| Jeffrey Scott Edell | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Alma Mater: | McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia |
| Occupation: | Tech & Entertainment CEO |
| Years Active: | 1990–present |
| Credits: | , which produces label "Notable credit(s)"; or by |
| Works: | , which produces label "Works"; or by |
| Label Name: | , which produces label "Label(s)" --> |
| Office: | may be used as an alternative when the label is better rendered as "Office" (e.g. public office or appointments) --> |
Jeffrey Scott Edell is an American entrepreneur in the entertainment, media, and tech industries.[1] [2] He currently serves as the CEO and Chairman of MeWe, a global social media and social networking service that utilizes Web3.[3] [4]
Jeffrey Edell is best known for his role as a top executive at numerous entertainment and technology organizations such as: CEO and president of Soundelux Entertainment Group, Chairman of Intermix Media (former parent company of MySpace)[5] and eLabor.com (formerly jeTECH Data Systems[6] [7]) CEO of Inferno Pictures,[8] CFO of Cinedigm,[9] president and COO of DIC Entertainment, as well as former president and CFO of WTG Entertainment Enterprises.[10] Edell is also co-founder and Chairman of IndieU[11] and Ohana Chem Co. LLC along with his daughter Natalie Edell. In early 2021, Edell was named CEO of MeWe.[12]
Edell attended Lehigh University to pursue a Pre-Medicine path and later transferred to the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce, where he graduated with a B.S. in Commerce with an emphasis in Accounting and Taxation.[13] He served as Associate Professor at Florida State University and was Entrepreneur in Residence for the Motion Pictures Arts College from 2014 to 2016.[14] During his time at KPMG,[15] Edell obtained his Certified Public Accountant certification.
As CEO of MeWe, Edell orchestrated a $27 million Series A round led by private company McCourt Global, which contributed $15 million. Previous investors contributed another $12 million—the round values MeWe at approximately $200 million.[3]
From 1995 to 2001, he served as a production executive for films such as Braveheart, Face/Off, The Mask of Zorro, Gladiator, Almost Famous, and Shrek. Starting in 2009, Edell's companies have produced films such as The Kids Are All Right,[16] Just Friends, Killer Elite, , and The Grey. While Edell was the chief executive officer of Soundelux, Soundelux performed work for films such as Gladiator and Braveheart, among other films, which won multiple BAFTA and Academy Awards.[17] [18]
Edell was a producer and actor on the 2013 Lifetime movie Taken for Ransom (originally named Life Saver) with his wife Elaine Hastings Edell,[19] [2] [20] a producer for various other films, and an actor in National Lampoon's Movie Madness (formerly National Lampoon's Goes to the Movies). In 2019, Edell was a producer of the thriller film Deadly Excursion (Paradise Prey). He also serves as co-executive producer of the 2020 animated series, The Freak Brothers,[21] [22] based on the comic book series of The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. The series was renewed for Season 2 to be released in December 2022.[23] In May 2020, it was announced that the main characters in the series will be voiced by A-list celebrities including Woody Harrelson, John Goodman, Tiffany Haddish, and Pete Davidson.[24] In 2021, Tubi announced that The Freak Brothers was the most-watched program on the platform.[25]
Edell is also known for overseeing and managing the development of brands such as Inspector Gadget and Strawberry Shortcake during his tenure at DIC Entertainment,[26] [27] as well as partnering with Stan Lee and POW! Entertainment[28] on a game titled Stan Lee's Superhero Ball Wars. Edell was interviewed by journalist Julia Angwin in her 2009 book Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America because of his role as Chairman of Intermix Media.[5] Edell was also interviewed in 2022 by David Ryan Polgar on the All Tech Is Human podcast, which promotes the Responsible Tech field.[29]
Edell was featured in Start It, Sell It & Make a Mint: 20 Wealth-Creating Secrets for Business Owners by Joe John Duran. He also won the Master Award in Comic Collecting from the Certified Guaranty Company's Collectors Society,[30] and served as goalie for the US Maccabi World Team at the Olympics in 2004.[13] Edell is also Advisor, Chairman, and Co-Founder of Ohana Chem Co, LLC, a hemp extraction solvent supplier specializing in ethanol, hydrocarbons, and logistics.[31]
Edell's tenure at Soundelux garnered him recognition as Nasdaq and Ernst and Young's ‘Entertainment Entrepreneur of the Year' in 2000[27] [32] and admission to both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.[33] He is also a member of the Producers Guild of America and the Young Presidents Organization, and a contributing member of the Rolling Stones Culture Council.[34]
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Movie Madness | Actor | [35] | |
| 1995 | Braveheart | Production Executive | [36] | |
| 1997 | Face/Off | Production Executive | [37] | |
| 1998 | The Mask of Zorro | Production Executive | [38] | |
| 2000 | Almost Famous | Production Executive | [39] | |
| 2000 | Gladiator | Production Executive | [40] | |
| 2000 | True Rights | Co-Producer | [41] | |
| 2001 | Shrek | Production Executive | [42] | |
| 2009 | Production Executive | [43] | ||
| 2010 | The Kids Are All Right | Production Executive | [44] | |
| 2011 | Dirty Little Trick | Executive Producer | [45] | |
| 2011 | The Grey | Production Executive | [46] | |
| 2011 | Killer Elite | Production Executive | [47] | |
| 2013 | Final Recourse (Taken for Ransom) | Producer & Actor | [48] | |
| 2019 | Deadly Excursion (Paradise Prey) | Producer | [49] | |
| 2020-2021 | The Freak Brothers (TV show) | Co-Executive Producer | [50] |