The Executive Hour with Michael Besman
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Webinar hosted by: The Executive Hour
We're back in the Writers' Room for The Executive Hour with Michael Besman. Michael Besman is a prolific executive and producer with decades of experience. He joined Roger Birnbaum’s company in 2019, where he recently produced Thug, starring Liam Neeson as well as set up a trio of horror films with 50 cent and Eli Roth. Besman began his entertainment career assisting director Michael Wadleigh on the horror film Wolfen, and then producer Aaron Russo on the Eddie Murphy comedy Trading Places. He became a production executive at Paramount Pictures in 1983 where he worked on such films as Witness, Beverly Hills Cop, Summer School, Adventures in Babysitting and Star Trek 4. Besman joined The Guber-Peters Company as a vice-president in 1987, where he supervised the blockbuster, Batman. Besman followed the producing duo to Sony Pictures Entertainment, where he was promoted to executive vice-president of production for TriStar Pictures. He supervised such films as Remains of the Day (nominated for eight Oscars), Sleepless in Seattle (Oscar nominee, best screenplay), Single White Female, Jumanji (another billion-dollar franchise), Devil in a Blue Dress, Frankenstein, Mrs. Winterbourne and As Good As It Gets (Oscar nominee, Best Picture and Screenplay, Winner Best Actor and Actress). Besman began producing in 1997 with Jean-Jacques Annaud's Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt. He followed up with Don Roos’ The Opposite of Sex. It opened at the Sundance Film Festival, won honors at the Venice and Deauville Film Festivals, earned Independent Spirit awards for best first feature and best screenplay, and appeared on many ten best lists. Besman re-teamed with Roos on Bounce, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck. His next film, About Schmidt, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and opened the New York Film Festival. The film won two Golden Globes and was nominated for two Academy Awards. Both the London and Los Angeles film critics voted it best film of 2002. Besman also produced the Garry Marshall film, Georgia Rule, which starred Jane Fonda, Felicity Huffman and Lindsay Lohan, the indie Careless, with Colin Hanks, and ratings perennial, Loving Leah for CBS/Hallmark Hall of Fame. He ran Caryn Mandabach’s (Cosby, Nurse Jackie) company for four years and worked on the BAFTA award winning Peaky Blinders. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
We're back in the Writers' Room for The Executive Hour with Michael Besman.
Michael Besman is a prolific executive and producer with decades of experience. He joined Roger Birnbaum’s company in 2019, where he recently produced Thug, starring Liam Neeson as well as set up a trio of horror films with 50 cent and Eli Roth.
Besman began his entertainment career assisting director Michael Wadleigh on the horror film Wolfen, and then producer Aaron Russo on the Eddie Murphy comedy Trading Places. He became a production executive at Paramount Pictures in 1983 where he worked on such films as Witness, Beverly Hills Cop, Summer School, Adventures in Babysitting and Star Trek 4.
Besman joined The Guber-Peters Company as a vice-president in 1987, where he supervised the blockbuster, Batman. Besman followed the producing duo to Sony Pictures Entertainment, where he was promoted to executive vice-president of production for TriStar Pictures. He supervised such films as Remains of the Day (nominated for eight Oscars), Sleepless in Seattle (Oscar nominee, best screenplay), Single White Female, Jumanji (another billion-dollar franchise), Devil in a Blue Dress, Frankenstein, Mrs. Winterbourne and As Good As It Gets (Oscar nominee, Best Picture and Screenplay, Winner Best Actor and Actress).
Besman began producing in 1997 with Jean-Jacques Annaud's Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt. He followed up with Don Roos’ The Opposite of Sex. It opened at the Sundance Film Festival, won honors at the Venice and Deauville Film Festivals, earned Independent Spirit awards for best first feature and best screenplay, and appeared on many ten best lists. Besman re-teamed with Roos on Bounce, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck. His next film, About Schmidt, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and opened the New York Film Festival. The film won two Golden Globes and was nominated for two Academy Awards. Both the London and Los Angeles film critics voted it best film of 2002.
Besman also produced the Garry Marshall film, Georgia Rule, which starred Jane Fonda, Felicity Huffman and Lindsay Lohan, the indie Careless, with Colin Hanks, and ratings perennial, Loving Leah for CBS/Hallmark Hall of Fame. He ran Caryn Mandabach’s (Cosby, Nurse Jackie) company for four years and worked on the BAFTA award winning Peaky Blinders.
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Testimonials
"Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us today and for answering my questions." -Ingrid W.
"Thanks for your time and stories, Michael!" -Laurie A.
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