Frank Spotnitzs Big Light Productions Names BBC Vet Oliver Lang As COO
Big Light Productions, the busy indie headed by Frank Spotnitz, has named Oliver Lang as Chief Opera..
Big Light Productions, the busy indie headed by Frank Spotnitz, has named Oliver Lang as Chief Operating Officer. Based at Big Lights London headquarters, Lang will oversee the companys operations, strategic partnerships and financing for drama projects.
Lang is currently Managing Director of Sharp Edge Media, the company he founded earlier this year to provide commercial and strategic advice to the TV industry. He will continue in that role, overseeing the firms growth, in addition to his new job at Big Light.
The exec has worked in the TV industry for over 20 years and has held senior positions at the BBC, BBC Worldwide, Carlton Television and in the independent sector. He has been responsible for over £1B of investment in original production, led major organizational change and established BBC Worldwide as a leading investor in the UK production sector. His board level experience includes as a director of UKTV and of Baby Cow Productions.
Before founding Sharp Edge, Lang was Controller of Content Investment at BBCWW, overseeing investment in such programs as Blue Planet II, Sherlock and Strictly Come Dancing. He initiated BBCWWs strategy for investment in UK production companies Lookout Point, Baby Cow, Clerkenwell, Original Talent and 72 Films. Prior to that post, Lang was Head of Operations and Business Affairs for Factual Commissioning at BBC Television, with responsibility for a commissioning business delivering 2000 hours of original productions a year. Programs broadcast during the period include The Great British Bake Off, Who Do You Think You Are and Frozen Planet.
Says Spotnitz, “Oliver possesses a wealth of experience, incredible strategic know-how and deeply held relationships in the industry. Hes a huge asset, and Im thrilled hes putting his strengths to work for Big Light.”
Lang is “delighted to be joining Frank and the team at Big Light. I love the ambition of their shows and the richness of their slate and Im looking forward to scaling new heights with them.”
X-Files alum Spotnitz founded Big Light in 2013 to create and oversee a diverse slate of international television series including drama, comedy and documentaries. The London- and Paris-based production companys projects include the Emmy award-winning Amazon drama series The Man In The High Castle, now in its fourth season; Ransom, now in its third season for CBS and Global; Medici: Masters Of Florence and two seasons of Medici: The Magnificent, both for RAI and Netflix; as well as The Indian Detective for Netflix.
