‘Beyond’ Producer Automatik Ramps Up TV Push With Justin Levy Hire
Automatik, the production company run by Midnight Special producer Brian Kavanaugh Jones and La La Land producer Fred Berger, is ramping up its television business with the hire of former MTV and NBC executive Justin Levy.
Levy joins the company as president of television from Imperative Entertainment, the company founded by Heroes creator Tim Kring, Dan Friedkin, Zak Kadison and Bradley Thomas. Imperative and Automatik are currently producing the second of Freeform’s hit sci-fi drama Beyond, which Levy exec produces.
His appointment comes after Automatik recently secured a straight-to-series order at Apple for a Damien Chazelle-written and directed project. Berger is exec producing alongside Original Headquarters’ Jordan Horowitz. MRC is the studio.
Prior to Imperative, Levy was SVP, Scripted Series at MTV, where he spent five years and worked on series including breakout comedy Awkward and Teen Wolf. He joined the cable network from Peter Berg’s company Film 44, where he oversaw development and produced Friday Night Lights, among other series.
The TV push comes as Automatik, which is partnered with Grandview, the management company run by Matt Rosen and Jeff Silver, is producing features including Nicole Kidman-fronted Destroyer, directed by Karyn Kusama, and is in post-production on Chris Weitz’ Operation Finale starring Oscar Isaac and Sir Ben Kingsley and Miles Joris-Peyrafitte’s Dreamland, starring Margot Robbie.
Levy told Deadline that he was “humbled” and “thrilled” to join the firm. “Their ability to build a prolific company and dynamic home for writers, filmmakers, and actors in such a short time is inspiring and I am incredibly excited to help continue their push into television.”
Kavanaugh Jones and Berger added that Levy was an “incredible” producer. “Our experience with him on Beyond could not have been more productive, and frankly couldn’t have been more fun, and we are so excited to have him join the Automatik family and begin the next phase of our television build,” they said.