American Film Market Dailies

• View
• Edit

Footage to be Shown For the First Time at AFM

Los Angeles, CA - October 29, 2015 – Content Media closed a deal today with DEFY Media, the top digital producer and programmer for 13-34 year olds, to partner on “Higher Power” - the new SFX driven Sci-Fi feature film from Lorenzo di Bonaventura, producer of the blockbuster “Transformer” franchise, “Salt,” and the “GI Joe” franchise.

With mind blowing special effects and a compelling new character “Higher Power” is “X-Men” meets “Chronicle” – the story of a true everyman who risks his life to save his daughter, and ends up with powers beyond his wildest imagination.

International distributors will get their first glimpse of “Higher Power” at the upcoming American Film Market (AFM) in Santa Monica, where Content’s Film President Jamie Carmichael and Content’s Head of Sales, Harry White, will debut the first footage of the much anticipated film. CAA co-represents U.S. distribution rights with Content.

Content financed the movie with multi-platform powerhouse DEFY Media, whose unparalleled reach to a key millennial audience of more than 125 million monthly viewers, coupled with the company’s ability to directly engage with consumers across its multiple top ranking brands and social channels, adds marketing clout for “Higher Power” on a level rarely seen in the independent film world.

Directed by Matthew Santoro (visual effects artist for “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, “X-Men: The Last Stand”, “The Incredible Hulk”, “300”), from a script by Julia Fair (“Alien Raiders”), “Higher Power” stars Ron Eldard (“Sleepers”, “Black Hawk Down”, Super 8”), Colm Feore (“The Chronicles of Riddick”, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”), Jordan Hinson (“Kevin From Work”, “Eureka”, “Hank”), Austin Stowell (“Whiplash”, “Dolphin Tale”, “Love and Honor”) and Jade Tailor (“Karma”).

Producers are Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Greg Siegel, Evan Cholfin and Ross M. Dinerstein of Campfire. Content’s Jamie Carmichael is Executive Producer.

Content’s Carmichael said, “Matt has created a mind blowing Sci Fi thrill ride with “Higher Power”, and we are extremely excited to have such accomplished partners as Defy, Campfire and Lorenzo di Bonaventura.”

DEFY Media President Keith Richman commented, “We’re thrilled to team with Content Media on “Higher Power”, further expanding long-form content offerings that deliver on the passions of our audience, and giving distribution partners the unique ability to leverage our powerful global media network to fuel the film’s release.”

“Higher Power” is the latest addition to Content Media’s impressive international sales slate, which includes Dennis Hauck’s neo-noir detective thriller “Too Late,” starring Academy Award®-nominee John Hawkes; Joel David Moore’s “Youth In Oregon,” starring Frank Langella, Billy Crudup,Christina Applegate; Amy Berg’s “Janis: Little Girl Blue” selected at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals; the supernatural horror “Don’t Knock Twice,” from The Machine team stars Katee Sackhoff, Lucy Boynton and Nick Moran; the Maria Callas biopic “Callas,” starring Noomi Rapace with Niki Caro directing; the uplifting emotional  drama “Life at these Speeds” starring Billy Crudup and Graham Rogers; Academy® Award winning director Mike van Diem’s return romantic comedy “The Surprise”; the star-studded romantic drama “The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea,” starring Jason Sudeikis, Maisie Williams, Jessica Biel, Orlando Jones, with Paul Reiser and Mary Steenburgen; the action/thriller “Pandemic” starring Rachel Nichols, Mekhi Phifer, and Missi Pyle, and Alfie Allen;  the spy thriller “Newcomer” starring Anthony LaPaglia; the 2015 Cannes Classics selection “Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans,” the extraordinary, moving and white-knuckle documentary about one of the greatest movie stars of all time; Adam Rehmeier’s intense action feature “Save a Bullet For Me”; the smash hit HBO documentary “Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief” from Academy Award® winning director Alex Gibney; the intense horror film “The Diabolical” starring Ali Larter; the supernatural heist thriller “The Trust”; and Oscar Wilde's “The Canterville Ghost” voiced by Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.

About Content Media Corporation

Content Media Corporation Ltd is a London and LA-based private company that owns and distributes a significant library of film, television, and digital assets. The Company’s library of rights includes over 5,000 hours of television programming, 200 hours of digital programming and 275 feature films.

Content Media recently closed a multi-faceted deal with Bruno Wu’s Beijing-based Seven Stars Entertainment and Media, Ltd., in which Content acquired the Alive Group of companies allowing Content to distribute its extensive library of film and television rights through the Alive Group to the Chinese market, as well as a direct equity investment by Seven Stars into Content

The film sales division launched in 2002 and represents high profile, commercial feature films with great artistic and theatrical ambition. In addition to handling worldwide sales, marketing, and publicity, the company assists film producers in securing financing.

About DEFY Media

DEFY Media is the top digital producer and programmer for 13-34 year olds, and the largest owner of YouTube channels and leading media brands across the comedy, lifestyle and gaming verticals. Each month, DEFY-produced content generates 600 million video views and reaches 125 million viewers across our 60 million YouTube subscribers, 80 million unique web visitors and consumers of our apps, which have been downloaded over 22 million times. DEFY Media brands include SMOSH, recently named by Variety as the top brand for 13-17 year olds, Break, known for its top program “Prank It Forward”, and Screen Junkies, home to the highly influential digital series “Honest Trailers”. The world’s top brands partner with DEFY to build immersive advertising solutions that deliver unparalleled access to this influential audience. With uniquely integrated capabilities in content development, studio production, distribution and promotion, DEFY Media is built for content delivery in the digital age.