Wayne Overseeing Production and Development of AMC's First-Ever Original Movie Event, Western-Themed Broken Trail, With Oscar® Winner Robert Duvall,
Oscar® Nominee Thomas Haden Church and Emmy-Winning Filmmaker Walter Hill
Four-Hour Mini-Series Event Premieres on AMC June 2006
New York, New York – November 15, 2005 – AMC announced today that Christina Wayne has joined the network as Vice President of Scripted Series and Movies. Serving as a programming consultant for AMC over the past six months, Wayne has helped ramp up the network's scripted series department. In her new position, she will lead the production and development of AMC's first-ever mini-series, newly titled Broken Trail. Wayne will report to Rob Sorcher, Executive Vice President of Programming, Packaging and Production for AMC, and will be based in New York.
Wayne is an experienced screenwriter and director. Among her career accomplishments, Wayne wrote and directed Tart, a film acquired and distributed by Lionsgate, and was responsible for penning the sequel to Dirty Dancing for Artisan Entertainment. Wayne has written and directed numerous music videos for Propaganda Films and the A&R group, directed a rock documentary film, and produced for E! Entertainment television. She has also written television movies for USA Network and Fox Television, and screenplays for Castlerock "Get This", Paramount Pictures "Go Lightly" and Bel Air entertainment "Rock and Roll". Earlier in her career, Wayne worked as a journalist for such publications as Rolling Stone Magazine, Spin, Vibe, The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times Magazine.
"Christina Wayne's background in features and her focus on the script makes her the ideal choice for AMC original series and movies," said Rob Sorcher. "Broken Trail is the crown jewel of our scripted projects for AMC in 2006, and sets a bar for future projects. The network's established leadership in the western genre makes us the ideal launchpad for this event."
In conjunction with today's announcement, AMC unveiled more details on its first-ever original mini-series, executive produced by and starring Academy Award® winner Robert Duvall. The four-hour, two-part mini-series, Broken Trail (formerly dubbed Daughters of Joy) will make its world premiere on AMC on June 24-25, 2006.
Broken Trail is an epic story set in the American West at the close of the 19th century. Academy Award®-nominated actor Thomas Haden Church (Sideways, Spider-Man 3) co-stars with Duvall, and Rob Carliner (The Apostle) and Stanley M. Brooks (Living with the Dead) join Duvall in executive producing the mini-series. Broken Trail is directed by legendary filmmaker and Emmy Award winner Walter Hill (48 Hrs., Deadwood) and was written by Alan Geoffrion. Also featured in the cast is Greta Scacchi (The Player, Shattered).
In the waning days of the Old West, veteran rancher Print Ritter (Robert Duvall) and his nephew Tom Harte (Thomas Hayden Church) set out an arduous horse drive from Oregon to Wyoming. On the trail, they risk their lives to rescue five innocent Chinese girls who have been sold into prostitution. This decision transforms their trip from a demanding physical challenge into an unconventional emotional journey that will change all of their lives forever.
Broken Trail began production in mid August on location in Calgary. International Creative Management (ICM) brokered the deal and the film will be distributed by Sony Pictures Television. Broken Trail is a co-production between Duvall and Carliner's Butcher's Run Films and Brooks' Once Upon A Time Films. Producer Chad Oakes' Nomadic Pictures provided production services in Alberta.
Western-themed programming has proved to be successful for AMC. The network's recent exclusive licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures provided the network with 32 of John Wayne's greatest films, including the world premiere of the fully restored, digitally remastered High and the Mighty and Island in the Sky. The premieres of these movies, as well as the premiere of the 20th Anniversary of Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider, rank as AMC's highest rated telecasts ever, furthering the network's ratings success.
AMC's commitment to celebrate movie culture while connecting TV viewers with informed and entertaining programming has raised the network to new heights in ratings and delivery. Its new investment in stronger film titles, programming stunts and specials and original programming has had a tremendous impact in 2004 and 2005, providing AMC with its best season ever in the history of the network. The 04/05 season ranked as the network's strongest ever in Primetime HH ratings, Household, and A18-49 & A25-54 deliveries.
**Source: Nielsen Media Research, 04/05 season (9/27/04-9/25/05). Primetime: M-Su 8-11p; Since beginning of Nielsen measurement 4/97. Comparisons to ad-supported network performance exclude Nick, which does not broadcast more than 51% of primetime daypart.
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. SPT produces and distributes top-rated, award-winning programming in every genre, including series, movies and family entertainment for network and cable television; first run syndicated series; off-network syndicated programs; and theatrical releases. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com ) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
About AMC:
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media's Entertainment Services, which also includes WE: Women's Entertainment and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 86,000,000 homes, offers a comprehensive library of popular movies and a critically-acclaimed slate of original programming that is a diverse, movie-based mix of original series, documentaries and specials. Over the past three years, AMC has garnered many of the industry's highest honors, including 14 Emmy awards. AMC is "TV for movie people."