Amazon Studios Taps Relativity’s Bob Bowen as Head of Music
As another sign of its push into studio production, Amazon Studios has tapped film music vet Bob Bowen as its head of music.
Bowen most recently served as head of music for Relativity Media, moving there in 2011 from New Line. His eclectic resume includes films like “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Magnolia,” “Elf” and “Wedding Crashers.”
In his new gig, Bowen will be leading Amazon Studios’ music strategy, partnerships and licensing for original content for each show and film project. He will be establishing group-wide policies and will enable Amazon Studios to support the music needs of its creative properties, as well as create partnerships and opportunities to leverage the body of musical works developed over time in partnership Prime Music and other platforms. He will also be take lead in helping attract the top musical talent to work on Amazon Studios’ shows and films, and ensure that the studio has compelling music incorporated into its original content.
Amazon has been kicking it into high gear as continues its battle with rival digital providers Netflix and Hulu. In addition to its award-winning “Transparent,” which premieres its second season next month, new shows include today’s premiere of the TV adaptation of the Philip K. Dick novel “The Man in the High Castle.”
Bowen is the latest in a stream of executives leaving Relativity, the multimedia company that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy July 30. Relativity was unable to pay a string of vendors and to repay its primary lenders, forcing CEO Ryan Kavanaugh to seek the court’s protection. The company’s television unit was sold at auction last month and Kavanaugh has submitted a plan that he hopes will allow the rest of the company to emerge next January from Chapter 11.
Among those leaving the company in recent months have been President Tucker Tooley, who helped lead the film division, Chief Financial Officer Andrew Matthews, Relativity Sports President Happy Walters, Co-Chief Operating Officer Greg Shamo, President of Production Robbie Brenner, and marketing executive Angela Courtin. Some of the departed execs continue to offer consulting aid to Relativity. A representative of the company said some of the executives were asked to leave as part of a restructuring.
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