Boat Rocker Strikes First-look Deal With Brothers Shamier Anderson And Stephan James And Their Bay Mills Studios Banner
Stars of Boat Rocker's upcoming premium scripted series 'Invasion' and 'Beacon 23' set to develop and produce original television projects
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - Boat Rocker, an independent, integrated global entertainment company, has struck a first-look deal with brothers, Shamier Anderson and Stephan James. Under the deal, Anderson and James, the stars of Boat Rocker's highly anticipated series Invasion and Beacon 23, respectively, will develop and produce original television projects for the company under their Bay Mills Studios banner.
"Shamier and Stephan are true creative forces," said David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, Co-Executive Chairmen, Boat Rocker Media and Co-Chairmen, Boat Rocker Studios. "As actors, producers, business leaders and activists, they are breaking new ground and achieving new heights. Everybody at Boat Rocker is thrilled to be partnering with them as they embark on telling the stories they want to tell to the world. Stephan's and Shamier's unabating energy and enthusiasm combined with their talent and creativity make the potential behind this venture truly special."
"It's been a tremendous experience working with Shamier in our Apple series Invasion and we're so excited Stephan signed on to star in Beacon 23," said Katie O'Connell Marsh, Vice-Chair, Boat Rocker Studios. "Through our many conversations it became clear that putting together a larger deal to help Shamier and Stephan further their goals and aspirations in building Bay Mills Studios was such a logical and exciting next step. Their creative passion and vision for the future is inspiring and matched by our mutual ambitions."
Shamier Anderson is an actor, producer, and writer. Anderson stars in Simon Kinberg's epic upcoming Boat Rocker-produced series, Invasion, for Apple TV+ premiering October 22nd. Anderson was named a TIFF Rising Star in 2019 and is co-writing the story for an original motion picture screenplay Super High for New Line Cinema. Anderson will also executive produce the film which stars Andy Samberg, Common, and Craig Robinson. Anderson starred in Stowaway for Netflix opposite Anna Kendrick, Toni Collette, and Daniel Dae Kim and in Halle Berry's directorial debut Bruised for Netflix which premiered at TIFF 2020. Anderson is currently starring in the next instalment of the hit feature franchise John Wick 4.
Stephan James is an Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor and producer. James was recently announced as an executive producer and lead, opposite Lena Headey, in Boat Rocker and Spectrum's upcoming psychological sci-fi thriller, Beacon 23 for AMC Networks. He starred in Amazon's Homecoming opposite Julia Roberts, and in Ava DuVernay's Selma. He also starred in Barry Jenkins', If Beale Street Could Talk, Quibi's #FreeRayShawn and will next be seen in National Champions. He is currently in production on the Apple TV+ drama series Surface.
In 2016, Anderson and James co-founded B.L.A.C.K. They currently serve as co-chairs and co-founders of The Black Academy, a division of B.L.A.C.K., which aims to combat systemic racism while honoring, celebrating, and inspiring Black talent in Canada. The Black Academy's award show, which will celebrate established and emerging Black Canadian talent across film, television, music, sports, and culture has secured a multi-year broadcast deal and is being produced by Insight Productions, a Boat Rocker Company, and is planned for fall 2022.
Shamier Anderson and Stephan James said: "We are incredibly excited to join forces with Boat Rocker to bring riveting content to the thriving television landscape. As a whole, Co-Chairmen David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg & Vice-Chair Katie O'Connell fundamentally believe in our creative ambitions and reflect much of the visionary storytelling we admire as artists. Our goal through Bay Mills Studios is to help shift the cultural paradigm in giving a platform to inspired and underrepresented voices, changing the way we see the world through art. We couldn't ask for a better partner in daring to dream as much as we do, all while having the global reach to encourage others to do the same."
Anderson and James' Bay Mills Studios joins other first-look deals struck by Boat Rocker, including Lena Headey's Peephole Productions, Stephanie Langhoff's High Tide Productions, and TeaTime Pictures with Dakota Johnson and Ro Donnelly.
Anderson is represented by CAA, Daniel Abrams of Oscars Abrams Zimel & Associates, Mosaic, Viewpoint and Jeff Bernstein of Jackoway Austen.
James is represented by CAA, Norbert Abrams of Noble Caplan Abrams, Range MP, Viewpoint and Jeff Bernstein of Jackoway Austen.
About Boat Rocker
Boat Rocker (TSX: BRMI) is the home for creative visionaries. An independent, integrated global entertainment company, Boat Rocker's purpose is to tell stories and build iconic brands across all genres and mediums. With offices around the world, Boat Rocker's creative and commercial capabilities include Scripted, Unscripted, and Kids & Family television production, distribution, brand & franchise management, a world-class animation studio, and talent management through Untitled Entertainment. A selection of Boat Rocker's projects include: Invasion (Apple TV+), American Rust (Showtime), Orphan Black (BBC AMERICA, CTV Sci-Fi Channel), Dear… (Apple TV+), Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (Apple TV+), The Next Step (BBC, Family Channel, CBC), Daniel Spellbound (Netflix), and Dino Ranch (Disney+, Disney Junior, CBC). For more information, please visit www.boatrocker.com.
About Bay Mills Studios
Bay Mills Studios is a cutting-edge production company founded by powerhouse brothers and actors Shamier Anderson & Stephan James. BMS is focused on showcasing an eclectic and inclusive lineup of diverse stories from feature films, scripted and unscripted TV, short-form, digital media and a panoply of other platform-agnostic content. Shamier and Stephan combine their creative expertise and ability to engage global audiences, to create ground-breaking content that pushes the boundaries all while being rooted in entertainment.
SOURCE Boat Rocker Media Inc.
Press Contacts: Boat Rocker: Matt Salvatore, 416-591-0065, [email protected]; Bay Mills Studios: Samantha R. Hill, 310-388-3333, [email protected]
Share this article