Universal-backed production venture Hypnotic has tapped James Malatesta VP and creative director of branded entertainment, Dayna Lustig VP of distribution and Douglas Scott VP of marketing.
The hirings come after the completion of the merger of Hypnotic, which also runs short-film Web site Hypnotic.com, with Netcaster Nibblebox.com, the Santa Monica-based company founded in part by helmer Doug Liman.
The companies are looking to expand acquiring and developing original entertainment for content buyers, consumer brands and advertising agencies while developing the talents of emerging filmmakers for commercials, television and feature-film production.
“James, Dayna and Douglas bring a wealth of experience and established relationships to Hypnotic,” said Hypnotic CEO Dave Bartis, former topper of Nibblebox. “Their knowledge will be essential to furthering Hypnotic as an entertainment and marketing services company.”
Malatesta is responsible for overseeing the creative development and execution of Hypnotic’s sponsored productions. A former strategic planner, account director and producer at advertising agencies DDB Needham, Berlin Cameron & Partners and Pittard Sullivan, Malatesta was most recently VP of content development at interactive television startup WatchPoint Media.
Lustig will manage the offline distribution of Hypnotic’s films. She was most recently veep of programming enterprises at TV and film production and distribution company Unapix Entertainment. Before that, Lustig was director of acquisitions at GoodTimes Entertainment.
Scott will manage cross-marketing opportunities with U, establish brand awareness with filmmakers, entertainment buyers and distributors, oversee film festival participation and exec produce Hypnotic’s Million Dollar Film Festival. Most recently, Scott was exec VP and general manager of online trading service Hollywood Stock Exchange.
