Glenn Gainor, the longtime head of physical production for Amazon Original Movies, is leaving Amazon MGM Studios to launch a new production and advisory company, Hollywood Ventures Group, with veteran producer and media strategist Sandy Climan.

The new venture—already staffing up and headquartered at Television City in Los Angeles—aims to develop premium film and television content while offering strategic advisory services across entertainment, infrastructure, and investment.

Hollywood Ventures Group is positioning itself at the intersection of storytelling and strategy. Its mission: “to develop premium film and television content, cultivate international creative partnerships, and shape the future of entertainment,” according to company materials shared with THR.

Climan, whose industry résumé includes executive roles at MGM, CAA, and Universal, joins the venture from Entertainment Media Ventures, where he’s spent the last 26 years as founder and CEO. Also joining the launch team are Nelly Kim (SVP, Entertainment Media Ventures), Gabriel Jenkinson (VP, EMV), and Tejkiran “Kiran” Kaur, who previously worked alongside Gainor on Amazon’s physical production team and will serve as manager of partner relations.

A Global Brief With a Hollywood Heart

Hollywood Ventures Group will be based out of Television City, the iconic Beverly Boulevard studio lot that once housed The Carol Burnett Show and now serves as a base for productions navigating the new era of Hollywood. “Being based at Television City is important because it’s the heart of Hollywood,” said Gainor. “It represents the past… but also the future.”

While production is at the core, HVG is designed as a hybrid: equal parts content creator and consultancy. The company will offer services in studio infrastructure, M&A strategy, production advisory, and investment consulting—working with governments, corporations, and studios worldwide to develop the creative economy.

Gainor says the aim is to “consult, build, acquire, and invest in a global ecosystem of creative assets,” including soundstage facilities, filmmaker-led companies, technology platforms, and film funds. It’s a holistic model informed by years of hands-on experience on both sides of the production pipeline.

“Storytelling transcends entertainment,” Gainor said in a statement. “It empowers voices and shapes our collective future. By partnering with both established and emerging markets, we can leverage innovative technologies to amplify diverse narratives worldwide… while upholding our highest standards and values.”

The Right Time, The Right Partner

Gainor, a three-time Lumiere Award winner, has amassed dozens of producing credits across his 25-year career. At Amazon, he led production on a slate of global projects, helping redefine workflows with more sustainable, efficient, and inclusive production models. Before Amazon, he spent 14 years as head of physical production at Screen Gems and co-founded Sony Innovation Studios, pioneering advancements in virtual production.

He says Hollywood Ventures Group is a natural next step.

“It allows good ideas to surface and then figures out how to make them a reality.”

Climan, who Gainor describes as “someone who’s always looking around corners,” shares the same expansive vision.

“If you are monolithic in the 21st century and only do one thing, you’re limited,” Gainor told THR. “Content is coming at us in many forms — films, television shows, verticals, influencers — and Sandy gets that.”

Climan added:

“HVG is dedicated to building the business and creative infrastructure for global, cross-cultural storytelling. We will keep our clients and partners at the cutting edge of technology and best practices for existing and emerging platforms serving audiences around the world.”

A Bittersweet Exit

Calling his departure from Amazon MGM “bittersweet,” Gainor noted the many close relationships he’s built at Amazon—and previously, Sony. But, he says, the decision to launch HVG was driven by encouragement from collaborators who believed his next chapter needed to scale globally.

“The reason Hollywood Ventures Group came about was simply because other people were telling me… that I have to scale myself in a different way to help realize the vision of the emerging marketplace,” said Gainor. “And to take advantage of opportunities that exist worldwide… opportunities that will eventually help studios—the same studios that have supported me for so many years—while also helping the rising voices that are wanting to be heard and should be heard.”