Van Toffler - H 2016
Getty ImagesGunpowder & Sky, the studio co-founded by MTV veteran Van Toffler and former Endemol executive Floris Bauer, has acquired production startup Supergravity Pictures.
The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, brings together two companies already aligned via a 2015 investment Gunpowder & Sky made in Supergravity via Otter Media, which co-founded the studio alongside Toffler and Bauer. Toffler also was an individual investor in Supergravity.
The investment in Supergravity included a a co-production relationship that has resulted in the two companies working together on the feature film Skate or Die, from directors Jerome Sable and Nick Musurca, and Team Nocuous, a series about competitive video gaming produced in collaboration with the Fine Brothers, Mad Cow Productions and Third String Kicker.
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“Since making the investment, Supergravity has made great progress,” said Bauer, who serves as president of Gunpowder & Sky. “We are excited to leverage Supergravity’s team, expertise and projects across our network, giving them full access to our development, financing, production and distribution capabilities.”
Supergravity Pictures launched in 2014 to produce and distribute up to five movies a year. Its early slate, including the thriller The Chosen, was centered around digital talent and the films were released digitally. It has since broadened its mandate, acquiring projects like the Australian documentary Gayby Baby. And last year it launched a marketing division, Anti-Gravity.
Over the last year, Gunpowder & Sky has launched such projects as Draw & Recorded for Spotify while also building up its business, acquiring sales and distribution company FilmBuff. The acquisition will combine Supergravity’s marketing with Gunpowder & Sky’s distribution to give the company control of much of the content pipeline.
Supergravity co-founders Max Benator and Marc Hustvedt are transitioning into producer roles to shepherd several existing projects.
