Jon Murray
CEO
Widely credited with inventing the modern reality television genre, Jonathan Murray continues to inspire, influence and entertain television audiences worldwide. Since the launch of The Real World (MTV) in 1992, Murray has created and executive produced some of the industry’s most innovative, unscripted, entertainment television programs.
Murray began his career in local television, spending six years at WLUK-TV, WXIA-TV and WKYC-TV in news, documentaries, station management (WOKR-TV) and programming.
In 1991, Murray and Mary Ellis Bunim pitched their unprecedented idea for an unscripted drama series to MTV executives over breakfast. MTV bought the show before lunchtime, and the landmark success of Bunim/Murray Productions was underway. The innovative series merged Bunim’s experience in scripted daytime dramas with Murray's documentary and news expertise and it broke all the rules of television production. The Real World quickly became part of the cultural DNA of young people the world over and continues to thrive, with its 25th season debuting on MTV March 2011.
Murray and Bunim grew their production operation from a two-person shop into an industry powerhouse. They created and executive produced an incredible array of entertainment including such seminal television shows as The Real World, Road Rules, Real World/Road Rules Challenge, The Simple Life, Starting Over, Making the Band and Love Cruise, as well as the feature film The Real Cancun. Despite the loss of Bunim to cancer in early in 2004, Murray continues to lead the company they founded together to new heights.
In 2010, Bunim/Murray Productions was purchased by Banijay Entertainment, providing the company with access to international formats and distribution of its series and formats to the international marketplace.
As chairman of Bunim/Murray Productions, Murray guides the creative process that has distinguished the company’s shows since the early 1990s. In 2007, the company launched BMP Films which sold its first critically acclaimed documentary, Autism: The Musical, to HBO. In 2008, the company announced the formation of M Music, a music management division, with its first band, A Cursive Memory, signing with Vagrant Records.
Bunim/Murray Productions continues to thrive, producing projects for primetime and cable television platforms including the twenty-fifth season of The Real World and the twenty-first season of The Real World/Road Rules Challenge (MTV); Keeping up with the Kardashians, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, Khloe and Lamar, Married to Rock and Spin Crowd (E!); Bad Girls Club and Love Games (Oxygen); Project Runway (Lifetime);and Saddle Ranch (VH1). Additionally, their film entity, BMP Films, has produced Pedro (MTV), Shadow Billionaire, and Autism: The Musical (HB0) which received two Emmy Awards.
Receiving Emmy nominations for The Real World and Road Rules, in 2005 Murray earned his first Emmy Award for Starting Over. In 2008, Autism: The Musical won two Emmy Awards and in October 2009, Murray received the Legend Award from the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards.
Jonathan Murray graduated from the University Of Missouri School Of Journalism and currently lives in Los Angeles.
Gil Goldschein
President
Having negotiated unprecedented development and production deals over the past ten years, Gil Goldschein serves as President of Bunim/Murray Productions. In this role, he oversees the daily management and growth of the company – bringing the company to new heights both as a production studio and international business entity. Additionally, Goldschein spearheads corporate initiatives as BMP has recently begun to segue into the documentary, scripted television and film marketplaces, focusing on original content production for new media outlets including the web, and its music management division. Under his tenure, BMP has grown beyond a production arm to serve as a full functioning studio delivering more reality TV hits for more networks across the board than any other domestic television production company. In 2010, Goldschein was instrumental in negotiating the acquisition of Bunim/Murray Productions by Banijay Entertainment, providing the company with access to international formats and distribution of its series and formats to the international marketplace.
Goldschein most recently served as Chief Operating Officer prior to serving as General Counsel for Bunim/Murray and has headed up the company’s business and legal affairs group since 2001. In this capacity, he brokered development and production deals with every major broadcast and cable network, overseeing all aspects of business and legal affairs from development through post-production of primetime series including network comedies, syndicated and cable product, and film projects. Goldschein negotiated an unprecedented five season pick-up of the MTV series The Real World, and in 2008, Goldschein negotiated a deal with The Weinstein Company for the company to step in and produce Project Runway and Models of the Runway for Lifetime.
In 2011, with numerous projects currently in various stages of production, the company is thriving under the leadership of Goldschein. Over the past four years, Goldschein has strengthened the management team and overall capabilities of the company’s infrastructure in order to vastly increase the number of projects the company develops and produces on an annual basis, all tactical moves that play an integral role in the company’s robust programming line up and its continued growth.
The company is currently producing projects for primetime and cable television platforms, including the twenty-fifth season of The Real World and the twenty-first season of The Real World/Road Rules Challenge (MTV); Keeping up with the Kardashians, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, Khloe and Lamar, Married to Rock and Spin Crowd (E!); Bad Girls Club and Love Games (Oxygen); Project Runway (Lifetime);and Saddle Ranch (VH1). Additionally, their film entity, BMP Films, has produced Pedro (MTV), Shadow Billionaire, and Autism: The Musical (HB0) which received two Emmy Awards.
Goldschein was named in Hollywood Reporter’s 15th Annual Next Generation Class of 2008.
Mark Lebowitz
CFO
Mark Lebowitz serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Bunim/Murray Productions (BMP). With over 25 years of experience in the entertainment/television industry, Mark oversees all of BMP’s accounting and finance-related activities of the company, including production finance, as well as financial planning and reporting to both senior management and BMP’s parent company in France, Banijay Entertainment.
Mark was previously the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Sony Pictures Worldwide Television operations where he spent over ten years leading the financial and business development activities of the group. During his tenure, he implemented new business and financial infrastructures for first run syndication, cable, TV networks (in the U.S. and internationally), animation, international production and digital businesses, leading to substantial revenue and earnings growth for the division. He was also previously the Vice President Controller of Paramount Pictures’ Worldwide Television and Video Group. Prior to joining BMP, Mark was the Chief Financial Officer of Liberation Entertainment, an independent distributor of entertainment content worldwide. He also held senior finance positions at TOKYOPOP, Stone Canyon Entertainment and HarperCollins Publishing.
Mark is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and holds a Masters of Business Administration Degree from the University Of Miami Graduate School Of Business. He is a Certified Public Accountant.
Scott Freeman
EVP of Original Programming & Development
Scott Freeman serves as Executive Vice President, Original Programming & Development for Bunim/Murray Productions (BMP). Freeman heads up BMP's development team with a busy slate of original and acquired projects continuously being developed, pitched and sold to broadcast and cable networks, new media outlets and international buyers. Current BMP projects include The Real World and The Challenge for MTV, Project Runway for Lifetime, The Bad Girls Club and Love Games for Oxygen, and Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kim & Kourtney Take New York and Khloe & Lamar for E! Entertainment.
In addition to his programming and development duties, Freeman is an Executive Producer on VH1’s Saddle Ranch; The Challenge and its Aftershows on MTV and was Co-EP on The Real World Awards Bash special – also on MTV. He was also an Executive Producer on the special Wealth Hunters for TLC and the independent film Pedro that premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and later aired on MTV.
Among the company's other signature projects to which Freeman has contributed his creative energy are Road Rules, The Simple Life, the Emmy Award winning Starting Over, Making the Band, Richard Branson’s Quest for the Best, Love Cruise, Girl Next Door: the Search for a Playboy Centerfold, Murder, America's Psychic Challenge, Dr. Steve-O, Living Lohan, Supreme Court of Comedy, Styl’D, Spin Crowd, Ski Patrol, Models of the Runway, the Emmy Award winning documentary Autism: The Musical, the documentary The Shadow Billionaire, the CBS TV-Movie Personally Yours and the first reality movie The Real Cancun. He also coordinated many books and direct-to-video/DVDs based on The Real World and Road Rules thru MTV.
Before BMP, Freeman worked in the TV syndication and cable department of the William Morris Agency and as a segment producer/talent coordinator for television specials in the U.S. and Scandinavia, the talk show Conversations with Dinah (Shore) on TNN: The Nashville Network, Match Game for ABC Daytime and Mark Goodson Productions, and various pilots, telethons, specials and direct-to-video projects.
Prior to his career in Los Angeles, Freeman earned his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Santa Clara University and traveled as a student/performer with the international youth program Up With People. He was Director of Publicity and Publications for San Jose Repertory Theatre and was a freelance entertainment writer/reviewer for Los Gatos Magazine and other South Bay Area publications.
Jeff Jenkins
EVP of Entertainment & Programming
Jeff Jenkins serves as the Executive Vice President of Entertainment and Programming for Bunim-Murray Productions. He is an Executive Producer of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” “Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami,” “Kourtney and Kim Take New York,” “Married to Rock,” and “The Spin Crowd,” all for E! Entertainment. He was also an Executive Producer of “Living Lohan,” for E! Entertainment, “Dr. Steve-O” for USA Network, and five seasons of “The Simple Life” for Fox Network and E! Entertainment. He was the Creator and Executive Producer of “Ski Patrol” for TruTV. Jeff wrote and directed the comedy feature film “Play Dead,” which premiered at the Slamdance International Film Festival and won Best Feature at the Mix Brazil Film Festival.
Fabian Andre
EVP of Business Development
Fabian Andre, SVP Business Development at Bunim-Murray Productions brings a talent for building and leveraging long-term strategic business relationships with brand marketers interested in exploring the entertainment space. Since joining BMP in 2003, he has worked with hundreds of companies including, Wal-Mart, Pepsi, Intel and T-Mobile, to produce branded entertainment content within the Bunim-Murray family of shows. A champion of merging the advertising and entertainment worlds, Fabian works diligently to find ways of generating innovative content for existing clients or develop custom entertainment properties for new clients.
Fabian and his team work directly with BMP’s network and cable television partners fulfilling advertising and integrated marketing related show elements, including product placements, co-branded commercial spots, short form interstitial content and original branded half-hour specials. Recently, this team produced BMP’s first internet based documentary “Life on Tour” for EF Tours a global leader in educational travel.
Fabian graduated from the University of Southern California with a Master in Business Administration in 2003 and from the University of California San Diego with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Cellular Biology in 1999.
David Berson
SVP, Business and Legal Affairs
As the Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at Bunim/Murray Productions, David Berson handles all of the Company’s business and legal affairs, working closely with all departments of the Company to service their deal making needs and manage legal matters. With Andrea Porrello, he negotiates and memorializes agreements for the development, production, financing, licensing and distribution of Bunim/Murray’s wide array of television, motion picture, new media and other projects. Prior to Bunim/Murray, Mr. Berson worked for Tribune Entertainment as the Senior Vice President of Business Affairs. He also practiced law at the firm of Fischbach, Perlstein, Lieberman & Yanny.
David began his entertainment business career at Warner Bros. Records, where he spent eight years working in all aspects of the music industry. For four of those years, Mr. Berson attended Loyola Law School in Los Angeles at night while negotiating contracts for Warner Records during the day. David then joined the law firm of Rudin, Richman & Appel where he worked in all areas of entertainment law. Mr. Berson also was the Director of Business and Legal Affairs for New World Pictures, Executive Vice President of FilmDallas Pictures, a “boutique” motion picture production and distribution company, and Vice President of Business Affairs at The Samuel Goldwyn Company.
David received his undergraduate degree from UCLA in botanical sciences and his law degree from Loyola Law School.
Dave Stone
VP of Music Development
Dave Stone is the Vice President of Music Development. He started working for Bunim-Murray in 1999 as the music coordinator for The Real World New Orleans. Since, Dave and his department have worked with everyone from the best up and coming talent to the biggest names in the business.
His credits now include seventeen seasons of The Real World, five seasons of Road Rules, numerous seasons of the The Real World/Road Rules Challenge, Project Runway, Keeping Up With the Kardashians franchise, Married To Rock, Bad Girls franchise, Saddle Ranch, The Simple Life, Starting Over, The Real Cancun for New Line Cinema and Making the Band. During his stay at BMP he also was the music supervisor for the emmy award winning documentary Autism: The Musical and Shadow Billionaire. He has also helped jump start the careers of many well known music acts with his practice of "finding them early before they blow up!"
In addition to the film/TV work, Stone has accomplished at BMP, he has also helped to create the first-ever music management company for BMP. The first signing, A Cursive Memory, had a break out video for their song “Everything” that broke a record on MySpace for the most views in a week by a rock band. Stone created and directed this video that eventually landed the band in the top 10 of Radio Disney, TRL and Fuse TV. Stone has recently welcome his new signing, Goldenwest into the BMP family.
Dave has worked in film and television music for over thirteen years and began his entertainment career working for the legendary Roger Corman. As Head of Music for Corman he oversaw over a dozen films and a Television series.
Mark Raudonis
VP of Post Production
As the Vice President of Post Production, Mark Raudonis oversees the editing and final finishing of all BMP shows. Changes in camera and editing technology have totally transformed this part of the industry over the past few years, and keeping BMP on the leading edge of those technological changes is a big part of Mark’s job.
Since joining BMP in 1994, during the San Francisco season of MTV’s The Real World, Mark has directed and edited countless Bunim-Murray shows. He received an Emmy nomination for his work as an editor on The Real World: Hawaii. Serving as the Post Producer for The Real World for many years, Mark developed a workflow and post process to transform the thousands of hours of raw footage into a compelling television viewing experience.
Mark began his career as a documentary film cameraman for PBS-TV station WMPB in Baltimore. After moving to Los Angeles to study at UCLA, he got a taste of the feature film world working for Robert Altman on the feature film Popeye. Next he spent several years directing and producing magazine style shows for KABC-TV and KCBS-TV, where he developed a strong interest in post production. As a freelance editor, Mark worked on many network shows, receiving an Emmy nomination for The Laugh-In 20th Anniversary Special.
Mark is a graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
Erin Cristall
SVP of Development
Erin Cristall joined BMP in 2007 as Vice President of Development. Since then, she has worked on the development of several projects, including VH1’s docuseries, Saddle Ranch, the Oxygen special Flo Gets Married (for both of which she also served as Co-Executive Producer), and the TLC special Wealth Hunters. Ongoing network projects include Oxygen’s tattoo competition series, Best Ink; a pilot for CW set in the world of Hollywood glamour; and creative development on Oxygen’s Love Games series.
In addition, Cristall continues to develop and pitch new shows to various networks, from game shows, to docuseries. As a Canadian French speaker, Cristall also works closely with BMP’s parent company, Banijay Entertainment Group, to bring foreign formats to both the US and Canada, and adapt BMP’s formats for the international market. She is currently working directly with the French development team on a French-language docusoap set in Hollywood, and previously developed a pilot for French network, NJR12, that explores couples’ relationships.
Prior to her arrival at BMP, Cristall was Director of Alternative Programming at New Line Television where she adapted the hit film, The Wedding Crashers, into NBC’s The Real Wedding Crashers; developed TV Land’s Family Foreman; and spearheaded pilots for CBS, GSN and SyFy Channel.
Cristall began her career in development at A. Smith & Co. as Manager of Development where she worked on the conception and production of the Fox hit series Paradise Hotel, and The Swan; the syndicated Pat Croce: Moving In, and spearheaded the development of Sy Fy Channel’s first reality competition, Mad Mad House.
Cristall’s additional television experience includes producing over 30 episodes of the syndicated crime series, Arrest & Trial, assisting on Big Brother 2, and serving as production assistant and “teen consultant” on the Canadian high school drama, Madison.
Cristall has also served production management and assistant director roles on several independent films such as the award-winning Ed Gein and 5 Card Stud. Cristall is a published artist, having designed book covers, and contributing to displays in Canadian galleries and government buildings. Cristall is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.
Debbie Hori
VP of Human Resources
Debbie Hori serves as Vice President, Human Resources for Bunim/Murray Productions. Hori oversees the human resources and recruiting functions, and joined the Bunim/Murray family in 2008. She has led the talented human resources team in process improvement initiatives, implemented a human resources information system, developed and delivered management training programs, and refined an infrastructure to ensure that Bunim/Murray continues to build its reputation as an employer of choice.
Hori is an accomplished human resources executive with a broad knowledge of employment laws, benefits, employee relations, training and development, and is a proven consultative resource for all levels from individuals to executive management. She has a history of consistent top performance in managing a variety of people-related initiatives.
Prior to joining Bunim/Murray Productions, Hori oversaw human resources at Metrocities Mortgage, where she built the infrastructure for the human resources department. During her tenure, Hori supported company growth from 300 to 1400 employees in six years. Hori is a graduate of California State University, Northridge, and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources through the Human Resources Certification Institute. Her professional memberships include the Society for Human Resource Management and the Professionals in Human Resources Association.
Bart Peele
VP of Operations
Bart Peele serves as Vice President of Operations for Bunim-Murray Productions and has been with the company for over a decade. Before coming to Los Angeles, Peele managed an independently owned entertainment company in Atlanta, Georgia specializing in corporate events and private parties.
Sasha Alpert
SVP of BMP Films and Casting
Sasha Alpert is Senior Vice President in charge of both casting for Bunim/Murray as well as BMP Films, where she started the documentary division in 2006. Their first film, AUTISM: THE MUSICAL, won two prime time Emmys, including Best Non-Fiction Special, and previously garnered numerous festival awards, including many audience awards. The film premiered on HBO in March, 2008. The next documentary SHADOW BILLIONAIRE, is the story of DHL founder and tycoon Larry Hillblom who disappeared mysteriously in a small plane crash leaving his unacknowledged children to fight for a share of his vast fortune. Currently, BMP Films is shooting a new documentary, tentatively called IT TAKES A VILLAGE, which unravels the complex story of the shooting in a high school classroom of a 15-year old gay teen by a fellow student.
Alpert has cast 17 seasons of THE REAL WORLD, seasons 7 and 8 of PROJECT RUNWAY, all seasons of THE BAD GIRLS CLUB, STARTING OVER, THE SIMPLE LIFE and many others. Additionally, she produced FOREVER HOLLYWOOD a film about the history of Hollywood -- which has been playing continuously at the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles for over 10 years. She has also produced numerous documentaries and specials for PBS, including films on the Western and Film Noir, and on the poets Sylvia Plath, TS Eliot and on Nobel Laureate Joseph Brodsky. In addition, she has produced specials for CBS, MTV, TBS and The Disney Channel.
Kesila Childers
Director of Digital Media
As Director of Digital Media for Bunim/Murray Productions, Kesila Childers oversees digital extensions for on-air properties, BMP-owned web properties, original digital content and social media initiatives. Prior to Bunim/Murray Productions Miss Childers worked in talent management. After working closely with talent pioneering the digital space she decided to make the leap form representation to digital. Kesila graduated from Ithaca College and is originally from Orange County California.
Rachel Speiser
VP of Development
As Vice President of Development for Bunim/Murray Productions, Rachel Speiser works with the creative development department on the creation, development and acquisition of television content. Her work encompasses international formats, talent driven concepts, as well as scripted television shows. Prior to joining Bunim/Murray in 2008, Ms. Speiser spent six years at 20th Century Fox Television, the last four of which saw her serving as an executive overseeing Comedy Development. Ms. Speiser began her career in the talent department of The William Morris Agency, after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley. In her spare time, Ms. Speiser supports a local non-profit organization, called Camp Happy Trails for Kids, which aims to provide stability, self-esteem and a sense of community to children in the Los Angeles County foster care system.
John Greco
VP of Production
John Greco is the Vice President Production of Bunim/Murray Productions. In addition to overseeing all aspects of production including casting, pre-production, production, and post production, John works closely with networks, producers, and vendors to ensure the creative needs fit within budget and schedule constraints.
Prior to joining BMP in 2008, Greco was the EIC at Ellman Entertainment where he oversaw productions such as Rob & Amber for FOX Reality, Hometown Heroes for DirecTV and Homemade Simple for TLC. John has also served as a Co-Executive Producer and Production Executive at Arden Entertainment and GRB Entertainment.
During that time, he oversaw production on television programming ranging from highly rated network specials to reality series, scripted and award winning documentaries. John also oversaw production on the behind-the-scenes specials for The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
A graduate of Emerson College and avid Boston sports fan, John resides in Los Angeles with his wife Stefania, his son Dante and daughter Gemma.
Daniel Tibbets
SVP of Digital Media
Daniel Tibbets has 20 years of entertainment programming and producing experience, and is currently the Senior Vice President Digital Media for Bunim/Murray Productions. Tibbets leads Bunim/Murray’s digital department including developing short-form programming for the web, mobile devices and other online and connected device distribution platforms. He is responsible for creative development, identifying new opportunities, online show extensions, web series and partnerships with brands for Bunim/Murray’s digital efforts.
Prior to BMP, Tibbets was Senior Vice President and Studio Chief at GoTV Networks where he oversaw all programming, development, production, and licensing of video content for mobile and broadband, as well as new distribution models. Tibbets lead GoTV Studios to become the largest producer and distributor of original video content accessible to mobile users in streaming and on-demand formats on all U.S. based wireless carriers (Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, Cricket, etc.), mobile operating systems (iOS, Android, Brew, Java, etc.) as well as for online and Internationally. GoTV Networks was acquired by Phunware in June, 2011.
Before joining GoTV, Tibbets held the position of Vice President, Production at Twentieth Television, and oversaw FOXLAB, Inc. While at Fox, Tibbets developed a number of successful television programs including the first convergence program to air on broadcast television, "Classmates" with Classmates.com. Tibbets is also credited with creating the "mobisode™" including Executive Producing the first two original content mobisodes™ Love and Hate and Sunset Hotel (winner of the Golden Eagle Award for Excellence) which launched on Verizon's VCAST in February, 2005.
Previously, Tibbets served as Vice President, Entertainment for Fireworks Television, where he developed live-action dramas for syndication with Tribune Entertainment and children’s half-hour series’ for Nickelodeon and NBC/Discovery Kids, including Strange Days at Blake Holsey High. Tibbets was also responsible for the U.S. sale of the eight-hour miniseries Robocop: Prime Directives to the Sci-Fi Channel as well as the two-hour MOW Stolen Miracle to Lifetime.
From his work at Papazian-Hirsch/Rysher Entertainment Tibbets is credited with the development and sale of the HBO series "ROME" and television films A Mother’s Testimony and Determination of Death for Lifetime and Face Value for Court TV.
Early in his career Tibbets served as a writer and producer on a number of notable television programs and specials including the Emmy-Award winning Streetwise, World Champions of Golf and BuzzTV, and the BBC/PBS mini-series Signs and Wonders starring James Earl Jones.
Tibbets has produced and/or contributed to the production and development of other award-winning, made for television series, including: Martha Stewart Living, Bob Vila, Pensacola: Wings of Gold, Psi Factor - Chronicles of the Paranormal, News for Kids, The Extremists, George Michael’s Sports Machine, America’s Most Wanted, Good Day Live, Judge Alex, On-Air with Ryan Seacrest, and many others.
Tibbets has a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with an emphasis in International Marketing and Business from Arizona State University. Tibbets serves on the Board of e-publishing company Premier Digital Publishing, is a member of the Emerging Media Task Force for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and on the Board of Directors for the CINE organization.