Laine Kline

Source: Amazon Studios

Laine Kline

Amazon Studios has scored a coup and hired the former head of Sony’s local-language production business Laine Kline as head of production, local Originals.

Kline started last month and will oversee physical production of the streaming platform’s global slate of original local-language scripted series and film productions. He reports to Tim Clawson, worldwide head of production and post, Amazon Studios.

The hire is a significant one as Amazon Studios seeks to expand its international local-language production activity at a time when greater emphasis is being placed on growing global subscriber levels.

Kline most recently served as EVP at Sony Pictures International Productions (SPIP) after joining the company in 2015 as head of business affairs. Recent SPIP co-production releases have included Spain’s Padre No Hay May Que Uno (Father There Is Only One), Japan’s Kingdom, Germany’s 25 km/h and India’s Padman.

Prior to Sony, he was SVP of business affairs at Fox International Productions, and before that served as EVP of business and legal affairs at The Weinstein Company for more than six years.

The executive began his career in the William Morris Agency training programme before practicing entertainment law at Kenoff & Machtinger in Los Angeles.