ROWBOAT - Key Persons
After completing her BA in "Cultural Studies and Aesthetic Practice" at the University of Hildesheim and a semester abroad at the University of Exeter, the Düsseldorf native moved to Essen. There she graduated with a MA in "Literature and Media Practice" at the University of Duisburg-Essen and found her way to television through a student position at WDR Essen.
Her love for fiction and stories of all kinds eventually led her to Cologne and to Rowboat. Since December 2021, she has been on board as an assistant to the managing director and the producers.
María Villares moved from Madrid to Erlangen in 2003 to complete her Master's degree in German and English Studies with a focus on literature. She then attended the University of Sussex for an MA in Film Studies and moved to Cologne to start her career at Little Shark Entertainment GmbH.
Job Titles:
- Emmy Award - Winning Producer
An Emmy Award-winning producer, Sam was born in New York City, graduated from the University of Southern California and studied German at UCLA. After working at 20th Century Fox, Sam founded his own company Insight Out Films. Sam´s professional career led him to Frankfurt in 1992 where he wrote and directed the documentary "Warum wir hier sind" ("Why we´re here") for the BBC and WDR.
Sam was head of the TV Movie Department at RTL Television in Cologne from 1993 until 1998. While holding this position, he was responsible for the development and production of approximately 100 TV-movies and miniseries.
In 1998, he became a partner and Co-CEO of Cologne-based production company Zeitsprung, where he produced event productions, TV movies and series.
From 2004 until 2009, he took charge of the German Fiction department of Endemol Germany.
Sam co-founded and became CEO of Rowboat in January 2010.