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Steve Richards
Founder & CEO, Endurance Media
Steve Richards is the founder and CEO of Endurance Media, a feature film finance and production company based in Santa Monica, CA. Started in 2015, Endurance utilizes a $250 million financing structure to produce and finance films in the $20–60 million range. The Company also launched with a strategic alliance with Entertainment One, serving as both an equity partner and distributor for the films in multiple territories. In addition to “Mark Felt: The Man Who Took Down A President,” Endurance has also released “Villa Capri,” starring Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones and Rene Russo, which was distributed domestically by Broad Green Pictures. Endurance is currently awaiting release for the feature “Come Away,” which stars David Oyelowo and Angelina Jolie.
Steve Richards has held the roles of Co-President and COO over the past 20 years and has provided leadership and expertise throughout his career in producing, corporate management, film production, financial structuring, capital procurement and strategic business development.
From 1995 to 2014, Richards presided over Silver Pictures during a highly prolific period of film production and distribution, including the release of numerous blockbusters, such as the groundbreaking "The Matrix" trilogy and the highly successful "Sherlock Holmes" franchise. During his tenure, Richards grew the company from a studio-based company to a dynamic boutique production and distribution company, generating over $5 billion in worldwide box office revenues. Richards expanded Silver Pictures’ affiliations and managed key relationships with leaders of the entertainment, media and other industries, including Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., Warner Home Video, Cartoon Network, Village Roadshow, HBO, Mercedes Benz, Heineken and GM. In 2012, Richards also forged a key strategic relationship with StudioCanal and negotiated a first-look, multi-year film production arrangement to produce up to six feature films distributed in the US by Universal Pictures.
During his tenure at Silver Pictures, Richards structured a $240 million film portfolio fund with numerous institutional investors and lenders to produce more than ten feature films and to be distributed globally by Warner Bros.
Richards has produced over 40 feature films in various capacities with credits including “The Matrix Reloaded,” “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” “Book of Eli,” “Rock n Rolla,” “Unknown,” and most recently the box office success “Non-Stop.”
Prior to 1995, Richards held other management roles for the International Movie Group, a publicly traded company, and Scott Free, a production company led by acclaimed film directors, Tony and Ridley Scott.
Richards served as a director for the non-profit organization TreePeople, whose mission is to assist in growing a sustainable future for Los Angeles. From 2007-2010, he served as its board chair and participated on the executive committee. He is also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization.
Richards holds an MBA from the Andersen School at UCLA (1997) and a BA from Temple University (1990).
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