First Look Studios

{{Infobox company

| name = First Look Studios, Inc.

| former_name = Overseas Filmgroup, Inc. (1980–2001)
First Look Media, Inc. (2001–2005)

| logo = First Look Studios logo.svg

| type = Public

| traded_as = {{OTC Pink was|FRST.PK}}

| industry = Film production
Home video

| defunct = {{end date|2010}}

| fate = Dormitory

Acquired by Nu Image in 2007
Reorganized into Millennium Entertainment in 2010

| founded = {{Start date and age|1980}}

| founders = Robert Little
Ellen Little

| successor = Millennium Entertainment (2010–2014)
Alchemy (2014–2016)
FilmRise (2016–present)

| location = Century City, California

| products = DVD, Blu-ray

| assets = $25 million

| divisions = First Look Pictures
First Look Home Entertainment
First Look Television
https://firstlookstudiosinc.com/

}}

First Look Studios, Inc. was an American independent film and home video distributor based in Los Angeles, California. The company specialized in the acquisition and direct distribution of, and worldwide license and sale of distribution rights to, independently produced feature films and television series.

History

=Overseas Filmgroup=

In 1980, Robert and Ellen Little founded Overseas Filmgroup as a film sales company for foreign markets. Overseas Filmgroup expanded towards film financing to give the company greater control over its output. From the company's foundation, it competed with fellow, also-defunct film producers J&M Film Sales (later J&M Entertainment), Manson International and Producers Sales Organization as the most successful company with global film sales.

Overseas Filmgroup decided to pay $3 million in order to set up operations for different areas worldwide such as Spain, Arizona, Texas, Taiwan, Italy, southern California and Colorado in the mid-1980s, and by 1986, the company became active, setting up a number of domestic theatrical, home video and television syndication sales with New World Pictures and other distributors.{{Cite news|date=1986-10-22|title=Overseas Filmgroup assembles pics shot all over the map|page=51|work=Variety}}

In 1987, while other sales companies were gaining production outfits, the Littles stated that they would avoid production, so Overseas Filmgroup had set up a company policy stating that they would acquire new films via distribution advances, and the three new movies, namely those directed by Roland Emmerich, will be offered to various Mifed buyers.{{Cite news |date=1987-10-21 |title=Overseas Filmgroup Avoids Production But Has 3 To Move |page=56 |work=Variety}} The company was the original international home video distributor for the show Tales from the Darkside, until it was sold off to Lorimar-Telepictures in late November 1987 after Lorimar International president Jeff Schlesinger saw all episodes of the show that was well-suited and combined to become eight ninety-minute episodes from the show.{{Cite news |date=1987-12-02 |title=Lorimar Gets 'Darkside' For Offshore Homevid |page=23 |work=Variety}}

Films ranged from genre titles such as Blue Tiger (starring Virginia Madsen) and No Way Back (starring New Zealand actor Russell Crowe) to art house films, including Antonia's Line, Mrs. Dalloway, The Secret of Roan Inish, Waking Ned Devine, and Titus.{{Cite web|url=http://www.backstage.com/news/first-look-studios-at-25/|title=First Look Studios at 25}} In 1993, the company expanded towards North American distribution through its First Look Pictures subsidiary.{{Cite news|url=http://independent-magazine.org/1998/01/first-look-picturesoverseas-filmgroup/|title=First Look Pictures/Overseas Filmgroup - Independent Magazine|date=1998-01-01|newspaper=Independent Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2016-10-14}}

In October 1996, Entertainment/Media Acquisition Corporation, a special-purpose acquisition company incorporated in the state of Delaware in December 1993 that had consummated its initial public offering in February 1995, acquired Overseas Filmgroup, and the company went public.{{cite web | url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1359334/000089968106000491/first-s1_070706.htm | title=S-1 }} The company stock was floated on the OTC market.

In 2000, EUE/Screen Gems acquired a minority interest in the company.

=First Look Studios=

In January 2001, as part of a restructuring and to reflect the company's expansion into domestic film and home video distribution, Internet content development and television commercial production, Overseas Filmgroup was renamed First Look Media (not to be confused with the news organization of the same name).{{Cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/overseas-filmgroup-changes-name-to-first-look-media-to-reflect-the-widened-scope-of-its-business-and-adds-two-divisions-71007662.html|title=Overseas Filmgroup Changes Name to First Look Media To Reflect the Widened Scope of Its Business and Adds Two Divisions|website=www.prnewswire.com|access-date=2016-10-12}} The Overseas Filmgroup name remained as the international distribution division of First Look Media. In 2003, founders Robert and Ellen Little left First Look, and Overseas Filmgroup was renamed First Look International.{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiewire.com/2004/02/relaunched-first-look-media-bolsters-company-in-advance-of-afm-79107/|title=Relaunched First Look Media Bolsters Company In Advance of AFM {{!}} IndieWire|last=Indiewire|website=IndieWire|date=27 February 2004 |access-date=2016-10-14}}

On July 29, 2005, the company merged with Canadian businessman Henry Winterstern's Capital Entertainment, and in September, the company's name was changed to First Look Studios. Winterstern became CEO of First Look and shared the role as chairman with EUE/Screen Gems' Chris Cooney.{{Cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/capital-entertainment-merges-with-first-look-media-to-become-first-look-studios-54608267.html|title=Capital Entertainment Merges With First Look Media to Become First Look Studios|last=First Look Studios|website=www.prnewswire.com|access-date=2016-10-13}} In November 2005, First Look acquired DEJ Productions from Blockbuster.{{cite news|last=Hettrick|first=Scott|url=https://variety.com/2005/digital/features/dej-deal-to-first-look-1117932584/|title=DEJ deal to First Look|website=Variety|date=November 8, 2005|access-date=February 16, 2021}}

In March 2006, First Look acquired Ventura Distribution, a Californian home video distribution company,{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2006/digital/features/first-look-drives-to-ventura-for-20-mil-1117940124/|title=First Look drives to Ventura for $20 mil

|website=Variety|date=March 21, 2006|access-date=February 16, 2021}} including its subsidiary UrbanWorks Entertainment, and the domestic television syndication rights to fifty six films from Pinnacle Entertainment.{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2006/film/markets-festivals/first-look-pix-it-up-1200337788/|title=First Look pix it up|last=Dempsey|first=John|date=2006-06-14|newspaper=Variety|language=en-US|access-date=2016-10-13}} In 2006, the company launched a television syndication division known as First Look Television.{{Cite web|last=Dempsey|first=John|date=2006-06-14|title=First Look pix it up|url=https://variety.com/2006/tv/news/first-look-pix-it-up-1200337788/|access-date=2020-11-16|website=Variety|language=en-US}} By 2006, First Look's film library consisted of 700 films, and continued to add more with the financing of in house productions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/08/movies/08first.html|title=First Look Studios - Henry Winterstern - Movies|last=Waxman|first=Sharon|date=2007-03-08|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-10-14}}

In March 2007, Henry Winterstern resigned from the company but stayed on as an adviser.{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/first-look-s-winterstern-resigns-1117960437/|title=First Look's Winterstern resigns|newspaper=Variety|date=2 March 2007|access-date=8 April 2020}} The same month, Nu Image acquired a 52% stake in First Look. The deal was brokered by William Morris Independent. Following the acquisition, Nu Image and its production/distribution arm Millennium Films were given an outlet for home video and theatrical distribution{{Cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/first-look-gets-a-nu-132614|title=First Look gets a Nu Image|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2016-10-14}}

In January 2008, First Look Studios started releasing titles on Blu-Ray.

In November 2010, First Look Studios filed for bankruptcy through an assignment for the benefit of the studio's senior secured creditors. Millennium Entertainment, a new sister company formed by Nu Image, acquired most of First Look's assets and inherited many of the former key management and staff.{{Citation|title=First Look Studios Acquired by Millennium Entertainment.|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=5523|access-date=2016-10-14}}