The longtime History exec has started a new digital venture, Triton City Entertainment, to develop potential sci-fi franchises for TV and film, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The stories will first debut on e-graphic novel-like digital platforms that are currently under construction. Those platforms will then allow publishers and producers to see the material for potential movie and TV projects.
As part of the new venture, Triton City Entertainment has launched a Kickstarter campaign to crowdsource the initial funding for the independent venture as well as engage potential creators and storytellers for the site.
“From working on shows like Vikings, I know sci-fi/genre fans are the most dedicated and passionate of any entertainment genre, and we’ll be searching among them for the next wave of creators and artists,” said Hoogstra. “Crowdfunding versus traditional finance will allow us to maintain this core philosophy.”
In addition to Hoogstra, who will serve as founder and CEO, artist and illustrator Paul Weil has been tapped to serve as art director and general manager of Triton City Entertainment. The two attended the University of Maryland together and have collaborated on several other projects together, including a band and the concept art for, yep, an original sci-fi franchise.
“I leapt at the opportunity to work Dirk on Triton City because he’s intuitive, ambitious and open-minded, and his enthusiasm is contagious,” said Weil. “I’m so excited to be a part of such a creative endeavor.”
The launch of Triton City Entertainment comes two years after Hoogstra stepped down as general manager of History and H2 after seven years at the network, where he helped push the A+E Networks-owned channel into scripted programming with Vikings and the Emmy-winning miniseries Hatfields & McCoys. He most recently served as chief creative officer of Stephen David Entertainment. Before History, Hoogstra logged a decade in production and development at Discovery.
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