Industry Newsflash: Steiner Swells, Hart Sharp Over

(L-R) Producers John Hart and Jeffrey Sharp (Photo: NY Social Diary)

A pair of interesting odds and ends emerged on the NYC industry radar this morning, perhaps the most notable being Steiner Studios' plans to redevelop a nearby seven-story building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard -- thus expanding its 3-year-old facility by around 600,000 square feet and "creating a full-blown media campus to be on par with any of the major lots in Hollywood," according to an unnamed source close to the project. Anonymous, wildly generalized bromides aside, this is the latest burst in a surge of good news for the city's film industry, which had its best-ever job totals and overall economic impact in 2006 while restoring its tax-incentive program in time for a continued flourish in 2007.

The Reeler hears things are not as cheery at the Broadway HQ of Hart Sharp Entertainment, where co-founders John Hart and Jeffrey Sharp chose Valentine's Day to disclose their dissolution after a decade of partnership. According to a note just kicked over the icy transom:

(Hart's) new venture (Evamere) will focus on feature film and Broadway theatrical productions. “We look forward to partnering with directors, writers and talent to finance their projects and protect their artistic freedom,” adds Hart.

Evamere’s upcoming slate includes: Todd Solondz’s new film, Life During Wartime ... ; Alice Goes To Harlem, to be written by Geoffrey Holder and Hilton Als; James Solomon’s The Conspirator; and lastly an adaptation of the classic Macbeth, entitled Come Like Shadows adapted by Nick Saunders and Jennifer Lee Carrell.

No word yet on Sharp's forthcoming prospects, but they evidently don't include looking after the library of titles including Super Size Me, Down to the Bone and the perennial favorite, The Making Of The Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders 2005-2006 Lingerie Calendar Video -- Hart's got all of those and the rest as well, leaving little more than a stapler and a conversation heart emblazoned "CALL ME" on the kitchen counter. Anyway, good luck to both.

Posted at February 14, 2007 11:49 AM