Gunpowder & Sky Beefs Up Executive Team With Hires From YouTube, MTV (Exclusive)

Digital studio Gunpowder & Sky co-founders Van Toffler and Floris Bauer are expanding its executive team.

David Harris, formerly vice president of development at MTV’s digital-focused arm, MTV(other), will be vice president of development. Meerkat’s Laura Prangley will join him on the development as director.

Ryan Nugent, formerly global head of creator trends and research, will be the new VP of content strategy. Lotte van der Veer will be G&S’ business development manager.

Also Read: Van Toffler's Digital Studio Gunpowder & Sky Acquires John Sloss's FilmBuff

The shop is getting a creative executive, too: former Revolt TV Culture Curator Sama’an Ashrawi.

Gunpowder & Sky have also taken their new VP of finance and operations, Pietro Moro, from Otter Media, the investment group backed by Peter Chernin and AT&T. Otter Media, incidentally, has also invested in Gunpowder & Sky.

The hiring spree comes just one week after acquiring distribution company FilmBuff. Gunpowder & Sky is being built into a one-stop shop for digital creators, allowing them to come in with a pitch and take it all the way through production and onto various screens around the globe.

Also Read: Gunpowder & Sky, Supergravity Pictures Team Up for Skater Thriller

“Hiring a diverse group of restless passionate souls, untethered innovators, and former criminals was all part of the Gunpowder & Sky master plan to launch an innovative risk taking content studio,” CEO Toffler said in a statement.

The Scene at ShortList 2016: TheWrap's 5th Annual Short Film Festival (Photos)

TheWrap's Sharon Waxman and Steve Pond join the finalists at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival on Wedenesday night at YouTube Space LA.
Ted Soqui
"Maman(s)" director Maïmouna Doucouré accepts the Imax Jury Prize at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Slingshot" director David Hansen accepts the Audience Prize at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Thunder Road" director Jim Cummings accepts the Creators League Prize at the fith annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Finalists on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Jury members Catherine Hardwicke, Kevin Iwashina, Bec Smith, Jennifer Levine and TheWrap's Sharon Waxman at the ShortList Film Festival ceremony.
Ted Soqui
Finalist filmmakers mingle at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Glove" directors Alexa Lim Haas and Bernardo Britto at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Thunder Road" director Jim Cummings and PepsiCo's Ally Polly at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"The Send-Off" directors Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan talk budgets at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Director Jörn Threlfall, jury member Jennifer Levine, Sharon Waxman and director Maïmouna Doucouré at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"These C*cksucking Tears" director Dan Taberski speaks at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Boxeadora" director Meg Smaker speaks on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Jury members Catherine Hardwicke, Kevin Iwashina, Bec Smith, Jennifer Levine and TheWrap's Sharon Waxman.
Ted Soqui
TheWrap's Sharon Waxman and "Over" director Jörn Threlfall at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Honest Trailers" creator Andy Signore at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival, who presented the Audience Prize
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Killer" director Matt Kazman at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Glove" directors Alexa Lim Haas and Bernardo Britto at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Finalist filmmakers mingle at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Maman(s)" director Maïmouna Doucouré speaks on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
TheWrap's Sharon Waxman opens the awards ceremony at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Finalists on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Finalists on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Maman(s)" director Maïmouna Doucouré on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Finalists on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Finalists on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Finalists on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Thunder Road" director Jim Cummings on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Directors Maïmouna Doucouré and Dan Taberski at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Jury member Jennifer Levine at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Slingshot" director David Hansen at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Boxeadora" director Meg Smaker at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"These C*cksucking Tears" director Dan Taberski at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Maman(s)" director Maïmouna Doucouré at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
Jury member Kevin Iwashina at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"The Send-Off" directors Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
PepsiCo's Ally Polly at the 5th Annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
TheWrap's Sharon Waxman at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
PepsiCo's Ally Polly on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
TheWrap's Sharon Waxman and Jury member Catherine Hardwicke at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
"Slingshot" director David Hansen at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui
The crowd at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
Ted Soqui