Feola Pegged To Head New Family Division At Universal

In a move designed to accelerate its family and direct-to-video output, Universal Pictures has created a new division, Universal Family & Home Entertainment Production. Universal Studios Home Video president Louis Feola has been picked to head the new division.
Feola, who has headed worldwide operations for the video division since 1992, will be responsible for the development and production of direct-to-video, live-action, and animated television product. He'll also be responsible for Universal Cartoon Studios' operations and acquisitions.
Feola's appointment takes effect immediately, and Universal Pictures COO Chris McGurk says more executive changes at the video division are in the works.
McGurk wouldn't elaborate on future appointments, but industry sources indicate video division executive VP Andrew Kairey will move over to head the division's international operations.
Kairey, who is now responsible for domestic marketing and sales, will be replaced by a yet-to-be named executive.
Sources at the video division say employees were 'really stunned' when the Feola appointment was announced at a Feb. 3 staff meeting. Feola has been with the video division for 15 years and has worked for Universal for 20 years.
McGurk says the studio expects to name a replacement for Feola within the next four to six weeks; he says other executive changes will come sooner. In the meantime, he says, Kairey will take over Feola's duties.
The new family division, which has been in the works for more than a year, already has an executive staff in place and several direct-to-video titles in production.
Joining Feola will be Suzie Peterson, as senior VP of direct-to-video programming, and Patti Jackson, who has been named VP of direct-to-video. Peterson had been VP of creative at Universal Cartoon Studios, while Jackson was VP of product and development of sell-through video at the video division.
Other executives include former Golden Books Video executive Nancy Steingard, who has been appointed executive VP of family TV development, and Ellen Cockrill, named VP of TV family development.
Feola says other appointments will be made shortly.
Direct-to-video titles on the production slate include the sixth and seventh volumes of 'The Land Before Time,' the third and fourth volumes of 'An American Tale,' and 'Alvin And The Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein.'
McGurk says the division's goal is to release between six and eight direct-to-video titles per year, plus at least one animated theatrical feature by 2000.
All sales for video product will be handled by Universal Music and Video Distribution (UMVD), and marketing duties will be handled by Universal Studios Home Video.
'The television component is the key,' says Feola, 'and by folding everything in one unit, we have a coordinated family effort.'
In addition, McGurk says, the move will focus on strengthening the studio's brands. These include the television properties Casper the Friendly Ghost and Woody Woodpecker, as well as the video series 'The Land Before Time,' which has sold about 18 million units.
The Feola appointment comes on the heels of changes at UMVD, which brought in Craig Kornblau as VP/GM last month.
A former Buena Vista Home Entertainment executive, Kornblau is part of a three-member team formed to combining UMVD's video and audio sales efforts. Other members of the executive team are VP/GM Jim Urie and president Henry Droz (Billboard, Jan. 31).

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