Mumbai: Marketing veteran Jim Fredrick has joined Screen Gems as executive vice president marketing, it was announced by Sony Pictures chairman worldwide marketing and distribution. In his new role, Fredrick will oversee all aspects of Screen Gems marketing, including creative advertising and publicity for the specialty film banner.
Fredrick will be heading the campaigns for such 2009 Screen Gems titles as Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, the third film in the highly successful series, Obsessed starring Beyonce Knowles, and Fired Up, among others. Replacing Marc Weinstock, who has transitioned to co-President of worldwide marketing for the studio, Fredrick will report to Blake.
Blake said, "Working on movies as diverse as the Harry Potter franchise, 300 and Million Dollar Baby, Fredrick has developed some of the most creative, memorable and highly successful campaigns in the business. We had the privilege of working together many years ago when he ran marketing for Castle Rock and I know firsthand what he brings to the table and we are looking forward to his experience, insight and creativity as he guides our marketing effort on behalf of Screen Gems."
Screen Gems president Clint Culpepper, added, "I’m really excited about Fredrick’s decision to join us at Screen Gems. He has a wealth of experience and invaluable talent relations that will help take Screen Gems to the next level. Marc and I have worked well as a team, and I couldn’t be more excited for him and I look forward to sharing that same kind of partnership with Fredrick."
Fredrick said, "I’m thrilled to be joining Screen Gems – the slate offers a great opportunity to push the envelope in terms of traditional campaigns as well as attacking the landscape through innovative peer-to-peer and grass roots avenues. I’m excited by the films Clint and his talented filmmakers have lined up and I can’t wait to jump in."
Director Rob Reiner, who worked with Fredrick on 11 films, said " Fredrick is one of the most creative marketing executives I have had the privilege to work with. He understands how to develop and execute a great campaign and the toughest thing for a marketing guy is to convey the most commercial component of a film without betraying the true essence of the film itself. Fredrick does that beautifully."
Fredrick joins Screen Gems from Warner Bros., where he served as senior vice president, creative advertising. There, he supervised the creation of more than 80 advertising campaigns, including the Harry Potter films, 300, Happy Feet, Million Dollar Baby, The Bucket List, The Perfect Storm, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Terminator 3, Three Kings, The Green Mile, and Analyze Fredrick oversaw the development of trailers, TV commercials, and key art.
Prior to Warner Bros., Fredrick was president of marketing for Castle Rock Entertainment, where he supervised the campaigns of more than 50 films, including City Slickers, Misery, A Few Good Men, Absolute Power, and The Shawshank Redemption, as well as the limited releases Before Sunrise, Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, Barcelona, and Lone Star.
Before his tenure at Castle Rock, Fredrick was a producer/editor at Intralink Film Graphic Design, where he produced and edited trailers and TV commercials for Batman, The Color Purple, Thelma and Louise, The Fabulous Baker Boys, and other films.
He is a member of the Motion Picture Academy and the Key Arts Advisory Board and serves as an instructor at UCLA Extension. He is a graduate of the University of California Santa Cruz Film School.
