Jen Salke leaves Amazon MGM Studios as head, moves to production agreement

Jen Salke leaves Amazon MGM Studios and moves to a production deal, Mike Hopkins has just announced in a memo of the staff. This is what he wrote, with more there:

Dear team,

Since he came to Amazon in 2018, Jen Salke has been a driving force in the evolution of Amazon MGM Studios in what it is today: a world -class producer of award -winning films and series viewed by hundreds of millions of our customers around the world. Original films and series served as the basis of the growth of Prime Video in one of the world’s leading entertainment destinations, and the leadership of Jen is an undisputed engine of the success that we have had in this space over the years.

After he has achieved as much as a director, JEN has decided that her next chapter will be on the production side, with the aim of getting closer to the global creative community – of which she has been such an essential member in the course of her career. As a result, JEN will resign from her role as the head of Amazon MGM Studios to start a new production entity, and we are so happy that she will continue to make her here at our party at home via a general first-look deal on both film and TV.

In Jen’s words:

“Since I became a member in 2018, we have left together to create a new type of global studio that promoted an environment for the world’s most creative talent to do their very best work. On the way we have built up a film company internationally and hired an incredible team and have collected an incredible team, I have had one of them for one time. we have set up in the pipeline, I realized that I now realized that I am looking forward to doing what I love, to cultivate talent, support their vision and fascinate

I can’t say enough to thank Jen for her partnership. Starting with my personal day 1 in 2020, her vision, creativity and industrial relationships were so clear that I undoubtedly had that our work could be transforming together, not only to Amazon, but also to the industry as a whole. The rings of Power, Fallout, Reacher, Red One, Maxton Hall, The idea of ​​U, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Saltburn, Road House, Beast Games, Culpa Mia/Tuya and others speak to the hits under her leadership that have fueled the cultural conversation and have provided incredible stories to global audiensies … and those lists only the last 18 months. Moreover, her leadership is proven by the Senior Team she has hired and developed … A team that I know will stand up in a great way.

Speaking of that team, we will take a few weeks to have thoughtful conversations with JEN’s Directs and others to complete the ideal long-term structure for the Amazon MGM Studios organization as a whole, and we will soon have more to share that work.

One thing I wanted to call is the fact that – after Jen’s decision to get away – we have decided to flatten our leadership structure and not to fill the head of the studio role. In accordance with Amazon’s recent work to streamline reports and to accelerate decision-making, we thought this was the best direction for our studio, which will now work as various film and television studios. To this end, Courtenay Valenti (head of the film) and Vernon Sanders (head of TV) will now directly report to me, while Sue Kroll will also remain in her role that leads global marketing on both film and TV.

I am extremely proud of the momentum that our team has built up in Studios in the last 12-18 months, implementing our strategic plan and developing a fantastic slate of original shows and films that position us for even more success.

Please go with me again to thank Jen and wish her the best on this next adventure … Fortunately she will not be far away and we still have a lot to do together.