Boat Rocker Media buys LA drama prodco Platform One Media

Katie OConnell-Marsh

Canada’s Boat Rocker Media has acquired LA-based production outfit Platform One Media.

As part of the deal, Platform One CEO Katie O’Connell Marsh has been promoted to founder and chairman of the scripted producer and will take on a soon-to-be-announced senior leadership role at Boat Rocker.

O’Connell Marsh launched Platform One in 2017 having previously been behind Gaumont Television, which she also helped to launch.

The deal will also see current Platform One chief creative officer, Elisa Ellis, and head of finance and strategy, Steve Lescroart, promoted to co-presidents of Platform One, reporting to O’Connell Marsh.

Since starting Platform One, which had the backing of telco giant Liberty Global, the company has added a raft of scripted projects to its slate including the recently greenlit untitled science fiction series from Simon Kinberg and David Weil for Apple.

The ethos and shared outlook on the ever-changing global media business was the primary driver in pursuing this opportunity with Boat Rocker.

Katie O’Connell-Marsh

It is also behind Rust for Showtime, starring and executive produced by Jeff Daniels, and is in pre-production on Rita, a pilot for Showtime starring Game Of Thrones actress Lena Headey.

The company is also producing Beacon 23, a drama series for Spectrum Originals, and has a first-look TV deal with Laura Dern and Jayme Lemon’s production company, Jaywalker Pictures.

Boat Rocker co-founders and co-executive chairmen, Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier, said the company “represents an unbelievable opportunity for Boat Rocker to build off of successful franchises like Orphan Black and expand its presence in scripted television and film.

“Under Katie’s leadership, the studio is producing some of the biggest and most anticipated television series in the world, while maintaining its trademark curated and boutique approach to its slate and partnerships,” the duo added.

John Young, CEO of Boat Rocker, continued: “We’re confident that with the additional horsepower provided by the larger Boat Rocker family of companies, including Untitled Entertainment, Boat Rocker Ventures and our global sales and brands teams, Platform One will be ideally positioned to push forward on its ambitions of becoming a leader in producing high-end, world-beating entertainment.”

O’Connell Marsh said the “ethos and shared outlook on the ever-changing global media business” was the “primary driver” in pursuing the deal with Boat Rocker.

The acquisition is the latest move for the Canadian outfit into the LA and New York markets, having recently added full-service production company Matador Content, and invested in talent and production company Untitled Entertainment. Other recent deals include its acquisition of Fremantle’s Kids & Family business and Insight Productions.

The company was created in 2016 following a restructure at Orphan Black firm Temple Street Productions.