Manager, XYZ Films
- Studied art history at Williams College
- Joined Magnolia Pictures in 2008, moving to Los Angeles in 2010 to run west coast acquisitions
- Joined ICM Partners in 2015 as a financing and packaging agent
- Joined XYZ Films in 2019
New York state native Van Steemburg brings broad industry experience and represents an international stable including The Platform director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, Spain’s Carlota Pereda (Piggy), the UK’s Sabrina Doyle and Irish filmmaker Lorcan Finnegan.
“This is a people business,” says the Los Angeles resident, who is inspired by the work ethic, integrity and nose for opportunity of former Magnolia colleagues Eamonn Bowles and Dori Begley, and Neon founder Tom Quinn.
Van Steemburg was involved in putting together Gaztelu-Urrutia’s Rich Flu (in post) and helped place Finnegan on Nocebo. He is considering scripts for Pereda’s English-language directing debut.
Van Steemburg likes to sign “passport weirdos” who are able to travel easily and work around the globe. “We shoot a lot of films outside the country and try to maximise those relationships and opportunities.”
One of the biggest challenges of the job, he says, is the clock. “Keep momentum and diligence on your projects… strikes, changing mandates and lay-offs are things that can slow down deal-making.”
Contact: peter@xyzfilms.com
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