets excellence, we proudly unveil Blue Ant Media’s dynamic new studio and rights executive team—a visionary ensemble dedicated to crafting compelling narratives for global partners and pushing creative boundaries. Together, they bring a tapestry of expertise, innovation and passion, poised to elevate our super-charged studio to unprecedented heights.”

Led by Hornburg, Blue Ant Media’s unscripted development team features Jennifer Harkness (Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies) at the reins of factual entertainment from the studio’s LA office. From the Toronto office, Kelsey Espensen (Best in Miniature, Race Against the Tide) leads development for unscripted entertainment, and Steve Gamester (Inside the Statue Wars, History by Numbers) leads specialist factual development.

The scripted development, under the leadership of Bishop, sees Carrie Paupst Shaughnessy (Davey & Jonesie’s Locker) leading scripted drama and comedy, focused on scripted production, and Melissa Williamson (Sitting Pretty) overseeing scripted development. AJ Trauth (Armadillo Avalanche, Generation Mars) leads the expanded kids, family and young adult division, based in the studio’s LA office. Josh Bowen (Doomlands) will lead the business’ animation studio in Toronto and its planned expansion.

Donna Luke is at the helm of the production and postproduction group. Paul Kilback (Northwood Survival) will continue to oversee factual series, working closely with Luke and Hornburg. Aileen Gardner (I Have Nothing) will lead and support production for unscripted, specialist factual and factual entertainment. Stefanie Haist (Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe) will lead and support unscripted entertainment productions.

From the London office, Diane Rankin is leading commercial strategy and content financing for the studio’s distribution and production business, working closely with the company’s development teams in all genres alongside Ben Barrett, who oversees content financing and partnerships for the unscripted genre.

Bryan Gabourie and Gerbrig Blanksma will lead all sales activities from originals, presales, content licensing, co-productions and strategic partnerships in the Americas and EMEA, respectively. Lilla Hurst will continue to lead the distribution team’s global acquisitions and content strategy from the U.K. office.