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Section Eight closes.... Smoke House opens
Variety reports "Section Eight's producing deal with Warners doesn't officially run out until later this year. Steven Soderbergh
and Section Eight president Jennifer Fox will continue to produce its existing slate, which includes Clooney starrers "Ocean's
Thirteen" and "The Good German," both directed by Soderbergh. Section Eight also is producing with Castle Rock the Clooney
starrer "Michael Clayton."
In an interview at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on August 19 2006, Steven Soderbergh said that Section Eight
would close March 2007.
What was Section Eight?
A production company founded by George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh. Section Eight is a US military term, meaning a
discharge for physical or mental unfitness from service.
Who else worked at Section Eight?
A little Section Eight history...
Section Eight was hatched over a meal in 1999 when Steven and George were
dining at Jones in Hollywood, discussing what movies they wanted to make. George was looking for a new producing partner
because his tastes differed from those of Robert Lawrence, his previous partner. "Look, if we can keep it lean and mean and
it's fun, I'm in," Steven told George. The two pitched the idea of a production company to Warner Brothers Pictures, where
George had a long relationship. "We said, 'Neither of us are looking to get rich as a company, so we can bring you the lowest
overhead of any company you'll ever have,' " said George. Warner Brothers, which was seeking producers with potential Oscar
cachet, agreed. In 2000, it gave the two men Jack Warner's old office on the Warner lot as well as about $1 million to cover
overhead. The resources have since increased to about $1.5 million with a small staff. The company's philosophy was straightforward:
Give filmmakers a wide berth and protect them from studio meddling. "I'd rather let someone learn from what they've done than
chokehold them," said Steven.
Sorry, This Section's Closed (source: Variety, February 12 2006)
Soderbergh and Clooney aren't the types to put out an official press release announcing their intent, but the signs are
everywhere. Late last week, longtime Section Eight co-prexy Ben Cosgrove departed
to become a senior VP at Paramount. Cosgrove joined up with Clooney years ago at Maysville Pictures, the Warners-based production
shingle Clooney ran before opening Section Eight in early 2000 with Soderbergh. In a recent interview with NPR's Terry Gross,
Soderbergh said he wanted to focus on directing and he and Clooney wouldn't keep Section Eight going.
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| In Section Eight's office..... hard at work |
Section Eight's Official Site
Unlike some other production companies, Section Eight did not have an official website.
Section Eight Productions
source: IMDb.com
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| In Section Eight's office..... VERY hard at work |
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