Film producer and former director of the San Francisco Film Society Ted Hope will take over as CEO of Fandor, a streaming movie service whose board Hope has served on since 2011.
Hope is a veteran of the independent film community who has produced more than 70 films, including “American Splendor” and “Martha Marcy May Marlene.”
He recently stepped down as executive director of the San Francisco Film Society, a job he was in for a little over a year. Shortly after doing so, he wrote on his blog that he would no longer produce films for a living. He’ll still make movies – but that wouldn’t be his main job.
“Producing two movies a year these days requires too many sacrifices,” Hope wrote.
“With the collapse of producer overhead deals, no producer (other than those that have accumulated or been provided with wealth) is permitted to pursue quality,” he added.
Also read: Ted Hope: ‘I Am No Longer Going To Produce Films For My Living’ (Guest Blog)
Fandor provides Hope an opportunity to benefit the film community in another manner. The company, launched in 2011, boasts a library of more than 5,000 films that users can access across multiple devices.
“Our entire film culture remains structured around antiquated concepts of cinema, audience, and engagement,” Hope said in a statement. “Fandor is part of a great systems reboot of this ecosystem, one that is as equally rewarding for the artist and the audience.”
The service recently launched in Canada and added dozens of new partners to its service last year. Current Fandor CEO Dan Aronson will remain on the company’s board of directors and serve as its chief technology officer.