Jon M. Chu's production company Electric Somewhere has restructured its leadership with two significant hires. Jana Helman joins as Head of Television while Aimee Rivera assumes the role of SVP of Motion Pictures. The moves signal Chu's ambitions to broaden Electric Somewhere beyond its core theatrical film business into television, animation, and other content verticals.
Electric Somewhere, founded by the director behind "Crazy Rich Asians" and "In the Heights," has built its reputation on spectacle-driven event films that blend music and movement. The company's expansion into television represents a natural evolution for a producer known for visual storytelling across multiple mediums. Helman and Rivera's appointments suggest Chu intends to apply that sensibility across platforms, not merely adapt existing theatrical properties for streaming.
This restructuring reflects broader industry trends. Production companies increasingly operate as multiplatform entities rather than single-medium shops. The television hire particularly matters given the streaming wars and prestige television's proven appeal to A-list filmmakers. Directors like Ava DuVernay, Shonda Rhimes, and Ryan Murphy have all leveraged television deals for significant creative and financial control. Chu, already working across Disney and other major studios, positions Electric Somewhere to compete for premium content deals.
The animation expansion adds another layer to this strategy. Animated content drives engagement for streaming services and offers merchandising opportunities that complement theatrical releases. A production company controlling multiple content types can cross-pollinate ideas and maximize intellectual property value.
Rivera and Helman's backgrounds remain underexplored in the announcement, but their hiring reflects Chu's confidence in building out seasoned executives who understand both legacy and emerging distribution models. Their task involves maintaining Electric Somewhere's brand identity as taste-driven, music-forward entertainment while scaling production across formats.
For Chu himself, these hires allow him to remain focused on directing and overall creative vision. Electric Somewhere now operates with clearer vertical accountability, a structure that works when the figurehead director maintains strong creative oversight. Whether this expansion successfully translates Chu's theatrical instincts to television