Boat Rocker Buys Platform One

Boat Rocker Media has acquired the Los Angeles-based television production studio Platform One Media, founded by Gaumont Television alum Katie O’Connell Marsh.

O’Connell Marsh launched Platform One in 2017 as CEO. Since then, Platform One has developed a slate that includes the recently greenlit untitled science-fiction series from Simon Kinberg and David Weil for Apple and the straight-to-series Rust for Showtime, based on Philipp Meyer’s debut novel American Rust, starring and executive produced by Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom, Godless) and written by Dan Futterman (Capote).

With the acquisition, O’Connell Marsh has been promoted to founder and chairman of Platform One and will be taking on a soon-to-be-announced senior leadership role at Boat Rocker. Platform One’s chief creative officer, Elisa Ellis, and head of finance and strategy, Steve Lescroart, have been promoted to co-presidents of Platform One, reporting to O’Connell Marsh.

“Platform One represents an unbelievable opportunity for Boat Rocker to build off of successful franchises like Orphan Black and expand its presence in scripted television and film,” said Boat Rocker co-founders and co-executive chairmen, Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier. “Under Katie’s leadership, the studio is producing some of the biggest and most anticipated television series in the world, while maintaining its trademark curated and boutique approach to its slate and partnerships. We are mutually aligned in our desire to produce only best-in-class projects that entertain and inspire viewers worldwide.”

“What Katie and Platform One have accomplished in only a couple years is beyond impressive,” said John Young, CEO of Boat Rocker. “We’re confident that with the additional horsepower provided by the larger Boat Rocker family of companies, including Untitled Entertainment, Boat Rocker Ventures and our global sales and brands teams, Platform One will be ideally positioned to push forward on its ambitions of becoming a leader in producing high-end, world-beating entertainment.”

“The ethos and shared outlook on the ever-changing global media business was the primary driver in pursuing this opportunity with Boat Rocker,” commented O’Connell Marsh. “David, Ivan and John have built a world-class portfolio of businesses all aligned to produce and distribute entertaining and meaningful content across the globe. I’m thrilled for our creative partners and the team at Platform One to join such an innovative and ambitious company.”