EXCLUSIVE: CatchLight Studios today announced the launch of Nuts & Bolts, a new division specializing in production services, to be overseen by Executive Vice President of Production, Yolanda T. Cochran. The mission of Nuts & Bolts will be to service worldwide production, from basic production service and compliance requirements, up to full third-party production services and EP/producer oversight.
Cochran took on the role of SVP Live Action Production at ViacomCBS’ Kids & Family in the early days of the Covid pandemic, there overseeing scripted and unscripted series and specials for Nickelodeon & AwesomenessTV. Notable projects included Paramount+’s iCarly reboot, Nickelodeon’s Nick News revival and the launch of new series That Girl Lay Lay and NFL Slimetime.
The veteran executive previously served as VP Production at Walt Disney Television’s Freeform studio and network, overseeing such series as Good Trouble, The Bold Type, Siren and Motherland: Fort Salem, among others. She, prior to that, served as EVP Physical Production at the Warner Bros.-affiliated Alcon Entertainment.
Cochran’s producing credits include The Book of Eli, Dolphin Tale 1 & 2, Something Borrowed, Joyful Noise, Lottery Ticket, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, Beautiful Creatures, Point Break and The Blind Side. In 2016, the USC alum produced a documentary short and podcast miniseries titled Breaking the Glass, highlighting and seeking solutions to challenges specific to gender and race in the entertainment industry. Currently she’s a co-producer and co-host of the podcast series Dungeons ‘N’ Durags, which follows the hilarious journey of one nerdy black man’s crisis of racial identity and faith in an American turned upside down.
In 2005, Cochran co-wrote and produced an independent thriller titled Paved with Good Intentions. Additional credits in the production space include Life, Blue Streak, Nutty Professor II, Coyote Ugly and Dragonfly. The former CPA is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (serving on the Board Governance Committee), as well as the Television Academy of Arts & Sciences, and the Board of Directors of the Producers Guild of America.
“With Yolanda’s knowledge of tax incentives and long-term relationships with banking, finance, insurance, and bond companies, Nuts & Bolts becomes a key player in the production services area,” said CatchLight Studios principal, Jeanette Volturno. “Nuts & Bolts creates a custom menu of services to support studio, streamer and independent film needs.”
“In today’s production climate where our industry faces increasing challenges to set budgets at levels that position projects most optimally for overall success as well as long-term staffing with the same strategy in mind, Nuts & Bolts provides expertise and insight that go beyond traditional production services,” added Cochran. “We provide solutions to large corporations, studios, and independent production companies alike, allowing for scaling and reliable support for launching and delivering these projects according to plan.”
Founded in Los Angeles in January 2020, CatchLight Studios is a collective of producers – Marcei A. Brown, Jason Clark, Jessica Malanaphy, Rick A. Osako and Volturno – with a proven track-record in creative development and physical production. Its first release was Adam Mason’s pandemic thriller Songbird for STX Films. The company most recently released writer-director Iris K. Shim’s horror Umma, starring Sandra Oh, Dermot Mulroney, Fivel Stewart and Odeya Rush, via Sony’s Stage 6; and writer-directors Chris Cullari & Jennifer Raite’s Saban Films thriller The Aviary, starring Malin Akerman, Lorenza Izzo, Chris Messina and Sandrine Holt. Titles on its upcoming slate include Tim Story’s The Blackening for MRC, written by Tracy Oliver & Dewayne Perkins; Russell Crowe’s Poker Face, written by Stephen Coates, for Arclight; Christian Ditter’s The Present, penned by Jay Martel, for AGC; and Chris Pine’s Poolman, written by Pine & Ian Gotler.
