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ExecutivesJonathan KingExecutive Vice President of Production Jonathan King oversees development and production of Participant’s slate of narrative feature films. Prior to joining Participant, Jonathan was Executive Vice President of Production at Focus Features, the specialty film division of Universal Studios. For eight years, Jonathan was the president of Laurence Mark Productions, an independent production company based at Sony Pictures. Some of the movies he worked on there were DREAMGIRLS, THE LOOKOUT, and FINDING FORRESTER. Jonathan’s credits as an independent producer include STUDIO 54, GUINEVERE and JUDAS KISS. He was an acquisitions and production executive at Miramax Films for several years, working alongside an extremely talented and driven group of young executives who contributed to the company’s early explosive growth. He started his film career in MGM/UA’s New York office, scouting books, theater, and independent films.Jonathan currently serves on the board of advisors for the Outfest Legacy Project, a partnership with the UCLA Film and Television Archive that restores and preserves important works of queer cinema. He also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Florida State University Film School and as a mentor for Film Independent’s Project:Involve which seeks to promote diversity in the entertainment industry. He lives in Venice, California, where he spends his spare time surfing, collecting political propaganda, and writing letters to the editor of the Los Angeles Times. Some favorite charities: Human Rights Watch investigates and publicizes severe human rights abuses worldwide. The Neighborhood Youth Association provides educational and social support to at-risk boys and girls in the Venice area. GLSEN promotes tolerance and respect in schools, protecting gay and lesbian students from harassment. Guide Dogs For The Blind trains and places guide dogs, free of charge. First job: Teaching water-skiing at Fallen Leaf Lake in Northern California. This could also serve as the answer to the “Best job other than Participant” question. What I would change about the world: I would make the most privileged spend a year in the lives of the least privileged. We would very quickly find the collective will to address our world’s most entrenched problems. Inspiration: My dear friend Lisa Capps, who passed away at the age of 35 after a brief but intense battle with cancer. Lisa was a professor at UC Berkeley who co-authored two outstanding psychology books, one about autism and the other about agoraphobia. What Lisa demonstrated with her work, as with her life, is that sincere curiosity and understanding can lead to deep compassion. By examining the intricate and unique experiences that make up the lives of people with psychological challenges, Lisa helped reveal and celebrate the humanity in everyone. The way Lisa invested her work with the extraordinary generosity of spirit that characterized her personally is an inspiration every day, and one that I hope to call on at Participant. For me, the sometimes murky path to personal and professional integrity is usually clearer if I ask, "What would Lisa do?"
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