Film executive Nick Shumaker has joined United Talent Agency as an agent in the Independent Film Group, the agency announced Wednesday.
Shumaker will focus on film packaging, co-production, finance and sales strategies for the agency’s clients and will be based in UTA’s New York office.
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“Nick brings vast knowledge and insight from his career as an executive working in both production and international distribution, and those assets will be invaluable to our business on a worldwide basis,” said Rena Ronson, head of UTA Independent Film Group. “Nick will be a great addition to our group, and we are excited he is joining the agency.”
Shumaker spent the last four years with the Paris-based sales and distribution firm Memento Films International, working on English-language productions and acquisitions. During his tenure, he acquired a diverse slate of films, including “Compliance,” “Short Term 12,” “S-VHS” and “Still Alice,” among others. He also executive produced and/or set up financing for a slate of films that include “Still Alice,” “Blue Ruin,” “We Are What We Are,” “Cold in July” and the forthcoming “Louder Than Bombs.” Prior to Memento, Shumaker produced a number of features and docs independently, including “Another Earth,” HBO’s “Me @ the Zoo” and Kino Lorber’s “American Mystic.”
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Shumaker is the latest addition to UTA Independent Film Group, one of the industry’s leading film packaging, film finance and sales operations. Led by veteran film agent Ronson, the division recently also announced the addition of film executive Alex Brunner from Exclusive Media. The Independent Film Group was responsible for the three biggest deals taking place at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival — the ground-breaking $12.5 million sale of Chris Rock‘s “Top Five” to Paramount, the $4.5 million sale of Noah Baumbach‘s “While We’re Young” to A24, and the $4.5 million sale of Peter Bogdanovich‘s “She’s Funny That Way” to Clarius Entertainment.