Great American Media and Robert Halmi’s Great Point Studios Join Forces for Major Two-Year Production Slate in Buffalo
- This venture formally reunites industry veterans Robert Halmi—the founder of Hallmark Channel—and Bill Abbott, who led Hallmark as President and CEO for 11 years before launching Great American Media in 2021.
- Great American Media’s network of brands includes the linear channel Great American Family, the streaming platform Pure Flix, FAST channel Pure Flix TV, and lifestyle outlet Great American Faith & Living.
According to an exclusive report from Deadline, Great American Media has entered a sweeping production partnership with Emmy- and Golden Globe‑winning producer Robert Halmi and his Great Point Studios, launching over 20 films and original series at the newly opened Buffalo, New York campus over the next two years.
The deal’s first project is the original holiday film A Christmas Spark, starring Mario Lopez, which wrapped production earlier this summer in Buffalo. The movie follows a middle-aged litigator who leaves behind a lucrative career to train as a firefighter alongside much younger cadets. Lopez described the story as deeply personal—drawn from witnessing the heroism of firefighters during recent wildfires in Los Angeles—and said the project was his way to honor their courage.
This venture formally reunites industry veterans Robert Halmi—the founder of Hallmark Channel—and Bill Abbott, who led Hallmark as President and CEO for 11 years before launching Great American Media in 2021. Abbott, widely credited with popularizing the original Christmas movie format (over 1,000 such films in 15 years), described the collaboration as an effort to “raise the bar” by creating values-driven, uplifting content produced in the U.S.
Great Point Studios, co-founded by Halmi and former investment banker Fehmi Zeko, currently includes production hubs in Yonkers, Atlanta, Buffalo, and Cardiff, Wales, with a new facility in development in Newark, New Jersey. The Buffalo-based agreement aligns with industry-wide calls to bolster domestic production, aided by enhanced incentives like New York’s refreshed statewide support package. The partners say this collaboration will also boost job growth across casting, crew, and creative talent throughout Western New York.
Great American Media’s network of brands includes the linear channel Great American Family, the streaming platform Pure Flix, FAST channel Pure Flix TV, and lifestyle outlet Great American Faith & Living. More projects in this content slate are expected to be announced in the weeks and months ahead, all reflecting the same family-friendly, faith‑infused tone that has defined Abbott and Halmi’s careers.
