EXCLUSIVE: L.A. studio Happy Accidents has hired a veteran UK sales exec and struck a slew of licensing deals.
The indie has brought in Louise Oliver, who has shopped the likes of Taboo and Das Boot during a 17-year distribution career that has seen her ply her trade at RHI Entertainment, Sonar Entertainment and Screen Media.
Reporting to L.A.-based CEOs Holly Hines and Eric Jarboe, Oliver will remain in London and take on the SVP International Sales role.
Happy Accidents launched last year as a film and TV studio focused on deficit financing. The company has struck a slew of deals for its slate with a range of European nets including Sky UK, Rai Italia and M6 in France. These deals comprise a variety of licensing partnerships for the likes of A Christmas Less Travelled about a struggling diner owner who needs to sell her late father’s vintage truck to keep her business afloat, Hallmark romcom Barcelona Mi Amor and Joanna Fluke-Hannah Swensen adaptation A Pie to Die For. The slate also includes The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries, with three films set for release through 2025.
Overall, Happy Accidents said its slate has 19 titles and 50 deals with international broadcasters have been secured.
Hines and Jarboe said: “The high volume of interest in our film slate is a testament to the wonderful movies that we’re sure audiences across Europe and the rest of the world will love. All of them have a fun and light-hearted nature that will charm viewers from Budapest to London.”
