Levi Rugg
Executive Producer · Studio Head

Levi Rugg

Former VP, Production & Development at Warner Bros. Discovery

I build in-house content studios and the production systems that make them run. For more than a decade I led production at MotorTrend and Warner Bros. Discovery, growing a five-person video unit into a studio that produced 30+ original series for cable, streaming and YouTube. Along the way, I stood up multiple short-form departments and bespoke content teams, and played a crucial role in branded content initiatives.

View selected workGet in touch
Portrait of Levi Rugg
Levi RuggLos Angeles
30+Original series produced
$30M+Annual studio budget
6MYouTube subscribers grown from 100K
20+Concurrent productions led
70MAudience across HBO Max and discovery+
About

Structure that makes ambitious ideas possible

I've spent 15 years leading production teams across television, digital and social. I build the structure, bring in new technology and set up the partnerships that turn complex campaigns into clear, consistent stories.

I've built studios from scratch, run multiple studios and 10+ TV productions at once, and worked closely with marketing and product teams to connect creative ambition with practical execution. I led MotorTrend's move from print to video, which ended in its acquisition by Warner Bros. Discovery.

Experience

Career

2022 – 2025

Vice President, Production & Development

Warner Bros. Discovery · Culver City, CA
  • Directed strategy and operations for 20+ concurrent productions across digital, streaming and broadcast, reaching an audience of 70M. Every show streamed on HBO Max and discovery+.
  • Created standardized development and production systems that improved the success rate of new series and reduced wasted investment.
  • Built and led 10 production teams, improving communication and delivery across creative, post and marketing.
  • Integrated 2–5 paid product partnerships and licenses into every program while protecting editorial integrity.
2018 – 2022

Studio Head & Executive Producer

MotorTrend Group · El Segundo, CA
  • Grew a five-person video unit into a scalable studio that produced 30+ series on an annual budget of $30M+, including the build-out of production and post equipment.
  • Led the shift from unformatted YouTube content to formatted programming monetized across cable, SVOD, AVOD and social.
  • Expanded three flagship franchises, Roadkill, Roadworthy Rescues and Top Gear America, into annual events, $1M+ a year in merchandise, and $3–5M a year in brand partnerships.
  • Built three short-form and social departments publishing five new assets daily to a 10M+ audience.
2014 – 2018

Creative Director & Executive Producer

TEN: The Enthusiast Network · El Segundo, CA
  • Led creative direction and teams while the YouTube audience grew from 100K to 6 million subscribers.
  • Developed new series and franchise models that strengthened brand identity and long-term audience retention.
Earlier career

Showrunner, Director, Editor, Producer

Series and branded work
Education · 2011

BFA, Film

University of Colorado Boulder
Selected work

Programs and events I led

Franchises & programs

The shows and brands I built and ran

RoadkillSeries
Hot Rod GarageSeries
Roadworthy RescuesSeries
Top Gear AmericaSeries
Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car CrewSeries
Head 2 HeadSeries
IgnitionSeries
Dirt Every DaySeries
Epic DrivesSeries
Petrolhead PlanetSeries
On Two WheelsSeries
World’s Greatest Drag RaceEvent
Hooptie World ChampionshipEvent
Pebble Beach Concours d’EleganceEvent
Social & short-form teams
Distribution

Where my shows streamed and aired

Series I produced were distributed across these platforms and made with these partners.

HBO MaxStreaming
discovery+Streaming
MotorTrend+Streaming
YouTubeDigital
The Roku ChannelStreaming
NetflixStreaming
BBC StudiosStudio partner
Brand partners

Brands I've worked with

Amazon
Toyota
Shell
Mercedes-Benz
BMW
Ford
Chevrolet
FCA
Honda
Hyundai
Kia
Porsche
Ferrari
Lamborghini
Dodge
Subaru
Mobil 1
Formula 1
AutoZone
O’Reilly Auto Parts
eBay
Quaker State
GoPro
$3–5MPer year in brand partnerships
$1M+Per year in merchandise
2–5Paid partnerships built into every WBD program
Capabilities

What I bring

Studio creation

Facilities, equipment, crews and post pipelines built from the ground up.

Production leadership

Showrunning and executive producing series for cable, streaming and YouTube.

Development systems

Repeatable development and greenlight processes that cut guesswork.

Social & short-form

Daily publishing operations for audiences of 10M+.

360 brand programs

Full programs for national advertisers: a live event, a social campaign, long-form and short-form video, and written packages. I managed the client relationship and produced all of the content.

Team leadership

Multiple teams across the country, with clear accountability and results.

Roles I lead
Head of ProductionVP, ProductionHead of VideoDirector of Video ProductionExecutive ProducerStudio HeadHead of Content StudioDirector of ContentHead of Creative ProductionHead of ProgrammingProduction OperationsSocial & Short-Form Content Lead
Contact

Let's talk

Open to studio, content and production leadership roles, and to helping companies build in-house video teams.

levirugg@gmail.com
LinkedIn