ITV

Category: Factual

  • BBC Worldwide announces its Mipcom factual slate

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has announced its first pre-sales of Brazil with Michael Palin to a raft of broadcasters, ahead of next month‘s television trade event Mipcom 2012 in Cannes, France.

    The travel documentary has been licensed to ABC (Australia), RTL Pay (Germany), VRT (Belgium), Czech TV, Media Entertainment‘s pan-Eastern European feed, the VPRO (Holland), Yle (Finland), RÚV (Iceland), NRK (Norway) and RTV (Slovenia).

    Also on BBC Worldwide‘s factual slate for Mipcom is Nigellissima, to be launched by Nigella Lawson in Cannes. During her first ever visit to Mipcom, Nigella will unveil her take on Italian cooking, inspired by a period spent living in Florence.

    BBC Worldwide‘s Director of Factual Mark Reynolds said, “Michael is a distinguished broadcaster with fans all over the world, so we expect these sales to be the first of many. Similarly, Nigella‘s programmes have a proven global appeal, and it‘s a real thrill to have her joining us at MIPCOM. These two top-quality titles are great examples of the range in our factual slate.”

    Other BBC Worldwide titles new for Mipcom cover science, natural history, lifestyle and factual entertainment. New documentary ‘Space Dive‘ follows elite base-jumper Felix Baumgartner as he attempts freefalling from 125,000 feet – the biggest leap ever taken. In ‘Wonders Of Life‘, Professor Brian Cox explains how a few fundamental laws gave birth to all life in the universe, and another landmark science series, Generation Earth, uses state-of-the-art visuals to showcase the extraordinary engineering feats that have transformed the Earth.

    The latest title from the BBC‘s acclaimed Natural History Unit is ‘Wild Arabia‘, examining Arabia‘s landscapes and colourful creatures, and the remarkable people who have made the Arabian Peninsula their home. Buyers can also check out factual entertainment offering ‘Chef Race‘ from Jamie Oliver‘s Fresh One Productions, in which 16 chefs, eight Brits and eight Americans journey across the US, tackling culinary challenges along the way.

  • MipTV: ITVS to launch two factual series

    MUMBAI: ITVS Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) will debut two new factual series from The Garden at next month‘s television trade event MipTV as part of their distribution agreement with the UK-based Indie.

    ‘Keeping Britain Alive‘ and ‘Baby Makers‘ will launch at the market as both finished shows and format.

    Keeping Britain Alive is a medical ob doc that tells the story of 24 Hours in the life of the world‘s biggest free health care system – the NHS. Using over a hundred camera crews to shoot across Britain in hospitals, doctor‘s surgeries, ambulances and helicopters – all captured at and connected by, a specific moment in time. With nothing off limits, it takes a fresh look at everything from life or death emergencies, to controversial topics like plastic surgery and weight loss.

    ITVS GE will launch this ob doc as a format titled ‘Keeping Your Nation Alive‘ at MipTV. ‘Keeping Britain Alive‘ is produced by The Garden for BBC TWO.

    ‘Baby Makers: The Fertility Clinic‘ is a look at the fertility frontline. With exclusive access to The Hewitt Centre – one of the largest IVF clinics in Britain, the patients are met. Through candid accounts from staff that deal with the endless sperm and egg collections, to patients facing low sperm counts and ticking biological clocks, this documentary reveals the moral minefield of IVF.Baby Makers: The Fertility Clinic is produced by The Garden for BBC FOUR.

    ITV Studios Global Entertainment director of global acquisitions and co-productions Ruth Clarke said, “Hot on the heels of The Audience, we are delighted to be unveiling two new shows from The Garden at MIPTV. Known for their ground-breaking and thought-provoking series, we look forward to continuing our partnership with them to represent both of these new factual offerings at the international marketplace.”

  • Electric Sky to bring factual content to Mipcom

    MUMBAI: UK distributor Electric Sky returns to next month‘s television trade event Mipcom in Cannes, France with new factual titles.

    ‘Turtle Boy‘ by Sundog Pictures for Channel 4 and National Geographic traces the story of Didier, a six year old boy from Columbia with a rare condition – a huge 11-pound mole which covered his back. Resembling the shell of a turtle the mole was taking up 40 per cent of his body and its regular maintenance prevented him from going to school. This is a story of cutting-edge medicine, a mother‘s love, and a brave six-year-old‘s fight to be released from his burden.

    From Australian prodco Unboxed Media, Electric Sky has acquired ‘Tipping Points‘, an international coproduction exploring the tipping points of changing climate. The series will follow pre-eminent scientists as they go off the grid to explore the dangerous new tipping points making our weather systems more extreme and unpredictable and how these changes impact weather systems around the world. Networks on board include US network The Weather Channel, NHK in Japan, the ARD Group in Germany, Canvas in Belgium, VPRO in Holland and The Australia Network.

    Electric Sky has acquired ‘Hilary Lister – A Race Against Time‘ by Peter Williams Television Productions, which follows the remarkable journey of a record-breaking sailor with a difference. Despite suffering from a progressive condition which means she is paralyzed from the neck down, Hilary Lister embarks on an ambitious journey to sail around Britain. Relying on her own gumption and determination it‘s a story of courageous seamanship, a struggle for independence and purpose, and an astonishing achievement against all odds.

    From Irish production company, Rival Media, Electric Sky has taken on ‘Big Wave Bootcamp‘, which takes 8 surf-mad teens and unleashes them on the world‘s most extreme surf school in Hawaii. In ‘Mission Beach USA‘ a Rival Media Production for RTE eight teens tackle sun, sea and survival in Florida. In at the deep end, on the toughest lifeguard course in the world, our teens live, sleep, eat, breathe, relax and take all that the beach and their lifeguard instructors can throw at them. Will our eight hopefuls make it, or sink without a trace?

    Trouble in Paradise by 9 Films Production for Channel 9 Australia is a series that tells the stories of travellers and holidaymakers who have been subjected to terrifying experiences while on holidays in different parts of the world before escaping with their lives. These are ordinary people, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and what makes this series so enthralling is that their nightmares could happen to anyone.

    Finally, Electric Sky has picked up cooking series ‘Cookucina‘by Stephen Phelps Productions. Presented by two vivacious 40-something (and a bit!) women, Cookucina is a simple bi-lingual celebration of regional Italian food and the all-natural ingredients grown in the lush countryside in the foothills of the Sibillini Mountains.

  • British factual channel Eden commissions show with David Attenborough

    MUMBAI: British natural history channel Eden has commissioned a five part series with Sir David Attenborough called D‘avid Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities‘.

    The series will be produced by Humble Bee Films. It will show some of nature’s extraordinary evolutionary anomalies and how, even today, these curious animals continue to baffle and fascinate.s

    Each episode will feature two creatures with curiously distinctive adaptations that link together with a common theme. From the curious ‘hoax’ of the Platypus’s discovery to the Narwhal, the creature that inspired myth of the Unicorn, and the Mole Rat that defies the age limits of all other rodents and lives for 30 years, Sir David will discover how nature has found a way of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

    UKTV senior commissioning editor Catherine Catton said, “We’re thrilled to be working with Humble Bee Films to produce this exclusive series with Sir David for Eden. Sir David Attenborough is a national treasure and we can’t wait to see his passion and curiosity for all things unusual in nature come to life in this fantastic commission for the channel.”

    Humble Bee Films‘ Stephen Dunleavy, who is the executive producer for the series, said: “I am delighted to be working with Eden and Sir David on this fascinating series. David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities will combine David‘s gift for storytelling with wonderful histories of discovery in the natural world. A mix of the curious and the downright baffling, it promises to be a treat for viewers of all ages.”

  • Zodiak Rights expands with 3 factual series ahead of MipTV

    MUMBAI: Zodiak Rights, the international division of Zodiak Media, has expanded its independent third party catalogue with very different three access-driven series.

    Repo Games is a hit reality series for Spike TV, produced by 495 Productions (the company behind MTV‘s Jersey Shore), and is available as a finished programme and a format. It takes the adrenalin-fuelled actuality of car re-possession and fuses it with an on-the-spot gameshow dynamic.

    In the series for Spike TV, ordinary Joe‘s who have defaulted on their car payments get the opportunity to clear their debts on the spot, or watch helplessly as their precious ‘wheels‘ are towed to the impound yard. Armed with five trivia questions, professional repo-men Josh Lewis and Tom DeTone literally doorstep unsuspecting debtors with the chance to win back their cars. Answer incorrectly however, and the vehicles are towed instantly.

    Zodiak Rights is working with Spike to expand the remit of the series, localising it as a format for international territories. This will entail extending the underlying premise to include more scenarios where members of the public face repossession for non-payment from bailiffs, car clampers or other ‘officials‘ armed with authority to re-possess.

    Zodiak Rights London MD Jane Millichip said, “The high-stakes that Spike brings to this reality gameshow make it must-see-TV, and we believe there will be significant demand for the finished programme. But the high concept nature of the format also allows us to adapt the notion of re-possession for local markets, giving the format flexibility in schedules and for different cultures”.

    ‘Desperate Scousewives‘ is the latest, and most extreme, access documentary series to lift the lid on the world of wannabees. In the world of footballers‘ wives and girlfriends, nightclubs and limos, it‘s all about having a ‘boss‘ night out on the town.

    ‘Scouse‘ is a term to describe people from Liverpool, but the notion of a Scousewife breathes a whole new lease of 21st Century life and lipstick into this traditional nickname. Looking good is a 24/7 job as the ladies dress to impress to bag themselves the man of their dreams, or at least a man with the bank-balance of their dreams.

    At the other end of the social spectrum, ‘Sandhurst‘ offers a look at the British Army‘s legendary officer training course. ‘Sandhurst‘ is a three part observational documentary shot at The Royal Military Academy over the course of a full year. The series charts the journey of one intake of cadets, – male and female – through the 200-year-old institution: three gruelling terms that turn them from civilians into officers, from followers to leaders fit for war in Afghanistan and beyond.

    Millichip added, “We are delighted to expand our third party strategy with three very different shows. 495 Productions, Splash Media and Icon Films could not have produced more varied series, yet all three series are based on excellent access, creative flair and high production values. For us, they really also highlight the level of invention in the factual community right now. Long may it continue.”

  • Nick acquires factual series ‘The Adrenaline Project’ from DHX Media

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon India has acquired the factual series ‘The Adrenaline Project‘ from DHX Media, an independent international producer, distributor and licensor of mainly children‘s entertainment content.

    DHX Media has signed deals from its library of kids TV series with broadcasters in Asia.

    In Korea, KBS and Kids Talk Talk have acquired Pirates – Adventures in Art with the digital broadcaster also picking up animated eco-centric series dirtgirlworld which has also sold to Mediacorp in Singapore alongside Martha Speaks, Poppetstown, Pirates – Adventures in Art and Watership Down.

    In Malaysia, broadcaster Astro has licensed preschool shows dirtgirlworld, Pirates – Adventures in Art, Poko and Monster Math Squad, while in Taiwan, YoYo (Eastern Broadcasting Co.) has bought the new season of Super Why! True Visions in Thailand has taken all seasons of ‘Kid vs Kat‘.

    DHX Media territory manager for Asia Craig McGillivray said, “Asia is a significant market for our shows with broadcasters picking up a diverse range of product from our library. One of our key properties for ATF will be Rastamouse, which is performing very well in the UK on CBeebies and the iPlayer and attracting significant interest from licensees with several key categories already signed. We believe it would perform very well in Asia and are keen to speak to prospective broadcast partners.”

  • Simmons inducted into Factual Entertainment Hall of Fame

    MUMBAI: Legendary rock star Gene Simmons will be inducted into the Factual Entertainment Awards Hall of Fame as the ‘Personality of the Year’ at the awards celebration on 1 June in Santa Monica.

    Along with his unconventional family, Simmons stars in Gene Simmons Family Jewels on A&E’s celebrity family-based reality show on television.

    Realscreen VP and publisher Claire Macdonald said, “The show’s longevity, loyal fan base and consistently high ratings, coupled with Gene’s engaging onscreen presence and the wonderful family dynamic that makes the show ‘appointment’ television, all factor into this recognition”.

    This is the second nod from the international non-fiction community, as Gene Simmons Family Jewels emerged the winner in the docusoap category at the 2010 edition of the Factual Entertainment Awards which are judged by over 30 senior global non-fiction programming execs and producers.

    A&E’s Gene Simmons Family Jewels is produced by Thinkfactory Media and the Gene Simmons Company. Adam Freeman, Adam Reed, Gene Simmons, Moriah Muse, Erin Kelly and Leslie Greif are the series executive producers. David McKillop, Neil A. Cohen and Steve Harris are the A&E executive producers.

    Simmons said, “I am who I am because of my family. Shannon, Sophie and Nick make me a better man, and that’s factual. I’m honored to receive this award.”

    Thinkfactory Media CEO Leslie Greif said, “Gene Simmons has gone from entertaining millions of fans to becoming one of TV’s most recognizable faces globally reaching over 83 countries and we couldn’t be happier for him being named this year’s Personality of the Year.

    A&E’s Gene Simmons Family Jewels continues to break records as the longest running celebrity docu-series on the air and we’d like to thank realscreen and the Factual Entertainment Awards for recognizing Gene and this ground-breaking series.”

    The entire Simmons family including Gene, his long-time girlfriend Shannon Tweed and children Nick and Sophie, will also set the stage for the Factual Entertainment Forum. In a panel discussion delegates will hear from the quintessential first family of reality about how their on-air lives intertwine with real family life. The audience is promised an interesting, unusual and entertaining glimpse into their not-so-private lives and into the making of the hit show.

  • BBC Knowledge loads up factual content

    MUMBAI: Over 200 new hours of factual titles have been acquired for global audiences of BBC Knowledge, following the conclusion of significant new deals by BBC Worldwide Channels.

    The programming slate is drawn from leading distributors – All3Media International, Endemol, and Zodiak Rights – and includes titles such as Genius, Secret Millionaire US, Joanna Lumley: Jewel In the Nile, Ross Kemp In The Middle East, Kevin McCloud’s Grand Tour and Derren Brown Investigates.

    These will air next year.

    BBC Worldwide Channels VP acquisitions Bun Scrase-Dickins said, “We are committed to working with UK and international suppliers to source the best quality programmes for our international audiences. These represent only a fraction of the great content available in the market and we’re delighted to bring them to audiences through our localised channels.”

    From Zodiak Rights comes content like Genius, featuring some of the world’s leading scientists including Stephen Hawking and David Attenborough. Historical series Lost Kingdoms of Africa and documentary-dramas The Queen and 1929: The Great Crash have also been acquired.

    Endemol‘s content includes epic journey series Joanna Lumley: Jewel In the Nile, The Stephen Tompkinson Australian Balloon Adventure and The Stephen Tompkinson Great African Balloon Adventure.

    Also acquired from Endemol are historical investigations Convoy, Turin Shroud: The New Evidence and WWI: Finding The Lost Battalions. From All3Media International, Derren Brown Investigates has been acquired, as well as historical investigations – Britain’s African Emperor, Alexandria: The Greatest City and Pompeii: Cellar of Skeletons.

    Lost Kingdoms of Africa reveals the story of Africa’s ancient civilizations. Presented by historian and art expert, Dr Gus Casely-Hayford, this series uncovers the forgotten history of pre-colonial Africa. Comparing modern Africa with the historic kingdoms, each film is a rich visual journey as Gus crosses the dramatic landscapes to discover the legacy of Africa’s past glory.

    Joanna Lumley: Jewel In The Nile follows the actress and campaigner as she embarks on the trip of a lifetime; to follow the River Nile, the longest river in the world, from sea to source.

    On a 4000 mile journey, passing through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda, Joanna revisits the romantic history of the Nile and talks with the people working and living on the river.

    In Derren Brown Investigates the renowned psychological illusionist hits the road to investigate extraordinary paranormal claims from around the world. In the UK, he meets psychic medium Joe Power, who claims he can communicate with the dead, before travelling to America to find out if things really do go bump in the night, on a surprising investigation into the world of leading ghost hunter Lou Gentile.

    Finally, Brown explores one of the most ambitious claims, travelling to Holland to meet Russian Vyacheslav Bronnikov.

  • Fremantle brings scripted, comedy, factual shows to Mipcom

    MUMBAI: Television format creator and distributor FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) will have a diverse slate of content at next month‘s television trade event Mipcom in Cannes, France. As far as scripted shows are concerned it will bring Fanny Hill. The 100 minute drama is based on John Cleland’s Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, considered by many as the original erotic novel. Adapted by award-winning script writer, Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Bleak House), the programme follows the story of a young, orphaned country girl who falls into prostitution and works her way up the social ladder of 18th century London.

    Returning to Cannes is the darkly funny Love You to Death.The show stars filmmaker John Waters Pink Flamingos, Hairspray in his television series debut as the ‘Groom Reaper’, and tells the twisted, inspired-by-reality tales of spouses who have killed their loved, or not-so-loved ones.

    Waters guides viewers through bizarre stories and cases of wedded woe, with his trademark wry sense of humour and definite macabre sensibility. Each episode – inspired by true crimes – dramatises the stories of ill-fated husbands and wives and reveals the flaws in what the killers believed to be the perfect crime. In each suspense-filled episode, viewers follow a murderous trail to find out whodunit and will be on the edge of their seats until the very end, as things are not always as they seem. FME has worldwide distribution rights for both TV (excluding North America) and DVD (excluding Canada).

    Also returning to Mipcom is the drama show Neighbours. It will have a new look. The show looks at real values and explores current issues and social questions, all set against the backdrop of the mythical suburb of Erinsborough.

    The teen drama series, The Best Years, from the US channel, The N, makes the trip back to Cannes. It follows a group of friends through the ups and downs of college life.

    Fremantle will also ticke the funny bone at Mipcom. It will showcase a mix of sitcom, sketch and animation. The second season of the BBC series That Mitchell & Webb Look will arrive featuring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. This series is filled with riotous characters and ideas-driven sketches, lampooning the likes of the Nazis right down to Her Majesty the Queen. Intelligent, socially acute, sometimes satirical, sometimes bizarre, but always funny!

    It’s also back down to the basement at Reynholm Industries for the second season of The IT Crowd. The show takes a surreal look at the underclass of a company, as seen through the eyes of its I.T. department.

    FremantleMedia will also offer factual food for thought at Mipcom. From green to cuisine, penguins to pigs, FremantleMedia will unveil a range of factual content for Mipcom buyers. Headlining the slate is Big Ideas for a Small Planet the eco documentary series featuring innovators from the fashion to fuel industries, which makes its debut at Mipcom this year.

    The series profiles designers, products and processes contributing to the mission to reduce the adverse effects of modern living on our planet with the scope to ultimately change the way viewers live their lives. Big Ideas for a Small Planet gives viewers an insight into advances that are being made and the actions they can take to lessen the impact of businesses and individuals on the environment.

    Also making its Mipcom debut is Kylie Kwong: My China. The show documents Kylie Kwong’s culinary and cultural journey in search of the heart, soul and taste buds of the Chinese people.

    A fourth generation Chinese-Australian, Kwong, is a chef, author, TV presenter and restaurateur known to millions worldwide through the success of her Sydney restaurant ‘billy kwong’. As well as writing a best-selling range of cook books, her highly successful television career spans the US, UK and Australia.

    In this travelogue series, Kylie travels to each compass point of China and takes viewers with her on a voyage of discovery looking at the relationship between the diverse landscapes and the many food traditions China has to offer.

    During her travels, Kylie ‘lives off the land’, buying supplies from markets, learning regional cookery skills, helping families prepare their meals and eating where the locals eat. In return, Kylie offers her creations, using whatever local ingredients are available to create a unique blend of traditional and modern Chinese cuisine.

    Then there is the eight part documentary series Nimrod Nation. It follows a small town’s obsession with its high-school basketball team, the Nimrods. The name of a mighty hunter in The Bible and legend, Nimrod is a fitting name for this endearing sports team located in the remote town of Watersmeet, on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where life during the long winter months revolves around two things: hunting and basketball.

    Returning to Mipcom is the third season of Iconoclasts. Viewers are once again invited to peer into the world of a creative visionary, through the eyes of another. The first and second series brought together 24 creative visionaries to discuss their lives, work and inspirations in a series of intimate, unpredictable portraits. In the third series, 12 more of the most relentlessly innovative forces of our time meet one-on-one to explore their shared passions and show how their passion for what they do has transformed our culture.

    The show will feature the likes of Sean Penn and Jon Krakauer, Alicia Keys and Ruby Dee, Mike Myers and Deepak Chopra and Madeleine Albright and Ashley Judd.

    New to Mipcom are three shows from natural history guru, Nigel Marven. In Arctic Week With Nigel Marven Nigel travels across the frozen wastes of Northern Canada. Here he follows the fortunes of polar bears, reindeer, walruses, belugas, arctic foxes, great grey owls and a billion mosquitoes. Nigel’s affinity with the animals helps audiences to discover their individual characteristics and personalities in an environment that boasts the fabulous Northern Lights and much, much more.

    In Nigel Marven’s Penguin Safari he takes viewers to the breathtakingly beautiful island of South Georgia, which in spring becomes a vital breeding oasis for the greatest concentration of wildlife on the planet. He introduces viewers to 150,000 King penguins and spends time with 50,000 comedic macaroni penguins.

    In Killer Whale Islands With Nigel Marven he invites viewers to witness the life of the killer whale along with other amazing creatures. Attracted to the Falklands by one of the Antarctic’s most dangerous predators, he travels across the islands in a light aircraft and follows the journeys of elephant seals, fur seals, albatrosses and four very different kinds of penguin. He takes a plunge to joust with playful sea lions, watches young orcas learn to hunt and even has the tables turned on him when he is followed by an entourage of inquisitive gentoo penguin chicks.