As I delve into the captivating tale of 2AM, a production powerhouse that’s shaking up the indie film scene, I can’t help but feel awe-struck by their relentless pursuit of excellence and unwavering commitment to nurturing talent. The trio at the helm – D’Souza Gelb, Rowe, and Hinojosa – have built a formidable empire on the foundation of their collective experiences and a shared passion for championing underdogs in the world of cinema.
Last year marked the first in-person iteration of the Sundance Film Festival since the pandemic necessitated its online shift for two consecutive years. Simultaneously, it served as the inaugural presentation for 2AM, a new production and management company led by Christine D’Souza Gelb (producer), David Hinojosa, and Kevin Rowe.
At the festival, I got to witness the premiere of some amazing productions at 2AM, including Celine Song’s “Past Lives” and the competition title “The Starling Girl”. Other feature debuts like A.V. Rockwell’s “A Thousand and One” were also screened. It was truly an unforgettable moment when our small company, which we’ve been nurturing during the pandemic, won the festival’s top prize with their work – it felt like a significant comeback for Sundance!
2AM was conceived in the year 2020, during a period when the entire industry was thrown into chaos, especially the independent film market. Three years have passed since its inception, and the company now boasts a roster of talented individuals such as Jeremy O. Harris and Lukas Gage. They also have a lineup that includes the Oscar-nominated movie “Past Lives”. For the first time since their launch, the trio discusses the rocky beginnings of 2AM.
“Indie films suffered due to COVID-19 not being factored into their business model. Financially, there was no longer a way to mitigate the risk, so adjustments had to be made,” Hinojosa explained to The Hollywood Reporter. “We’re establishing an independent company that we want to thrive independently.”
In the hours leading up to 2AM, D’Souza Gelb, Hinojosa, and Rowe frequently collaborated throughout significant portions of their professional lives. D’Souza Gelb spent considerable time at WME and Endeavor Content, focusing on independent projects, selling them from every major film festival and market. Meanwhile, Hinojosa worked under the New York-based independent production powerhouse Killer Films, led by Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler. Notably, his work included Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed.” As for Rowe, he kickstarted his career at Odenkirk Provissiero before establishing his own company, Elia, where he mentored filmmaking prodigies like Ari Aster in the horror genre.
According to Rowe, “For the past ten years or so, we’ve been independently working on various projects within our respective domains. We recognized that there was a chance to construct something innovative together based on these shared experiences.”
Eventually, the trio found themselves united by A24. For quite some time, D’Souza Gelb had been selling films to A24, while Hinojosa was fresh from producing the feature film adaptation of a popular Twitter thread called Zola, which was co-written and directed by Janicza Bravo, who is represented by Rowe. A24 initially funded their project, allowing them the time to grow and debut in 2021 as 2AM. D’Souza Gelb manages day-to-day operations, handles sales, and collaborates with Hinojosa, who oversees the productions of 2AM. Rowe is responsible for managing the operation’s affairs.
Management companies like Brillstein Entertainment (acquired by Wasserman last year) and Range Media (founded in 2020) are common in Hollywood, but this team aimed to create a structure tailored for the unique environment of the independent film industry they were working within.
In my perspective as a passionate enthusiast, I’ve come to realize that at an agency, serving is not just about choosing what you love; it also involves taking care of everything else. As we invest our time and effort into creating a film, even if that means working at unusual hours like 2AM, we must keep in mind from the very beginning of project selection and discussions with filmmakers, there’s a roadmap for how we’ll market this piece or find it a suitable platform to thrive.
In establishing the company, they chose not to limit 2AM’s production division to exclusively cater to their own clients. Instead, Hinojosa curates his projects independently, collaborating with Rowe’s talent when it is appropriate. Each founder capitalized on their long-standing connections developed throughout their careers in the independent film industry. As Hinojosa puts it, “Our reputation was our identity.”
2AM and A24 are often linked due to their shared financial backing and production collaborations, but industry experts wonder about the actual relationship between them. According to 2AM’s co-founder, D’Souza Gelb, there are no initial rights or commitments to view their projects first, and their operations remain completely distinct.
According to Rowe, from the client management perspective, this arrangement wouldn’t be feasible if we felt bound or owed anything to them. Despite our deep admiration and respect for them, we’ve produced some fantastic work together. As for production, Hinojosa notes that most of their completed and upcoming projects are done with A24. However, many of their long-term projects are with different studios, and more importantly, A24 plays a significant role in the market they cater to: there’s often a great deal of creative common ground.
Between 2020 and 2022, during the early hours of 2AM, production and management companies had a golden opportunity to tap into the peak investor interest in entertainment, which reached unprecedented levels as interest rates plummeted to record lows. Many did take advantage of this situation. However, 2AM opted against delving into the financing sector.
“D’Souza Gelb mentions they don’t need approval from any other board of people. They are making decisions based on their convictions,” says D’Souza Gelb. He adds that they have been approached about being bought out and have also considered purchasing smaller companies. With a team of 15 employees, including support staff, distributed across offices in New York and Los Angeles, 2AM has grown organically over the past three years.
Under Rowe’s guidance, his team has been securing on-screen talent such as Sonoya Mizuno and aiding clients like Harris and Elegance Bratton (director of The Inspection) in establishing their own production studios. In terms of production, with the addition of Dan Magnante from Feigco to our team, we are poised for expansion into television. Our upcoming projects include Song’s highly anticipated next film, The Materialist, and the TV series Let the Record Show directed by Andrew Haigh (director of All of Us Strangers).
Approximately half of the upcoming movies from 2AM are being made by directors that the trio has collaborated with previously. As stated by D’Souza Gelb, “Over the course of our careers, we’ve worked extensively with both first-time and second-time filmmakers, nurturing their talent and taking a chance on projects we believe in. These aren’t just directors we’ll collaborate with once, but partners we aim to grow with over time.”
2AM Studio released Halina Reijn’s slasher comedy “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies”, their first production, last year. Recently, at the Venice Film Festival, Hinojosa was present for the premiere of another 2AM project – “Babygirl”, directed by Reijn. This intriguing thriller, featuring Nicole Kidman, has been the standout film in a crowded festival lineup and currently boasts a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Hinojosa points out that 2AM is now serving as an executive producer on various projects, collaborating with younger producers to guide them. He expresses concern about the decline of apprenticeship within the independent film industry, stating, “That’s a system drying up.” He recalls, “We had assistance along the way.” D’Souza Gelb echoes this sentiment, saying, “Every one of us has drawn significantly from various connections and mentors in shaping our approach to this business. We felt equipped and ready to lead within this industry.”
This story appeared in the Sept. 4 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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2024-09-06 18:25