Munich- and London-based sales and production company K5 Media Group is expanding to the US with the launch of K5 International LLC in Los Angeles. Kevin Frakes will be the new division’s CEO.

K5 co-founders Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur, along with Frakes, have secured $30m in equity capital for the new company, which will be invested in productions over the next two years. The international division will handle all international sales.

According to K5, Frakes’ main role will be to source investment opportunities and to work with producers and agents in LA on “larger scale productions”.

Frakes has recently worked with K5 on Paul Walker actionVehicle 19 and Bille August’s Night Train to Lisbon. He will remain owner and CEO of Palmstar Entertainment and Co-CEO of PalmStar Media Capital.

In 2009 K5 International acquired a stake in PalmStar Entertainment and entered into a representation deal.

Daniel Baur, partner at K5, said: “Kevin is the best person you can imagine to have in Los Angeles. He is a brilliant entrepreneur with an in-depth understanding of all aspects of the industry from development and production, to finance and distribution. He was immediately our first choice to head up K5’s LA operation.”

K5 founding partner Oliver Simon added: “As we begin to expand our involvement in the development and production of major feature films, Kevin’s access to and knowledge of the Hollywood talent system will deliver the calibre of cast and producer we’ve grown to expect from our films.”

“I am thrilled to be working with Oliver, Daniel and the whole team of K5,” said Frakes. “In a very short time they have built the company into a world-class sales agency. They have amazing taste in their selection of films and are smart about the financing and structuring of the deals. I didn’t hesitate when they asked me to spearhead their US operation.”

Directed by: Kevin Carraway

Written by: Kevin Carraway, Lawrence Sara

Executive producers: Kevin Scott Frakes, Michael Bassick, Terry Hilliard, Aaron Johnson, Tom Reilly, Lise Romanoff

Producers: Eric Fischer, Brianna Lee Johnson, Aymie Majerski, Warren Ostergard, Terry Rindal

Co-Executive producer: Peggy Taylor,

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Cast: Val Kilmer, Ving Rhames and Luke Goss

IMDB Profile

Synopsis

The story centers on a group of strangers brought together when a terrible storm leaves them stranded in a house in the woods where a terrible event transpired exactly 100 years prior. The group seems trapped in a ghostly time warp, and history is repeating itself.

Director:

Writers: Ulrich Herrmann, Greg Latter, Pascal Mercier

Cast: Jeremy Irons, Christopher Lee, Mélanie Laurent, Vanessa Redgrave

Executive Producer: Kevin Scott Frakes, Tom Reilly

Producers: Andreas Knoblauch, Michael Lehmann, Kerstin Ramcke, Peter Reichenbach, Gunther Russ, Benjamin Seikel

Co-Producers: Ana Costa, Paulo Trancoso

Genre: Romance | Thriller

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Summary

Raimund Gregorius, a Swiss Professor abandons his lectures and buttoned-down, life to embark on a thrilling adventure that will take him on a journey to the very heart of himself.

Director: Mukunda Michael Dewil

Writer: Mukunda Michael Dewil

Production Companies: PalmStar Media Capital, Efish Entertainment, Andrew Lauren Productions

Executive Producers: Paul Walker

Producers: Ryan Haidarian, Peter Safran

Cast: Paul Walker

Genre: Thriller

IMDB Profile

Summary:

A recently paroled man is given the wrong vehicle at a rental company and stumbles upon key evidence in a corruption trial. After being framed by crooked cops, he must circumvent an entire police force in a city he doesn’t know if he is to clear his name and get the evidence to the prosecution in time.

“PalmStar is pleased to have Michael and Dan on board,” said Kevin Frakes, Co-CEO and Founder of PalmStar Media Capital.  “Michael brings to the firm a tremendous knowledge of film financing and outstanding fund raising capabilities and Dan provides a wealth of experience in corporate finance and sales with a proven ability to execute on business strategies.”

Bassick joined the firm in March 2011 and was previously Founder/CEO of Markedia Worldwide, a film and branded entertainment studio, and Managing Partner of MJB Ventures, a boutique film investment company..  He brings over 15 years of experience in film finance, media and marketing to PalmStar and has invested in the development, production, and distribution of numerous film projects over the past 6 years.   Bassick began his career as a banker and holds a B.S. in Management from Purdue University and is a graduate of Babson College’s entrepreneurial MBA program.

Jahns was previously COO of Fierce Entertainment, a film development, production and finance company located in West Hollywood.  He brings over 20 years of experience in sales and financial services with companies including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Fidelity Research & Management and Reuters.  Jahns holds a B.A. in Economics and Japanese Studies from Bucknell University, an MA in International Business from the University of Pennsylvania’s Lauder Institute and an MBA from The Wharton School of Business.

PalmStar most recently collaborated with K5 International to Co-Finance two film projects; the Paul Walker starrer Vehicle 19 which completed production in South Africa in September and Bille August’s Night Train to Lisbon staring Jeremy Irons. The film, produced by Studio Hamburg Filmproduktion, is set to begin production later this year.