DiGa Ups Tommy Coriale To General Manager

Tommy Coriale has been promoted to General Manager of DIGA, reporting to the production company’s co-founder and CEO Tony DiSanto. The new role expands Coriale’s current responsibilities as VP of Production to include oversight of business development and growth of the company. Additionally, the company has set up a development slate that includes unscripted projects featuring the Jerky Boys from the popular comedy prank calls, author Neil Strauss, magician Jay Sankey, and Traci Stumpf, co-host of Bugging Out, DIGA’s 22-episode hidden camera prank series, which launches on MTV’s international linear channels and digital platforms this week. Meanwhile, DIGA’s book division has set Teen Hyde, the second novel in its three-book High School Horror YA Book Series, which will be shopped for TV and film adaptations soon.

“Tommy Coriale is an incredibly talented executive whose unique combination of great creative instincts and sharp business acumen has made him an invaluable asset to DIGA since he joined the company last year,” said DiSanto.

During his time at DIGA, Coriale has been credited with expanding the company’s operations and facilities in New York City with an in-house post-production studio. Additionally, Coriale, in tandem with DiSanto, has managed development and all current production. Coriale’s expanded role will allow DiSanto to put more focus on creative.

Prior to DIGA, Coriale was most recently at Eastern, where he oversaw production of the Love & Hip Hop franchise. Before that, Coriale spent 7 years at Shed Media where he oversaw production of the Basketball Wives franchise (VH1), Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo), Bethenny Ever After (Bravo) and Supernanny (ABC), among others.

Since its launch in January 2011, DIGA has developed and produced content for over a dozen networks. The ITV-owned company’s current series portfolio include Scream and Teen Wolf at MTV where DiSanto was president before embarking on a producing career, Player Gets Played (Oxygen), Say it in Song (MTV International), The Ed Bassmaster Show (CMT), Mac Lethal’s Binge Thinking (MTV2) and Bugging Out (MTV International). Additionally, DIGA is in pre-production on its first feature film, Eat Brains Love, with Van Toffler’s Gunpowder & Sky and Full Fathom Five.

Here is DIGA’s TV development slate:

“The Jerky Boys”
DIGA is developing a live-action/animated hybrid comedy built around the many characters featured in the classic Jerky Boys phone pranks.

“Neil Strauss Bio Series Project”
DIGA has teamed up with bestselling author Neil Strauss to produce a totally new kind of biography series that adapts Neil’s unique storytelling style to television, seamlessly integrating archival footage, interviews and newly shot scripted scenes to let the narrative unfold in a visually immersive way.

“Jay Sankey: Historical Deception Project”
DIGA has teamed up with Jay Sankey — master of deception, comedian, and creator of illusions for David Blaine, David Copperfield and Criss Angel — for an exciting and fun format where each episode breaks down a historic deception and then an Oceans 11-style team of experts is pulled together to see if the core tenets, DNA and psychology of that deception would work with a modern day reboot.

Traci Stumpf Project
DIGA continues on its mission to work with Digital Stars post the recent launch of the Mac Lethal series on MTV2 and the upcoming Ed Bassmaster Show on CMT, by developing a vehicle for Traci Stumpf, co-host of DIGA’s recently announced Bugging Out for MTV.

The second book in DIGA’s “High School Horror” YA Book Series, Teen Hyde, takes place in the same universe and is a contemporary twist on Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde. It is coming later this year. DIGA will soon be shopping the book series for TV and film adaptation. With the book series, published by Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, DIGA is taking a stab at creating and owning the content, then developing it for on-screen adaptations.