20th Television Hires Jillian Longnecker as EVP of Production, Brendan Countee as Head of Comedy Development

As a film enthusiast with a deep appreciation for the behind-the-scenes work that goes into bringing compelling stories to life on screen, I’m thrilled to see Jillian Longnecker and Brendan Countee joining the esteemed team at 20th Television. Their combined wealth of experience in physical production and comedy development is truly impressive.

Jillian Longnecker has been appointed as the executive vice president of production, while Brendan Countee now heads comedy development for 20th Television.

At Disney Television Studios’ division, 20th TV, Longnecker and Countee have taken on new positions. They will respectively submit updates to Carol Turner, who oversees production for Disney Entertainment Television, and Carolyn Cassidy, the executive vice president of development at 20th TV.

“For years, I’ve been impressed by 20th Television’s exceptional lineup of shows and the pool of talented individuals there. I’m truly thankful for being given the chance to work alongside Carol and her skilled team. I’m proud of what my previous team achieved and am excited to start a new journey in television with 20th Television’s outstanding executive group.”

Longnecker is in charge of managing all physical production for Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series at 20th Television. Meanwhile, Countee heads up the comedy development team, responsible for collaborating with writers under contract and discovering new talent, as well as guiding projects from their inception to series approval.

“It’s like coming full circle for me, selling my first script to 20th back when I began my career. I’m elated to join a company that appreciates artists and their creative ideas,” Countee expressed. “Collaborating with Carolyn and the talented team at the studio, as we create the next generation of hit comedies, is the pinnacle of my professional aspirations.”

Recently at Netflix, Longnecker held the position of senior director overseeing original series production. During her tenure there, she contributed to the creation of shows such as “The Diplomat,” “Ginny & Georgia,” “The Lincoln Lawyer,” and “Virgin River.” Prior to joining Netflix, Longnecker served as president of physical production for features and television at Annapurna Pictures. In this role, she functioned as an executive producer on films including “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” and “Booksmart.”

“Turner expressed his excitement about Jillian joining the studio team. She is an accomplished executive with a knack for managing intricate projects and a collaborative approach. Her strategic skills and ability to work closely with showrunners and production crews have made her renowned for bringing stories to life on screen. We’re looking forward to having her leadership and knowledge contribute to our shows.”

Previously, Countee held a prominent role as senior vice president of programming at Showtime, managing series such as “The Chi,” “The Curse,” “Kidding,” “Our Cartoon President,” “Desus & Mero,” and “Ziwe.” In addition, he was an active member of Paramount’s BEAT+ (Black Executives Achieving Together) team and contributed to the company’s DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) council. Prior to his tenure at Showtime, Countee initiated comedy development at Hulu in 2011, supervising the creation of shows including “Casual,” “Difficult People,” and “The Mindy Project.”

“Cassidy praised Brendan’s impressive background in developing witty, innovative programs from renowned comedians. He also highlighted Brendan’s distinct ability to identify comedy gold. With his deep connections in TV and unwavering enthusiasm for amusing narratives, Brendan is an ideal candidate to head our studio’s comedy team.”

2024-07-24 22:18

20th Television Hires Jillian Longnecker as EVP of Production, Brendan Countee as Head of Comedy Development

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