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Variety Magazine

11 July 2005

Eye on telepic pair

Von Zerneck/Sertner to roll at Sony Pix TV

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER

Telepic producers Frank Von Zerneck and Bob Sertner, who have produced more than 125 longforms through the years, have set up shop at Sony Pictures TV.

Von Zerneck and Sertner will develop and produce telepics at the studio under the new pactpact. Sony and Von Zerneck/Sertner Films already have two projects set up at CBS: "BTK Murders," based on the recent capture of Wichita, Kansas' notorious serial killer; and "Vampire Bats," a Halloween-timed thriller about a college prof looking into the death of a student.

Von Zerneck and Sertner will exec produce "BTK Murders" with Diana Kerew and Judith Verno; the duo are exec producing "Vampire Bats" with Jill Tanner.

Deal was announced Friday by Helen Verno, Sony Pictures TV's exec VP of movies and miniseries.

"I have known Frank and Bob for many years," she said. "We have always talked about working together, and now we will have that opportunity."

Von Zerneck and Sertner have been working together since 1983, formally creating Von Zerneck/Sertner Films in 1987. The producers' recent credits include Anne Heche telepic "Gracie's Choice," miniseries "Category 6: Day of Destruction," the Scott Turow adaptation "Reversible Errors" and Peter BogdanovichPeter Bogdanovich-helmed "The Mystery of Natalie Wood."

Other longforms they've overseen over the years include "Too Young to Die," "Gore Vidal's Billy the Kid," "To Heal a Nation," "Queenie" and "We Were the Mulvaneys."

Von Zerneck and Sertner also were early producers in the cable world, consulting with Ted Turner on the launch of TNT.

Date in print: Mon., Jul. 11, 2005, Los Angeles