The Salient Team
(CEO)
(Head of Digital Entertainment)
(VP of Production)
Nate Auerbach
(Digital Marketing)
Aaron Ray
(Talent Management)
Salient Media Profile
SALIENT MEDIA's cross-platform productions include the multi-platinum selling comedian KATT WILLIAMS' stand-up specials THE PIMP CHRONICLES PT 1, AMERICAN HUSTLE, AND IT’S PIMPIN’ PIMPIN’, as well as the multiple Emmy-winning documentary MR. WARMTH: THE DON RICKLES PROJECT and the crowdpleasing MO’NIQUE: I COULDA BEEN YOUR CELLMATE. Other Salient credits include TOTALLY BAKED, SEBASTIAN, WILLIE BARCENA and NATIONAL LAMPOON'S: SPRING BREAK. Upcoming releases from the market leader in stand-up comedy will feature MIKE EPPS, BRUCE BRUCE, EARTHQUAKE and ARNEZ J.
Salient Media offers full-service production, distribution and marketing that recognizes artists' media rights and media rights management. Salient's online and retail strategies effectively position branded content, internet, broadcast, wireless, live event and print promotions, encompassing producing/licensing content for both traditional and non-traditional outlets.
Salient Media offers full-service production, distribution and marketing that recognizes artists' media rights and media rights management. Salient's online and retail strategies effectively position branded content, internet, broadcast, wireless, live event and print promotions, encompassing producing/licensing content for both traditional and non-traditional outlets.
CEO
Gary Binkow is the founding partner and CEO of Salient Media. He has created a niche specific multimedia company that takes an innovative approach to building and disseminating content. Salient Media’s mission is to empower artists and content creators with their own production, marketing, distribution and financing solutions.
Since 2006, Salient Media has become a leading provider of home entertainment product, with an emphasis in comedy. Gary and his team have produced some of the highest rated TV comedy specials for HBO, Showtime and Comedy Central. The company was recently honored with two Emmys® for its critically acclaimed HBO documentary, Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Story. Salient Media has successfully engineered the marketing and distribution sales strategies for projects that include multi-platinum selling DVD successes Katt Williams’ Pimpin' Pimpin', Pimp Chronicles and America Hustle as well as successful Showtime series, Comics Without Borders and Live Nude Comedy. In addition, other widely successful titles include: Mo’Nique: I Coulda Been Your Cellmate, National Lampoon’s Spring Break and Totally Baked, with upcoming releases including Eddie Izzard, Mike Epps, Bruce Bruce, Earthquake, Leslie Jones, Kevin Nealon, Tony Roberts, Maz Jobrani, Sebastian, and John Leguizamo.
While working with various brand entities, Gary recognized a shift in the distribution models and began marketing directly to consumers. As this proved successful, comedy-based entertainment quickly became a dominant concentration, as comedy continued to be a consistent and widely accepted medium in several distribution channels, including the internet. Soon to follow, the home video distribution division was launched within the company and quickly became mainstream. This new direction led Gary and his team to position their content into major retailers, including Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Target.
With more than twenty years of experience in the entertainment industry, Gary served as Senior Vice President and Manager of operations at Film Colony Ltd., a Miramax-based feature film production entity. Some of the productions produced during his tenure include: The Bourne Identity, Cider House Rules, The Duplex, She’s All That, Levity and Hurly Burly. In addition, Gary was directly responsible for the realization and execution of Finding Neverland, starring Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet and Dustin Hoffman, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards® including Best Picture, on which Gary was Executive Producer. Throughout his extensive career, Gary has Produced/Executive Produced over fifteen independent films and over 100 hours of live television. In addition, he has worked in various capacities for a variety of media companies including: MTV, 20th Century Fox, Lorimar Television and K2 Sports amongst others. Adding to his widespread media involvement, he also served as a brand consultant for numerous companies and has implemented specifically targeted integrated branding and multi-level marketing programs for numerous feature films.
Head of Digital Entertainment
As the Head of Digital Entertainment at Salient Media, Dan Weinstein is provided the opportunity to apply his instinctive skills and talent into the many different components of the film, digital media and online marketing businesses. He is responsible for developing and executing the company’s digital strategy and initiatives, while also managing Salient Media’s ever-present online marketing efforts. Dan’s pursuits also position him into developing new projects in the digital and mobile spaces, as is related to brand integration & content marketing. Within this space, Dan has directly negotiated and solidified deals with significant online companies such as Yahoo!, YouTube, My Space, Hulu, and Thumbplay, among others. In addition to his development of diverse digital strategies, Dan continues to solidify content deals and strategize with widely accomplished talent, including some of today’s biggest comedians. Dan is also responsible for Salient Media’s recently launched digital comedy label, ClydeComedy.com, in addition to the kids’ entertainment brand, KidsWhoRip.com.
Prior to joining Salient Media, Dan began his career in the film and television industry at United Talent Agency (UTA), where he worked in the Feature Talent and Alternative Television Departments. With an interest that ultimately shifted from wanting to be an agent to aspirations of working in production, Dan then applied his proficiency in project development at Michael Shamberg and Stacy Sher’s production company, Double Feature Films.
VP of Production
Niloo Badie joined Salient Media in 2007 and is currently the VP of Production. Niloo oversees projects from the earlier stages of development through production, then managing post production, delivery, and distribution. Niloo has produced several Salient projects including Katt Williams: It's Pimpin Pimpin, Willie Barcena: Deal With it and Showtime's Comics WIthout Borders Hosted by Russell Peters.
Prior to joining Salient Media, Niloo worked at Endgame Entertainment where her primary focus was in developing and packaging feature films. Before Endgame, Niloo worked at Scott Free Productions under the guidance of President, Michael Costigan, who produced such films as Brokeback Mountain and American Gangster.
Additionally, Niloo has worked as a programmer for the prestigious Telluride Film Festival and as a coordinator at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Niloo has an MFA in Film Producing from UCLA and a BA in Economics and Mathematics from UC Berkeley.
Nate AuerbachPrior to joining Salient Media, Niloo worked at Endgame Entertainment where her primary focus was in developing and packaging feature films. Before Endgame, Niloo worked at Scott Free Productions under the guidance of President, Michael Costigan, who produced such films as Brokeback Mountain and American Gangster.
Additionally, Niloo has worked as a programmer for the prestigious Telluride Film Festival and as a coordinator at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Niloo has an MFA in Film Producing from UCLA and a BA in Economics and Mathematics from UC Berkeley.
Digital Marketing
Nate Auerbach joined the Collective in September of 2008 to specialize in digital marketing and strategy for the company’s thriving roster of music talent. He came from MySpace and MySpace Music, where he had spent three years establishing a strong foothold in event sponsorship and developed and marketed MySpace original programs. Some of these programs include Rock for Darfur, MySpace Music’s only annual worldwide program which, under Nate’s direction in 2007, had 46 benefit shows taking place across five continents in one night. He is best known for being part of the small team that conceived, built and executed such tentpole franchises as MySpace Secret Shows, Artist on Artist and MySpace Transmissions, as well as Hey, Play This. . . !, (an all-request live stream in which bands took requests from their fans in real time via MySpaceIM.)
Nate has worked deeply with all of the major and independent labels in designing digital strategies for their artists. While at MySpace he expanded the company across the border to start MySpace Canada. In eight months, he established a unique brand infused with local flavor and built Canadian-centric programming that immediately impacted the country’s music community. Nate later brokered a partnership with SPIN in the US that established MySpace as the exclusive distributer for their digital magazine. He wrote the marketing plan that distributed the Pennywise album, Reason to Believe, for free to more than 500,000 users, courtesy of a sponsor. Nate also oversaw MySpace Music’s advertising during his tenure at the company.
At The Collective, Nate works closely with each artist to tailor the tools available to maximize the needs of the artist in this limitless area of the industry. With a strong digital and new media department under Aaron Ray, The Collective is able to service its artists with an aggressive focus across the online, mobile and gaming sectors—domestic and internationally. The focus is to execute on strategies that will help clients continue to reach their evolving fans.
Helping to oversee the communities totaling over 20 million users daily, Nate runs point on the largest artists networks in the world. In addition to digital marketing, Nate is hands on with the day-to-day personal relationships with the clients as the job of “manager” changes and communication in real time is essential.
Nate got his start in the industry as a tour manager while he was finishing college at Syracuse University. Traveling the world for two years with multi-Grammy Award winning artist Ozomatli, he quickly picked up on the intricacies of the business from deep inside its trenches.
Bringing his experience in artist management from the road, and his grasp for online marketing and programming, Nate’s background complements the vision of The Collective and helps to offer a valuable and unparalleled service to its clients.
Nate has worked deeply with all of the major and independent labels in designing digital strategies for their artists. While at MySpace he expanded the company across the border to start MySpace Canada. In eight months, he established a unique brand infused with local flavor and built Canadian-centric programming that immediately impacted the country’s music community. Nate later brokered a partnership with SPIN in the US that established MySpace as the exclusive distributer for their digital magazine. He wrote the marketing plan that distributed the Pennywise album, Reason to Believe, for free to more than 500,000 users, courtesy of a sponsor. Nate also oversaw MySpace Music’s advertising during his tenure at the company.
At The Collective, Nate works closely with each artist to tailor the tools available to maximize the needs of the artist in this limitless area of the industry. With a strong digital and new media department under Aaron Ray, The Collective is able to service its artists with an aggressive focus across the online, mobile and gaming sectors—domestic and internationally. The focus is to execute on strategies that will help clients continue to reach their evolving fans.
Helping to oversee the communities totaling over 20 million users daily, Nate runs point on the largest artists networks in the world. In addition to digital marketing, Nate is hands on with the day-to-day personal relationships with the clients as the job of “manager” changes and communication in real time is essential.
Nate got his start in the industry as a tour manager while he was finishing college at Syracuse University. Traveling the world for two years with multi-Grammy Award winning artist Ozomatli, he quickly picked up on the intricacies of the business from deep inside its trenches.
Bringing his experience in artist management from the road, and his grasp for online marketing and programming, Nate’s background complements the vision of The Collective and helps to offer a valuable and unparalleled service to its clients.
Talent Management
Aaron Ray is a Partner in The Collective, a Beverly Hills based Management/Production company. He has worked at the highest levels in many different sectors of the entertainment industry. His experience includes the representation of film and television talent, Executive Producing, multi-media licensing, international media development, financing and sales, Producing, creation and exploitation of film franchises and music/artist development. Aaron has successfully implemented all of his experience and knowledge into the digital space and is also leading The Collective‘s New Media efforts.
Aaron came to The Collective in 2005 to create and maximize systems that would generate true assets within the company. Per The Collective’s vision, Aaron is also involved in strategies and platforms that leverage clients’ creative influence while maintaining ownership of their own content. Understanding the relationship between the consumer and the artist is a key to this success.
In addition to traditional client management, Ray oversees some of the largest and most powerful digital assets in the world including those of clients Linkin Park, All American Rejects, Enrique Iglesias, Katt Williams, Avenged Sevenfold, Eddie Izzard, Slash and Staind. Not limited to existing communities or technologies, he is constantly developing new agendas in other areas of media consumption. Aaron continues his leadership and supervision as Chief Operating Officer of the world’s largest Horror destination,www.BloodyDisgusting.com - which was purchased as part of an ongoing acquisition strategy and is growing rapidly.
Some of the film projects Aaron is currently involved with include, Are We Done Yet? (Executive Producer); Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, with Michael Douglas (Executive Producer, 2009 release), I Hope They Server Beer in Hell (Producer, 2009 release), based on Tucker Max’s New York Times best selling book, and Breaking the Bank (Producer) based off the popular article from Sports Illustrated Magazine. Ray is also Producing the Broadway Musical version of the classic Bret Easton Ellis novel (and film)- American Psycho, slated for 2011.
In addition, Aaron also operates as the Chief Strategy Officer for RKO Pictures and oversees all development and operations of the company’s library and underlining intellectual properties. Packaging together creative elements and structuring financial deals are among Aaron’s many strengths, as evidenced by the re-launch of the world’s largest story library, Time Inc. Studios.
Prior to joining The Collective, Aaron was the Founder and CEO of Nine Yards Entertainment, a production and management company that focused primarily on film and television development and managed the careers of notable actors and various award-winning writers and directors. Before launching Nine Yards Entertainment in 2001, Aaron served as Senior VP at The Firm. While at The Firm, Aaron managed clients ranging from multi platinum music clients, film, television and sports stars, while packaging and producing several projects including top-grossing franchise hits such as Big Momma's House and Next Friday. Additionally, Aaron played a fundamental role with Michael Green in the identification, purchasing, repositioning and sale of the Pony apparel brand. Before joining The Firm, Aaron was Director of Development for Lynda Obst Productions, at FOX Studios. Aaron started his career at Gallin-Morey Associates.
Aaron came to The Collective in 2005 to create and maximize systems that would generate true assets within the company. Per The Collective’s vision, Aaron is also involved in strategies and platforms that leverage clients’ creative influence while maintaining ownership of their own content. Understanding the relationship between the consumer and the artist is a key to this success.
In addition to traditional client management, Ray oversees some of the largest and most powerful digital assets in the world including those of clients Linkin Park, All American Rejects, Enrique Iglesias, Katt Williams, Avenged Sevenfold, Eddie Izzard, Slash and Staind. Not limited to existing communities or technologies, he is constantly developing new agendas in other areas of media consumption. Aaron continues his leadership and supervision as Chief Operating Officer of the world’s largest Horror destination,www.BloodyDisgusting.com - which was purchased as part of an ongoing acquisition strategy and is growing rapidly.
Some of the film projects Aaron is currently involved with include, Are We Done Yet? (Executive Producer); Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, with Michael Douglas (Executive Producer, 2009 release), I Hope They Server Beer in Hell (Producer, 2009 release), based on Tucker Max’s New York Times best selling book, and Breaking the Bank (Producer) based off the popular article from Sports Illustrated Magazine. Ray is also Producing the Broadway Musical version of the classic Bret Easton Ellis novel (and film)- American Psycho, slated for 2011.
In addition, Aaron also operates as the Chief Strategy Officer for RKO Pictures and oversees all development and operations of the company’s library and underlining intellectual properties. Packaging together creative elements and structuring financial deals are among Aaron’s many strengths, as evidenced by the re-launch of the world’s largest story library, Time Inc. Studios.
Prior to joining The Collective, Aaron was the Founder and CEO of Nine Yards Entertainment, a production and management company that focused primarily on film and television development and managed the careers of notable actors and various award-winning writers and directors. Before launching Nine Yards Entertainment in 2001, Aaron served as Senior VP at The Firm. While at The Firm, Aaron managed clients ranging from multi platinum music clients, film, television and sports stars, while packaging and producing several projects including top-grossing franchise hits such as Big Momma's House and Next Friday. Additionally, Aaron played a fundamental role with Michael Green in the identification, purchasing, repositioning and sale of the Pony apparel brand. Before joining The Firm, Aaron was Director of Development for Lynda Obst Productions, at FOX Studios. Aaron started his career at Gallin-Morey Associates.
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