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Independent feature production, financing, and distribution company Covert Media today announced that Chet Devaskar has joined the company as Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs. In addition to overseeing all business and day-to-day legal matters for Covert Media, he will focus on Covert’s film production slate and handle all above the line talent deals and financial closings for upcoming production projects. Chet will report to CEO Paul Hanson.

“Paul is someone I have known and respected professionally for many years and I am thrilled to now be working with him directly,” stated Devaskar. “I see eye-to-eye with his approach to production and finance and I am excited to help him and his team build Covert into a prominent industry player, in both film and unscripted TV, with a reputation for being a smart and talent-friendly company where people want to work and thrive.”

“We are incredibly happy to have Chet join our team,” said Paul Hanson. “Through all of my prior experiences with Chet, I had found him to be very smart, professional, and deal-oriented in a way that he could get things done and keep projects moving forward.  That approach to our business, combined with just being a great guy, makes him a great fit for Covert.” 

Chet joins Covert from Treehouse Pictures where he served as Head of Business Affairs and General Counsel. While at Treehouse Pictures, he oversaw the company’s day-to-day business operations including the financing of several feature films and a robust development slate. Chet also played a key role in launching the company’s music publishing venture.

Before going in-house, Chet was a senior entertainment attorney at Reed Smith LLP where he represented many prominent production companies, sales agencies, entertainment lenders and equity investors for feature films and television projects.  Notably, Chet counselled Reliance Big Entertainment in connection with the acquisition and financing of the original Netflix series SENSE8 and served as their lead production counsel for the feature films PARANOIA, starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman, WALKING WITH DINOSAURS 3D and VAMPIRE ACADEMY. During this time, Chet also represented City National Bank, Union Bank, First Republic Bank and East West Bank in connection with multiple production loan financings for feature films such as THE NUMBERS STATION, THAT AWKWARD MOMENT and the television show PROJECT RUNWAY.