Schmaus takes reins at FocusCo-president bumped to top spot at art house studioBY GREG HERNANDEZ, Staff Writer
The co-producer of "Brokeback Mountain" was named on Wednesday chief executive officer of Focus Features, the specialty film division of Universal Pictures.
James Schamus, previously co-president of Focus, will now have responsibility for all aspects of the art house unit as well as Focus Features International and Universal's Rogue Pictures label.
Andrew Karpen, formerly chief operating officer, will assume the title of president of Focus, which last year released "Brokeback," "The Constant Gardener," "Pride & Prejudice" and "Broken Flowers."
Previous noteworthy releases also include "The Pianist," "Lost in Translation," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," and "The Motorcycle Diaries."
Prior to Focus, Schamus was co-president of the independent film production company Good Machine, which he co-founded in 1991. He received Academy Award nominations in the Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Song categories for his work on Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
Schamus had co-founded Focus with David Linde four years ago and the two were co-presidents until Linde was promoted in March to co-chairman of Universal Pictures.
"As James' friend and business partner since 1997, I know first hand his business acumen and formidable creative talents combine to make him an outstanding studio head," Linde stated.
Linde had also been president of Rogue and the vacancy left by his promotion will be filled by Karpen and Andrew Rona, who will serve as co-presidents. Rona had been Rogue's president of production since last August.
"These promotions only confirm what we've long known; that under James' leadership, Focus and Rogue will continue the extraordinary success and growth that he and David put in motion - and that the key to that success is the empowerment of the tremendous executive team already in place," Universal Pictures Chairman Marc Shmuger said in a statement from the Cannes Film Festival in France.
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