FaZe Clan, Michael Sugar Launch FaZe Studios to Produce Films, TV

Academy Award-winning manager and producer Michael Sugar’s management company Sugar23 will join forces with Los Angeles-based gaming organization FaZe Clan to launch FaZe Studios, a production house that will create gaming-focused television and feature films.

Sugar (above right) said his company was introduced to FaZe by Brad Foxhoven, founder of drone racing company DR1 Racing and head of interactive and gaming programming at Sugar23. “Our exciting partnership will look to drive, create and acquire content tailored to FaZe’s audience, thereby extending their brand into the traditional content space,” Foxhoven said in a statement Tuesday.

FaZe Studios will produce a wide range of content, including film, television, documentaries and unscripted shows. Gaming will be a major focus but the content produced won’t all be strictly esports — “it’s going to have a thru-line of content that is subversive, and provokes a conversation about culture, and where it’s going,” a FaZe spokesperson told TheWrap.

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Foxhoven will represent Sugar23’s overall interest in the project. Sugar 23 will bring its wealth of production experience to the venture and run all development operations. Femi Okusanya, FaZe’s vice president of content and Xavier Ramos, the company’s vice president of creative development, will lead the initiative on behalf of FaZe.

The new FaZe Studios concept was in the works for a while, FaZe CEO Lee Trink (above left) told TheWrap in March, but the company decided to accelerate its plans to take advantage of a nearly unprecedented lack of live content as a result of widespread social distancing.

Trink said the creation of FaZe studios was in part an attempt to solidify the company’s efforts at capturing and retaining the attention of younger audiences. “Throughout our 10-year history, FaZe Clan has been connecting with an enormous youth culture audience that eludes many of the traditional entertainment players (and) it’s an audience that behaves and consumes differently and requires dynamic thinking,” Trink said in a statement. “FaZe Studios is the evolutionary step in delivering new types of content to our audience.”

Also Read: Scopely Acquires 'Scrabble Go' Mobile Gaming Developer PierPlay

Instead of completely foregoing traditionally formatted television, younger viewers are looking for long-form content that they feel represents their interests, Trink said. “We don’t believe youth culture has abandoned long-form content but they want content that uniquely speaks to them,” Trink added.

Innovative Ways Stars Are Helping Out During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Photos)

Celebrities are using their influence and resources to provide assistance to the needed impacted by the coronavirus and the front line health care workers combatting the disease.

While many stars have donated money or performed in benefit concerts, some have gone the extra mile in terms of hands-on giving or simply spreading goodwill.

From John Krasinski's Some Good News broadcast to Bethenny Frankel's BSTRONG initiative, check out the innovative ways the stars are helping out during the coronavirus pandemic.
Photo credit: Getty Images/NBC
From action star to anchor! Since late March, John Krasinski has been posting new episodes of his Some Good News show weekly, with guest appearances from his wife Emily Blunt. Krasinski also convinced AT&T to give first responders three-months free cell phone service with a subscription to the carrier's FirstNet plan.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been spotted delivering meals to the needy in Los Angeles, their new home after stepping back from royal duties and leaving the U.K.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Director Kevin Smith is bringing his fictional fast-food spot Mooby's to life, which now has a pop-up location in Hollywood. In April, proceeds went to No Us Without You, the fundraiser to provide food for families of undocumented restaurant workers during the pandemic. In mid-June, proceeds from the social distance pop-up will benefit Clean Up South Central.
Photo credit: TheWrap
Matthew McConaughey brought some joy to residents of a senior living facility in his native Texas, hosting bingo night virtually and calling out numbers.

The actor and his wife Camila Alves also raised funds to donate 80,000 masks to workers in Texas, Lousiana, and nationwide.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Eva Longoria, Danny Trejo and other Latinx stars joined forces with the League of United Latin American Citizens for the #ayudaenespanol initiative which has provided resources for the Latino community (in both English and Spanish). Minorities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and have higher fatality rates.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Halsey worked with Orange International Inc. to source 100,000 FDA-certified masks to donate to local Los Angeles hospitals.

"If you are on the frontlines, my heart is with you," the singer wrote on Instagram. "I am eager to redirect you to @givedirectly - A non-profit that allows you a way to give direct cash payments to vulnerable households in at risk communities, most of whom are single mothers."
Photo credit: Getty Images
"SNL" host Michael Che will pay one month's rent for all 160 apartments in the New York City Housing Authority building his grandmother lived in. She passed away from coronavirus complications.

"I know that's just a drop in the bucket. so I really hope the city has a better plan for debt forgiveness for all the people in public housing, AT THE VERY LEAST," the comedian posted to Instagram.
Photo credit: NBC
Not only did Kylie Jenner give $1 million towards the purchase of protective equipment to frontline health care workers, she also donated hand sanitizer produced with Coty -- a stakeholder in Kylie Cosmetics -- to the grateful workers at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center.
Photo credit: Getty Images
"Project Runway" winner and mentor Christian Siriano offered to have his sewing team create face masks for health care workers who are facing supply shortages.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Bethenny Frankel, who previously led crisis-relief efforts via her BSTRONG organization, raising money and supplies not only for COVID-19 relief but also those displace by tornados during the pandemic.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Andy Serkis, best known as playing Gollum from "The Lord of the Rings" films, decided to read aloud J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" as part of a 12-hour "Hobbithon." He set a goal of £250,000 for the charity Best Beginnings through his GoFundMe and reached the top trending spot on Twitter. And of course he took the pains to do all the character voices as well.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

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From good news broadcasts to meal delivery, these celebrities are giving a little extra

Celebrities are using their influence and resources to provide assistance to the needed impacted by the coronavirus and the front line health care workers combatting the disease.

While many stars have donated money or performed in benefit concerts, some have gone the extra mile in terms of hands-on giving or simply spreading goodwill.

From John Krasinski's Some Good News broadcast to Bethenny Frankel's BSTRONG initiative, check out the innovative ways the stars are helping out during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Innovative Ways Stars Are Helping Out During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Photos)

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