Sev Ohanian

Sevak "Sev" Ohanian (Armenian: Սեւակ Օհանյան, born June 2, 1987) is an American film producer and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-writer and producer of the films Searching and Run, as well as executive producer on the film Judas and the Black Messiah and founder of Proximity Media.

Sev Ohanian
Ohanian at RISE Conference in Hong Kong, July 2018
Born (1987-06-02) June 2, 1987
Hadamar, Germany
Alma mater
Occupations
Years active2013–present
Notable workSearching, Run, Judas and the Black Messiah
Spouse
​
(m. 2020)​

Early life

Ohanian was born to an Armenian family in West Germany, and moved to the U.S. when he was 4 months old. At 20 years old, he wrote, directed and produced a microbudget film based on his own life titled My Big Fat Armenian Family.[1] The movie found international success in the Armenian community worldwide. Ohanian used the proceeds from the films to help pay for tuition when he attended the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and received an MFA in film and television production.[2]

Career

2013–2017: Early career

Since graduating from USC in 2012, Ohanian has been a producer on over a dozen feature films. Ohanian co-produced the film Fruitvale Station, written and directed by fellow USC graduate Ryan Coogler.[3] Fruitvale Station went on to win the top audience and grand jury awards in the U.S. dramatic competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and also went on to premiere at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and won the Prize of the Future.[4][5]

In 2014, Ohanian produced a two-minute Google Glass spot called Seeds, directed by Aneesh Chaganty. The short became an internet sensation after garnering more than 1 million YouTube views in 24 hours,[6] and earned him a spot on The Wrap's 2014 Innovator's List of "Thought Leaders who are Changing Hollywood."[7] Ohanian produced Andrew Bujalksi's film Results, which premiered at Sundance in 2015 and was acquired by Magnolia Pictures.[8] He also produced Clea DuVall's The Intervention, premiered at Sundance 2016 and was acquired by Paramount.[9]

Ohanian taught producing as an adjunct professor at USC's School of Cinematic Arts from 2014 to 2018.[10]

2018–present: Searching and beyond

Ohanian co-wrote the script and produced the film Searching with his often collaborators co-writer and director Aneesh Chaganty, and fellow producer Natalie Qasabian.[11][12] Searching premiered at Sundance 2018 and was theatrically released in August by Sony Screen Gems making over $75M worldwide.[13] The film starred John Cho and Debra Messing, and won the Sundance NEXT Audience Award as well as the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Award. Ohanian was the recipient of the Sundance Institute/Amazon Studios Narrative Producers Award.[14][15]

Ohanian co-wrote and produced the film Run, which sold to Lionsgate after a bidding war.[16] Run, which stars Sarah Paulson and Kiera Allen, was released in 2020 on Hulu, dropping plans for a wide theatrical release because of the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.[17]

In 2018, Ohanian partnered with Ryan Coogler and Zinzi Coogler to form a production company, Proximity Media. They have so far produced Space Jam: A New Legacy, starring LeBron James and the Looney Tunes, and the Academy Award-winning Judas and the Black Messiah, starring Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield.[18] They are in development on a number of other projects, including a film adaptation of the critically acclaimed Bitter Root comics.[19]

In August 2019, Ohanian was announced as a producer of Missing alongside Natalie Qasabian and Aneesh Chaganty.[20] The movie will feature a new set of characters from the first movie and be directed by Will Merrick and Nick Johnson who will co-write the screenplay based on a treatment by Ohanian and Chaganty.[21]

In January 2021, Ohanian was announced as an executive producer on the HBO Max show The Future, a one-hour sci-fi tech drama based on Dan Frey's book The Future is Yours.[22]

In February 2021, it was announced Ohanian's company Proximity Media has signed a 5-year exclusive TV deal with Disney.[23] Also in 2021, Ohanian was selected by the Hollywood Reporter for their annual 35 under 35 Rising Executives list.[24] Notably his sister, Ramela Ohanian, was also selected for the list.

Awards and nominations
Year Ceremony Award Work Result
2013 Arpa International Film Festival[25] Breakthrough Filmmaker of the Year Himself Won
2018 Sundance Film Festival[15] Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize
(shared with Aneesh Chaganty)		 Won
Sundance Institute/Amazon Studios Producers Award Won

References
  1. "My Big Fat Armenian Family". July 30, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  2. "USC Cinematic Arts | School of Cinematic Arts News". cinema.usc.edu. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  3. "Sev Ohanian". IMDb. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  4. "Sundance winner 'Fruitvale' changes name to 'Fruitvale Station'". Los Angeles Times. April 17, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  5. Smith, Nigel M. (May 26, 2013). "'Fruitvale Station' Wins Prize of the Future at Cannes". IndieWire. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  6. Ceniza-Levine, Caroline. "Career Lessons From A Creative Who Left A 'Dream' Job For His Dream Career". Forbes. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  7. "TheWrap's 2014 Innovators List: 11 Thought Leaders Who Are Changing Hollywood". October 2014.
  8. Jones, Kimberley. "Results Is In". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  9. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 28, 2016). "Paramount Acquires 'The Intervention' In $2.5 Million+ WW Rights Deal – Sundance". Deadline. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  10. "Sev Ohanian". World Science Festival. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  11. Daniel, Chaco (September 13, 2019). "Five Question Friday with Sev Ohanian, Co-Screenwriter and Producer of the hit movie 'Searching.'". Medium. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  12. Allen, Nick. "The Screens are Alright: Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian on Searching | Interviews | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  13. "Searching". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  14. D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 16, 2018). "Screen Gems Adds John Cho-Debra Messing Thriller 'Searching' To August Schedule". Deadline. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  15. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 22, 2018). "'Search's Sev Ohanian Wins Sundance Institute/Amazon Studios Producers Award". Deadline. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  16. McNary, Dave (June 7, 2018). "Lionsgate to Develop Thriller 'Run' From 'Searching' Filmmakers (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  17. "Lionsgate Suspense Thriller 'Run' Sets 2020 Release Date". The Hollywood Reporter. January 31, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  18. Wiseman, Andreas (February 19, 2019). "Ryan Coogler & MACRO Set Black Panthers Pic With Warner Bros; Daniel Kaluuya & Lakeith Stanfield In Talks To Star". Deadline. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  19. Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 2, 2019). "Legendary Sets Ryan Coogler To Produce Comic Series Adaptation 'Bitter Root' With Zinzi Evans & Sev Ohanian". Deadline. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  20. Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 14, 2019). "Sony's Stage 6 Films Plots Sequel To Sundance Sleeper 'Searching'". Deadline. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  21. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 13, 2021). "Sony's Stage 6 Sets Will Merrick & Nick Johnson To Direct 'Searching' Sequel". Deadline. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  22. Petski, Denise (January 13, 2021). "'The Future' Sci-Fi Tech Drama In Works At HBO Max From Matt Reeves' 6th & Idaho & 'Run' Team". Deadline. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  23. "'Wakanda' Disney+ Series in the Works with Ryan Coogler". The Hollywood Reporter. February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  24. "Next Gen 2021: The Hollywood Reporter's 35 Rising Executives 35 and Under". The Hollywood Reporter. February 1, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  25. "2013 Arpa Film Festival Lineup". Arpa International Film Festival. August 30, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
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