Steve Barnett has been named executive vice president offilm production at Atmosphere Entertainment and has brought on board creativeexecutives Ray Kimsey and Silenn Thomas.

Barnett arrivesfrom Artists Production Group, where he served as senior vice president ofproduction, and his appointment is seen as a key step in the company's effortsto ramp up production.

Barnett willmanage more than 60 projects, 20 of which the company says are set up at majorstudios. He will report to Atmosphere president Bernie Goldmann while Kimseyand Thomas will report to Barnett.

Barnett beganhis film career working for producer John Davis and went on to serve ascreative executive at Horizon Pictures and later vice president of productionat Universal-based Lobell/Bergman Productions.

Kimsey served insenior acquisitions roles at Cinequanon Pictures and Village Roadshow Picturesand recently returned from Tibet where he directed his first documentary, Yatra,A Journey In Tibet.

Thomas hasworked with Mike Figgis on Leaving Las Vegas and later Cold Creek Manor. She served as director of developmentat Luc Besson's US company and was hired by Mark Canton last year to work on TakingLives, which was thefirst film released under the Atmosphere Pictures banner.

Atmosphere wasfounded in late 2003 by Canton and Mark J Kimsey of Daedalus Media Partners anddevelops, produces and finances theatrical films and television programming.