In an exciting development for the boutique management and production firm, Literate, they have welcomed Elizabeth Newman as their newest partner. Elizabeth Newman, a former Disney TV studio executive and CAA agent, brings a wealth of experience to the company, making this a significant moment in Literate’s journey.
Newman’s background spans across various aspects of the entertainment industry, including television, publishing, and book adaptations. She will be instrumental in overseeing a carefully selected group of film and TV writers and showrunners. Her role also involves expanding Literate’s presence in representing the screen rights for creators, rightsholders, and estates of intellectual properties. Additionally, Newman will collaborate with authors, journalists, and playwrights as they make their transition into the world of Hollywood.
Elizabeth Newman’s return to the world of representation is noteworthy, considering her early career at CAA. During her impressive 15-year tenure there, she specialized in representing TV writer/creators, showrunners, producers, directors, and intellectual property. She was responsible for brokering major rights deals for esteemed authors such as Anne Rice and James Patterson.
In late 2019, Elizabeth Newman made a career move into the television industry, landing a role as VP of Development at Fox21 TV Studios. During her time there, she showcased her talent for spotting promising talent and literary content, which led to the creation of notable scripted series like Hulu’s “Dopesick,” ABC’s “Alaska Daily,” and the upcoming NatGeo series “Genius: MLK/X.”
A year later, Newman took on a significant position as the co-head and later the head of the newly formed Creative Acquisitions Department at Disney Television Studios. In this role, she played a crucial part in identifying and acquiring over 200 properties for development and production. Her efforts also contributed to sourcing valuable material for talent and overall deals at the studio. Unfortunately, her journey at Disney came to an end in March of this year due to corporate restructuring and widespread layoffs.
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The founding partners of Literate, A.B. Fischer and Dennis Kim, expressed their enthusiasm in welcoming Elizabeth Newman to their team. In a joint statement, they mentioned their shared values and their longstanding friendship and admiration for her. They highlighted Newman’s exceptional taste, extensive industry connections, and expertise in securing intellectual property rights, all of which make her an incredibly valuable asset for their clients. In a playful note, they also mentioned their anticipation of Newman’s participation in their holiday party challenge to break their record for the fastest escape room exit.
Elizabeth Newman will be collaborating with manager Jessica Shulman at Literate, a company known for its impressive client roster. This roster includes renowned figures in the industry such as Aaron Korsh, Angela Kang, Chris Van Dusen, Steven Maeda, David Appelbaum, Cheo Coker, Jami O’Brien, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, as well as Emmy nominees Ted Cohen, Dipika Guha, Stacy Traub, and Jihan Crowther.
Overall, Elizabeth Newman’s addition to Literate promises to bring a fresh perspective and a wealth of industry knowledge to the company, making it an exciting development for both Literate and the entertainment world at large.
