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 10/09/2007
Savannah Film Festival announces 2929 Entertainment CEO Todd Wagner as first recipient of Pioneer in Entertainment and Media Award; Award to be named after Wagner and business partner Mark Cuban
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, announced today the debut of the Wagner-Cuban Pioneer in Entertainment and Media Award, named after visionary entrepreneurs and business partners Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban. The two are the co-founders and co-owners of the Wagner/Cuban Companies, a vertically integrated group of media properties that include 2929 Entertainment, Magnolia Pictures, Landmark Theatres and high-definition television channels HDNet and HDNet Movies.
The inaugural recipient of the award — and one of its namesakes — is Todd Wagner, who will be honored at the , Oct. 27-Nov. 3. The Wagner-Cuban Pioneer in Entertainment and Media Award will be presented at subsequent Savannah Film Festivals to honor those who have made groundbreaking impacts in the entertainment and media industries.
Wagner and Cuban co-founded Broadcast.com, which they sold to Yahoo! for $5.7 billion in 1999. Using this success as a platform, Wagner fused his passion for entertainment with his business portfolio to build a thriving media company whose businesses span theatrical content creation, distribution and exhibition, as well as cutting-edge television production and programming. His dynamic blend of entrepreneurial spirit, business expertise and philanthropic commitment have resulted in the creation of some of the entertainment industry’s most successful and compelling digital, intellectual and physical properties.
In his role as chief executive officer for 2929 Entertainment, Wagner has served as producer for such critically acclaimed films as “Akeelah and the Bee” (2006), the Academy Award®-nominated “Good Night, and Good Luck” (2005) and “We Own the Night,” which opens Oct. 12, 2007.
Wagner also has been at the forefront of producing feature films shot in high-definition and pioneered the concept of “day-and-date” releases. His and Cuban’s Magnolia Pictures is an independent distributor of a unique and eclectic slate of feature films including the Academy Award®-nominated “Jesus Camp” (2006) and “The World’s Fastest Indian” (2005) with Anthony Hopkins. Magnolia Pictures recently premiered writer/director Brian De Palma’s “Redacted” at the 2007 Venice Film Festival.
Magnolia Home Entertainment handles home video distribution for Magnolia Pictures releases, Magnolia Home Entertainment original productions and HD-DVD products from 2929 Entertainment and HDNet.
In 2005, Wagner further demonstrated his support for independent film with the launch of Truly Indie, a self-distribution initiative designed to give filmmakers access to marketing and sales tools without a traditional distributor. Under the model, filmmakers pay a flat fee to cover distribution, advertising, publicity and exhibition, while retaining all rights and box office receipts to the film. Truly Indie has distributed notable films such as Doug Block’s “51 Birch Street” (2005) and James Scurlock’s “Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders” (2006).
Wagner’s outlook of bringing the consumer the best entertainment experiences, while creating new and effective business models, is particularly evident with his company’s Landmark Theatres, the nation’s largest theatre chain devoted exclusively to exhibiting and marketing independent films. With 61 theaters in 24 markets — including its new flagship theatre in Los Angeles – Landmark has completely reinvented the theatre-going experience, offering viewers a one-of-a-kind environment in which to enjoy the highest quality entertainment. Here, audiences have the option to choose from a variety of exclusive seating options including love seats, ottomans and sofas, not to mention unparalleled image quality with its cutting-edge digital projection.
HDNet is the first national television network to broadcast all of its programming in 1080i HD, the highest quality format of high-definition television delivering crystal-clear resolution in a widescreen 16:9 theater-like format. As the country’s most-watched high-definition channel, HDNet also broadcasts original programming, including television’s only HD news feature programs, championship sports coverage and groundbreaking music programming with the “HDNet Concert Series.”
Wagner also has a stake in the Dallas Mavericks, holds interests in Lions Gate Entertainment and The Weinstein Company, and most recently invested in Canadian film and television company Peace Arch Entertainment. He is founder and co-chairman of Content Partners LLC, a company that invests in the back-end profit participations of Hollywood talent.
In addition to his business endeavors, Wagner is a dedicated philanthropist. He established the Todd Wagner Foundation in 2000 to develop programs dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk children and inner-city entrepreneurs by increasing access to technology, education and capital. One of the foundation’s most significant initiatives is MIRACLES®, a structured after-school program focusing on technology, education and life skills for children who are aged six to 12.
Additional honorees at the 10th annual Savannah Film Festival include award-winning thespian siblings Vanessa, Lynn and Corin Redgrave, who have never been honored together in the United States or their native Britain; two-time Academy Award-winner Michael Douglas; Emmy Award-winning journalist Charlie Rose; Academy Award-winning directors Milos Forman and William Friedkin; director Brett Ratner; and actor, writer, producer and director John Sayles.
Other guests scheduled to attend the festival include actress Catherine Zeta-Jones; actors Chris Cooper, James Franco and Stacy Keach; and director James Ivory.
The Savannah Film Festival features independent, innovative and influential film from around the world, as well as workshops, panel discussions and presentations of well-known visiting artists and filmmakers.
In 2006, all but one of the evening gala screenings went on to be nominated for an Academy Award®, and all but two of those films won the Oscar® in their category. SCAD students from across the college’s more than 30 accredited academic disciplines participate in the festival to learn about the art of filmmaking from industry leaders.
Award presentations and film screenings will be held at the historic , 216 E. Broughton St., and , 32 Abercorn St. Workshops and other presentations will take place at Red Gallery, 201 E. Broughton St.
Passes to the Savannah Film Festival are sold out. Tickets to individual events are available for purchase through the SCAD box office, 216 E. Broughton St., online at , or by phone at 912.525.5050.
The Savannah Film Festival is subject to change.
For media inquiries and image requests, contact 912.525.5225.
Named one of Kaplan’s “25 cutting-edge schools with an eye toward the future,” the Savannah College of Art and Design exists to prepare talented students for professional careers, emphasizing learning through individual attention in a positively oriented university environment. The goal of the college is to nurture and cultivate the unique qualities of each student through an interesting curriculum, in an inspiring environment, under the leadership of involved professors. SCAD features locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Ga., and in Lacoste, France, and also offers online undergraduate and graduate degree programs through SCAD-eLearning.
SCAD is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The college offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Architecture, Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Fine Arts, and Master of Urban Design degrees, as well as undergraduate and graduate certificates. The five-year professional M.Arch. degree is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
For more information about the college, e-mail may be sent to admission. Savannah, Lacoste and SCAD-eLearning inquiries may be directed to 800.869.7223 or 912.525.5100; Atlanta inquiries may be directed to 877.722.3285 or 404.253.2700.
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