Scott Shooman has been named head of film at AMC Networks, a portfolio that encompasses IFC Films, RLJE Films and the streaming service Shudder.
In his new role, he will lead acquisitions, theatrical film distribution, production and development for the three brands. He will also oversee IFC Center, an arthouse movie theater in New York City. He reports to Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks.
“Movies are an important focal point for our company, and we are thrilled to have Scott leading our efforts across our three distinctive, successful and well-established film brands — IFC Films, RLJE Films and Shudder,” McDermott said. “He has extensive background in the industry, but also a fresh eye and a filmmaker-first approach that aligns perfectly with our strong history of elevating independent and thought-provoking storytelling.”
Shooman has been serving as interim president of IFC Films since Arianna Bocco stepped down in March. Bocco took the reins at IFC in 2020 after her predecessor Lisa Schwartz left the position.
Shooman previously served as senior VP of acquisitions and production for IFC Films, where he led the team in acquiring nearly 30 films per year for IFC Films and IFC Midnight. Prior to that, he held senior executive roles at Endeavor Content, CBS Films, Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group, working across such notable films as “Insidious,” “Hell or High Water,” “Hanna” and “The Squid and the Whale.” Since starting at IFC Films, Shooman has been involved in acquiring and distributing titles like “Watcher,” “Skinamarink” and “Corsage.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead and work alongside one of the most passionate teams in the business in supporting and bringing truly independent and boundary pushing films to passionate fans across our IFC Films, RLJE Films and Shudder ecosystems,” Shooman said. “We will continue to leverage the synergy of our great brands and are incredibly excited about our robust slate of films which underscore the type of innovative, breakthrough stories for which we are known and continue to elevate. AMC Networks’ Film Group is uniquely positioned with this suite of divisions to broadly capitalize on our reputation for quality, curation and commerciality across all windows in this moment of evolution for filmgoing.”
