Catherine Scolieri

Toronto-based Architect Films has expanded its team with three hires for new positions in the development, branded content and digital strategy spaces.

“The name of the game is growth. We want to grow not only into areas where we currently exist, but we also want to grow into areas we don’t,” Architect Films co-owner Mike Sheerin told Playback Daily.

Catherine Scolieri joins Architect Films as the company’s new executive in charge of production. She was most recently at Temple Street Productions, managing factual projects including Million Dollar Critic and Say Yes to the Dress Canada.

Prior to that, Scolieri worked for Proper Television to create, cast and manage a slate of unscripted series for a number of Canadian specialty channels, including Food Network, W Network and HGTV Canada.

Sheerin said that prior to Scolieri’s hire, he was doing the bulk of the development work, and her hire is meant to add more voices and direction to the process.

Silke Michaeli

“We’re not making a hard turn in any one direction. It’s more of a continuation of what we have always been doing, and that is lifestyle and factual entertainment,” Sheerin said.

Also joining Architect is Silke Michaeli, as the company’s new director of branded content. She previously worked for Shaw Media’s venture marketing unit, and is now tasked with exploring new opportunities in the branded content space, while also managing the relationships between the prodco and brand clients. Brands Architect has worked with in the past on its series Donut Showdown included Tim Hortons, GE and Bounty.  Architect Films is currently producing HGTV Canada’s Home to Win, which was once described by Shaw Media sales director Barb McKergow as “branded content on steroids.” (Brand partners are still confidential, Sheerin notes.)

“That is what Silke is going to bring to us – all her experience and relationships with all these great brands,” Sheerin said.

Johnny Hockin

Finally, former MTV Canada personality and executive producer with Juniper Island Johnny Hockin has joined Architect as its digital content specialist. Hockin will be responsible for finding and exploring new digital platforms interested in the kind of content Architect produces, said Sheerin. While at Juniper Island, Hockin’s corporate clients included Red Bull, Vice Media and Soho House.

Architect Films, which launched in 2010, currently employs about 20 people on a full-time basis. The company led by Sheerin and his wife, Tanya Linton, who was previously Shaw Media’s director of original production for lifestyle.