TLA Releasing is expanding operations and its staff roster, withJohn Rayser coming aboard as managing director and Andrew Chang joining asbooking agent.

Rayser will oversee the company's sales team and operations and ischarged with expanding the customer base.

He most recently served as regional sales manager of MGM HomeEntertainment.

Executive director of sales Richard Ross' duties will be expandedto include a more active role in acquisition and the management of TLA's newTLA Releasing UK division, which launches on Sept 26. First releases under thenew UK arm are C Jay Cox's Latter Days, David Moreton and Todd Stephens' EdgeOf Seventeen and Bill Marchant's Everyone.

Upcoming UK titles include Yossi And Jagger from Israel, Cowboys And Angels from Ireland, Bear Cub from Spain, Regular Guys from Germany and The Trip from the US.

Andrew Chang arrived earlier this year from Attitude Films andwill be specifically responsible for booking TLA Releasing titles into US andinternational film festivals.

TLA Releasing's sales team includes recent arrivals RobertaGarland, who will manage several of TLA's major national accounts, and AlexJackson, who will serve as an inside sales manager.

Adam Schoon has been hired asproduction assistant to support production manager Kelly Burkhardt in printtrafficking and the creation of sales materials.

TLA has also struck a dealwith gay TV network here! Networks to handle its DVD releases this summer. Thetitles involved in the arrangement are Beautiful Boxer, Straight Jacket,Sex, Politics And Cocktails and NakedFame.