Michael Kolko

Michael Kolko is an entertainment industry veteran. Producer, Director, Unit Production Manager, Production Accountant, he is the founder and CEO of Eastman-Kennedy, a multi-faceted media production company that has pioneered a new model of studio and independent filmmaking- producing high-quality films utilizing strong production management combined with a wide array of tax incentives with films released across multiple-platforms taking advantage of new distribution strategies. Eastman Kennedy's model began with "Decoding Annie Parker", and also includes Steinbeck's "In Dubious Battle" all-star cast lead by director/actor James Franco. In television, Kolko started at HBO's critically acclaimed Dream On and One Night Stand Comedy series and soon blossomed into feature films. Hired by director John Landis on his film Oscar in 1991,to work in the accounting department. Followed that up by working on over a dozen motion pictures for every major studio including 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers, Universal, and MGM. Studio credits include Speed, Nixon, Rising Sun, Beverly Hillbillies, Hoffa, Last Man Standing, Final Analysis, Fair Game, The Cure, When a Man Loves a Woman, and Hard Rain. Kolko has also produced and directed a variety of live-events including Fatal Femmes Fighting, women's based MMA in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, Asian Invasian, Crystal Brawl, and War of the Roses. All live-events were recorded in HD and distributed to big box retailers. Before Eastman Kennedy, Kolko served head of the Production Tax Incentive division at CAPS Payroll. At CAPS, he was instrumental in acquiring over 150 tax incentives worldwide for a very prestigious list of clients in film, television, and commercial production. Michael is a subject matter expert in tax incentives and has been a key-note speaker at the Association of National Advertisers as well as numerous industry related panels. Producing experience includes unit production management, supervising physical production/post personnel and accountants, budgeting, scheduling, hiring and supervising staff, monitoring cash flow/funding and variance analysis, supervising payroll, setting-up banking requirements, reconciling account ledgers, and preparing budgets and negotiating contracts. Kolko began his career as the licensing director of Larry Harmon Pictures, which was founded by the "Original Bozo the Clown" and controlled the rights to Laurel and Hardy as well as the Bozo library.