Christopher Tuffin(I)
- Producer
- Manager
- Writer
Born and raised in Long Beach, NY and a graduate of the University of Houston (where he also played football for the nationally ranked Houston Cougars), Christopher Tuffin is an experienced executive who pulls from a diverse career as a sports agent, talent manager, sportscaster/sportswriter, producer and tech innovator.
He began his career working freelance for ESPN and Fox's "A Current Affair", the prior of which he led to a 1993 Sports Emmy, which in turn led him to develop his own talk show for HBO Downtown/ESPN2 and subsequently produce/host his own nationally syndicated golf series.
In 1997, Tuffin transitioned into film working under Peter and Bobby Farrelly on the Fox blockbuster "There's Something About Mary" and then segued into producing on such indies as "Chapter Zero" and the award winning documentary "Open Mic" featuring Dave Chappelle.
In 2001 he joined manager Rick Dorfman to build a production business around a comedy roster which included at the time Ed Helms, Greg Giraldo and Richard Jeni. The company had a deal at NBC where it produced "The Greg Giraldo Show" pilot with Conan O'Brien's Conaco. The company produced four network pilots and one series.
In 2003, he formed the horror shingle BloodWorks with former Houston teammate (and two time Denver Broncos Super Bowl winning linebacker) Glenn Cadrez and Jive/Zomba music executive Jonathan McHugh where they produced such genre titles as "2001 Maniacs" (Lionsgate), "Hood of Horror" (Xenon) and "2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams" (Nu Image). During his tenure he also acquired the Jerry Lewis controlled feature film library.
In 2005, he became the head of the film finance and production company Social Capital where he financed and produced such films as "Tell Tale" (alongside Ridley and Tony Scott), "The Countess" starring Julie Delpy, Daniel Bruhl and William Hurt, "Dark Tide" starring Halle Berry.
In 2012, he joined former ICM agent Renée Tab in forming the production and management company Sentient. The list of filmmakers whom the company has represented over the years includes David Cronenberg ("A History of Violence"), Pierre Morel ("Taken"), William Friedkin ("The Exorcist"), "Shekhar Kapur ("Elizabeth"), Atom Egoyan ("The Sweet Hereafter"), Alejandro Monteverde ("Bella"), Harald Zwart ("The Karate Kid") and many many more. The company has produced such hit TV series as "Feud: Bette and Joan" for Ryan Murphy (co-created by their clients Zam and Cohen) starring Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon. The show garnered 18 Emmy nominations, 4 Golden Globe nominations and a BAFTA nomination. On the feature film side, they have produced or executive such films as STX's "Peppermint" starring Jennifer Garner (for their client Pierre Morel), David Cronenberg's "Maps to the Stars" starring Julianne Moore (who won Cannes and garnered a Golden Globe nomination), "Line of Duty" starring Aaron Eckhart (from a screenplay their developed with their client Jeremy Drysdale), "Overdrive" starring Scott Eastwood and Ana de Armas (from their client Antonio Negret), "Freelance" starring John Cena and Alison Brie (for their client Pierre Morel) and the surprise summer 2023 blockbuster "Sound of Freedom" starring Jim Caviezel, Bill Camp and Mira Sorvino (from their client Alejandro Monteverde),, as well as the upcoming "Canary Black" starring Kate Beckinsale, "Last Meals" starring Noyd Holbrook and "Alphas" starring Martin Henderson.
He also helped structure the companies finance/distribution deals in Russia, Germany, Middle East, Greece, Turkey, India, Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil and Eastern Europe.
In addition to managing filmmakers, writers and authors at Sentient Entertainment, Mr. Tuffin was also a Managing Partner at Sentient Pictures International ("SPI"), a motion picture production, sales and finance company with offices in Dallas, Los Angeles and London.
In 2024 he left Sentient to form the global media company Strong Island, which seeks to embody the values, toughness, heart and commercial craftsmanship of his home region of Long Island, NY.
He began his career working freelance for ESPN and Fox's "A Current Affair", the prior of which he led to a 1993 Sports Emmy, which in turn led him to develop his own talk show for HBO Downtown/ESPN2 and subsequently produce/host his own nationally syndicated golf series.
In 1997, Tuffin transitioned into film working under Peter and Bobby Farrelly on the Fox blockbuster "There's Something About Mary" and then segued into producing on such indies as "Chapter Zero" and the award winning documentary "Open Mic" featuring Dave Chappelle.
In 2001 he joined manager Rick Dorfman to build a production business around a comedy roster which included at the time Ed Helms, Greg Giraldo and Richard Jeni. The company had a deal at NBC where it produced "The Greg Giraldo Show" pilot with Conan O'Brien's Conaco. The company produced four network pilots and one series.
In 2003, he formed the horror shingle BloodWorks with former Houston teammate (and two time Denver Broncos Super Bowl winning linebacker) Glenn Cadrez and Jive/Zomba music executive Jonathan McHugh where they produced such genre titles as "2001 Maniacs" (Lionsgate), "Hood of Horror" (Xenon) and "2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams" (Nu Image). During his tenure he also acquired the Jerry Lewis controlled feature film library.
In 2005, he became the head of the film finance and production company Social Capital where he financed and produced such films as "Tell Tale" (alongside Ridley and Tony Scott), "The Countess" starring Julie Delpy, Daniel Bruhl and William Hurt, "Dark Tide" starring Halle Berry.
In 2012, he joined former ICM agent Renée Tab in forming the production and management company Sentient. The list of filmmakers whom the company has represented over the years includes David Cronenberg ("A History of Violence"), Pierre Morel ("Taken"), William Friedkin ("The Exorcist"), "Shekhar Kapur ("Elizabeth"), Atom Egoyan ("The Sweet Hereafter"), Alejandro Monteverde ("Bella"), Harald Zwart ("The Karate Kid") and many many more. The company has produced such hit TV series as "Feud: Bette and Joan" for Ryan Murphy (co-created by their clients Zam and Cohen) starring Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon. The show garnered 18 Emmy nominations, 4 Golden Globe nominations and a BAFTA nomination. On the feature film side, they have produced or executive such films as STX's "Peppermint" starring Jennifer Garner (for their client Pierre Morel), David Cronenberg's "Maps to the Stars" starring Julianne Moore (who won Cannes and garnered a Golden Globe nomination), "Line of Duty" starring Aaron Eckhart (from a screenplay their developed with their client Jeremy Drysdale), "Overdrive" starring Scott Eastwood and Ana de Armas (from their client Antonio Negret), "Freelance" starring John Cena and Alison Brie (for their client Pierre Morel) and the surprise summer 2023 blockbuster "Sound of Freedom" starring Jim Caviezel, Bill Camp and Mira Sorvino (from their client Alejandro Monteverde),, as well as the upcoming "Canary Black" starring Kate Beckinsale, "Last Meals" starring Noyd Holbrook and "Alphas" starring Martin Henderson.
He also helped structure the companies finance/distribution deals in Russia, Germany, Middle East, Greece, Turkey, India, Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil and Eastern Europe.
In addition to managing filmmakers, writers and authors at Sentient Entertainment, Mr. Tuffin was also a Managing Partner at Sentient Pictures International ("SPI"), a motion picture production, sales and finance company with offices in Dallas, Los Angeles and London.
In 2024 he left Sentient to form the global media company Strong Island, which seeks to embody the values, toughness, heart and commercial craftsmanship of his home region of Long Island, NY.