Mike Fleming

Sony Pictures-based producer Matt Tolmach has appointed Robert Kessel to be SVP of production. At Matt Tolmach Productions, Kessel will  oversee the development and production of the company’s slate of films. Tolmach exited his co-president of production job at Sony to join the producing roster of the Marc Webb-directed Amazing Spider-Man, and he has since made several recent project acquisitions, including Frankenstein, The Slackfi Project and The Kitchen Sink.

Said Tolmach: “Though I only met Robert earlier this year, I’d known of him for a long time. He is well respected for his great taste, extensive skills, and relationships with filmmakers. He is going to be a tremendous asset to our company and I’m thrilled to have him on my team.”

Kessel most recently served as EVP Production & Acquisitions for Overture Films, overseeing such films as Let Me In and acquiring The Visitor and Sunshine Cleaning. Before that, Kessel was a partner and production head for seven years at Hart Sharp Entertainment, and before that an acquisitions exec at Miramax.