Seven Arts Entertainment Inc. Appoints President to Music and Television Division

LOS ANGELES, May 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Seven Arts Entertainment Inc. (OTCQB: SAPX) ("Seven Arts") today announced the appointment of Anthony G. Barlo as President of Seven Arts Music and Television, a new subsidiary of Seven Arts.

As founder of leading independent music company Microhits, Inc., Mr. Barlo has a proven track record of identifying and acquiring iconic music assets. He is also an industry expert in copyright protection, having resolved contractual and copyright disputes involving the Beastie Boys, Lenny Kravitz, Tupac Shakur, Lynyrd Skynyrd, John Mellencamp, Public Enemy, Cat Stevens, Jaco Pastorius, Sidney Bechet, Igor Stravinsky and others.

Seven Arts Music expects that it will immediately begin acquiring music publishing and recording catalogs in the $1 million to $5 million range, financed through Microhits' existing partners. New funding will also be available through its subsidiary Seven Arts Music and Television Inc.

Since 2000, the Microhits catalog has grown to over 27,000 songs and recordings, including numerous gold and platinum records by artists such as Lady Antebellum, Rod Stewart, Harry Connick, Jr., Donny Hathaway, Christina Aguilera, and many others. Microhits catalog also includes the single "Girls," from the current Billboard #2 album by Kid Cudi.

As part of a long-term agreement, Microhits Music Ltd., which represents Microhits Music Corp.'s catalog in the UK/EIRE territories, will be sub-published by Seven Arts Music and Television. This also includes the catalog of China Music Publishing, the official music publisher for the People's Republic of China.

"I am thrilled to have a proven entrepreneur and successful business and music executive join our team.  I know that his legal and creative background and expertise in maximizing the full value of product will be a great asset to Seven Arts Entertainment," stated Vince Vellardita Chairman and President of Seven Arts.

Mr. Barlo will focus on streamlining and maximizing Seven Arts' existing music assets, developing music properties for its upcoming film projects, and overseeing the launch of a new music division. The new division will build partnerships with content distribution services, tools, apps and models that improve the user experience, fairly compensate artists for their work and protect consumers and artists. Seven Arts will seek relationships with technology companies that recognize the fundamental value of art, and how new content delivery systems can liberate that art so consumers, artists and publishers benefit.

"I am seeing a whole new bold adventure as our Seven Arts team unites to brand us into a diverse Entertainment Company by expanding Music, Television and Technology and talented industry executives," stated Peter Hoffman, CEO of Seven Arts Entertainment.

"I am looking forward to working with Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Vellardita and the Seven Arts Team.  Mr. Hoffman is a leader in the independent film production and finance and has produced some of the greatest films of all time; while Mr Vellardita has successfully created a television network as well as one of the largest independent television production studios in the U.S. from the ground up," stated Anthony Barlo, President of Seven Arts Music and Television.

Mr Barlo continued: "I am also looking forward to launching the new technology division.  There is no doubt that content is the engine powering the internet and technology industry.  Content companies are just beginning to reap their fair share of the technology and internet economy and we intend to benefit from, and reinforce that trend, through new partnerships, compelling content, services, and copyright protection.

"I have no doubt that together, Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Vellardita, and I along with the support of Seven Arts stockholders will be successful in executing a sustainable strategy of developing, acquiring, and creating compelling entertainment while maximizing distribution and revenue from Seven Arts catalog across all media," Mr Barlo concluded.

After receiving a J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law, Mr. Barlo began his music career at Universal Music Group, as the sole international administrator for Universal Music Publishing, and later as an Associate in Business Affairs.

During his time at Universal, Mr. Barlo was responsible for resolving disputes of domestic and international copyright infringement, estate and trust administration (intellectual property assets), domestic and international copyright reversions, as well as domestic and international breach of contract. He has worked with some of the biggest artists and catalogs of all time, including the Beastie Boys, Lenny Kravitz, Alanis Morissette, John Mellencamp, Public Enemy, Peggy Lee, Cat Stevens, Jaco Pastorius, Sidney Bechet, Igor Stravinsky and others.

Mr. Barlo has also handled disputes, chain of title matters and transactional issues relating to mergers and acquisitions involving Interscope Music Publishing, All Nations Music, Clarence Williams Music, Wabash Music and ABC-Dunhill Music.

About Seven Arts Entertainment Inc.:

Seven Arts Entertainment Inc. was founded in 2002 as an independent motion picture production and distribution company engaged in the development, acquisition, financing, production and licensing of theatrical motion pictures for exhibition in domestic (i.e., the United States and Canada) and foreign theatrical markets, and for subsequent worldwide release in other forms of media, including home video and pay and free television.

Cautionary Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made under the Safe Harbor Provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated. The information contained in this release is as of May 13, 2013. Seven Arts assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments.

Contact:

Seven Arts Entertainment Inc.
Peter Hoffman
323-372-3080
[email protected]

SOURCE Seven Arts Entertainment Inc.