Ex-Image Executive Launches New Company

28 Oct, 2009 By: Erik Gruenwedel

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David Borshell, former president of Image Entertainment, has formed a new distribution company with home entertainment veteran Andy Reimer and others.

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Inception Media Group LLC (IMG) will acquire, produce and distribute independent motion pictures and other filmed entertainment across all media platforms, including theatrical, digital, home video and television.

The new company is working with investment banking firm Raymond James for growth capital and strategic opportunities, which include potential corporate acquisitions, according to a spokesperson. 

Borshell, who was with Image for 24 years, including the last 10 years as president of day-to-day operations, helped the distributor focus on acquiring under-the-radar feature films with well-known casts.

A similar strategy is on tap for Inception, which will stake a significant presence at the upcoming American Film Market Nov. 4-11 in Santa Monica.

The annual fest features 900 screenings and boasts sealing more than $800 million in distribution deals, including last weekend’s box office hit, Paranormal Activity.

“Our industry has seen its share of consolidation and change during the past couple of years, which has led to a reduction of viable companies competing for quality programming,” Borshell said. “Andy and I have a tremendous amount of acquisition and distribution experience, and, by launching a new company together, we can provide content creators and owners a meaningful and much needed alternative.”

Indeed, Reimer, who was an executive producer on the Oscar-winning film Crash, has a 25-year career in home entertainment, including most recently as SVP of acquisition and production for HBO Home Entertainment, and before that as president of the Blockbuster subsidiary, DEJ Productions.

Inception’s intent is to work with content creators and providers in the areas of theatrical exploitation and sales across all platforms and channels of distribution. In addition, IMG will assist various third parties with home video supply chain requirements, including packaged goods manufacturing, warehousing, order management and order fulfillment.

Also joining the company as SVP of sales is Lisa Yedlin. She has more than two decades of independent film and special interest sales and promotion experience, holding senior sales positions at Image, Lionsgate and WEA.

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