Asylum Entertainment

Company Profile:
Asylum Entertainment was founded in 2001 by Emmy and Peabody award winning producer Steve Michaels and independent producer Eric M. Johnson. In the early years, the company’s primary focus was sports programming and they created several successful shows for Fox Sports Net including the 10-time Emmy nominated series Beyond The Glory. The two-hour presentation of Tyson about the life of infamous former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is considered the standard of excellence among sports documentaries.

Asylum has since branched out into the world of unscripted series and feature film developing and/or producing projects for:

ABC (Story Of My Life)
The Learning Channel (The Gift, Beauty School, The Family Makers" & Super School)
E! Entertainment Television (Love Is In The Heir & The Forbes Celebrity 100)
MTV (Island Fever), ESPN (A Date With Anna Kournikova)
Fox Sports Network (The Sports List & In Focus)
OLN (Fearless), BET (American Gangster)
GSN (Anything To Win)
HBO (Murderer’s Row) – an original feature written by Academy Award Winner, David S. Ward.

Over the past two years Asylum has experienced phenomenal growth. The Asylum family of companies also includes AE Music Publishing, home to a growing number of today’s most talented composers, Asylum Consulting Group, bridging the gap between the business community at large and the entertainment industry, and the newly formed Asylum Management Group, a talent representation and packaging company.

In addition to full time graphics, legal, talent booking, and licensing departments, Asylum owns and operates Framework Post, a full service post-production facility complete with 10 Avid offline editing suites, Symphony online editing and Pro Tools audio suites, Unity and a voiceover booth.

Asylum Entertainment Executive Bios

Steve Michaels
Peabody and Emmy Award winning producer Steve Michaels is the Founder and President of Asylum Entertainment.
Michaels serves as executive producer for the television projects Story Of My Life (ABC), Island Fever (MTV), In Focus (FSN) and just completed his fifth season at the helm of the critically acclaimed and 10-time Emmy nominated series Beyond The Glory (FSN). In addition to the aforementioned projects, Michaels has become a meaningful force in the creation, development and sale of feature films and reality series. His unique story telling ability and style have resulted in more than a dozen projects being set up with various networks and studios. Currently, Michaels is under contract to produce/executive produce the HBO original feature Murderer’s Row, and television projects Beauty School (TLC), Super School (TLC) and American Gangster (BET). Additionally, Michaels has produced/executive produced Love Is In The Heir (E!), The Forbes Celebrity 100 (E!), The Sports List (FSN), Fearless (OLN), The Gift (TLC), The Family Makers (TLC), A Date With Anna Kournikova (ESPN), Up Close Primetime (ESPN), Reel Classics (ESPN) and notably on the Emmy and Peabody Award winning series Sportscentury for ABC/ESPN. Prior to starting his own company Michaels worked on the production of several feature films including True Lies, Up Close & Personal, Homeward Bound II and Miami Rhapsody. Additionally, he was a Television Production Executive for DreamWorks SKG where he oversaw production of the hit shows Spin City, High Incident and the Academy Award winning short film, Dear Diary. Michaels wrote and sold a screenplay entitled The Bin. Michaels is a graduate of USC School of Cinema Television. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two young children.

Eric M. Johnson
Eric M. Johnson is a founder and CFO of Asylum Entertainment. Among his other core duties as CFO, Johnson is responsible for the creation, administration, and execution of the company's annual budget. Accordingly and with the growing infrastructure of the company in tow, Johnson has spearheaded the addition of ancillary business strategies which have translated into the multi-faceted family of entertainment companies now under the Asylum banner. Since the company’s creation Johnson has served as coordinating producer on every project produced by the company. Additionally, Johnson created and Executive Produced, along with his partners, a project for TLC entitled The Gift. Before forming the company, Johnson served as Production Manager on Beyond the Glory season one. Subsequently, Johnson served as Line Producer and eventually stepped into the role of Coordinating Producer on the series. Earlier in his career, Johnson was tapped to be an Associate Producer for the Emmy Nominated sports magazine series, Goin’ Deep. While working on Goin’ Deep Johnson expanded his duties to include producing news pieces for FSN’s National Sports Report, working on year end specials, and occasionally producing segments for FOX Sports World. Johnson began his professional career at FOX Sports Promotions Department and then as Post Production Supervisor on the All-Time All-Madden Super Bowl Team. Johnson is a graduate of The University of California Los Angeles.

Jonathan Koch
Jonathan Koch is a partner/executive producer at Asylum Entertainment. Amongst his various network and studio producing deals, Koch is currently the executive producing Story of My Life (ABC), Island Fever (MTV), The Gift, Family Maker, Divorce in Paradise, Super School, Beauty School (TLC), Forbes Celebrity 100 (E! Entertainment Television). Additionally, Koch has served as creator/executive producer on Love Is in The Heir (E! Entertainment Television) and the NBC Telepicture, Night Screams. Koch has created and sold American Hold ‘Em (Disney), Murderer’s Row (HBO), The Assistant (Universal/Reveille), Courting Anna (Universal), and an untitled hidden camera show (Comedy Central), You be the Judge (Vin DiBona Productions) and Generation Game (CBS). Prior to serving as creator and Executive Producer of MTV’s reality pilot Tranced, Koch completed his obligations under contract at Merv Griffin Entertainment where, in addition to his executive producing responsibilities, Koch served as an executive for the company. Among the various feature and television projects developed under the Griffin Entertainment banner, Koch created and developed the "Face-Off" game show which was sold to Twentieth Television as well as "Good Samaritan" which was sold to The Walt Disney Company. Koch also served as executive producer on the pilot entitled The Court of Common Sense starring Fear Factor host, Joe Rogan. Prior to joining The Griffin Group, Koch was founder, President, and CEO of Gravy Train Productions, a marketing, licensing, and promotional company specializing in the development and implementation of entertainment based programs and events. The core focus of the company is the exploitation of branded entertainment properties within both the content community and the traditional commerce sector. Since its inception in 1993, Gravy Train Productions' entrepreneurial focus has expanded to include talent representation, packaging, project development, contract negotiations, ancillary endorsement opportunities, and worldwide personal promotional appearances. Gravy Train has successfully created and produced over 150 promotional events for corporate clients including General Mills, Microsoft, Edelman Public Relations, FAO Schwarz, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Kellogg’s, Tribune Broadcasting, Six Flags, SportsCar Racing and many others. In 1998, Gravy Train Productions partnered with the Hasbro team to promote and market the launch of "Pokemon" in the United Sates. In November of 1996, Koch was one of two founding partners in Celebrity Sightings, LLC, an Internet-based media company that produced and distributed proprietary interactive celebrity based content. Counted among the most significant teen community web properties, Celebrity Sightings has been featured on Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, CNN, E! Entertainment Television and various other media outlets. In 1999 Celebrity Sightings was acquired by Alloy Online, a leading web site providing community, content, and commerce to Generation Y. Koch began his entertainment career as a partner in the Barbara Cameron Talent Agency. Now in its eleventh year, the agency is counted as one of the most powerful forces in the discovery and development of young talent. Koch’s partner in the agency, Barbara Cameron, is the mother of Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains) and Candace Cameron (Full House). Quill Driver books released Koch’s first book, Pitching Hollywood in 2004. Koch has, for the past six years, accepted the role as the Pitch expert/instructor for the NATPE organization. The How to Pitch Your Pitch seminar has ranked at the top of attended seminars every year. In recognition of the contributions made by Gravy Train Productions, Koch was elected to the board of the Starlight Foundation, an organization that grants wishes to terminally ill children. Additionally, Koch has worked closely with the Pennsylvania State University based "Second Mile Program" which provides counseling and educational opportunities to underprivileged youth.

Frank Sinton
Frank Sinton’s Executive Producer credits include Fox Sports Net’s multiple-Emmy nominated series Beyond The Glory and Outdoor Life Network’s critically acclaimed documentary series Fearless, which also garnered an Emmy nomination for Best Edited/Anthology Series in just its first season. Sinton is currently the Executive Producer of Anything to Win for Game Show Network, In Focus for Fox Sports Net and American Gangster for Black Entertainment Television. Additional EP credits include the reality series The Sports List, Preps: Chicago Hoops, as well as the documentary specials: Clemente, Magic & Bird, The Game That Changed The Game and Between The Madness. Prior to becoming an independent producer, Sinton served as the Vice President of Programming for Fox Sports Net. Joining FSN at launch, Sinton developed and launched The Last Word with Jim Rome, Going’ Deep, You Gotta See This! Nascar Victory Lane: All Access, BluetorchTV and Sports Geniuses. Before joining Fox Sports Net, Sinton was the Vice President of Programming for the Disney Channel. From 1987 – 1996, Sinton was part of the team that took the Disney Channel from a relatively small pay network to one of the highest rated basic cable networks. During his tenure, Frank oversaw several documentary projects, including the 5-part series Martin & Lewis: Their Golden Age of Comedy, which was proclaimed by Tom Shales of the Washington Post to be one of the five best programs on television that year. Other documentary projects Sinton oversaw were Laurel & Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys, Hal Roach: America’s King of Comedy and The Mickey Mouse Club Story.

Tiffany Reis
Tiffany Reis is Vice President of Production and Operations for Asylum Entertainment. As such, she is responsible for the day to day obligations of the company, the creation of project specific budgets, staffing, and a myriad of other production related matters. Previously, Reis served as Production Manager at MTV Networks on shows such as the Emmy Award winning The Osbourne’s, Punk’d, Dismissed, and Bands on the Run. Reis has also produced and directed music videos, documentaries, concerts and specials for VH1, Oxygen Media, Jarrett Creative Group, M360, Goldenvoice and Andrew Thomas Productions.

Shelley Storm
Shelley Storm currently serves as Director of Production and Operations at Asylum. Since joining the company, she has maintained day-to-day responsibilities on individual projects while simultaneously contributing to the company's core structure.
Storm joined Asylum Entertainment in 2003 as Senior Associate Producer on the company's signature show Beyond the Glory. For the past ten years, Storm has worked exclusively in television production with a heavy emphasis in non-fiction programming. She has worked for Paramount Pictures Television, MGM Entertainment, Discovery, Fox Sports Net, and A. Smith & Co.

Sam Hartley
Sam currently serves as Post Production Manager of Framework Post, a division of Asylum Entertainment. Prior to joining Asylum, Hartley served as Post Coordinator on many shows including America’s Next Top Model (UPN), The High Life (NBC), Better Luck Next Town (TBS), and The Wade Robson Project (MTV).

Erin Copen
Erin Copen is the Development Executive for Asylum Entertainment where she contributes in the creation, development, and sales of original and acquired TV projects. Previously, Copen worked under Damon Wayans in association with ABC’s My Wife And Kids. Copen was also a member of the esteemed FoxLab at 20th Television where she created, wrote, and developed reality ideas for syndicated and primetime Broadcast. Copen was part of the production team on Crime And Justice TV (FOX), Extreme Dating, The 2003 Superbowl Halftime Show (ABC), Average Joe (NBC), and The Sharon Osbourne Show.. Erin Copen is a graduate of the University of Arizona Media Arts program.

Amy Manchester
Amy Manchester is currently the Director of Development at Asylum Entertainment. Prior to joining the company Manchester served as the lead creative executive and Director of Development for Pilgrim Films & Television where she developed more than thirty different projects for various network and cable outlets. Manchester entered into the development world as the Reality Programming Coordinator for Lifetime Television. Manchester and her team were responsible for an unprecedented increase in original programming at the network. During her tenure, Lifetime ascended to new heights in the programming world and is currently considered among the most successful cable networks. Manchester began her television career as a travel/production coordinator for Sony Pictures Television (as Columbia Tristar Television). Manchester is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Psychology.

Asylum Entertainment Submissions

Asylum Entertainment is currently accepting creative submissions from independent producers and writers for both scripted and unscripted projects. We are looking for unique, high concept pitches in all genres in the following forms - TV series, MOWs, Specials, Documentaries and Features. Hard copies only will be accepted via regular mail or courier. We will not accept faxed or emailed submissions. We prefer to accept submissions from your representative (e.g. agent, manager or lawyer).
YOU MUST SIGN THE SUBMISSION AGREEMENT BEFORE WE WILL ACCEPT ANY FORM OF YOUR SUBMISSION.
All pitches are REQUIRED to have a one-page treatment which clearly and concisely describes your idea. Along with the one-page treatment, we will also accept any other materials that further support your idea such as demo DVDs, scripts, bibles, or episode/act outlines if you have them. The more information the better! Please keep in mind that due to the high volume of submissions, none of these materials will be returned to you. Do not send originals.
Do not expect to hear anything for at least 2-4 weeks. In this time, do not call to follow up - we will contact you for a meeting if we are interested. Please understand that we receive numerous submissions and it is unlikely we will be able to give specific feedback on projects we decide not to pursue.

To Submit Your Idea, Follow The Steps Below:

Download and print the Asylum Submission PDF agreement. Fill out required information on first and last page. Read carefully and understand what you are signing.
Include your signed Submission Agreement, one-page treatment, your resume, and all other added materials in your package. Please remember to include your name, phone number, fax number, address and email address.
Mail package to:
Asylum Entertainment
Attn: Development Department - Submissions
7920 Sunset Blvd.
2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90046
A copy of the submission agreement with our signature will be faxed or mailed back to you for your records.
PLEASE NO PHONE CALLS!

Download submission form

Contact Asylum Entertainment

Asylum Entertainment, L.L.C.
Asylum Management Group
AE Music Publishing
Asylum Consulting Group
7920 Sunset Blvd., Second Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Phone: 310-696-4600 • Fax: 310-696-4891

Framework Post
6430 Sunset Blvd., Suite 1138
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Phone: 310-696-4800 • Fax: 310-696-4895

Links:

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