Myriad Pictures has boosted it production and acquisitions team,promoting Matthew Keene Smith to the role of director and naming Luiza Ricuperomanager.

The LA-based company has got involved on several high profileprojects in the recent past, including Brad Silberling's comedy 10 Items OrLess, which stars MorganFreeman and Paz Vega and was bought by THINKFilm before its world premiere atToronto.

Myriad's slate includes Copying Beethoven starring Ed Harris and Diane Kruger aswell as the upcoming dramas Death Defying Acts with Guy Pearce and Catherine ZetaJones, and Dark Matterwith Meryl Streep and Aidan Quinn.

Smith arrived at Myriad in 2004 and served as manager ofdevelopment and acquisitions before the promotion. He previously served at MACReleasing and worked for film-maker Bob Rafelson at Marmont Productions.

Ricupero spent one year as D'Amico's executive assistant toD'Amico and before that served at CAA. She will work closely with Smithdeveloping theatrically driven projects and acquiring material.