Brian Kavanaugh-Jones

Brian Kavanaugh-Jones is the founder of Automatik, a Los Angeles based film and television production company, and partnered with Fred Berger.

Kavanaugh-Jones executive produced the Jeff Nichols’ feature LOVING, which premiered at Cannes, and was nominated for an Academy Award and two Golden Globes. He also produced Nichols’ previous film MIDNIGHT SPECIAL for Warner Bros. In 2018, he produced the critically acclaimed feature HONEY BOY directed by Alma Har’el and starring Shia Labeouf, Lucas Hedges and Noah Jupe, which premiered at Sundance where it won the Special Jury Prize, and has since been nominated for four Independent Spirit Awards and a DGA award.

Kavanaugh-Jones most recently released features include OUTSIDE THE WIRE which was released on Netflix early 2021, starring Anthony Mackie; SHADOW IN THE CLOUD, starring Chloe Grace-Moretz; GRETEL & HANSEL directed by Osgood Perkins, which was released wide across North America; RUN SWEETHEART RUN, written and directed by Shana Feste and starring Ella Balinska which premiered at Sundance in 2020 and to be released on Amazon. He is currently in post-production on Amblin’s DISTANT with Speck & Gordon directing and starring Naomi Scott and Anthony Ramos.

Other prestigious credits include BAD EDUCATION, starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney, based on an original script by Mike Makowsky which was released on HBO and was nominated for two Primetime Emmys this year; TEEN SPIRIT, written and directed by Max Minghella and starring Elle Fanning; OPERATION FINALE directed by Chris Weitz, starring Oscar Isaac, Sir Ben Kingsley and Melanie Laurent; Karyn Kusama’s detective noir DESTROYER, starring Nicole Kidman; THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT, written and directed by Kim Nguyen and starring Jesse Eisenberg and Alexander Skarsgard; DREAMLAND, directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and starring Margot Robbie and Garrett Hedlund; LOW TIDE, written and directed by Kevin McMullin; and THE WOLF HOUR written and directed by Banks Griffin and starring Naomi Watts.

Past Automatik projects include BOUNDARIES written and directed by Shana Feste, starring Vera Farmiga, Christopher Plummer, Peter Fonda, Bobby Cannavale, Yaya Abdul-Mateen; UPGRADE written and directed by Leigh Whannell; SWEET VIRGINIA directed by Jamie Dagg; SINISTER 2 directed by Ciaran Foy; the action thriller COLLIDE, directed by Eran Creevy, starring Nicholas Hoult, Felicity Jones, Sir Ben Kingsley and Sir Anthony Hopkins; THE SIGNAL written and directed by Will Eubank, which was selected for the Sundance 2014 Park City at Midnight category; and 2012’s SINISTER, starring Ethan Hawke and directed by Scott Derrickson. He executive produced INSIDIOUS, 2011's most profitable film, the sequels INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2, 3 & 4; and COME AND FIND ME written and directed by Zack Whedon, starring Annabelle Wallis and Aaron Paul; WELCOME TO THE PUNCH, directed by Eran Creevy; and award-winning first feature AFFLICTED, directed by Derek Lee and Clif Prowse.

Kavanaugh-Jones and Fred Berger (LA LA LAND) partnered in 2016 under their Automatik banner and have already produced over 44 films since they joined forces. Before founding Automatik, Brian was an agent at CAA in the Film Finance department.