Sanford Panitch

Sanford Panitch
Born Los Angeles, California
Alma mater Tulane University
Occupation President, Columbia Pictures
Organization Motion Picture Academy, Executive Branch
Tulane University, Dean's Council
Ambassador, Screen Singapore
Chapman University (Singapore), Advisory Council
Student Voice Project
Board member of FoxStar Studios (India)
Spouse(s) Kristen Panitch

Sanford Panitch is an American film industry executive. He is the current president of Columbia Pictures. Panitch founded Fox International Productions, a division of 21st Century Fox, and served as its president from 2008 until 2013.[1][2][3][4][5]

Early life and education

Panitch was born in Los Angeles, to Hersh Panitch, an entertainment business manager, and Elaine Panitch, a teacher and author.[5] In 1985, he began his college education at Tulane University in New Orleans, where, as a student, he worked as an editor on the college's newspaper, The Hullaballoo, and dj'd on the university's radio station, WTUL.[6][7] During school breaks in 1987, 1988, and 1989, Panitch interned for New Line Cinema, and capitalized on his experience as an intern by establishing a company, Revive Screening, to distribute New Line Films at various venues in New Orleans. After graduating from Tulane with a degree in Political Science, Panitch sold the company and returned to Los Angeles.[8]

Career

Panitch began his career in 1989 at James Cameron and Gale Ann Hurd's Pacific Western Productions, where he worked on films including The Abyss and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.[9] In 1992, he left Pacific Western to accept a position as Director of Development at Arnold Kopelson Productions,[10] where he worked on The Fugitive, Seven, and Outbreak, among other films.[11] He was promoted to Executive Vice President at Kopelson in 1994.[8] In 1995, after deciding to shift his focus to the studio side of the film business, he was named Executive Vice President of Production at 20th Century Fox.[12] Panitch remained at Fox until 1997, during which time he reunited with Cameron as a production executive on Titanic, and worked on Dr.Dolittle, The Siege and Office Space, in addition to others.

In 1997, Fox's then-parent company, News Corp (now 21st Century Fox), invested in New Regency[13] and Panitch moved to New Regency as President of Filmed Entertainment, where in addition to overseeing New Regency's releases (which included the box-office hits Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Big Momma's House and Man on Fire),[14] he supervised the company's strategic partnership with Chrysler, and worked closely on the marketing and re-branding of Puma, which New Regency founder Arnon Milchan had invested in.[15] In 2008, recognizing the growth of international box office and seeing the large percentage of market share for locally produced films, Panitch created the business model which later became the foundation for Fox International Productions.[5] [16]

In May 2008 Panitch returned to Fox to become president of the newly created 20th Century Fox subsidiary, Fox International Productions, where he oversaw development, production, acquisitions, distribution, and was involved with the marketing, strategic planning and business development of the division for all non-English language theatrical film content. During Panitch's tenure, Fox International Productions produced and/or released films in 12 territories, and was noted for its success in India, China, Korea, Japan, Brazil, Germany and Mexico.[17][18][19]

Panitch was named president of international film and television for Sony Pictures in April 2015.[20]

Personal life

Panitch and his wife, interior designer Kristen Panitch, live in Santa Monica, California. They have two children. He has served as an adjunct professor at Tulane, where he taught a class on creative writing.[21][22]

Awards and distinctions

References

  1. Lang, Brent (April 13, 2013). "Sanford Panitch Leaves Fox to Head Sony's International Film and Television Division". Variety. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  2. Miller, Daniel (November 12, 2013). "Fox International strikes $130-million Asian film co-financing deal". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  3. Kay, Jeremy (May 12, 2008). "Sanford Panitch to run Fox's new international production arm". Screen Daily. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  4. Ulaby, Neda (2012). "Fox International Finds That Not Everyone Wants To Buy What Hollywood Sells". All Things Considered, NPR. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 McClintock, Pamela (March 26, 2010). "Fox's Panitch puts accent on local films". Variety. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  6. Lynn, D.S. and, Farinas, V. (1987). "Media Media Media". mocava.com. Jambalaya, Tulane University. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  7. "Fall 2009" (PDF). tulane.edu.news. Tulanian. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  8. 1 2 Variety Staff (January 10, 1994). "Kopelson Prods. ups Panitch". Variety. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  9. Kay, Jeremy (May 18, 2012). "Sanford Panitch: Feature". screendaily.com. Screen Daily. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  10. Petrikin, Chris (June 9, 1999). "Regency taps Panitch for prod'n prexy". Variety. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  11. Konow, David (October 2, 2012). Reel Terror: The Scary, Bloody, Gory, Hundred-Year History of Classic Horror Films. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 486. ISBN 978-0312668839. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  12. Petrikin, Chris (March 5, 1998). "Twentieth Century Fox ups Panitch". Variety. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  13. Sorkin, Andrew Ross and, Fabrikant, Geraldine (January 10, 2005). "Murdoch Buys Rest of Fox Shares in $6 Billion Deal". New York Times. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  14. McNary, Dave (July 23, 2002). "Regency lights a 'Fire' with Scott". Variety. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  15. Blankfeld, Kim (March 11, 2010). "Hollywood Heavyweight". forbes.com. Forbes. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  16. Kay, Jeremy (March 2010). "Local Films from a Global Giant" (1721). Los Angeles: Screen International. pp. 13–14.
  17. Tartaglione, Nancy (November 12, 2013). "Fox International Productions, Ivanhoe Pictures In Co-Finance Deal For Asian Films". deadline.com. Deadline. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  18. Hoad, Phil (August 13, 2013). "Is Hollywood backing a blessing for local-language films – or a curse?". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  19. "Sanford Panitch to Run Fox International Productions". reuters.com. Reuters (Press Release). March 12, 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  20. Siegel, Tatiana (April 13, 2015). "Sanford Panitch Leaving Fox for Top Post at Sony". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  21. Various authors. "Sanford Panitch Profile (Aggregated Content)". variety.com. Variety.
  22. GIbbons, Nicole (April 2, 2011). "A Conversation With Kristen Panitch Plus a Chic Peek Inside Her Pretty Pink Office!". sohautestyle.com. So Haute. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  23. Sandberg, Phil (November 28, 2012). "Sanford Panitch Presenting Keynote Address at ATF". content-technology.com. Asia Pacific News. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  24. Griffin, A. "Certificate of Appreciation". commerce.gov. United States Department of Commerce. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  25. News Headline. "IFFLA to honour Sanford Panitch, Uday Shankar and Ashok Amritraj". indiantelevision.com. Indian Television. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  26. "LA INDIA FILM COUNCIL FOSTERS THE NEED FOR INNOVATION" (PDF). mpaa-india.org. LA India Film Council (Press Release). September 12, 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  27. "Speakers of 2012". www.wkforum.org. World Knowledge Forum. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  28. Tourtelotte, Bob (September 13, 2012). "Abu Dhabi unveils speakers for film conference". Reuters. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  29. Frater, Patrick (April 24, 2012). "Beijing festival talks China's new dimension". Film Business Asia. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
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