Former Sony Pictures Television and Endemol executives Ed Louwerse and Julian Curtis have teamed together to launch Lineup Industries, a new independent international distribution company specialising in formats.
Lineup Industries will be based in Amsterdam with a particular focus on will focus on formats and derived IP. The company will draw on Louwerse and Curtis’ more than two decades worth of experience in the industry to offer a tailored, global service, with a competitive edge.
The company also said that they plan to launch their “strong slate of stand-out formats” at MIPCOM next month and that they are in negotiations with a number of major companies for both representation and sales deals, which will be announced shortly.
Prior to founding Lineup Industries, Ed Louwerse most recently served as SVP at Sony Pictures Television and was widely considered as one of the most experienced formats executives in the field; and Julian Curtis was was responsible for formats distribution in major territories including EMEA and Asia Pacific for Sony Pictures Television. Before SPT, both execs had key formats and distribution roles at Endemol.
“In a marketplace increasingly dominated by consolidation there is significant demand for a distributor that has straightforward, impartial processes”, said Ed Louwerse, Co-Founder of Lineup Industries. “As an independent agency we are ideally placed to maximise opportunities for IP owners and free to select and work with the best and most suitable partners globally.”
While Julian Curtis, Co-Founder of Lineup Industries added: “We believe there is a considerable opportunity in the market. We are a hands-on sales agent that can give creativity more opportunity by offering a bespoke service and strong global experience dealing with corporations, independents and individuals alike. Our size and capabilities also mean that we can also streamline the deal process ensuring a simple, straightforward yet highly-supported operation.”
