Liz Gateley
Encyclopedia
Liz Gateley currently serves as Senior Vice President, Series Development, for MTV. Liz is also a founding partner and co-owner, along with Tony DiSanto
, of DiGa
, a studio and production company hybrid. In what Liz describes as her “dream job,” she is responsible for leading the development of ground-breaking new weekly and daily series for the channel including both scripted and reality projects.
Ms. Gateley is probably best known for creating the game-changing hit reality series, Laguna Beach, inspired by her childhood growing up in Palos Verdes, California. It was the first thing she pitched at MTV back in 2003, the summer in which she started, and she went on to serve as Executive Producer of that series. Her next creation was 8th & Ocean, which also went on to become a hit series for MTV. Since then, she has developed a diverse slate of hits series for the network, which most recently included Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant, on which she also served as executive producer. Ms. Gateley has successfully expanded MTV programming to include hit shows such as The Hills, Randy Jackson Presents America’s Next Best Dance Crew, The Buried Life, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, Nitro Circus, The City, Human Giant and Run’s House as well as the revealing 2009 documentary, Britney Spears: For the Record which kicked off Britney’s comeback.
High profile projects in development under Ms. Gateley’s guidance include the series “Teen Wolf,” a thriller reinvention of the 1985 blockbuster film, and the critically acclaimed British hit series, “Skins.” Recent projects include two scripted comedy series, The Hard Times Of RJ Berger and Warren The Ape which aired in June 2010.
Prior to MTV, Ms. Gateley worked at Lifetime Television where she was responsible for the development of primetime and daytime scripted and reality original series and specials, including Strong Medicine
, The Division
, Intimate Portrait
, and Weddings of a Lifetime. Before Lifetime, Liz got her first shot in the entertainment industry while working at William Morris Agency in their agent trainee program. Liz is also an attorney who practiced corporate law.
She graduated from Loyola Law School with a J.D. degree after earning a B. A. in Economics/Business from University of California, Los Angeles.
Gateley reports to Tony DiSanto
, President of Programming, MTV, and is based in New York City.
Tony DiSanto
Tony DiSanto is a founding partner and co-owner, along with Liz Gateley, of DiGa,a studio and production company hybrid staked by IAC mogul Barry Diller and Electus founder Ben Silverman....
, of DiGa
DiGa
DiGa is an independent production studio co-founded by former MTV executives Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley on January 1, 2011. DiGa creates, develops and produces prime-time cable and network reality and scripted television programming, feature films and digital content across all platforms in...
, a studio and production company hybrid. In what Liz describes as her “dream job,” she is responsible for leading the development of ground-breaking new weekly and daily series for the channel including both scripted and reality projects.
Ms. Gateley is probably best known for creating the game-changing hit reality series, Laguna Beach, inspired by her childhood growing up in Palos Verdes, California. It was the first thing she pitched at MTV back in 2003, the summer in which she started, and she went on to serve as Executive Producer of that series. Her next creation was 8th & Ocean, which also went on to become a hit series for MTV. Since then, she has developed a diverse slate of hits series for the network, which most recently included Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant, on which she also served as executive producer. Ms. Gateley has successfully expanded MTV programming to include hit shows such as The Hills, Randy Jackson Presents America’s Next Best Dance Crew, The Buried Life, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, Nitro Circus, The City, Human Giant and Run’s House as well as the revealing 2009 documentary, Britney Spears: For the Record which kicked off Britney’s comeback.
High profile projects in development under Ms. Gateley’s guidance include the series “Teen Wolf,” a thriller reinvention of the 1985 blockbuster film, and the critically acclaimed British hit series, “Skins.” Recent projects include two scripted comedy series, The Hard Times Of RJ Berger and Warren The Ape which aired in June 2010.
Prior to MTV, Ms. Gateley worked at Lifetime Television where she was responsible for the development of primetime and daytime scripted and reality original series and specials, including Strong Medicine
Strong Medicine
Strong Medicine is a medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict. The television series aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It is distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The series was created and produced in part by comedienne and...
, The Division
The Division
The Division is an American Lifetime Television original series about a team of women police officers in the San Francisco Police Department. The series premiered on January 7, 2001 and ended on June 28, 2004 after 88 episodes.-Synopsis:...
, Intimate Portrait
Intimate Portrait (TV series)
Intimate Portrait is a biographical television series on the Lifetime Television cable network focusing on different celebrities, which includes interviews with each subject....
, and Weddings of a Lifetime. Before Lifetime, Liz got her first shot in the entertainment industry while working at William Morris Agency in their agent trainee program. Liz is also an attorney who practiced corporate law.
She graduated from Loyola Law School with a J.D. degree after earning a B. A. in Economics/Business from University of California, Los Angeles.
Gateley reports to Tony DiSanto
Tony DiSanto
Tony DiSanto is a founding partner and co-owner, along with Liz Gateley, of DiGa,a studio and production company hybrid staked by IAC mogul Barry Diller and Electus founder Ben Silverman....
, President of Programming, MTV, and is based in New York City.
Other works
- Hard Times of RJ Berger (2010) - Executive Producer
- Warren the ApeWarren the ApeWarren the Ape is an MTV reality show parody which premiered on June 14, 2010 at 10:30 p.m. The series is a spin-off of the IFC and Fox TV show Greg the Bunny, and follows the titular character's life as he tries to get his life back together following the cancellation of Greg the Bunny.Warren has...
(2010) - Executive Producer - Teen MomTeen MomTeen Mom is an American reality television series that premiered on MTV on December 8, 2009. A spin-off of 16 and Pregnant, the series chronicles the lives of four of the teenagers from the original series as they navigate their first few years of motherhood...
(2009–2010) - Executive Producer - The CityThe City (MTV series)The City is an MTV reality television series. The first spin-off of MTV's, The Hills, it follows one of the show's former cast members, Whitney Port, as she moves to New York City to work for fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg. The program premiered on December 29, 2008 and concluded its first...
(2009–2010) - Executive Producer - Taking the StageTaking the StageTaking the Stage is a musical reality show set at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is produced by Nick Lachey, a SCPA alumnnus, for MTV. The first season chronicled the lives of five high school students and their friends as they train for careers in the arts...
(2009–2010) - Executive Producer - The HillsThe HillsThe Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
(2006–2010) - Executive Producer - Paris Hilton's My New BFFParis Hilton's My New BFFParis Hilton's My New BFF, also known simply as My New BFF and other alternate titles, is a competitive reality television show in which Paris Hilton searches for her new BFF . Following the success of the original US version, another US season and two international spin-offs followed...
(2008–2009) - Executive Producer - ScarredScarredScarred is a television program that debuted on MTV on April 10, 2007. On each episode of Scarred, several real-life risk-takers share the stories of how they were scarred or injured while attempting dangerous stunts on primarily skateboards, but occasionally on in-line skates, skis, snowboards,...
(2007) - Executive Producer - Maui FeverMaui FeverMaui Fever is a reality series, created by haole Morgan J. Freeman for MTV. Filmed on location in Maui over a three month period, the show explored the real lives of several young haole friends living in the Kaanapali area....
(2007) - Executive producer - Newport Harbor: The Real Orange CountyNewport Harbor: The Real Orange CountyNewport Harbor: The Real Orange County, also known simply as Newport Harbor, is the replacement show of MTV's Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. Just like its predecessor, the show documents the lives of several teenagers living in Newport Beach, California, a beachside community located in...
(2007) - Executive Producer - Human GiantHuman GiantHuman Giant is a sketch comedy show on MTV, starring writer/performers Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel, Paul Scheer and directed primarily by Jason Woliner.The show has completed two seasons. The status of a third season is unknown...
(2007) - Executive Producer - 8th & Ocean8th & Ocean8th & Ocean is an American reality series about a group of models living in Miami, Florida that premiered on MTV on March 7, 2006. The series aired for ten episodes, ending its run on May 9, 2006. The creators of 8th & Ocean are also responsible for Laguna Beach, a show also airing on MTV...
(2006) - Executive producer - The ShopThe ShopThis article is about the reality show. For the fictional government agency, see The Shop .The Shop is a reality show on MTV about a barbershop located in the heart of Jamaica, Queens. The shop is owned by music producer Cory Rooney, who has produced for some of the big names out there like hits...
(2006) - Executive producer - Run's HouseRun's HouseRun's House was an MTV reality series. It showed the family life of rapper and hip-hop music pioneer Joseph Simmons, also known as Rev Run....
(2005) - Executive producer - StankervisionStankervisionStankervision is a sketch-comedy program, created by Waco O'Guin and Roger Black, that aired on MTV2. It premiered July 8, 2005 as part of the channel's "Sic 'Em Friday" programming block. Stankervision is a repackaged version of "The DAMN! Show", a sketch comedy show that was created in Athens,...
(2005) - Executive producer - PoweR GirlsPoweR GirlsPoweR Girls was a 2005 MTV reality TV series about press maven Lizzie Grubman mentoring a team of young hopeful publicists as they work their way in the world of celebrities, glamour and public relations to ultimately earn a permanent spot on Grubman's team .- Plot :The show took its name from a...
(2005) - Executive producer - Laguna Beach: The Real Orange CountyLaguna Beach: The Real Orange CountyLaguna Beach: The Real Orange County, often referred to simply as Laguna Beach, is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from September 28, 2004 until November 16, 2006. It documents the lives of several teenagers living in Laguna Beach, an affluent seaside community located in...
(2004) - Executive Producer