Martin began his career in 1961 at 20th Century Fox and joined Columbia Pictures in 1981 as a production manager. In 1988, he was named Columbia Pictures’ president of production administration, overseeing all aspects of physical and postproduction on Columbia’s slate of films. Martin was additionally named president of Sony Pictures Studios operations in 2003, assuming responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the entire studio lot and postproduction facilities, employing over 260 people.
“Gary is Sony Pictures and our studio operations,” said Pascal. “His leadership, grace, and skill are unparalleled in our business. There is no one who comes close. We are fortunate that Gary spent the better part of his 51 years here with us. He’s not just our colleague, he is our great friend and we’re going to miss seeing him every day.”
“We are so grateful for Gary’s years of service here at the Studio,” Lynton said. “From the day I arrived through every day since, he has been a force of great leadership that is full of compassion, humility and humor.”
In his career at Columbia Pictures, Martin has overseen the production of more than 600 films, including the blockbuster Spider-Man, Men In Black and Ghostbusters franchises, as well as many of the studio’s most celebrated films like The Smurfs, The Social Network, Superbad, Casino Royale, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Prince of Tides and Tootsie. Among his many achievements, Martin was responsible for opening the lot’s Barbara Streisand Scoring Stage and developing Sony Pictures Studios’ sound department. Martin also implemented Sony Pictures Studios’ sustainability effort, turning the 30 acre facility into the first zero-waste studio lot in 2011.
Sony Pictures Studios’ Stage 15 is the largest soundstage in North America and the second-largest in the world. Originally built in 1927, it has 40-foot ceilings and a capacity of more than 42,000 square feet. The stage has been used for many memorable films, going back to MGM’s The Wizard of Oz.
