Empress Films hires Paramount & Minnow alums amid US expansion

L-R: Matthew Clifton & Eben Davidson

Empress Films, the prodco behind Netflix doc Depp V Heard, has hired in the US and the UK, following its recent first-look deal with Universal Television Alternative Studio.

Former Paramount exec Eben Davidson will lead Empress Films’ newly opened North American office in Los Angeles, while Minnow Films’ Matthew Clifton takes on the newly created head of development role in London.

Davidson spent more than a decade at Paramount, in roles including SVP of acquisitions and development at Paramount Pictures and SVP of development at Paramount Pictures Television. While there, he worked on projects including Arrival, The Disappearance Of Madeleine McCann, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Katy Perry: Part Of Me and Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa.

Davidson also previously served as EVP of scripted programming at Blumhouse Television and as head of creative at Adam Goodman’s Invisible Narratives.

Clifton, meanwhile, joins from Minnow Films in the UK, where he has spent the past three years as head of development. His recent credits include What Harvey Did Next, My Big Gay Wedding, Picasso: The Beauty And The Beast and My Instascammer Friend for the BBC and Gary Glitter for ITV. His prior roles include head of development for Icon Films, and the same position at Mentorn Media.

Led by former Channel 4 exec Emma Cooper, Empress Films is also behind Who Killed Jill Dando and The Mystery Of Marilyn Monroe for Netflix and the film The Black Cop, produced in collaboration with Guardian Films and BFI.

“Welcoming Eben and Matt to the team at such a pivotal time is thrilling for the company and a significant milestone for Empress as we continue our growth,” said Cooper.