ALPINE PICTURES INC TEAMS WITH ICON MUSIC TELEVISION, INC.TO FORM ACT I ENTERTAINMENT Worldwide Television Production And Distribution Division Secures High-Profile Deals On Music And Sports Programming As Well As A Remake Of A Legendary Western Television Series

Ryan and Roland Carroll, brothers and partners of Alpine Pictures Inc. have joined forces with prolific television producer and distributor Glenn Aveni of Icon Music Television Inc. to form ACT I Entertainment The new entity, which will both produce and distribute product that combines entertaining storytelling with A-list talent, has set a mandate to generate between 50-100 hours of high-quality programming per year, geared for a "worldwide primetime television audience. "

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) June 20, 2004 -- Ryan and Roland Carroll, brothers and partners of Alpine Pictures Inc. have joined forces with prolific television producer and distributor Glenn Aveni of Icon Music Television Inc. to form ACT I Entertainment The new entity, which will both produce and distribute product that combines entertaining storytelling with A-list talent, has set a mandate to generate between 50-100 hours of high-quality programming per year, geared for a "worldwide primetime television audience. "

The strategic partnership calls for Aveni to serve as President of ACT I Entertainment with Icon Music Television Inc. to distribute a minimum of three feature films during year one with budgets of two million to five million as well as to set up production of a minimum of 50 hours of television programming per year. Alpine Pictures Inc (API) will retain a majority ownership of the joint venture.

Committed to building a diverse slate of high-quality unique programming, ACT I has secured distribution rights to some of television's hottest new properties which boast some of the most recognized names and faces in the world from Beyonce Knowles to John Entwisle to the new generation of the legendary Cartwright clan of the Ponderosa among many others.

Topping the list of premiere ACT I Entertainment offerings is the highly sought-after Beyonce Knowles: Friends And Family, a two-hour concert special that features Knowles, who has emerged as one of hottest R&B artists to ever hit the music world, in one of her first live solo performances. In addition to the concert, live footage and one-on-one interviews with the Grammy award-winning Knowles, the film also features rare performances by Destiny's Child and Jay Z.

And speaking of history… ACT I Entertainment has also secured an exclusive rights deal with Bonanza Executive Producer and creator David Dortort on Bonanza Rides Again. The newest installment to what TV Guide has named the "greatest series in the history of television" will incorporate old time values with a modern approach as the new generation of Cartwright's operate the vast wealth of the Ponderosa estate in the midst of the industrial age.

On the feature film front, the company boasts several new titles including The Blue Light which stars Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine, a family film from the Brothers Grimm tells the story of a young boy who travels into his favorite video game to save the world as well as An Angel On Abby Street which features Dick Van Patten and Bruce A. Young in a story about a homeless panhandler who helps bring hope to a young girl who has lost her faith in everything from God to the Tooth Fairy.

Following more than a decade at Associated Television, Aveni brings to the new company vast experience producing and distributing programming in the various genres of theatrical feature films, television features, episodic drama, wildlife documentary, biography, travel shows, award specials, music specials, investigative journalism docs, sports, adventure, children's videos, and more, most of which have aired on all major U.S. networks including NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, PAX, PBS, as well as the top cable channels, Discovery Channel, USA Network, Sci-Fi Channel, TNT, ESPN, Fox Sports Network, E! Entertainment, TLC, Court TV, TNN, OLN, and ABC Family.

Always keeping up with the growing needs of the marketplace, Alpine Pictures also plans to develop a DVD and Home Video distribution label to serve as a pipeline for many of the projects from both Alpine Pictures and ACT I Entertainment. (www.alpinepix.com)