Tom Forman Joins Relativity Fold

LOS ANGELES, June 25: Tom
Forman, the reality TV producer whose credits include Kid Nation, has joined Relativity Media to head up its new
unscripted programming arm, overseeing U.S. development and production as well
as international sales.

Forman joins as CEO of the
new entity, Relativity Real, managing day-to-day activities, executive
producing the majority of the division’s projects and supervising a new
international distribution business that will sell unscripted completed
products and formats.

Forman has won three Emmy
Awards: two for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition while in an overall deal with Endemol USA, and one
for the factual special 9/11.
He spent the last two years in an overall deal at CBS Paramount, where he
created and executive produced Kid Nation and Armed & Famous.

At Relativity, he will be
joined by the entire staff of his own venture, Tom Forman Productions. They
include Jonathan Karsh, the senior VP of creative affairs; Brad Bishop, the
executive VP of production; and Julie Link, the VP of development.

Relativity says it is
committing “significant eight figures” to establish Relativity Real as a key
supplier of unscripted programming for networks, cable, syndication and the
web.

“We have spent the last
number of years trying to figure out the best fiscal model for Relativity’s
expansion into the television arena, as well as the right person to run it,”
said the company’s co-founder and co-managing member, Ryan Kavanaugh. “This
platform comes as a result of exactly that, years of research, financial and
creative assessment and we couldn’t be more optimistic about Relativity Real’s
future. Under Tom’s leadership we expect to break the current barriers of
reality TV and establish a new paradigm. Our goal is ultimately to be a major
supplier of high quality and commercial content to the domestic and
international marketplace.”

"Relativity Real is a
company of storytellers,” Forman added. “Bottom line, every one of us is a
producer first, and a stuffy executive only when we have to be. In this, we
couldn't have found a better partner than Ryan and his team at Relativity.
Their financial commitment to Relativity Real speaks for itself: a monster investment
in a major new company that's poised to reinvent unscripted television.
Relativity's other commitments to Relativity Real are harder to quantify but
equally important. It was clear from our first meeting that Ryan and I share a
passion for great stories, memorable characters and novel ideas. You can see it
in Relativity's films. Now you'll feel it in every one of Relativity Real’s
programs."

Relativity Media currently
has more than 30 major feature films in various stages of production and release.

—By Mansha Daswani