TORONTO – Boat Rocker Media, a Toronto-based independent entertainment company, announced today it reached an agreement to buy a minority equity stake in actress and producer Dakota Johnson and former Netflix executive Ro Donnelly’s TeaTime Pictures.
Under the deal, TeaTime, which has two feature films (Cha Cha Real Smooth and Am I OK?) set to be featured at the next Sundance Film Festival, will continue to operate as an independent business, according to a Boat Rocker press release. Boat Rocker will provide TeaTime with capital, business support and strategic support.
Boat Rocker has had a first-look deal in place with TeaTime since 2019. Under the new arrangement announced today, Boat Rocker will extend the deal to develop and produce scripted as well as unscripted television and digital content, the press release says.
Boat Rocker also announced Katie O’Connell Marsh, executive producer and vice-chair of Boat Rocker Studios, will leave her role as vice-chair. She will continue in her role as executive director on current Boat Rocker projects, “while adding to the studio’s slate under a new overall deal,” the press release says. O’Connell Marsh will also join TeaTime as a partner.
“Dakota and Ro are building TeaTime into a cultural platform with massive creative and commercial promise,” said David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, co-executive chairmen of Boat Rocker Media and co-chairmen of Boat Rocker Studios, in the press release.
“The addition of Katie’s experience and acumen to this growing enterprise will undoubtedly supercharge TeaTime’s existing robust slate and ambitions. We look forward to further supporting their stated mission of building a brand that embraces, shapes and shares in the experience of film, television, literature, art and music,” Fortier and Schneeberg said.
“Our strategic investment represents a natural evolution in our partnership,our broader corporate growth story playing out, and an unyielding commitment to empowering creative visionaries. We’re excited about this opportunity and are actively exploring making similar deals with leading creators.”
“Boat Rocker’s belief and investment in us and our future is humbling and inspiring,” said Johnson and Donnelly, in the release.
“As a company that was founded purely on ambition, big dreams, and our shared love of film and television, Ro and I could not be more excited to partner with Katie O’Connell Marsh, whose wisdom and expertise are vital to our growing brand. We are grateful and extremely eager to hit the ground running.”
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