Animation
DreamWorks Animation to launch live-action TV unit; taps Katie O’Connell Marsh as head
MUMBAI: DreamWorks Animation has appointed Katie O’Connell Marsh as head of global live-action television, a role in which she will oversee the expansion of DWA’s television business into the live-action genre.
Marsh will be based at the company’s Glendale headquarters and begin her duties in January 2016.
“Television has quickly grown into one of our most successful businesses and, as the demand for kids and co-viewing content continues to rise, extending the DreamWorks Animation brand to live-action TV in a strategic and financially disciplined way will spur even further growth. Katie’s proven track record of developing hit live-action television programming, coupled with her success in quickly building television businesses from the ground up, makes her the perfect executive to lead us into this new genre,” said DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.
“Our move into live-action will enable DWA to further capitalize on the evolving television landscape by creating new opportunities on both traditional and emerging platforms for our branded series. Moreover, live action will give us yet another creative lens with which to explore our library of rich storytelling and memorable characters that have resonated with audiences for the past two decades,” added DreamWorks Animation president Ann Daly.
“When Jeffrey and Ann approached me, I was impressed by the endless possibilities and unique specificity of the opportunities that lie ahead, as I have always admired the iconic and global DreamWorks Animation brand The existing library of brands, coupled with a desire for original content, makes this opportunity incredibly special. I look forward to working with Jeffrey, Ann and everyone at DWA,” said Marsh.
Marsh joins DreamWorks Animation, having served since 2010 as the CEO of Gaumont International Television (GIT), a division of Gaumont SA she built from the ground up. Previously, she was an executive at NBC, where she first served as SVP of development in New York. Marsh was ultimately elevated to EVP of drama programming.
Prior to NBC, Marsh was EVP of development and current programming at Imagine Television, where she developed numerous comedy and drama projects.
MUMBAI: History is getting a fresh rewrite this time with code, creativity and a longer arc in mind. Lens Vault Studios has announced its first original production, Bal Tanhaji, marking the official entry of the newly launched, tech-driven studio into India’s evolving entertainment landscape.
Arriving six years after the box-office success of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, the new project expands the universe rather than revisiting familiar ground. Bal Tanhaji explores uncharted narrative territory, signalling a clear shift from one-off cinematic spectacles to long-format, world-building storytelling designed for digital-first audiences.
At the heart of this ambition is Prismix Studios, the in-house generative AI and technology arm powering the creative engine behind the show. The studio’s approach blends storytelling with next-generation tools, aiming to reimagine how Indian IPs are created, scaled and sustained beyond theatrical releases.
For Lens Vault Studios chairman Ajay Devgn the new venture represents a deliberate step beyond traditional cinema. The focus is firmly on building long-form intellectual properties across fiction and non-fiction, tailored to changing viewing habits and platform-led consumption. He said the studio intends to explore formats that remain largely untapped, while drawing on the team’s experience with large-scale cinematic storytelling.
Lens Vault Studios founder and CEO Danish Devgn echoed that sentiment, describing Bal Tanhaji as the studio’s first generative-AI-led IP and the starting point of a broader vision. The aim, he noted, is to carry forward the legacy of the Tanhaji universe while connecting with younger audiences through a blend of powerful narratives and emerging technologies.
With Bal Tanhaji, Lens Vault Studios is planting its flag early not just launching a show, but signalling a larger play for cinematic universes that live, grow and evolve across platforms. If this debut is any indication, the future of Indian storytelling may be as much about imagination as it is about innovation.
