New Regency Opens NY Scouting Office

By Rachel Deahl -- Publishers Weekly, 9/10/2008 1:14:00 PM

New Regency, the indie film studio with a distribution pact with FOX, has hired a dedicated staffer to cover the book world in New York. Michelle Kroes, who's been scouting for Warner Brothers (among other clients) at Maria Campbell since 2006, has been named director of feature and literary development. Kroes will be New Regency's first dedicated lit scout, working from a newly established outpost in New York. The company has also brought on veteran producer Amy Israel as executive v-p of production. (Israel arrives from Paramount Vantage, which was recently absorbed into big Paramount, where she oversaw an impressive list of book-to-film projects including There Will Be Blood, Into the Wild and No Country for Old Men.)

Although the timing might seem odd for such expansion--given the tight economy and withering state of independent filmmaking--an insider at FOX said a faltering economy is no reason to stop doing business. Rather, he said, "it means you need to get more competitive" and that the "timing is always good to try to make good movies." 

Regency chairmen Robert Harper and Hutch Parker hope the expansion and added focus on books will bring in better quality material and talent. "Books have long served as the basis for some of the most endearing and noteworthy films of all time," they said. "Michelle's instincts and experience makes her the ideal executive to fulfill this crucial role for the 'new' New Regency."