Ilene Chaiken, Jennifer Beals and Pamela Drucker Mann Join Forces to Launch Run-A-Muck Media (EXCLUSIVE)

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Veteran content creator Ilene Chaiken, actor Jennifer Beals, and previous head of Condé Nast, Pamela Drucker Mann, have joined forces to establish a cutting-edge media company known as Run-A-Muck Media.

In this arrangement, Drucker Mann assumes the role of CEO for our company. Meanwhile, Chaiken and Beals share the position of Co-Chief Content Officers. Notably, all three are the original founders of this new endeavor. Since 2004, Chaiken and Beals have collaborated on various projects, with Beals appearing in Chaiken’s Showtime series titled “The L Word.

With their fresh flag, this threesome plans on launching novel initiatives and series within streaming platforms, social media, the Web3 realm, podcasts, live events, and merchandise items. Their first lineup at Run-A-Muck features:

With their new banner up, this group intends to develop fresh projects and brands across streaming services, social media, the Web3 space, podcasts, live events, and consumer goods. The initial portfolio at Run-A-Muck encompasses:)

  • An expansion of Ilene Chaiken Studios, with several scripted and unscripted series at major streamers. One example will be “The L World,” a fully built-out universe of content and experiences from the team behind “The L Word.”
  • The world of sports will come with a whole new slate of scripted and unscripted content across multiple consumer touchpoints and will start with a project set in a high-profile women’s sports franchise.
  • Additional new franchises in development with artists and entrepreneurs spanning multiple categories including sports, food, home, fashion, and music. The first will be a scripted series about ambition, loyalty and chosen family, set in an iconic gay dance bar in New York City.

Although “The L Word” isn’t officially being revived by Showtime (who own the rights), they are exploring ways to capitalize on its established fanbase, using it as an existing audience for future projects similar in theme.

However, that doesn’t mean a new revival is off the table.

Chaiken, known for her work on ‘Twin Peaks,’ ‘Empire,’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ mentions that one of the things she’s discovered is that she will always be creating new versions of ‘The L Word.’ She continues to develop ideas because the interest in the show remains, even among younger generations. Her twin daughters’ friends are discovering ‘The L Word’ and hosting parties around it, unaware of Chaiken’s involvement. This indicates there are still many stories to share that are part of the ‘L Word’ universe. Since Showtime owns ‘The L Word,’ and has shown interest in the intellectual property, we believe there’s also room for an ‘L World.’

The Run-A-Muck associates promise to leverage their combined expertise towards a media approach that places the audience as the focal point in the content creation process.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that Run-A-Muck is currently in its pre-seed funding stage, and the demand for our project has been overwhelming! This week, we’ve got a series of meetings lined up with potential investors. The reason we’re moving at such a rapid pace? We already have projects in place, and we’ve got a functioning business model – something that VCs always appreciate seeing.

For Beals, known for skyrocketing to fame with her performance in “Flashdance” (1983), this project presents a chance to delve deeper into work behind the camera alongside her long-standing friend and partner, Chaiken.

For more than two decades, Ilene and I have nurtured a shared vision, which has finally come to life as Run-A-Muck. Our goal is to either produce or collaborate with others to uncover captivating narratives led by artists. These stories serve to transport audiences into unfamiliar territories, fostering fresh experiences and bonds. Yet, our ultimate aim is to illuminate the shared aspects among us – the universal emotions that transcend individual isolation.

(Pictured: Ilene Chaiken, Jennifer Beals, Pamela Drucker Mann)

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2025-02-13 19:17