Sony Pictures Television has found its new head of boutique division TriStar Television.
Kathryn Busby has been tapped to serve as exec vp TriStar TV, effective immediately. She will report to Sony Pictures Television Studios heads Chris Parnell and Jason Clodfelter.
“Whether at SPT’s networks or our boutique production label, Kathryn has had a strong track record of developing original series in an innovative way. Kathryn’s creativity and passion for the artist are infectious, and we are thrilled for her to bring her unique vision to TriStar,” said Clodfelter and Parnell.
Busby most recently was senior vp development at the indie studio’s fellow boutique unite Gemstone Studios, where she spearheaded development of Stana Katic Amazon drama Absentia. Before that, she was senior vp development at SPT’s international networks, where she oversaw work on local-language originals. Before joining Sony, she was vp originals at TNT and TBS, where she worked on shows including Black Box, Wedding Band and Sullivan & Son. She also spent time at New Line Cinema, where she exec produced the Sex and the City movie. She has experience on the production side as well after serving as development head at Carsey Warner and working on 3rd Rock From the Sun and That ’70s Show. She started her career at Universal TV.
Related Stories
“I am incredibly excited about this new opportunity and look forward to working more closely with Jason and Chris, and collaborating with Nicole Brown on the film side, as we honor the TriStar legacy and build the brand in the new decade. There are so many great outlets, and with all the considerable Sony resources, I can’t wait to work with the TriStar team to tell stories that are elevated, distinctive and noisy,” said Busby.
The head of TriStar TV role had been open since October when Hannah Minghella decamped for J.J. Abrams’ WarnerMedia-based production company Bad Robot. Minghella previously oversaw TriStar’s film and TV units, with the role now split between Brown (film) and Busby. Minghella added oversight of the TV unit last January, becoming the first exec to take on the role since the sudden death of former exec vp Suzanne Patmore Gibbs in 2018.
TriStar currently has one show on the air — Showtime’s already renewed comedy On Becoming a God in Central Florida, which was originally developed for YouTube and was one of the last projects developed by beloved exec Patmore Gibbs.
