Fremantle names Seb Shorr to new COO role for drama & film division

Seb Shorr

Fremantle has upped its EVP of commercial & business affairs Seb Shorr to the newly-created role of COO for its drama and film business.

Shorr will support the strategic and operational goals of the founder-led drama labels within the Fremantle group, including The Apartment, Dancing Ledge Productions, Element Pictures, Euston Films, Lux Vide, Miso Film, Passenger and Wildside.

He will work with, and report into, Fremantle’s CEO of global drama, Christian Vesper, and aim to help them develop and execute market-based strategies to drive growth.

He will also work across talent partnerships and deals, which include Chernobyl director Johan Renck and Michael Paret’s newly launched production company Sinestra; Michael Winterbottom’s Revolution Films; Afua Hirsch’s Born In Me; and the recently announced two-year first-look deal with Nine Hours, the new production label set up by director Edward Berger.

Shorr retains his lead role on global scripted deal-making and financial arrangements, first-look and talent deals, IP acquisition and scripted format strategy.

Seb had been EVP of commercial & business affairs since October 2020, having previously been head of legal & business affairs for international co-production. He joined Fremantle in 2017 having previously worked at Lookout Point, James Grant Media Group, Shearman & Sterling and Hogan Lovells.