Ron Cogan Vice President Marketing and Communications Entertainment Partners Phone: 818.955.6295Email
October 26, 2011Press Release: Entertainment Partners Expands into Alabama to Provide Production Support and Procurement ServicesHOOVER, AL – Entertainment Partners (EP), the leader in payroll, residuals, and production services, and its subsidiary, EPPS Purchasing, Inc. (EPPS), are expanding into Alabama (AL). EP will provide local filmmakers with production support and consultation services, while EPPS will offer production equipment, supplies, and products to the local film industry. EP and EPPS will base its AL operations in the city of Hoover because of its central location and proximity to Birmingham, but will also work with projects in Mobile and Huntsville.
EP has been working closely with state officials to help bring in new projects and provide feedback regarding the current film tax credit program and current state infrastructure to support local filmmaking. “Several producers have decided to shoot their next film project in Alabama since EP first announced the opening of our new office,” stated Marco Cordova, Director of Business Development and Production Planning at EP. He continues, “Based on my experience working with local businesses, residents, and state officials, Alabama seems to be embracing the opportunity to work with more film and television productions, and the state is committed to improving and enhancing the incentives and moviemaking experience for producers. EP is truly excited to be part of the growing Alabama film industry.”
EP’s office is located at 571 Park Avenue in Hoover. Hoover’s proximity to local productions and Birmingham International Airport, as well as the support received from the Mayor’s Office, makes it an ideal location for EP and EPPS.
April 19, 2011Press Release: Entertainment Partners Releases Movie Magic Scheduling To Go for iPad® BURBANK, CA – Entertainment Partners (EP), the leader in payroll and production services, has released Movie Magic Scheduling (MMS) To Go for the iPad, a companion to the MMS 5 desktop application. MMS To Go allows users to import and make on-the-go changes to existing schedules, and then save and export schedules back to the desktop application.
MMS To Go was created based on user feedback obtained through training classes and EP's social network. "We are so excited to provide the ability to adjust Movie Magic schedules on the go. DGA member Franklyn Gottbetter has been helming our Movie Magic Scheduling product development efforts, which has provided a huge benefit in terms of understanding the needs of our users," says Ron Cogan, Vice President of Marketing and Communications.
Other features of MMS To Go include:
MMS To Go is now available on the App Store. To view the "Movie Magic Scheduling To Go Feature Walkthrough Video," please visit our BroadcastEP Channel on YouTube.
February 28, 2011Press Release: Entertainment Partners' Becky Harshberger Named to IRS Advisory BoardBURBANK, CA – Becky Harshberger, Director of Payroll Tax Administration at Entertainment Partners (EP), has been appointed to the Information Reporting Program Advisory Committee (IRPAC). This Committee consists of a group of individuals that provide industry perspective and recommendations that assist the IRS in making decisions about third-party information reporting. Becky will serve a three year term, and is one of 24 members from around the country.
Becky is a Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) with over 10 years experience in tax information reporting. She is responsible for the proper taxation of US citizens working on motion picture and television productions in the US and multiple countries around the world. Previously she was a Senior Manager, at both Deloitte & Touche and PricewaterhouseCoopers National Payroll/Employment Tax Practices, in Los Angeles. Prior to her employment in public accounting, she worked in unemployment claims/payroll tax consulting, human resources and recruiting positions. Becky is on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Payroll Association and has been teaching the CPP review course annually since 1999.
"This appointment is a terrific opportunity for Becky to share her expertise with the community at large," notes Entertainment Partners President and Chief Executive Officer, Markham L. Goldstein, "and we are confident her presence will yield significant benefit for IRPAC." Becky says of her appointment, "During the past few years the issues surrounding payroll and employee benefits reporting have grown increasingly complex. I am excited to be able to serve both my colleagues at the American Payroll Association as well as those in the entertainment industry by addressing the inherent challenges head on."
February 17, 2011Press Release: Entertainment Partners Expands into Wilmington, North Carolina to Provide Payroll and Procurement ServicesWILMINGTON, NC – Entertainment Partners (EP), the leader in payroll and production services, is expanding into Wilmington, North Carolina (NC) to provide both payroll and procurement services. Procurement services will be offered through EPPS Purchasing, Inc., EP's production equipment and supplies vendor for state film incentive purposes. Through this office, EP's Incentive Solutions team will be able to provide local support to the productions currently filming in NC, as well as provide consultation to those considering filming in the state.
"We're here to serve our clients, and we're pleased that production demands have grown so much in North Carolina," said Michael Hill, Executive VP of Marketing. EP will also work closely with the Wilmington Regional Film Commission and the North Carolina Film Office. Johnny Griffin, Director of The Wilmington Regional Film Commission states, "We're excited to have Entertainment Partners expand its operation into Wilmington. This is continued proof that the film business is growing in North Carolina and as a result, industry specific vendors will see the need to locate here."
EP's office is located at EUE Screen Gems Studio, a television and movie production facility. The production activity and resources available at EUE Screen Gems Studio will complement the services and products offered by Entertainment Partners and EPPS Purchasing, Inc. Hillary Meinheit, a Wilmington native, is the account representative working from this office, servicing clients located throughout the state. Meinheit has worked in the film industry for 13 years, most recently at a local creative design company.
May 12, 2010 Press Release: Entertainment Partners Honored for Excellence by ESOP AssociationWASHINGTON, DC - Entertainment Partners (EP) has been selected by The ESOP Association as its 2010 Employee Ownership Month Poster Contest Winner. The winning poster design was unveiled at the Association's 33rd Annual Conference in Washington, DC, in front of 250 guests. The ESOP Association is the national trade association for companies with employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and the leading voice in America for employee ownership.
The poster was selected because of the idea it expressed: "My Company Your Company Our Company." It will be used by the Association to promote employee ownership month, which takes place every October and is a celebration of the incredible spirit of employee ownership.
The company's efforts were also recognized by The ESOP Association as the first prize winner of the 2010 Total Communications Excellence, 501-1000 Employees Annual Award for Communications Excellence (AACE). The AACE Awards are sponsored each year by the Association to recognize the outstanding communications and educational programs of its members.
"What exciting recognition for our company," noted Ron Cogan, VP, Marketing and Communications at EP. "The support of our Executive Management and the talents of our ESOP Communications team created a winning formula for success."
AACE Award winners are chosen by a panel of five judges made up of both management and non-management employee owners, each of whom has demonstrated active experience and interest in the field of ESOPs and employee ownership.
The core cause of The ESOP Association is the belief that employee ownership will improve American competitiveness, increase productivity through greater employee participation, and strengthen our free enterprise economy.