Emmy-Winning French VR Outfit Atlas V Poaches Secret Location Exec Michael Masukawa as it Expands U.S. Presence (EXCLUSIVE)
Atlas V, the Emmy-award winning VR company, is expanding into the U.S. with the strategic appointment of Michael Masukawa.
The banner has just been signed by CAA and is aiming to build a presence in the U.S. Atlas was just nominated for three Emmy awards and won one with its interactive animation “Madrid Noir.”
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Atlas V’s track record in the North American festival circuit also includes multiple selections at Sundance’s New Frontier, Tribeca and SXSW (where it won two awards). The company also previously won two Peabody prizes and two Webby awards.
Masukawa is joining Atlas V from Secret Location, an immersive content studio owned by Hasbro and eOne. At Atlas V, he will be in charge of developing partnerships, raising project financing, producing projects and negotiating distribution deals for Atlas V’s content. He will also find opportunities for sister companies Astrea and Albyon, the first being focused on distribution and the second one on development of immersive experiences.
During his tenure at Secret Location, Masukawa produced the “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” immersive experience for 2022 San Diego Comic Con. He also served as co-producer for their narrative VR project “The Great C,” adapted from a Philip K. Dick short story and in collaboration with Electric Shepherd Prods., which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and won an award at the Cannes XR Festival.
Masukawa helped secure distribution and funding for many other projects including their original location-based experience “Waking Wonderland.”
Prior to this, Masukawa spent many years working in television and literary management. He was the studio executive on “The Shannara Chronicles” and “The Son” during his time at Sonar Entertainment, and worked in development and current programming at Piller/Segan, ABC TV Studios and Bad Robot.
Atlas V’s biggest VR hits include “Spheres: Songs of Spacetime,” which was executive produced by Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures and was acquired in a 7-figure deal at Sundance by CityLights, as well as “Gloomy Eyes,” an animated narrative VR series narrated by Colin Farrell.
The company’s roster of high profile projects include a “Wallace and Gromit” VR film.
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