Ryan Kavanaugh
Encyclopedia
Ryan Kavanaugh is an American
film producer
and entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of Relativity Media
.
and later attended the University of California, Los Angeles
. While in UCLA, he had been working for Dean Witter Reynolds
, but did not graduate.
His father is a German doctor, who is involved with cure for cataracts and can speak nine languages.
. Its first feature film credit was RV
. In 2008, the company began agreements with Sony Pictures Entertainment
, Lions Gate Entertainment
, Walt Disney Pictures
, Paramount Pictures
and Universal Studios
to co-finance its films until 2015.
In January 2009, Relativity acquired Rogue Pictures
from Universal for reportedly $150 million. In July 2010, the company took over the distribution and marketing operations and some assets of the Starz
Overture Films
subsidiary.
In January 2011, Relativity had Steve Bertram, formerly the President of Business Operations for Paramount Home Entertainment
, come on board as COO and CFO.
Linyi
, China
's Communist Party
secretary Zhang Shajun described Kavanaugh as a "good friend" and gave an "effusive welcome" to Relativity at the beginning of filming of 21 and Over. Chinese activists, however, claimed that Zhang was behind the persecution of the blind 'barefoot lawyer' Chen Guangcheng
in nearby Dongshigu and called on Relativity to end its relationship with and "whitewashing" of Linyi. Relativity issued a statement defending its record as a "consistent and outspoken supporter of human rights
".
After receiving his helicopter pilot license in 2009, citizens of West Hollywood complained about Kavanaugh's daily flights to the emergency-only helipad
on the Sofitel Hotel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of Relativity Media
Relativity Media
Relativity Media is an American independent motion picture production and investment company based in West Hollywood, California.- Company :...
.
Early life
Kavanaugh studied at the University of California, Santa BarbaraUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
and later attended the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. While in UCLA, he had been working for Dean Witter Reynolds
Dean Witter Reynolds
Dean Witter Reynolds was an American stock brokerage and securities firm catering to retail clients. Prior to its acquisition, it was among the largest retail firms in the securities industry with over 9,000 account executives and was among the largest members of the New York Stock Exchange...
, but did not graduate.
His father is a German doctor, who is involved with cure for cataracts and can speak nine languages.
Career
In 2004, he founded Relativity MediaRelativity Media
Relativity Media is an American independent motion picture production and investment company based in West Hollywood, California.- Company :...
. Its first feature film credit was RV
RV (film)
RV is a 2006 comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, written by Geoff Rodkey, and starring Robin Williams, Joanna "JoJo" Levesque, Cheryl Hines, Josh Hutcherson, Jeff Daniels, Kristin Chenoweth and Will Arnett. It was released on April 28, 2006 in North America...
. In 2008, the company began agreements with Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
, Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
, Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
, Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
to co-finance its films until 2015.
In January 2009, Relativity acquired Rogue Pictures
Rogue Pictures
Rogue is a subsidiary of Relativity Media. The company has about 25 titles in its library.- Background :In 1997, Rogue Pictures was formed as a division of PolyGram Pictures but the name was dropped in 2000 after Universal Pictures bought PolyGram...
from Universal for reportedly $150 million. In July 2010, the company took over the distribution and marketing operations and some assets of the Starz
Liberty Starz
Liberty Starz is a wholly owned television programming subsidiary of Liberty Media Corp.The company is headquartered at Meridian, Colorado, though the postal designation of nearby Englewood is commonly listed as the company's location in corporate filings and news accounts...
Overture Films
Overture Films
Overture Films, LLC is an American film production and distribution company. It is a subsidiary of Liberty Media ....
subsidiary.
In January 2011, Relativity had Steve Bertram, formerly the President of Business Operations for Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment is the division of Paramount Pictures dealing with home video founded in late 1975.-History:...
, come on board as COO and CFO.
Linyi
Linyi
Linyi is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The largest prefecture-level city in Shandong both by area and total population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Weifang to the northeast, Zibo to the north, Tai'an to the northwest, Jining to the...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
's Communist Party
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
secretary Zhang Shajun described Kavanaugh as a "good friend" and gave an "effusive welcome" to Relativity at the beginning of filming of 21 and Over. Chinese activists, however, claimed that Zhang was behind the persecution of the blind 'barefoot lawyer' Chen Guangcheng
Chen Guangcheng
Chen Guangcheng is a blind civil rights activist in the People's Republic of China who drew international attention to human rights issues in rural areas. He was placed under house arrest from September 2005 to March 2006 after talking to Time magazine about the forced abortion cases he...
in nearby Dongshigu and called on Relativity to end its relationship with and "whitewashing" of Linyi. Relativity issued a statement defending its record as a "consistent and outspoken supporter of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
".
Personal life
Kavanaugh was arrested on charges of drunk driving twice in 2008.After receiving his helicopter pilot license in 2009, citizens of West Hollywood complained about Kavanaugh's daily flights to the emergency-only helipad
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
on the Sofitel Hotel.
External links
- Ryan Kavanaugh Uses Math to Make Movies – interviewed by Chris Jones on EsquireEsquire (magazine)Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
November 2009