Issa Rae‘s Hoorae Media has added veteran managers Danielle Robinson and James Shani to the leadership team at ColorCreative, the talent management company co-founded by Rae and Denise Davis in 2014.
Robinson will assume the role of co-head of talent and manager, while Shani has been named executive producer and talent manager. Both Robinson and Shani will report to ColorCreative president Talitha Watkins.
In her new role, Robinson will focus on identifying new clients to grow the company’s roster and fostering new opportunities for emerging talent, alongside ColorCreative’s co-head of talent, partner and manager Raj Raghavan. Prior to joining the company, Robinson was a partner at Alan Siegel Entertainment. She brings with her clients including Lashana Lynch, Sarah Niles, Ray Panthaki, Tamara Smart, Charlotte Ritchie, Daniel Ings, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Taylor Handley and Sauriyan Sapkota.
“Danielle Robinson has impeccable taste, boundless energy, and incredible passion for her clients. I loved our partnership with our shared clients when I was an agent, and I am delighted that she is joining me now at ColorCreative,” Raghavan said in a statement announcing Robinson’s hiring.
Robinson also previously served as Gerard Butler and Alan Siegel’s in-house producer and director of development for G-base, where she produced 15 feature films during her tenure, including the “Has Fallen” trilogy, “The Vanishing,” “Den of Thieves” and “Greenland.” Robinson also produced “Them That Follow,” starring Alice Englert, Walton Goggins, Kaitlyn Dever and Olivia Colman, which sold out of Sundance to Sony International and 1091 Pictures in 2019.
Likewise, Shani is an entertainment industry veteran and will represent writers and directors in his new role at ColorCreative. The Iranian-American film producer, executive producer and manager has built a reputation for “cultivating lasting creative collaborations with new and established filmmakers.” Shani most recently executive produced “Gully,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by his frequent collaborator and acclaimed hip-hop music video director Nabil, the film sold to Paramount Pictures and was released theatrically in 2021.
“James brings over a decade of experience producing award-winning content and a passion for supporting filmmakers and artists,” Watkins noted. “We are thrilled he is bringing his energy and vision to ColorCreative as an executive producer and manager.”
Through his production company, Asylum Films, Shani has produced music videos for artists including Lady Gaga, John Legend, H.E.R, Nas, Snoh Aalegra and many others — earning two MTV Video Music Award nominations along the way. Passionate about global mental health awareness, Shani has also collaborated with Lady Gaga and her Born This Way Foundation to create several campaigns, including the documentary “The Power of Kindness,” which explores how kindness and compassion can improve mental health, support families and unite communities.
As new hires, Robinson and Shani join the growing talent management company as it continues its mission to support diverse creators and produce inclusive content, while increasing opportunities for underrepresented groups, such as women and minority talent, as well as enhancing the business of established clients with out-of-the-box thinking and thoughtful execution. ColorCreative currently represents Affion Crockett, Wayne Brady, Alisa Reynolds, Chris Sanford, Derrick “D-Nice” Jones, Giselle Bailey, Kendra Jordan, Lawrence Lamont, Lyn Sisson-Talbert and Syreeta Singleton, among others.
