Timothy Thompson, CEO
Mr. Thompson and his family members are the lead investors in Cross Creek and its affiliated funds. Mr. Thompson is a member of the Board of Directors of The Cross Group, an offshore oilfield services provider. He has been associated with the company since its inception in 1997, serving in various capacities, including as Senior Vice President of Business Development. Mr. Thompson is also a principal shareholder in The Investment Group, Inc., a privately owned investment company with ownership interests in operating companies, real estate, and other capital ventures. Previously, Mr. Thompson served as President of Continental Financial Group, Inc., a home mortgage lender and financial services company. In 2009, Mr. Thompson founded CCP with the goal of developing, financing, and producing a strong slate of feature films with “A-list” talent and broad market appeal. To date, Cross Creek has produced and financed 13 films and has grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office.
Marlin Prager, Head of Finance
Marlin Prager is the former Chief Financial Officer of Legendary Pictures. Mr. Prager was with Legendary from 2005-2017 and closed more than $3 billion of bank financings along with several equity raises including the final acquisition of Legendary by Wanda for a reported $3.5B in 2016. Other items of note while at Legendary include acquisition and investment in various media companies, building out of internal controls and enterprise wide reporting systems, and growing a staff of finance and accounting professionals.
Prior to joining Legendary, Mr. Prager was a partner at W2 Films where he was responsible for coordinating with film auditors to handle fund compliance and was also involved in the structuring of German Tax Motivated Film Structures. During his time at W2 Films, he also created Digital Cinema Ventures, a start-up entity dedicated to the build-out of digital projector systems at multiple theater venues. Mr. Prager was previously a member of the entertainment and media team at Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin and at Price Waterhouse, LLP in a variety of accounting, financial and strategic roles which included mergers and acquisitions, film and music related financings and investments, insurance backed film instruments, etc. In addition, during 2001, Mr. Prager founded a digital media services start-up known as Sample Digital, Inc. which works with well-known clients (including Microsoft and many major film studios) to facilitate the digital distribution of film dailies and other media content via the internet. Sample Digital was eventually sold, returning a solid return to their investors. In 2015, Mr. Prager also raised $6mm and structured an investment into OpenDrives, LLC, which sells high speed performance storage. He remains active with OpenDrivesin a financial and strategic role. Mr. Prager earned his MBA from UCLA's Anderson School of Management in 2002. He also attended UCLA as an undergraduate and graduated Cum Laude in 1995 with his BA in Economics.
Marc Butan, President
Marc Butan has worked in film production for over 15 years after beginning his career in investment banking. Butan has used his combination of creative, distribution and financial experience to focus on supporting top talent in producing high quality films with reasonable budgets. In 2015, Butan announced the launch of Mad River Pictures, a motion picture production and financing company. The first title with the Mad River brand will be John Hillocat’s “Triple 9” starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson and Kate Winslet which will be released in September 2015 and “Pride & Prejudice & Zombies” directed by Burr Steers and starring Lily James, based on the bestselling novel, which will be released by Sony in February 2016. Other films scheduled to shoot in 2015 are James Gray’s Amazon exploration epic starring Charlie Hunnam “The Lost City of Z” and “The Zookeeper’s Wife” starring Jessica Chastain. 2012, Butan partnered with Annapurna Pictures to form Panorama Media, a production and sales company. Panorama developed a wide slate of films and worked on Annapurna’s productions including Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” and David O. Russell’s “American Hustle”. In 2014, after Panorama Media decided to move away from the production business, Butan joined with Sierra/Affinity to produce the slate of films that Butan had developed at Panorama Media, which include several of the films on Mad River’s initial slate. From 2010 until joining Panorama, Butan worked as a producer on such films as “The Grey,” directed by Joe Carnahan and starring Liam Neeson, “Killing Them Softly”, directed by Andrew Dominick and starring Brad Pitt, and “The Host”, directed by Andrew Niccol. From 2004 through 2009, Butan served as the President of 2929 Productions. While at 2929, Butan supervised the production of films including George Clooney's 2005 Academy Award Best Picture nominee "Good Night, and Good Luck"; the critically acclaimed family film "Akeelah and the Bee" starring Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett; genre thriller "Turistas", on which the domestic rights were sold to Fox in a pre-emptive bid within hours of a screening of the finished film; James Gray's crime thriller "We Own the Night," starring Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg, whose sale to Columbia Pictures in 2007 ranked as the largest-ever Cannes Film Festival domestic sale; and the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Road" starring Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron. From 1998-2004, Butan was an Executive Vice President of Production at Lionsgate Films (including a predecessor company). Prior to beginning his career in the motion picture production business, Butan worked in the investment banking industry, first at Kidder, Peabody and Co. and then at Prudential Securities. At both firms, Butan was a member of the Media and Entertainment Investment Banking group. Butan graduated Magna Cum Laude from The Ohio State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Butan is married with three children and resides in Pacific Palisades.
Tyler Thompson, EVP & Producer / Cross Creek Pictures
A native of Louisiana, Mr. Thompson entered Hollywood in 2008, putting together financing on Burning Palms, starring Zoe Saldana and Dylan McDermott. Concurrently, Mr. Thompson, and his father Timmy Thompson, formed Cross Creek Pictures, and Mr. Thompson has been instrumental in raising the funds that the company has managed.
Mr. Thompson served as Executive Producer on the Academy Award-nominated Black Swan; box office hit The Woman in Black; George Clooney’s The Ides of March; Ron Howard’s Rush; and Jean Pierre Jeunet’s The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivit. Mr. Thompson has recently moved into a producer role within CCP, serving as Producer on Everest, Black Mass, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, as well as the picture currently entitled Mena, starring Tom Cruise. In December 2012, Mr. Thompson was featured on Forbes’ annual “30 Under 30” list of “young disruptors, innovators, and entrepreneurs in Hollywood.”
Pajton Dauer, EVP of Business Development
Mr. Dauer’s primary responsibilities at Cross Creek include exploring, evaluating, and executing strategic business and financial opportunities for CCP as well as structuring and negotiating motion picture finance agreements and capital structures. Prior to joining CCP, Mr. Dauer worked at the private equity firm Forstmann Little & Co., where he served as Director of Corporate Development for media and entertainment portfolio company IMG Worldwide, Inc. Previously, Mr. Dauer worked in the private equity division of Lehman Brothers Inc. and in the mergers and acquisitions group of Merrill Lynch & Co. in New York. Mr. Dauer holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Economics & Management from Cornell University.
Todd Thompson, EVP & Producer / Vermilion Entertainment
Mr. Thompson was instrumental in the startup of Cross Creek Pictures where he served as Executive Producer on the Academy Award-nominated feature THE IDES OF MARCH and as a Co-Producer on THE WOMAN IN BLACK. As Sr. VP of Business Development, Mr. Thompson was integral in the formation of Cross Creek Partners I and II funds and is responsible for sourcing new opportunities in entertainment. In the Spring of 2015, Cross Creek Pictures founder Timmy Thompson along with Todd Thompson formed a new television production company, Vermilion Entertainment. Vermilion’s goal is to develop, finance, and produce a strong slate of high quality scripted and unscripted television properties with A-list talent and broad market appeal. Vermilion generates and acquires creative projects in-house as well as through partnerships with producers and production companies.
Sye Broussard, General Counsel & Regulatory
Broussard will serve as General Counsel for Cross Creek Media and its related entities his responsibilities will include oversite of the companies regulatory and compliance. Sye J. Broussard is the founder and managing partner of Broussard & Dove, APLC. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and a Masters in Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University. Broussard's legal practice is focused primarily on business, commercial and real transactions and litigation. He has successfully represented clients in acquisitions, private and public capital raises, contract negotiations, commercial real estate closings and various lawsuits. Broussard is a an avid inshore and offshore fisherman. He is married with two children. Sye J. Broussard is the founder and managing partner of Broussard & Dove, APLC. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and a Masters in Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University. Broussard's legal practice is focused primarily on business, commercial and real transactions and litigation. He has successfully represented clients in acquisitions, private and public capital raises, contract negotiations, commercial real estate closings and various lawsuits. Broussard is a an avid inshore and offshore fisherman. He is married with two children.
Brian Robichaux, Compliance Officer
Mr. Robichaux is responsible for oversight of the corporate policies and procedures of Cross Creek Pictures. Mr. Robichaux has been instrumental in the startup, development, and management of multiple businesses in retail, finance, and service-related companies. He served as the General Manager of Retail Operations for Hill City Oil, Inc.; Vice President of Continental Financial Group, where he managed day-to-day operations and was responsible for oversight of policies and procedures according to RESPA rules and regulations; and General Manager of Express Title, LLC. Previously, Mr. Robichaux served as Managing Partner of Capital Transportation Logistics Trucking Co. and currently serves as Managing Partner of CorValve Components, LLC and as President and Principal of TTMK, LLC, a special purpose acquisition vehicle.
Rita Powers, Creative Executive
Ms. Powers manages Vermilion Entertainment's television projects in development and creative slate. Her responsibilities include overseeing new and existing projects in development, acquiring new projects, creative design and production. Ms. Powers holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Producing and Marketing (Minor) from Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.
Bridgette Butcher
Ms. Butcher serves as the Executive Assistant to the CEO as well as an accountant for Cross Creek Pictures. Her responsibilities include administrative support, record keeping, and account management for CCP and its affiliated entities. Prior to taking on her role at Cross Creek Pictures, Ms. Butcher served as an accountant for The Investment Group, Inc., a privately owned investment company with ownership interests in operating companies, real estate, and other capital ventures.
Carroll Middelthon
Ms. Middelthon serves as the Executive Assistant to the President. Ms. Middelthon joined MadRiver Pictures in 2017. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Middelthon Middelthon graduated with a degree in Film Studies from University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Following graduation, she came to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film, where before joining MadRiver, she worked as an intern with The Hideaway and Planet C Studios and produced an advertisement for United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
Channing Zierolf
Mr. Zierlof serves as the Executive Assistant to Producer Tyler Thompson. Mr. Zierolf graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2012 with a concentration in Political Science and Spanish. He joined CCP in 2015 after serving in sales and marketing managerial roles.