Asylum Executive Paul Bales Named Chair of IFTA

Paul Bales of genre production group The Asylum (Sharknado, Blind Waters) has been elected the new chair of the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA). He succeeds outgoing chair Clay Epstein of Film Mode Entertainment, who served two consecutive two-year terms.

Bales has been a partner and chief operating officer at The Asylum since 2006. The Burbank-based producer/distributor is famous for its Sharknado franchise and B-movie mockbusters such as Bullet Train Down, Jurassic Domination and Top Gunner.  

Before joining The Asylum, Bales served as National Director of SAGIndie, the Screen Actors Guild outreach program for independent producers. Bales has served several terms on the IFTA Board since 2015.

“I’m proud to serve as Chairperson and to continue IFTA’s vital work on behalf of the Independents,” said Bales in a statement. “These are challenging times for the industry, and I’m especially pleased to serve alongside such an experienced and thoughtful group of Directors, each possessing great instincts, knowledge, and the ability to persevere. Our members are the bedrock of a creative and innovative industry and IFTA is committed to supporting their efforts to get independent films made and to reach audiences around the world.”

“Paul’s deep understanding of our business and unwavering commitment to IFTA will make him an outstanding Chairperson,” said IFTA President and CEO Jean Prewitt, who is leaving her post at the end of this year. “His leadership, together with our newly appointed Board, will be invaluable as we navigate both the ongoing challenges and new opportunities ahead. Their resilience continues to define what it means to be independent.”

IFTA on Thursday announced the results of board elections. Seven IFTA member executives were named to the board of directors: TPC managing director Scott Bedno, Entertainment Squad CEO Shaked Berenson, Artist View Entertainment President and CEO Scott Jones, Studiocanal head of international sales Chloé Marquet, Highland Film Group COO Delphine Perrier, Vision Films director and CEO Lise Romanoff, and director of Gleneagles Films Michael Ryan. This marks the first term on the IFTA Board for both Jones and Perrier.

Also on the IFTA board of directors, currently serving the second year of their two-year term are: Arclight Films CFO Brian Beckmann, Film Seekers managing director Caroline Couret-Delegue, Michael Dwyer, EVP, worldwide sales and distribution at Resurgence Media Group, Odin Eye Entertainment CEO Michael Favelle, AGC Studios SVP of worldwide sales and distribution Diane Ferrandez, Protagonist Pictures CCO George Hamilton, and Alice Laffille, VP of international sales at FilmNation Entertainment.

IFTA represents international film and TV companies — producers, financiers, distributors and sales groups — worldwide and operates the annual American Film Market, the latest edition of which runs Nov. 11-16 in Los Angeles.