Former TV Land President Larry Jones has been named CEO of Blackthorn Media, one of the pioneers in the emerging VR genre of scripted storytelling. The 27-year Viacom veteran will lead the company’s business and creative strategies, including development, production, distribution, marketing and finance of all original content.
“We are thrilled to win Larry’s interest in Blackthorn,” said Michael Conelly, Creative Director & President, Blackthorn Media. “The field is evolving quickly, but content remains king and Larry’s background in entertainment meshes perfectly with our vision for a VR-first studio cultivating a library of cutting-edge, story-driven experiences that our audiences will literally step into in the coming years.”
Blackthorn
“I thought I knew what VR was, then I met the team behind Blackthorn who are creating content at the highest levels that the art allows,” said Jones. “The confluence of so many new technological advances combined with great storytelling will redefine how Hollywood creates. We will never be able to look at a flat screen the same way again…ever.”
During his tenure at TV Land, Jones and his team created premium scripted content for both digital and linear platforms. He also was responsible for sales efforts that resulted in double-digit revenue growth annually. Executive producing more than 300 episodes, including The Soul Man, The Exes and Hot in Cleveland, which was syndicated in 97% of U.S. households and over 120 worldwide territories, Jones was responsible for greenlighting TV Land’s current hit series Younger and Teachers. He departed the network in early 2015 due to restructuring within the company.
Established in 2014, Blackthorne Media’s first projects created and produced include The Abbot’s Book, an eight-episode, fully immersive VR narrative that was featured at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier Program, and Dragonflight, which was an official selection for the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival.
