Here’s some news for the independent film world. High profile Wall Street financiers Howard Silverman and Neil Grossman announced in Los Angeles today they are making a significant investment in Hollywood, creating a new diversified entertainment holding company by partnering with the current principles of Cinipix and Cosmic Toast Studios to form Toast & Jam Holdings LLC. The new entity will control subsidiary companies involved in the financing, production and distribution of feature film and TV content (live-action and animated). Grossman is the CEO of TKNG Capital, while Silverman over two decades has been chairman/CEO of Gruntal & Co., a New York based trading and investment banking organization.

Veteran showbiz execs Todd Slater and Deb Pierson have been appointed CEOs effective immediately.  Slater is the former EVP at Philip Anschutz’s film company Anschutz Film Group. He cofounded Slater Brothers Entertainment (SBE), an entertainment and consulting company that is focused on producing major sporting, art and film events, as well as the financing of various media, film, and sports properties. Pierson is the former VP of Sales and Marketing at Kabillion and its digital kids’ entertainment network which regularly attracts more than 6 million viewers per month. READ MORE »