TeaTime's first-look deal with Boat Rocker
extended; Katie O'Connell Marsh expands relationship with Boat
Rocker with overall deal
TORONTO, Dec. 20, 2021 /CNW/ - Boat Rocker (TSX: BRMI), an
independent, integrated global entertainment company, has finalized
a deal to buy a minority equity stake in TeaTime Pictures
(TeaTime), founded by award-winning actor and producer Dakota Johnson and former Netflix executive, Ro
Donnelly. Under the agreement, Boat Rocker will extend its current
first-look deal with TeaTime to develop and produce scripted &
unscripted television and digital content. In addition,
Katie O'Connell Marsh will be
joining TeaTime as a partner. Boat Rocker is also deepening its
relationship with O'Connell Marsh,
signing the prominent executive producer to an overall deal.
"Dakota and Ro are building TeaTime into a cultural platform
with massive creative and commercial promise. The addition of
Katie's experience and acumen to this growing enterprise will
undoubtedly supercharge TeaTime's existing robust slate and
ambitions. We look forward to further supporting their stated
mission of building a brand that embraces, shapes and shares in the
experience of film, television, literature, art and music," said
David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, Co-Executive Chairmen, Boat
Rocker Media and Co-Chairmen, Boat Rocker Studios. "Our strategic
investment represents a natural evolution in our
partnership, our broader corporate growth story playing
out, and an unyielding commitment to empowering
creative visionaries. We're excited about this opportunity and are
actively exploring making similar deals with leading creators."
The partnership between Boat Rocker and TeaTime is already well
established, with a first-look deal in place since 2019. Under the
new equity investment, TeaTime will continue operating as an
independent business, with Boat Rocker providing capital, as well
as business and strategic support.
Last year, it was announced that Boat Rocker optioned the
memoir Cult Following, from
writer Bexy Cameron, with Dakota
Johnson attached to star, and TeaTime set to executive
produce. The series is among several projects currently in
development with Boat Rocker under the first-look.
Dakota Johnson and Ro Donnelly
said: "Boat Rocker's belief and investment in us and our future is
humbling and inspiring. As a company that was founded purely on
ambition, big dreams, and our shared love of film and television,
Ro and I could not be more excited to partner with Katie O'Connell Marsh, whose wisdom and
expertise are vital to our growing brand. We are grateful and
extremely eager to hit the ground running."
Boat Rocker is also expanding its relationship with Katie O'Connell Marsh to further bolster its
premium scripted business. O'Connell
Marsh will continue to be an executive producer on the
current slate of scripted projects at Boat Rocker, while adding to
the studio's slate under a new overall deal. She will be leaving
her role as Vice-Chair of Boat Rocker Studios to focus on these
priority areas, as well as her new role at TeaTime.
"Katie has a unique passion and talent for ground-breaking
storytelling," added Fortier and Schneeberg. "She continues to be
instrumental in helping Boat Rocker realize its vision of being the
home for top creative talent to work across all genres. We're
delighted to grow our relationship with Katie through her overall
deal at Boat Rocker and her new official partner role at
TeaTime."
Katie O'Connell Marsh said:
"Joining Dakota and Ro to continue to build on their incredible
vision for TeaTime is a dream come true. Working with both of
them over the past few years I have been so impressed by their
endless ambition and inspiring talent. I'm grateful to
Dave and Ivan and everyone at Boat Rocker for believing and
investing in us as we take TeaTime to the next level. I'm also
thrilled to continue to grow and executive produce the incredible
slate we have put together at Boat Rocker over the past few
years."
TeaTime recently announced that two of its feature films, Cha
Cha Real Smooth and Am I OK? will be featured
as part of the upcoming Sundance
Film Festival. This follows the news that TeaTime is producing
Daddio, with Dakota Johnson
and Sean Penn attached to star, and Christy Hall on board to write and direct.
Boat Rocker is behind a growing number of high-profile scripted,
unscripted, and kids & family productions,
including American Rust for Showtime,
Invasion, Dear… and Billie Eilish:
The World's a Little Blurry, all for Apple
TV+, Go-Big
Show for TBS, and Dino Ranch for Disney+. The company
also recently struck first-look deals with Lena Headey's Peephole Productions, Dr.
Ibram X. Kendi's Maroon Visions,
Stephanie Langhoff's High Tide
Productions, and Shamier Anderson
& Stephan James' Bay Mills
Studios as part of its broader strategy of expanding its IP
slate.
About Boat Rocker
Boat Rocker (TSX: BRMI) is the home
for creative visionaries. An independent, integrated global
entertainment company, Boat Rocker's purpose is to tell
stories and build iconic brands across all genres and mediums. With
offices around the world, Boat Rocker's creative and commercial
capabilities include Scripted, Unscripted, and Kids & Family
television production, distribution, brand & franchise
management, a world-class animation studio, and talent management
through Untitled Entertainment. A selection of Boat Rocker's
projects include: Invasion (Apple TV+), American Rust
(Showtime), Orphan Black (BBC AMERICA, CTV Sci-Fi Channel),
Dear… (Apple TV+), Billie Eilish: The World's a Little
Blurry (Apple TV+), The Next Step (BBC, Family Channel,
CBC), Daniel Spellbound (Netflix), and Dino Ranch (Disney+, Disney Junior, CBC).
For more information, please visit www.boatrocker.com.
About TeaTime Pictures
Founded by Dakota Johnson and Ro Donnelly, TeaTime Pictures
is a production company that embraces the eternal romance of art as
escapism.
With an ethos of kindness, collaboration, honesty and heart,
TeaTime Pictures looks to be a safe creative haven for artists and
to produce refined, elevated, thought provoking content across all
genres.
SOURCE Boat Rocker Media Inc.
