EXCLUSIVE: Writer-producer Matthew Tinker has been promoted to President, All Media, of David E. Kelley Productions. This is the first time in more than a decade that DEK Prods. has had a President and caps a major ramp-up of the indie company’s slate over the past year, in which Tinker played a key role.
As EVP of DEK Prods, Tinker in 2021 set up series orders for three new Kelley series, which he also is executive producing: A Man In Full, a collaboration with Regina King, for Netflix; The Missing for Peacock; and Love & Death for HBO Max– this while Tinker also has been serving as a writer/producer on Kelley’s breakout ABC series Big Sky.
“Matt has been a one-man triumvirate,” Kelley said. “Writing, producing, developing… He’s a major talent, one I’m thrilled to have as our President. He’s a star.”
Tinker will oversee all aspects of development and production as DEK Productions plans to expand its footprint in limited and ongoing series as well as features, while further assembling its library of IP. While most of DEK Prods.’ current series have Kelley as writer/showrunner, the company will also work with other writers as it grows its slate.
“I’m incredibly proud of the material we have in the pipeline, and committed to championing content that is both entertaining and thought-provoking,” Tinker said. “As we continue our past creative partnerships, I’m excited to explore new platforms and collaborate with new voices. I’m grateful to David and everyone at the company for their support.”
Tinker is a homegrown DEK Productions talent who started as Kelley’s assistant. He went on to serve in different producing capacities on Kelley’s hugely popular — and Emmy-winning — HBO series Big Little Lies; The Undoing, HBO’s most-watched series of 2020; as well as Nine Perfect Strangers, Hulu’s most-watched original series ever.
With seven on-air series on its 2022 slate, Netflix’s A Man In Full, Peacock’s The Missing, HBO Max’s Love & Death, ABC’s Big Sky as well as Disney+’s Big Shot and Netflix’s upcoming Lincoln Lawyer and Anatomy of a Scandal, DEK Productions has emerged as one of the top independent production companies in the marketplace. This harkens back to the time the company was one of the most prolific pods in broadcast during its 22 years under a deal at then-20th Century Fox Television, delivering such hits as the Emmy-winning Picket Fences, Ally McBeal and The Practice as well as Boston Public and The Practice spinoff Boston Legal — all created by Kelley.
Since Kelley left behind overall deal arrangements about a decade ago, he has forged a new path for himself and his company as a supplier of premium networks and streamers. Kelley made a return to broadcast in 2020 with ABC’s Big Sky, now in its second season. Aside from a relationship with A+E Studios, which yielded Big Sky and Lincoln Lawyer, DEK Productions has remained independent and not tied to a studio; instead selling directly to buyers across platforms.
Kelley is repped by CAA and law firm Gendler & Kelly. Tinker is repped by CAA, Echo Lake Entertainment, and law firm Yorn Levine.
