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Ransom Canyon, Netflix’s new Western romance series based on the books by Jodi Thomas, has plenty of opportunities for a good needle drop, and music supervisor Madonna Wade-Reed made sure to take advantage of all kinds of music available to her and especially emotional moments in the series to put song to.

From Gracie’s Dance Hall, owned by Minka Kelly’s Quinn O’Grady, to the raucous rodeo scenes mid-series, many a familiar country artist and other folk bands and groups feature as the backdrop to the storyline, which contains a murder mystery element, several love stories and a struggle over land and territory between ranching dynasties and the development company Austin Water and Power.

One particularly memorable moment involves Josh Duhamel’s Staten Kirkland getting pretty drunk and throwing a Hootie and the Blowfish jam on the jukebox in Quinn’s bar.

Find the full soundtrack to...

New Slate Ventures has come on board as a production partner for Insignia Films’ “Free Money.” The announcement was made just ahead of the documentary feature’s world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

Jordan Fudge, Jeremy Allen and Tess Cohen will join producer Amanda Pollak, and executive producers Stephen Ives, Bradwel Iro (Lbx Africa), Chris Buck (Retro Report) to back the film.

The film explores what happens when universal basic income (Ubi) comes to the Kenyan village of Kogutu. GiveDirectly, a non-profit organization, is sending free money for 12 years as part of an experiment. Filmmakers Lauren DeFilippo and Sam Soko juxtapose the story of these young economists, bankrolled by Silicon Valley and convinced that they have found an infallible algorithm to improve lives, with those of the villagers.

“’Free Money’ has been a labor of love five years in the making,” said Amanda Pollak, senior partner at Insignia Films.

Richard Wright’s The Man Who Lives Underground is getting the film treatment.

Paramount acquired the book rights for Kenya Barris, who is now rooted at the studio with a first-look film deal. “Richard’s the Ernest Hemingway of Black writers,” noted Barris, whose Khalabo Ink Society will produce the film with New Slate Ventures’ Jordan Fudge and Jeremy Allen. Hyde Park Entertainment will also produce.

The adaptation, about a man tortured into a false confession by the police, marks the first project in a larger strategic, financial and creative partnership between Khalabo and the media fund run by partners Fudge, Allen and Zach White. As ...

Richard Wright’s The Man Who Lives Underground is getting the film treatment.

Paramount acquired the book rights for Kenya Barris, who is now rooted at the studio with a first-look film deal. “Richard’s the Ernest Hemingway of Black writers,” noted Barris, whose Khalabo Ink Society will produce the film with New Slate Ventures’ Jordan Fudge and Jeremy Allen. Hyde Park Entertainment will also produce.

The adaptation, about a man tortured into a false confession by the police, marks the first project in a larger strategic, financial and creative partnership between Khalabo and the media fund run by partners Fudge, Allen and Zach White. As ...

New Slate Ventures — the media and entertainment fund of LA-based private equity firm Sinai Capital Partners — has raised $100 million to invest in “culturally impactful” projects and expand its slate of original IP.

New Slate, led by Sinai partners Jordan Fudge, Jeremy Allen and Zach White, finances content it calls intersectional and inclusive to support diverse voices. Its 2020 slate includes Lena Waithe-produced The 40-Year-Old Version, directed, written by, and starring Radha Blank, acquired out of Sundance and released by Netflix; The United States Vs. Billie Holiday, directed and co-written by Lee Daniels and starring Andra Day, that was acquired by Paramount at the Cannes virtual market; an untitled Magic Johnson doc; and The 24th, directed and written by Kevin Willmott and starring Trai Byers –an official SXSW selection that premiered in August through Vertical Entertainment.

In development, New Slate has an untitled Michael Milken limited series to be written by Terrence Winter.

Film financer-producer New Slate Ventures, which backed “The 40-Year-Old Version,” has raised $100 million for films, documentaries, and television programs.

The fund raise was announced Wednesday by Los Angeles-based private equity company Sinai Capital Partners, which also said its tech-focused venture capital firm Sinai Ventures has closed a $500 million fund.

Led by partners Jordan Fudge, Jeremy Allen and Zach White, the New Slate Ventures 2020 slate includes “The United States Vs. Billie Holiday,” directed and co-written by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lee Daniels and starring singer Andra Day, Trevante Rhodes, and Garrett Hedlund; “Untitled Magic Johnson,” a documentary focused on the life and careers of NBA legend and entrepreneur Earvin Magic Johnson; and “The 24th,” directed and written by Kevin Willmott and starring Trai Byers which was an official selection at SXSW.

New Slate Ventures also is developing an untitled Michael Milken Limited Series, to be written by Terrence Winter. The fund said it...

Magic Johnson’s own “The Last Dance” has found a director: Rick Famuyiwa, the filmmaker behind “Dope,” will direct the untitled documentary series based on the life and career of the Los Angeles Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

The news was announced Tuesday by Xtr, H.wood Media, Nsv and Delirio Films, which are all jointly producing the untitled series that will feature archival footage of the two-time Basketball Hall of Famer as well as interviews with Johnson, his family, his teammates and fellow business leaders.

Famiyuwa will work on the film alongside his collaborator and editor Dirk Westervelt (“Ford v. Ferrari”) and cinematographer Rachel Morrison (“Black Panther”), who have already begun pre-production on the project. The series is aiming to be completed in 2021.

Magic has five NBA championship wins, three Mvp titles, has appeared in 12 All-Star games and has even won an Olympic gold medal. But the documentary will...

Rick Famuyiwa will direct the upcoming docuseries on Lakers great Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Variety has learned.

The “Dope” filmmaker will work alongside editor Dirk Westervelt (“Ford Vs. Ferrari”) and Rachel Morrison (“Black Panther”), who have already begun pre-production on the film. The series, which has been likened to ESPN’s penetrating look at Michael Jordan, “The Last Dance,” is jointly produced by Xtr, H.wood Media, Nsv and Delirio Films.

It currently lacks a title, but is expected to be completed in 2021. The docuseries will feature archival footage of the Basketball Hall of Famer’s on-court heroics, as well as interviews with Johnson, his family, teammates, and business associates.

Famuyiwa made his feature film debut as writer and director on “The Wood,” a Paramount release with Taye Diggs and Omar Epps that scored with critics and at the box office, going on to gross $25 million on a $6 million budget. He...

A feature documentary on the life of Los Angeles Lakers basketball legend Earvin Magic Johnson is in the works, it was announced Thursday.

Xtr, H.wood Media, Nsv and Delirio Films are developing the untitled film that will include archival footage of Johnson and interviews with the Hall of Fame player and is aiming to premiere in 2021. Directors for the film are currently under consideration.

The news of a documentary on Johnson, who has five NBA championship wins, three Mvp titles, appeared in 12 All-Star games and won an Olympic gold medal, arrives on the heels of the massive success of ESPN’s 10-part docu-series “The Last Dance,” which focused on the Chicago Bulls and one of Johnson’s biggest rivals Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA season. It also included other rare archival footage of Magic and new interviews.

Also Read: ESPN Orders 'Last Dance'-Style Docu-series on Tom Brady...

Basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson will be the subject of a new feature film documentary from Xtr, H.wood Media, Nsv and Delirio Films.

The filmmakers say they have been granted “unprecedented access” to the Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, whose dominance on the court helped drive the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships. The film will also rely on archival footage of Johnson, as well as interviews with the superstar, his family, fellow NBA players and business leaders. Directors for the project are currently under consideration. The Johnson doc comes on the heels of ESPN’s “The Last Dance,” a smash hit that followed the career of another basketball great, Michael Jordan. The show finished its run as the most-popular ESPN documentary in history.

Johnson’s life could rival Jordan’s in terms of sheer drama. Not only did Johnson rack up three Mvp titles, 12 All Star games and...

Jordan Fudge, Jeremy Allen and Zach White’s media fund New Slate Ventures has optioned the rights to Den of Thieves from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist James B. Stewart. Oscar-nominated screenwriter Terence Winter is set to adapt the non-fiction book into a limited series.

Published in 1992, Den of Thieves (which has nothing to do with the action-thriller of the same name starring Gerard Butler) tells the story of the massive insider trading scandal that brought down Drexel Burnham Lambert as well as ending the careers of Wall Street heavyweights Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken, who recently received a full pardon by Donald Trump.

The limited series will be produced by Fudge under the New Slate Ventures banner and Alexandra Milchan under her Emjag Productions banner.

Stewart is no stranger to Wall Street scandals and shenanigans. He won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism and...