ITV

Category: Non-Fiction

  • FremantleMedia bags distribution rights to Jude Law’s ‘The Young Pope’

    FremantleMedia bags distribution rights to Jude Law’s ‘The Young Pope’

    MUMBAI: From the Academy Award-winning director, Paolo Sorrentino comes one of the most exciting projects, which was announced at last week’s Cannes Film Festival, The Young Pope.

     

    Starring the two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law, The Young Pope tells the controversial story of the beginning of PIUS XIII’s Pontificate. With the exclusive international distribution (outside of partner territories) handled by FremantleMedia International (FMI), The Young Pope is set to begin production this summer.

     

    Born Lenny Belardo, PIUS XIII is a complex and conflicted character, so conservative in his choices as to border on obscurantism, yet full of compassion towards the weak and poor. He is a man of great power who is stubbornly resistant to the Vatican courtiers, unconcerned with the implications to his authority. During the series, Belardo will face losing those closest to him and the constant fear of being abandoned, even by his God.

     

    FremantleMedia International CEO Jens Richter said, “The Young Pope combines a fantastic story with a brilliant pedigree of talent in the form of a world-renowned director in Paolo Sorrentino, an outstanding production team in Wildside and an extraordinary lead man in Jude Law. The series has all of the ingredients to become a hallmark drama and FMI is thrilled to have secured the rights for its catalogue.”

     

    The series is a joint production of Sky, HBO and Canal +. All eight episodes will be directed by Sorrentino and written by Sorrentino in collaboration with Tony Grisoni, Umberto Contarello and Stefano Rulli.

     

    The series is being produced by Wildside, and co-produced by Haut et Court TV.

  • BBC One orders new series of BAFTA nominated ‘Count Arthur Strong’

    BBC One orders new series of BAFTA nominated ‘Count Arthur Strong’

    MUMBAI: BBC One has commissioned a third series of comedy Count Arthur Strong.
     
    The BAFTA nominated series launched on BBC Two in 2013. Series two heralded a move to its new home on BBC One where it broadcast at the beginning of this year.
     
    The 7*30 min series is produced by Retort (part of FremantleMedia UK), Komedia Entertainment and Delightful Industries and written by Graham Linehan and the central character’s creator, Steve Delaney.
     
    Executive producers are Jon Rolph for Retort, Richard Daws for Komedia and Gregor Sharp for the BBC, and the series is produced by Richard Boden.
     
    In series three, Arthur still pursues his dreams of stardom no matter how much chaos he causes along the way, with Michael (played by Rory Kinnear) doing his best to limit the damage to the world around them and his own sanity.
     
    Linehan said, ”Very happy to hear that Arthur, Michael and the gang will have more adventures. And we’ve got some crackers lined up for this series.”
     
    Delaney added, ”I’m thrilled, delighted and humbled that BBC One have requested another series of Count Arthur Strong. Where do I sign? Quick, before they change their minds!”
     
    BBC controller, comedy commission Shane Allen said, ”How could we resist bringing back this character comedy masterclass, which blends the joyfully daft with skilfully inventive plotting. Series two really hit its stride and the move to BBC One has brought the audience response we were hoping for. It’s a privilege to be working with these writing and performing talents at the top of their game.”
     
    Retort managing director and executive producer Jon Rolph said, ”It’s a joy and a privilege to be irresistibly drawn into Arthur’s world, and we’re delighted that the BBC One audience think so too.”

    Executive producer Richard Daws from Komedia added, ”It appears Count Arthur is edging ever closer to becoming the national treasure he has always imagined he was.”
    Production and transmission of the show will be in 2016.

  • Endemol Beyond expands global presence with first Asian hub

    Endemol Beyond expands global presence with first Asian hub

    MUMBAI: Global content creator, producer and distributor, Endemol Shine Group has expanded its global presence with the launch of Endemol Beyond Asia. 

     

    Mindshare Singapore’s Christopher Smith has been appointed as the head of digital and branded content at Endemol Beyond Asia.

     

    The new regional hub will produce local versions of the company’s global digital formats, premiering with ICON, the lifestyle channel creatively led by digital pioneer Michelle Phan. ICON launched simultaneously in the UK and U.S earlier this year and is the go-to destination for beauty, fashion and wellness.

     

    Endemol Beyond Asia will also create original programming and bespoke branded content for the Asian market, as well as engaging leading digital talent.

     

    The regional hub will be headquartered in Singapore, where Smith will be based, reporting to Endemol Shine Asia MD Fotini Paraskakis and working closely with Endemol Beyond International MD Georg Ramme.

     

    As an experienced creative director and brand strategist, Smith has worked internationally with brands such as Nike, Apple, Quiksilver, Unilever and Disney. At Mindshare Singapore, Smith led the development of Mindshare Discovery, the experiential and branded content business unit working with MCNs across the region.

     

    “Launching Endemol Beyond Asia is a significant move in our growth across the region. The synergy between our core business and this new division will allow us to deliver clients premium content on all platforms. Christopher’s extensive experience in MCNs and brand relationships makes him ideally suited to lead this important new area,” said Paraskakis.

     

    “Endemol Beyond is a creative organization at its core and it’s exciting to leverage the years of experience and success in creatively led storytelling to the Asian market. There is a huge opportunity in Asia for both branded content and original digital programming. I look forward to adding to the success of Endemol Beyond in this region, and to develop our Asia based studios into one of the leading producers of outstanding content for both brands and viewers,” added Smith.

     

    “Endemol Beyond continues to go from strength to strength and establishing this new hub in Asia reinforces our position as a truly global company. Audiences in Asia have a strong appetite for digital content and this region is key to Endemol Beyond’s growth. Christopher’s experience and innovation puts us in a great position to create fantastic programming, attract digital superstars and deliver bespoke content to leading brands,” said Ramme.

  • FremantleMedia and Canal+ deploy ‘Deutschland 83’ into France

    FremantleMedia and Canal+ deploy ‘Deutschland 83’ into France

    MUMBAI: Inspired Cold War drama, Deutschland 83 continues its successful roll out across Europe and the US as FremantleMedia International (FMI) has inked a major deal with France’s first pay TV channel Canal+.

     

    The title has been pre-sold to six significant European markets, in addition to a previously-announced partnership with SundanceTV that sees the eight part mini-series become the first German-language drama to have ever aired on a major US network. Deutschland 83 was produced by UFA Fiction for RTL Television in Germany and is distributed worldwide by FremantleMedia International.

     

    FremantleMedia International EVP sales & distribution EMEA Jamie Lynn said, “Since its world premiere at the Berlinale festival earlier this year, Deutschland 83has continued to attract both critical praise and the attention of buyers from all over the world. Sitting on the world class Canal+ platform, alongside some of the world’s best scripted content, Deutschland 83 is proving to be one of 2015’s must have dramas. With the combination of suspense, action and humour, Deutschland 83 is compelling viewing and I’ve no doubt that the show will captivate the French audiences.”

     

    Deutschland 83 is a suspenseful coming-of-age story set against the real culture wars and political events of Germany in the 1980s. The drama follows Martin Rauch (Jonas Nay) as the 24 year-old East Germany native is pulled from the world as he knows it and sent to the West as an undercover spy for the Stasi foreign service. Hiding in plain sight in the West German army, he must gather the secrets of NATO military strategy. Everything is new, nothing is quite what it seems and everyone he encounters is harboring secrets, both political and personal.

     

    Created by Anna Winger and Joerg Winger, Deutschland 83 is executive produced by UFA Fiction’s Joerg Winger and Nico Hofmann and directed by Edward Berger and Samira Radsi.

  • FremantleMedia secures two new markets for ‘My Mom Cooks Better Than Yours’

    FremantleMedia secures two new markets for ‘My Mom Cooks Better Than Yours’

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia has secured two new runs for My Mom Cooks Better Than Yours in Albania (Top Channel) and in the Czech Republic (TV Nova).

     

    With this the total number of local versions of the show goes up to seven.

     

    Additionally, Turkish broadcaster TRT has commissioned a second season of the show.

     

    My Mom Cooks Better than Yours was cooked up by Spanish producer Mandarina and launched on Spain’s Cuatro in March 2014, where it was an immediate hit.

     

    FremantleMedia has already sold the format to picked up by El Trece (Argentina), Prima TV (Romania), TRT (Turkey) Pop TV (Slovenia) and TV Joj (Slovakia).

     

    My Mom Cooks Better Than Yours has just won a C21 Format Award for Best Studio Based Gameshow.

     

    FremantleMedia head of global entertainment production Chris O’Dell said, “We’re delighted to add Albania and the Czech Republic to a growing list of international broadcasters who are hungering for My Mom Cooks Better than Yours. By fusing food, comedy, competition and family clashes, this action-packed format instantly strikes a chord with anyone who’s ever tried (and failed) to impress their parents in the kitchen, and are looking forward to rolling it out further to even more markets in the future.”

  • FremantleMedia licenses new game show format to Paraguay & Egypt b’casters

    FremantleMedia licenses new game show format to Paraguay & Egypt b’casters

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia’s brand new family friendly game show format Cash or Splash has launched in Cannes with two international versions of the show already under its belt: the first to Paraguay’s Telefuturo and the second to Egypt’s MBC Masr. 

     

    An amalgamation of the hit Fuji TV formats Clock Hanger, Boxing Glove, and Run Quiz Run, the format sees teams of contestants compete for cash prizes by answering questions and completing hilarious physical challenges in order to avoid being sent for a plunge into an icy pool of water.

     

    The news reflects an increasing appetite for game and studio shows that have a strong comedic element, and follows recent international successes for other FremantleMedia titles like Thank God You’re Here, Through the Keyhole and Total Blackout. The trend suggests that laughter may not just be good for the soul, but good for the format business too.

     

    Thank God You’re Here, which tests celebrities improvisational skills by throwing them into an unknown situation which they must ad-lib their way through, aired for the first time in Turkey (TRT), Vietnam (VTV3) and Finland (MTV3), where the show became an instant hit rating number one in its timeslot among 15-24s and +97 per cent above the slot average for the same age group.

     

    Through the Keyhole, which sees the show’s host let loose to rummage around three mystery celebrity houses giving comic clues to an all-star panel who then has to guess which famous face lives there, launched as the UK’s highest rated new entertainment show among adults 16-34 in 2013. The Belgian version’s first run on VTM earlier this year, established a similar record as it became Belgium’s highest rated entertainment launch of the past 12 months.

     

    Total Black Out, already in 17 territories worldwide, extended its international footprint to two further markets in the few months; Brazil (Bandeirantes) and France (W9). In France the show, in which six people struggle over a series of knock-out rounds to compete to survive outrageous challenges in complete darkness, outperformed the broadcaster across all key demographics (including the lucrative 15-34 year old demo, where it performed +86 per cent above average).

     

    Even long-established formats such as Family Feud are benefitting from the trend. In the US, where the show has been running since 1976, the series, which is now fronted by comedian Steve Harvey, reached a new high in January 2015, attaining an average Household rating of 7.2 – the show’s highest performance for over 20 years. In Australia, it regularly ranks as the No.1 show in its time slot for young adults and in the UK S11 launched to an audience of 5.4 million viewers outperforming the S10 launch by +37 per cent.

     

    “Laughter is a global currency and the fact that these shows all extended their global footprint and performed so well in these new markets is proof that comedy in a Gameshow or Studio show is a winning formula, no matter where in the world they go. While these shows have always been about fun, today’s clever casting and scripting, which aims to maximize comedic value while still staying true to the principals of the core show, are attracting new viewers, particularly in the sought-after younger demo. That’s got to be great news for broadcasters,” said FremantleMedia director of global production Chris O’Dell.

  • FremantleMedia inks JV with Shanghai Media Group

    FremantleMedia inks JV with Shanghai Media Group

     

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia has inked an exclusive joint venture deal with Shanghai Media Group’s (SMG) BesTV and China Media Capital (CMC). Under the JV, the companies will create and develop entertainment formats for the China market, set to reach millions of viewers on Dragon TV and BesTV platforms, and take proprietary China content to the world market through FremantleMedia’s global distribution network.

     

    Based in Shanghai, the bespoke development team will include international experts and local producers and will draw on FremantleMedia’s creative strength to develop original entertainment IP. Outside of mainland China, FremantleMedia International will represent the newly-created IP through its worldwide distribution network. 

     

    FremantleMedia global CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz said, “The Chinese television market is rapidly becoming one of the most important in the world. This new relationship with BesTV, SMG and CMC allows FremantleMedia to build on its existing presence in China and strengthen our ties in this territory. It brings with it the opportunity for FremantleMedia to showcase its world-renowned creativity to millions of new viewers, with content that is made specifically for them.”

     

    CMC founding chairman Ruigang Li added, “China’s TV sector is undergoing the most exciting transformation, and the value of premium content is being created and manifested with unprecedented enthusiasm. CMC is delighted to team up with SMG and FremantleMedia, a global leader in entertainment content, to bring together the profound understanding of the market, the established creative capacity and the strength of a global network to further shape the China TV landscape and take more of China’s original content to the world market.”

     

    SMG president Madame Wang Jianjun said, “We envision BesTV to be a new media conglomerate after the restructuring and China’s foremost OTT service provider. It will build a new media eco-system in which BesTV straddles over content production, distribution channels, and products and services. As format and idea development is a key part in content production, the joint venture will undoubtedly bring the best resources from all the companies together and gives a strong boost to BesTV. The collaboration will give SMG the wonderful opportunity to learn how to create good ideas and how to grow these ideas into formats and productions. It will greatly enhance SMG’s production capacity and help SMG make phenomenal variety shows in the future.”

     

    FremantleMedia Asia Pacific CEO Ian Hogg added, “This is a ground breaking deal, not only for Best TV, SMG, CMC, and FremantleMedia, but for Chinese audiences. The opportunity to create and execute story telling that focuses on Chinese values and tastes blended with western structure and creativity is a very powerful combination.”

     

    FremantleMedia has already forged strong relationships with a number of China’s broadcasters and has licensed around 20 titles, including Got Talent, Idols, The X Factor, Don’t Stop Me Now, Take Me Out Hole in the Wall and Family Feud.

  • Endemol Shine Group inks pan Balkan deal for ‘Big Brother’

    Endemol Shine Group inks pan Balkan deal for ‘Big Brother’

    MUMBAI: The newly launched global content creator, producer and distributor, Endemol Shine Group, has inked a new Pan Balkan deal for Big Brother. The reality juggernaut will return to five markets in the region including Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro, marking the format’s comeback where it last aired in 2011.

     

    Endemol Shine Group has licensed the format to RTL Croatia, who will produce in house as well as airing the smash hit series. Meanwhile Serbian production company Emotion has also picked up the rights and will make the show for major broadcasters in Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro, details of which will be announced in due course.

     

    The production will be filmed over 100 days at the regional hub in Serbia and will air simultaneously in each market, launching later this year. The series will feature housemates from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia all filmed together in the one Big Brother house.

     

    “Big Brother remains one of the world’s biggest and longest-running entertainment hits and this deal is just the latest in a series of comebacks the format has made over the years. We’re thrilled to see the show returning to the Balkans for a pan regional series that will introduce a new, multi-national line up of housemates to fans in five markets,” said Endemol Shine Group CEO of Central and Eastern Europe and MENA regions Marina Williams.

     

    The original reality format Big Brother launched in the Netherlands more than 15 years ago and changed the face of television. Twenty-five series aired in more than 70 countries across 2014. The format continues to be a hit in the USA, UK, Italy, Spain, Canada and Israel as well as in Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Africa and Asia.

     

    Williams and her teams regionally oversee Endemol Shine Group’s newly combined catalogue of formats. The new company’s regional presence includes local production hubs in Poland, Middle East and North Africa, Russia and Turkey, with the Central and Eastern Europe format distribution team representing remaining territories.

  • Greymatter’s ‘The Remix’ makes it to Fresh TV’s ‘Top 25 Formats’

    Greymatter’s ‘The Remix’ makes it to Fresh TV’s ‘Top 25 Formats’

    MUMBAI: Greymatter Entertainment’s new music reality format The Remix is creating waves. The format, which has been produced by the Vietnam based Cattiensa and is aired at VTV3 in Vietnam, has been garnering not just television ratings, but also generating a lot of social media buzz.

     

    The ten episode show, in the first two weeks generated close to 43,000 discussions among viewers. Not only that, the live show has generated a 10 plus rating in Vietnam and close to 5.5 million views per episode on YouTube.

     

    The rising success and the uniqueness of the format has helped it in getting chosen by Fresh TV for the ‘Mip top 25 formats to watch out for.’

     

    “We had created the format two years ago, and Vietnam showed interest in it and thus got it first,” says Greymatter director Rahul Sarangi.

     

    Sarangi is overwhelmed as it is the first time an Asian format has made it to the Fresh TV top 25 format list. Talking about the format he says, “It is a music talent show, wherein the winner gets a million dollars and a chance to shoot with a record label. There are two performers in each team, wherein one sings while the other composes the music. There are four judges, who give a song of their choice to the performers, who then have to remake it and perform.”

     

    Every week sees an elimination, which comprises 50 per cent points from the judges and 50 per cent votes coming in through SMSes.

     

    “The interesting part of this show, unlike the others like X Factor, Got Talent etc is that it is Live and not deferred even by a second,” informs Sarangi.

     

    Another differentiator, according to Sarangi is that the entire set is a LED Box, which changes with the mood of the song. “The set is customized and sees a changed setting and graphics along with the songs,” he says.

     

    This $2 million property airs two hours of programming per episode. “We are the format owners of the show and have done the set designing, the graphics and the whole packaging of the reality programme, the finale of which will be aired on 12 April,” informs Sarangi.

     

    The format has also been sold to a French production house. “The format has become a big success and we are in talks with production houses from Australia, Philippines, Indonesia and the US who have shown interest in the format,” he adds.

     

    Sarangi opines that it is time that Indian broadcasters too get into airing live reality shows. “We are always working towards global ideas and would like to bring these ideas to India as well,” concludes Sarangi.  

     

  • FremantleMedia UK launches digital label Shotglass Media

    FremantleMedia UK launches digital label Shotglass Media

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia UK has launched a new digital media company called Shotglass Media.

     

    The new digital entity will sit alongside FremantleMedia UK labels Talkback, Thames, Retort, Boundless, Newman Street and Euston Films and focus on creating innovative digital experiences for fans and brands. Kat Hebden will head up the operation as managing director, reporting to interim FremantleMedia UK CEO Richard Holloway. Hebden was previously head of FremantleMedia UK Interactive.

     

    The investment in Shotglass Media will accelerate the growth of the company’s digital content initiatives in the UK, including the slate of original digital content, which already includes Munchies, a multi-channel food brand co-produced with Vice Media, and football fan channels Full Time Devils, Chelsea Fan Channel and Blue Moon Rising. Hebden and her team will grow the slate of food and sports content, and will also develop and produce in other key verticals like gaming, travel, music, entertainment and automotive.

     

    Shotglass Media will also encompass all digital and social media activity for FremantleMedia UK’s programmes including Britain’s Got Talent, The X Factor, Celebrity Juice, The Apprentice, Take Me Out and more, and will work closely with all FremantleMedia UK labels to create new experiences for fans across the range of programming within the group. 

     

    The new company will be a key partner for brands and advertisers who are looking for creative digital advertising solutions: with the FremantleMedia UK Commercial team, Shotglass Media will offer the full scope of integrations from bespoke funded content to sponsorships and advertising.

     

    Holloway said, “This is a very exciting time for FremantleMedia UK, the media landscape is changing so rapidly and while we’ve already been at the forefront of these changes, we’re now making even more investment in digital media to increase our activity. Kat is an unstoppable force and in her hands, Shotglass will become the benchmark for digital content companies.”

     

    Hebden’s senior team will include head of business development Audrey Lang, executive producer of original programming James Cooper and head of sport Neil Smythe. The team will work in tandem with FremantleMedia and RTL Group digital companies including Divimove, the leading European MCN the company acquired earlier this year, as well as RTL Group’s MCNs StyleHaul and Broadband TV.

     

    Hebden added, “FremantleMedia has become a key player in digital content and I’m delighted to be leading the next push in the UK. Not only do we have a strong team here in the UK, but FremantleMedia as a group has an impressive digital presence and we’ll continue the heritage of producing locally whilst using our global network to share best practices, relationships and where appropriate, cross-border content for fans and brands.”

     

    Shotglass Media joins the growing number of regional digital entities under the FremantleMedia umbrella including Tiny Riot!, the US digital studio launched last year, UFALab, its German transmedia company, and Spring, part of FremantleMedia Australia.