Kerry Kohansky Roberts
Encyclopedia
Kerry Kohansky Roberts is an American
film producer
best known for her work on the 2008 film
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
.
, New York
, Kohansky attended New York University
's (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts
in the late 1990s. She began to work for Chris
and Paul Weitz
in 2001 as their assistant on American Pie 2
. Working for their production company
, Depth of Field, she rose to a co-producer on the 2004 film
In Good Company and was promoted by the Weitz brothers to a vice president
of the company before the film's release. Paul Weitz, In Good Companys writer, director and producer, said that "Kerry was invaluable in the development and production of my [...] script. I was under the impression she was already a VP." His brother Chris claimed that "Kerry has proven her judgment, taste and commitment, and we're glad she'll be taking a bigger role in the company." She went on the executive produce
the Weitzes' 2006 film
American Dreamz
, satirizing American polictics and popular culture, and starring Hugh Grant
and Dennis Quaid
. After reading Rachel Cohn
and David Levithan
's novel Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
, she hired Lorene Scafaria
and Peter Sollett
—with whom she had attended NYU's film school, but had never met—to write and direct the book's film adaptation
, respectively. She was six months pregnant when the project was greenlit
and, though she was not present for principal photography
, she returned two weeks after giving birth to oversee reshoots and post-production
. She was named one of Variety
magazine's "10 Producers to Watch" of 2008 after its release.
Kohansky is currently exectutive producing Paul Weitz's upcoming 2009 film
Cirque du Freak
and his next film, Suck City. She says that her goal is "to continue to find and harbor projects I believe in and make them happen".
at Hollywood's William Morris Agency
. She gave birth to their first child, Clifford Wiley Roberts IV, on November 16, 2007 in Santa Monica
, California
.
She was inspired "to understand how movies are made" by her first viewing of 1984 film
Amadeus
when she was nine or ten years old.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
best known for her work on the 2008 film
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Peter Sollett and starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. Written by Lorene Scafaria and based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, the story tells of teenagers Nick and Norah , who meet when...
.
Career
Born in Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Kohansky attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
in the late 1990s. She began to work for Chris
Chris Weitz
Christopher John "Chris" Weitz is an American producer, writer, director and actor. He is best known for his work with his brother, Paul Weitz, on the comedy films American Pie and About a Boy, as well as directing the film adaptation of the novel The Golden Compass and the film adaptation of New...
and Paul Weitz
Paul Weitz (filmmaker)
Paul John Weitz is an American film producer, screenwriter, actor, and film director.-Personal life:Weitz was born in New York City, New York, the son of the actress Susan Kohner and novelist/fashion designer John Weitz, and the grandson of producer Paul Kohner and Mexican actress Lupita...
in 2001 as their assistant on American Pie 2
American Pie 2
American Pie 2 is a 2001 comedy film and sequel to American Pie and is the second film in the American Pie film series. It was written by Adam Herz and David H. Steinberg, and directed by J. B. Rogers. The film picks up the story of the four friends from the first film as they reunite during the...
. Working for their production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
, Depth of Field, she rose to a co-producer on the 2004 film
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
In Good Company and was promoted by the Weitz brothers to a vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of the company before the film's release. Paul Weitz, In Good Companys writer, director and producer, said that "Kerry was invaluable in the development and production of my [...] script. I was under the impression she was already a VP." His brother Chris claimed that "Kerry has proven her judgment, taste and commitment, and we're glad she'll be taking a bigger role in the company." She went on the executive produce
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
the Weitzes' 2006 film
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
American Dreamz
American Dreamz
American Dreamz is a 2006 comedy/parody film that satirizes both American politics and popular entertainment.Director/producer/writer Paul Weitz has stated that the movie is meant to satirize both the TV show American Idol and the Bush Administration...
, satirizing American polictics and popular culture, and starring Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
and Dennis Quaid
Dennis Quaid
Dennis William Quaid is an American actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s, his career rebounded in the 1990s after he overcame an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder...
. After reading Rachel Cohn
Rachel Cohn
Rachel Cohn is a young adult fiction author. Her first book, Gingerbread, was published in 2002...
and David Levithan
David Levithan
David Levithan is an American young-adult fiction editor and award-winning author. His first book, Boy Meets Boy, was published in 2003...
's novel Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Peter Sollett and starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. Written by Lorene Scafaria and based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, the story tells of teenagers Nick and Norah , who meet when...
, she hired Lorene Scafaria
Lorene Scafaria
Lorene Scafaria is an American screenwriter, playwright, actor and singer best known for her work on the 2008 film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.-Early life:...
and Peter Sollett
Peter Sollett
Peter Sollett is an American film director and screenwriter known for his feature films Raising Victor Vargas and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist .-Career:...
—with whom she had attended NYU's film school, but had never met—to write and direct the book's film adaptation
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
, respectively. She was six months pregnant when the project was greenlit
Greenlight
To green-light a project is to give permission or a go ahead to move forward with a project. In the context of the movie and TV businesses, to green-light something is to formally approve its production finance, thereby allowing the project to move forward from the development phase to...
and, though she was not present for principal photography
Principal photography
thumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed, with actors on set and cameras rolling, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....
, she returned two weeks after giving birth to oversee reshoots and post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
. She was named one of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine's "10 Producers to Watch" of 2008 after its release.
Kohansky is currently exectutive producing Paul Weitz's upcoming 2009 film
2009 in film
The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
Cirque du Freak
Cirque du Freak (film)
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant is the 2009 American film adaptation of the Vampire Blood trilogy of the book series The Saga of Darren Shan by author Darren Shan.-Plot:...
and his next film, Suck City. She says that her goal is "to continue to find and harbor projects I believe in and make them happen".
Personal life
Kohansky is married to Cliff Roberts, a talent agentTalent agent
A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, film directors, musicians, models, producers, professional athletes, writers and other people in various entertainment businesses. Having an agent is not required, but does help the artist in getting jobs...
at Hollywood's William Morris Agency
William Morris Agency
WME is the largest talent agency in the world, with offices in Beverly Hills, New York City, Nashville, London, and Miami. WME represents elite artists from all facets of the entertainment industry, including motion pictures, television, music, theatre, publishing, and physical production...
. She gave birth to their first child, Clifford Wiley Roberts IV, on November 16, 2007 in Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
She was inspired "to understand how movies are made" by her first viewing of 1984 film
1984 in film
-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....
Amadeus
Amadeus (film)
Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the...
when she was nine or ten years old.