9 Story Media Group has acquired Portfolio Entertainment’s library, production slate and development projects. Portfolio Entertainment was founded in 1991 by Lisa Olfman and the late Joy Rosen, and quickly became a leading production, distribution and animation company spanning factual, lifestyle, drama and children’s programming.
Olfman will join 9 Story in an Executive Producer role and report to 9 Story’s President & CEO Vince Commisso. She will continue to oversee all active Portfolio projects and look to broaden 9 Story’s opportunities across key business areas. Lauren Evans-Bell, Associate Producer at Portfolio, will also be joining as a Development Manager/Associate Producer at 9 Story, working with Olfman to shepherd the Portfolio development and production properties forward.
“I am excited to join creative forces with the 9 Story team,” said Olfman. “9 Story has the talent, creative excellence, and robust infrastructure to best elevate the Portfolio properties for the global market. I am also looking forward to bringing new opportunities to the company and can’t wait to get started.”
As part of the agreement, 9 Story will take over production on Breaking Bear (8 x 22 min.), an adult animated series currently in pre-production with Cartel Entertainment and Tom DeLonge’s To the Stars for Tubi. 9 Story will also take on Portfolio’s robust slate of development projects, including those in active development with broadcasters. Both Breaking Bear and broadcaster-led development projects will be led by Olfman.
The Portfolio distribution library features over 550 half-hours of content which includes popular kids and family titles such as The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot about That, Hero Elementary, Addison and Carl Squared, along with several factual and lifestyle programs. Recent titles include the live-action family series Homeschooled, as well as the prime-time animated comedy Doomsday Brothers. The acquisition brings 9 Story’s total distribution library to almost 5,000 half-hours.
“We are so pleased to be working with Lisa to bring the Portfolio library and current slates under the 9 Story umbrella,” said Commisso. “Lisa and Joy created an incredible legacy of entertainment properties, and we are honored to continue this work in partnership with Lisa.”
