Thomas Rigler

Current

Principal, co-founder at Gerber Rigler
Co-Founder, Executive Producer at Digital Hollywood Content Summit
VP at International Documentary Association

Co-Chair Interactive Committee at Documentary.org
Mentor at AFI / Digital Content Lab

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Past

VP of Content & Affiliates at Nixle
Principal, co-founder at GoGOOROO.com
Executive Producer at E! Networks

Producer at Fine Living / Seesaw Studios
Writer / Producer / Director at E! Networks

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2 more...

Education

Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien

Connections

304 connections

Industry

Broadcast Media

Websites

Thomas Rigler’s Summary

Thomas Rigler recently joined the producing and consulting partnership Gerber Rigler with veteran producer and new media visionary Brian Gerber.

Gerber Rigler co-founded the Digital Hollywood Content Summit, a 3-day track for storytellers and content creators presented amongst others by the WGA, PGA, AFI DCL and the IDA and returning to the Digital Hollywood conference and trade show for the third time May 3-6 in 2010.

The team also serve as industry mentors and project managers at the AFI Digital Content Lab in Hollywood. A prototype of environmental online challenges incubated at the lab for the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation premiered at AFI DigiFest in November 2009.

Gerber Rigler recently launched Documentary.org, a buzzing video and content hub sponsored by Adobe for the documentary filmmaking community that the Hollywood Reporter described as having ‘gorgeous design and clean navigation.’

Thomas Rigler is a new media and TV development executive who produces and devises content strategies for film, television and emerging media platforms. He’s consulted for Talpa Content USA, PBS-Now, MSN Germany, DDB Juniper Group and E! Networks, frequently against their will and better judgement.

Trained as a filmmaker, Thomas serves on the board of directors at the International Documentary Association and as industry mentor at the American Film Institute’s Digital Content Lab. He is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Producers Guild of America and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.

Thomas conceived and runs AustenAddict.com, an online destination promoting the bestselling Plume / Penguin book Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict. He writes on new media production for his own Broadband Jungle Blog, Vator.TV, Handelsblatt.com and Documentary Magazine.

Thomas Rigler’s Specialties:

Thomas served as the Executive Producer for New Media content at both E! and style networks where he oversaw the production team that launched “The Vine @ eonline,” one of the first broadband players run by a US cable network.

Thomas launched a video community for the IDA, VOD and mobile networks for E! Networks and style, and wrote, executive produced and directed hundreds of hours of programming for E!, style, Food Network, Fine Living, CNET and pubcaster ZDF / 3sat.

Thomas Rigler’s Experience

Principal, co-founder

Gerber Rigler

(Internet industry)

January 2009 — Present (11 months)

Brian Gerber and Thomas Rigler jointly produce and consult for groundbreaking, inspiring, illuminating, discerning, often infuriating and always aspirational projects in the film, television, emerging media and corporate event realm.

They are passionate about quality storytelling and forge content and business opportunities that treat their subject matter with respect while finding universal resonance and commercial appeal.
Co-Founder, Executive Producer

Digital Hollywood Content Summit

(Broadcast Media industry)

January 2009 — Present (11 months)

Digital Hollywood Content Summit, a 3-day track for storytellers and content creators presented amongst others by the WGA, PGA, AFI DCL and the IDA and returning to the Digital Hollywood conference and trade show for the third time May 3-6 in 2010.
VP

International Documentary Association

(Non-Profit; Motion Pictures and Film industry)

January 2008 — Present (1 year 11 months)

Since 1982, the International Documentary Association has worked to promote nonfiction film and video, support the efforts of documentary film and video makers around the world and increase public appreciation for the documentary form.

Documentary.org is the online destination for the IDA.
Co-Chair Interactive Committee

Documentary.org

(Motion Pictures and Film industry)

January 2007 — Present (2 years 11 months)

Co-Chair of IDA's web committee assigned to re-launch documentary.org, IDA's website as a video and community driven web destination for the international documentary community of professionals and enthusiasts. Member of IDA's Board of Directors.
Mentor

AFI / Digital Content Lab

(Broadcast Media industry)

2007 — Present (2 years )

Every year the AFI Digital Content Lab picks only a handful of projects in the digital space to be developed into prototypes over a 3-6 month period. This year's featured line-up consists of "Interview Project presented by DavidLynch.com," ITVS, Sundance Channel and "One Economy."

Gerber Rigler Producing and Executive Consulting was fortunate enough to have one such project picked up for incubation by the Lab this past summer:

With the help of an incredible team of TV and movie veterans, Emmy-winning Alternate Reality Games experts and pioneers in the sustainability space, we had a chance to develop an extensive online strategy for engaging youth in a series of relevant environmental challenges for the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, to be launched into the wild during spring 2010.

http://www.afi.com/Education/dcl/
VP of Content & Affiliates

Nixle

(Internet industry)

August 2007 — January 2009 (1 year 6 months)

Head of content development and content operations team for Internet start-up and local information exchange Nixle.com, currently in beta.

'Nixle provides communities throughout the country with news and information that is both proximate and personally relevant. Nixle sets out to enable highly granular, location-specific information to be immediately available to users, depending on their physical location at any given time. Nixle makes this information instantly available over web, mobile, and smart phone devices.'
Principal, co-founder

GoGOOROO.com

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Design industry)

September 2006 — January 2008 (1 year 5 months)

Co-founded goGOOROO in the summer of 2006 after being tired of bookmarking an avalanche of cool new online channels without any application available to archive, rate and share these treasures.

goGOOROO was created with a simple goal: To help organize and make sense of the vast ocean of video programming on the Internet. goGOOROO is a one-stop destination that allows you to collect all your favorite broadband channels, save them as favorites and share them with friends.
Executive Producer

E! Networks

(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Entertainment industry)

2005 — 2006 (1 year )

In 2005-06, Thomas served as the Executive Producer for New Media content at both E! and style networks. Brought in as the creative engine for the broadband, wireless and VOD platforms, he oversaw the production team that launched “The Vine @ eonline,” one of the first broadband players run by a US cable network, producing over 600 segments in the process. The Vine streams six channels of video content, and its production team, which Thomas helmed, functions as the hub for all E! New Media production.
Producer

Fine Living / Seesaw Studios

(Broadcast Media industry)

2004 — 2005 (1 year )
Writer / Producer / Director

E! Networks

(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Entertainment industry)

January 2000 — January 2004 (4 years 1 month)

“Infamous” – Crime re-enactment series: 12 episodes. 60 min. E!Networks. 2004
“The Day They Died” – Crime re-enactment special: Pilot. 60 min. E! 2003
Extreme Close-Up” – Biography series: actors. 25 episodes. 30 min. E! 2000-02
“For Your Entertainment” – Travel series: celebrities. 12 ep. 30 min. E! 2000-02

Thomas Rigler’s Education

Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien

National Film School Vienna, Austria - directing and writing program. 1989 — 1993

Additional Information

Thomas Rigler’s Websites:

Thomas Rigler’s Groups:

International Documentary Association, Board of Directors, Chair Interactive Committee.
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, directors peer group.
International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.
Producers Guild of America, New Media Council.