Exclusive: Amplify Pictures has hired former CAA, Quibi and Picturestart exec Luke Esselen to take on a senior role as the international studio pushes into scripted.

Esselen has been named Senior Scripted Executive, reporting into Amplify’s Amsterdam-based Chief Content Officer, Rachel Eggebeen. He will be based in L.A., where Amplify is based, and be responsible for a slate of scripted projects that have an emphasis on ongoing series and franchises.

Amplify is looking to recreate the indie financing model it uses for its unscripted shows, which include HBO’s doc series 100 Foot Wave and the Smriti Mundhra-directed docs-series Bollywood Dance U, for scripted programming and Deadline understands several unannounced projects with talent attached are on the slate.

Esselen has held senior positions at Erik Feig’s Picturestart and short-lived short-form streamer Quibi. He previously worked as a talent agent at CAA. Before joining Amplify, he was VP of Television at Picturestart,...