New York-based producers Jamie Gordon and Maggie Malina have launched Rommi, a new production studio dedicated to micromovies for the romance audience. The company will premiere its first title, Drive Me Mad, in October.
Gordon will serve as CEO, while Malina takes on the role of Head of Content. The company is working with romance authors, BookTok creators and filmmakers to develop original comedies and dramas designed for audiences already consuming stories across books, film and social media.
From romance books to micromovies
Rommi has partnered with literary creator, podcaster and producer Morgann Book and Thomas Johnston of Bookish Media to co-produce its slate. Bookish Media develops content across audio, film and television, and live entertainment, with a focus on romance, thriller and young-adult audiences.
Rommi plans to commission original stories from established romance authors specifically for screen adaptation before publication. Its first original micromovie, Drive Me Mad, is based on an original idea by romance author Ali Rosen. Additional original projects are in development with Emma Grey and Debbie Rigaud.
Rommi is also developing screen adaptations of bestselling romance novels including The Mixtape by Brittainy Cherry and This Spells Love by Kate Robb.
“As we witnessed the rapid global success of romance-themed verticals, we saw an opportunity to provide the romance reading community, who already blend reading, viewing, and posting on social media, with micromovies that speak directly to them. We’re treating audiences to streamer-worthy rom-coms built for an accessible format they already love,” said Gordon. “We are using our years of experience in film and TV to offer truly satisfying entertainment for this passionate community.”
Malina added: “It’s been great to see romance audiences finally getting the content they deserve with the recent explosion of projects such as Heated Rivalry, Off-Campus, and People We Meet on Vacation. However, there’s still an appetite for a steady flow of well-produced content to complement what traditional media is providing. Rommi will fill the gap between streaming and theatrical releases and give viewers a romantic escape wherever they want to watch.”
Gordon is the co-founder of Fugitive Films and has produced projects including the Emmy-winning PBS series Half the Sky, A Path Appears, Humor Me, Swimfan and the Oscar-nominated In the Bedroom. Malina previously served as Head of Scripted Programming at MTV/VH1, where she oversaw Single Ladies and Hit the Floor, as well as MTV productions including 2Get+her and Hip-Hopera: Carmen. Her recent producing credits include Netflix rom-com Resort To Love and ABC/Hulu series Promised Land.
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