‘Telemarketers’ Filmmaker Sam Lipman-Stern Signs With Range Media Partners

Matt Grobar
·4 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Range Media Partners has signed Sam Lipman-Stern, the documentary filmmaker, producer and cinematographer behind the revelatory HBO series Telemarketers, which debuted to much acclaim in August. The deal marks the first strategic partnership between Range and Weisman Worldwide Entertainment, which will continue to co-manage the artist.

A buzzy exposé drawing on Lipman-Stern’s professional experience in the telemarketing industry, which places a huge spotlight on its predatory tactics, HBO’s three-part limited docuseries recently won the Critics Choice Documentary Award for Best True Crime Documentary. In addition to creating and co-directing the show, Lipman-Stern exec produced alongside Danny McBride, Josh and Benny Safdie, and more.

More from Deadline

On the heels of his success with Telemarketers, and through the collaboration between Weisman Worldwide and Range, Lipman-Stern is already working on several new projects for 2024 including a ​​scripted drama and music-based documentary which will be announced in the coming months.

In a statement on the signing, Weisman Worldwide CEO Cory Weisman expressed that the company is “very excited and proud to be working with Range Media Partners in collaboration with our client Sam Lipman-Stern in the areas of television and film.” Weisman underscored that during the filmmaker’s time with his management company, he “has accelerated his ascension to the forefront of documentary filmmaking with his current success at HBO and the hit series TELEMARKETERS. We are confident with Range’s broad resources, amazing and cutting-edge executives in all areas of entertainment, and a shared vision with Sam and I that their team is a perfect fit and will help guide our projects and Sam’s creative visions to many successes.”

Cory Litwin, Managing Partner of Range Music, shared that he’s been “a fan of Sam’s for many years,” having first connected with the creative while working on the documentary project Forbes: Rap Mentors in 2020. “He is such a unique creative force, from his authentic interview style to stylistic choices. And the work of Weisman Worldwide in bringing Sam’s talents to the forefront in such meaningful ways, including TELEMARKETERS, one of the best docuseries of the year, has been incredible,” Litwin added. “We are honored to be partnering with Cory Weisman and his team to help further champion Sam’s creative ambitions across the entire entertainment landscape.”

Lipman-Stern began his career directing videos for hip-hop artists and graffiti writers before joining Vice in 2011. Rapidly rising there from intern to director-producer, he went on to create the celebrated docuseries Live from the Streets, starring hip-hop producer Mr. Green, which quickly became one of the most popular titles on Vice’s music channel, Noisey.

Following his time at Vice, Lipman-Stern became a full-time staff director-producer for Rolling Stone magazine, helping to establish its video brand through his highly stylized productions featuring interviews with such renowned artists as Rick Ross, Slash, Charlie Puth, and Keith Richards. Subsequently, he executive produced and directed the three-part documentary special, Forbes: Rap Mentors, a behind-the-scenes look at the music industry starring Black Thought of The Roots, E-40, Kevin Liles, Saweetie, and others.

The New Jersey native continues to produce and direct film projects for major media companies and brands including Forbes Magazine, PBS, MTV, Esquire, The New York Times, Interscope Records, Apple, Adidas, and The NBA, to name just a few.

Weisman established his new media agency, Weisman Worldwide Entertainment, in 2000. This came following his creation of the Animation and New Media Department at ICM, where he packaged such notable live-action and animated studio projects as Toy Story 1 & 2, Babe, Space Jam, Mulan, and Shrek, among others. During that time, he also was an early leader in the advancement of digital content distribution, leading to his vision for Weisman Worldwide as a company creating a bridge between A-list talent, traditional entertainment companies, and high-tech media firms.

In addition to Weisman Worldwide Entertainment, Lipman-Stern continues to be represented by Fred Toczek of Felker Toczek Suddleson.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.