A24 just keeps on growing quickly and quietly, announcing Thursday the addition of distribution veteran Heath Shapiro, who will work from the company’s New York headquarters to focus on distributing and marketing the upstart company’s film slate.
Shapiro comes to A24 after just over a year at Radius-TWC, where he served as vice president of marketing and distribution. He takes no title at A24 – they’re one of those no-titles companies – and is not replacing anyone, signaling a growing need for marketing and distribution firepower at the upstart that’s already made a splash with several titles, including “Spring Breakers” and “The Spectacular Now.”
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His earlier experience includes a long stint at Samuel Goldwyn Films and as vice president of national sales for Independent Distribution Partners. Well-liked and well-sourced in the exhibition community, Shapiro will be focused on distribution and marketing, but like just about everyone at A24, he’ll have his hand in all sorts of activities.
“Heath is an incredibly talented distribution executive with a deep range of skills in theatrical distribution and marketing. As A24 continues to grow Heath is the exact right person to help lead us into the future,” the company said in a collective statement.
Some 2014 releases Shapiro will tackle include Jonathan Glazer’s “Under the Skin”
starring Scarlett Johansson; Jake Gyllenhaal and Denis Villeneuve’s “Enemy,” and Steven Knight’s “Locke,” all acquisitions from Toronto, where A24 quietly launched in 2012 and was particularly aggressive this summer.
“A24 has done such a fantastic job with their films up to this point,” says Shapiro. “I’m incredibly excited to join the team, and help bring these movies to the widest audience possible.”