Warner Horizon Scripted Television is fortifying its executive team, upping Leigh London Redman to the newly created position of executive vice president of scripted programming and promoting Kevin Fortson and Matt Matzkin to newly formed executive VP positions in production and business affairs for both scripted and unscripted TV, respectively.
London Redman, in her new role, will spearhead day-to-day creative affairs activities in WHSTV-produced original scripted programming, including dramas, comedies, event series and more. She will also oversee development of new TV shows and supervise current programming for existing series. Prior to her promotion, she had been senior VP of scripted programming since 2015, first joining the company five years before that as VP of scripted programming.
Thirteen series are currently under her purview, including TNT’s “Animal Kingdom” and “Claws,” OWN’s “Cherish the Day,” “David Makes Man” and “Queen Sugar,” HBO Max’s upcoming “The Flight Attendant,” Netflix’s “Fuller House,” “Medical Police” and “You,” Syfy’s “Krypton,” Epix’s “Pennyworth,” Freeform’s “Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists,” and National Geographic’s “The Right Stuff.”
Related
Warner Bros. Television and Warner Horizon Scripted Television presidents Susan Rovner and Brett Paul said that they are “incredibly fortunate” to have London Redman, Fortson and Matzkin leading the WHSTV team.
“Leigh’s impeccable taste in material and ability to collaborate with our artists has greatly expanded our possibilities for success, allowing WHSTV to expand its footprint and seamlessly transition into the multiplatform digital future,” they said in a statement.
In his new role, Fortson will oversee all aspects of physical production for WHSTV-produced series, including budgeting, scheduling staffing and more, and oversee production staff. Prior to that, he had served as senior VP of production for WHTV since 2006, and spent two years as senior VP or operations at Warner Bros. Studio Facilities before that.
Matzkin, in his new position, is the top business exec and lead dealmaker for the production unit, responsible for negotiating or supervising negotiations for the unit’s deals with creatives and spearheading licensing agreements with streaming platforms and cable companies. He also manages the business affairs team. Prior to that, he had served as senior VP of business affairs of WHTV since 2015, negotiating key creator and talent deals, in addition to overall deals for producers such as Ava DuVernay and Kaley Cuoco.
In the unscripted realm, Fortson will oversee production and Matzkin will supervise business affairs for reality programming, and will work closely with Warner Horizon’s unscripted head Brooke Karzen.
“Kevin and Matt are also continually innovating, with Kevin finding ways to maximize production resources in an environment that demands nothing less than the highest on-screen production values,” said Rovner and Paul. “Matt combines creativity with tenacity and the desire to make the best deals possible for the company, with a sense of fairness and respect in an ultra-competitive marketplace. These promotions are truly and richly deserved.”
London Redman, Fortson and Matzkin will report to Rovner and Paul. Fortsn and Matzkin will report to Warner Bros. unscripted and alternative TV head Mike Darnell on unscripted projects. Rovner, Paul and Darnell all report to Peter Roth, Warner Bros. Television Group president and chief content officer.