EchoLake founder and president Doug Mankoff has launched a management venture underthe expanded and newly renamed umbrella company Echo Lake Entertainment.

FormerCAA agent and MGM president Mike Marcus will head Echo Lake Management, andbrings a client roster that includes Water director Deepa Mehta, and New Zealand writer-director Toa Fraser, whosescreenwriting credits include River Queenand this year's Sundance competition entry No.2.

LongtimeEcho Lake executive Amotz Zakai has been named a vice president at Echo LakeManagement and will spearhead the company's efforts to sign internationalfilmmakers and writers.

Marcuswill produce and serve as executive producer on projects for Echo LakeProductions, the production and finance arm that Mankoff and executive vicepresident Andrew Spaulding will continue to run. Pictured left to right areMankoff, Marcus and Spaulding.

"Fromhis many years at CAA and as head of MGM, Mike Marcus brings a wealth ofexperience and relationships to Echo Lake," Mankoff said. "Hispresence allows us to make the logical transition to management as well as tobring our skills as producers to studio level projects."

"AtEcho Lake, one of our strategies is to foster relationships with creative andtalented international filmmakers wanting to transition into English-languagefilms," Spaulding said. "With our expansion into management, we canwork with these filmmakers on projects with Echo Lake Productions as well asassisting them in their overall careers."

"Iam proud to be part of Echo Lake," Marcus added. "Doug and Andy haveearned reputations for quality and integrity, and I'm excited about what we canbuild together. We've already assembled a diverse mix of truly accomplishedfilmmakers."

Theclient roster include several of Marcus' clients from Cornice Entertainment,the management and production company he formed in 1999. Marcus' existingclients who will now be managed by the new firm include Paul Brickman, JeremiahChechik, Howard Deutch, Frederic Raphael, and David Ward.

EchoLake Productions recently signed on to produce Adam Alleca's directorial debut Standoff, a thriller about a troubled war veteran charged withprotecting a 10-year-old murder witness. Casting is underway in time for anearly autumn shoot.

Sinceforming in 1998, Echo Lake has helped produce and finance 16 pictures includingWater, Michael Cuesta's drama 12 AndHolding, and Jason Matzner's drama Dreamland, which played in Sundance this year and stars AgnesBruckner and John Corbett.

Upcomingprojects include John Dahl's mob comedy You Kill Me starring Ben Kingsley. Mankoff also served as executiveproducer on Gavin Hood's Oscar winning foreign language picture Tsotsi.

Marcusserved as a partner at MBST Entertainment, and in 2000 he formed MAC Releasing,becoming co-head of THINKFilm's West Coast office following a merger with thatcompany in 2004.