Biographies
Edward. R. Pressman
Edward Pressman is the Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ContentFilm. Mr. Pressman is a producer with 30 years of experience garnered through producing over 70 films across the full spectra of budget and subject matter. Mr. Pressman was one of the pioneers of the independent film movement, developing strong relationships with talented directors, writers, and actors early in their careers. He is internationally acclaimed as one of the leading producers of his generation. His career was the subject of an extensive retrospective in 2001 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York and he has received numerous awards including the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Republic. Mr. Pressman has also been honored by New York’s Museum of Modern Art, London’s National Film Theatre, The Pacific Film Archives and New York’s Mayor Giuliani. Most recently, he was the recipient of an IFP/Gotham Lifetime Achievement award Mr. Pressman formed the Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation in 1984. The Company has achieved commercial success and critical acclaim, with films such as “Badlands,” “Reversal of Fortune,” “Wall Street,” “The Crow” and “American Psycho.” Mr. Pressman was born in New York City and graduated with honors from Stanford University with a B.A. in philosophy. He completed graduate work at the London School of Economics. He currently lives in New York City with his wife, Annie, and their son, Sam.
John Schmidt is the Co-Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer of ContentFilm. Mr. Schmidt has gained extensive experience in building successful entertainment and start-up companies throughout his career. He co-founded October Films in 1992 and served as its Co-President until its sale to USA Networks in 1999. October was one of the foremost independent film companies of the 1990s, winning two Oscars, 13 nominations and top prizes at the Cannes Film Festival on three occasions. Some of October Films’ credits include internationally acclaimed films such as “Secrets And Lies,” “The Apostle,” “Celebration,” “Lost Highway” and “Breaking The Waves.” Prior to founding October Films, Mr. Schmidt was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Miramax Films from 1989-1992 and Financial Analyst at Tri-Star Pictures from 1986-1989. Mr. Schmidt began his career as a documentary film producer after graduating from Yale University. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1986. He currently lives in Riverdale, New York, with his wife, Wendy, and three children, Tom, Mike and Ali.
Douglas Tulley is the Chief Financial Officer of ContentFilm. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Tulley served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning at USA Films. He was responsible for financial and strategic evaluation of all film projects and other business opportunities, as well as designing and implementing plans to optimize the company’s structure and financial performance. Prior to that, Mr. Tulley was a Vice President of Strategic Planning at October Films, where he was intimately involved in its mergers with Gramercy Pictures and Polygram Home Video. He previously worked as an investment banker at Schroders. He holds a master’s degree in law from Cambridge University and has served as an infantry officer in the British Army. Mr. Tulley lives in New York City with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely daughter, Lauren Ruth.
Michael Roban is the Head of Business and Legal Affairs for ContentFilm. Mr. Roban joined ContentFilm in September 2001 from his own boutique entertainment law firm, Kauffman & Roban. At Kauffman & Roban, he represented writers, actors, and directors and served as a producer’s representative. He has extensive experience in production-related legal work, film distribution, and in corporate law. He trained at Skadden, Arps, holds a J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo law school in New York, and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Union College in Schenectady, New York. Mr. Roban lives in New York City with his wife, Whitney, and their son, Milo.
Sofia is ContentFilm’s Head of East Coast Production. Before joining ContentFilm, she held the position of Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Productions for POP.com, a joint venture between Dreamworks SKG and Imagine Entertainment. Prior to POP.com, Sofia acted as a consultant for Sloss Special Projects, where she helped solicit, represent and sell a large slate of independent films at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. Sofia’s industry experience also includes the post of Head of Acquisitions for Cary Woods’ Independent Pictures, where she oversaw all original feature acquisitions. She also spent three years as Director of Business Affairs/Delivery Administration for Miramax Films. A native of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Sofia graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television from New York University, where she directed and produced many short films and two features. She lives in Manhattan with her gorgeous dog, Roman.
Allessandro Camon is the West Coast Head of Production for ContentFilm. Mr. Camon is an eight year veteran of the Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation, where he has served as Head of Production. He previously worked for Penta Pictures, a joint venture between Silvio Berlusconi and the Cecchi Goris. Prior to that, he was a programming executive for Berlusconi’s TV networks. Mr. Camon holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Padova and a master’s degree in film from UCLA, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He is author of several Italian language books on American film. Mr. Camon lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Susanne, and their son, Paolo.
Jamie Carmichael is the President of Content International, ContentFilm’s international sales division. Mr. Carmichael is a seasoned veteran of the global film market; most recently, he served as Head of International Distribution for Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey’s Icon Entertainment International. While at Icon, Mr. Carmichael oversaw the international sales and distribution for such films as “We Were Soldiers,” “What Women Want” and “An Ideal Husband.” Prior to Icon, Mr. Carmichael worked at Lumiere Pictures and Majestic Film and Television International. Mr. Carmichael lives in London with his wife and their son.
