Deneen has a new Objective

By Gregg Goldstein

July 17, 2007, ET

NEW YORK -- Brendan Deneen, who had been serving as director of production and development at the Weinstein Co., has joined the New York-based management-production outfit Objective Entertainment.

Deneen will serve as a manager for writers and directors in publishing and film, focusing on the sales, development and production of film properties.

Deneen's move marks a return to his roots. He started his career as an assistant literary agent at WMA before joining Scott Rudin Prods. as a story editor, helping land the outfit projects like Jonathan Franzen's "The Corrections."

He moved on to Dimension (then based at the Walt Disney Co.) as a development exec. There, he worked on projects like "1408," which has turned into a midsize hit. He joined the Weinstein Co. as director of development and production when the company was founded in October and was involved in such projects as "The Equalizer," "Knight Rider" and "Outlander."

Deneen's new clients include authors Amber Benson, L. Divine, Rick Hautala and Brian Pinkerton, screenwriters Brad Abraham, Gord Rollo and Scott Rose, and graphic novelists Dean Haspiel, William Harms and Tom Manning.

Deneen's move comes amid other changes at the Weinstein Co. Following the expiration of his contract, vp production Michael Schaefer left for a new position at Summit Entertainment. At Dimension Films, the Weinstein Co. genre label, the future of Richard Saperstein, president of production, has become a target of public speculation, though a Weinstein Co. spokesperson said Friday that he remains at the company.

Deneen has a new Objective

By Gregg Goldstein

July 17, 2007, ET