Amplify Pictures sells minority stake to Great Mountain Partners, adds former Netflix exec

L-R: Joe Lewis, Rachel Eggebeen and Colin King Miller

Connecticut-based investment firm Great Mountain Partners (GMP) has taken a minority stake in Amplify Pictures, the LA-based production company launched in 2018 by former Amazon Studios exec Joe Lewis.

The equity investment from GMP is intended to drive original series production across both scripted and unscripted as Amplify enters a new phase of growth.

The scripted- and doc-focused company, which has produced titles including HBO’s extreme surfing docuseries 100 Foot Wave, has also added two people to its executive team.

Amsterdam-based Rachel Eggebeen, who was formerly director of international originals at Netflix, has been named chief content officer.

She is charged with overseeing the growth of Amplify Pictures’ slate and team in Europe, the US and other international markets. While remaining based in Amsterdam, she will also have a presence in London and LA. The company’s director of development, Brian Donahoe, will report to Eggebeen.

Eggebeen spent five years with Netflix, helping to grow its slate of originals in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She was involved in projects including 1899, Transatlantic, Unorthodox, Barbarians, Lupin, The Empress, Ragnarok and How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast).

Eggebeen also oversaw deals with the likes of Anna Winger, Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese. Her previous roles include VP of development and production at Fox 21 Studios and development and production VP at Shondaland.

Amplify Pictures has also appointed Colin King Miller as its chief operating officer, with responsibility for overseeing day-to-day operations including production, finance and legal. In concert with CEO Lewis, Miller will also spearhead the growth of the business and explore strategic growth areas.

Miller was previously the president of This is Just a Test Media, which he co-founded. During his time there, he oversaw all day-to-day operations and executive produced more than 250 episodes of TV for networks including Discovery, Nat Geo, A&E, History and USA. Before that, he was production finance lead at Walt Disney Animation.

With their appointments, both Eggebeen and Miller have also taken on founding partnership roles alongside Lewis, a former director of production at 20th Century Fox who spent five years at Amazon Studios, latterly as head of comedy, drama and virtual reality.

GMP, a long-term investor focused on the media and entertainment sectors, also has investments in companies such as A24, The Confluential Company, Rise Studios and Vuelta Group.

Amplify Pictures, which has offices in LA and Amsterdam, says its business model is based on allowing creators to share in a project’s success, as well as having a willingness to greenlight projects without a distributor or broadcast partner attached.

Lewis said: “I am thrilled to welcome Rachel and Colin to our team. Their passion for global storytelling, love of creative risks and their incredible experience aligns perfectly with our mission to provide creators and filmmakers all the resources to bring the most incredible series to life.”

“Amplify Pictures is a creative studio looking for big ideas, progressive solutions and mutual success. Our goal is to bring that creativity to enable and sustain great TV everywhere.”

GMP co-founder Alex Thomson added: “Amplify Pictures is one of those opportunities where the combination of a great leadership team and brilliant talent come together at the right time. We are delighted to work with the Amplify Pictures team to focus on the company’s continued growth and their vision to produce innovative and compelling stories that stand the test of time. We very much look forward to this journey.”