ITV

Tag: David Ellender

  • Fremantlemedia makes additions to drama catalogue ahead of MipTV

    Fremantlemedia makes additions to drama catalogue ahead of MipTV

    MUMBAI: Televisioon format owner and distributor FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has announced the acquisition of two drama shows which will launch at the television trade event MipTV in April.

    The shows are Love You To Death and The Best Years. They join FME’s expanding drama portfolio.

    The dark, funny Love You To Death stars filmmmaker John Waters Pink Flamingos, Hairspray in his television series debut as the ‘Groom Reaper’. It and tells the twisted, inspired-by-reality tales of spouses who have killed their loved, or not-so-loved ones.

    The series is scheduled later this year in the US on Court TV as ‘Til Death Do Us Part and Global Television in Canada. It will be on offer to buyers worldwide from FME at MipTV for both TV (excluding the US) and DVD (excluding Canada).
    As the ‘Groom Reaper’, 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 thought was the perfect crime – like in the case of the ‘spend-a-holic’ spouse, who poisoned their other half to claim the life insurance, only to find that the cheque for the poison bounced! In each 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.

    The Best Years follows a group of friends through the ups and downs of college life. It’s an insight into the real-life drama that is university – the excitement and pressures that go hand in hand with newfound independence.

    Leaving her foster-home past behind, Samantha Best (Charity Shea) arrives on a scholarship for freshman year at the prestigious Charles University in Boston, MA and sets about finding her feet in the hallowed halls; not to mention finding a whole new set of friends – and ‘frenemies’ – along the way.

    As Samantha learns to juggle academic pressures, the perils of the social scene, friction with roommates and liaisons with lovers, The Best Years will be compulsive viewing as she and this sometimes dysfunctional college family make their way together.

    FME CEO David Ellender says, “We are delighted to add these two unique dramas from Blueprint Entertainment to our burgeoning portfolio of fine scripted entertainment, which we are committed to expanding further throughout 2007. We are thrilled to be launching both Love You To Death and The Best Years at MipTV. This gives broadcasters from around the world the chance to be the first on board with what will be very highly-prized additions to any schedule line-up for 2007.”

  • FremantleMedia promotes Gers to head up ancillary rights ops worldwide

    FremantleMedia promotes Gers to head up ancillary rights ops worldwide

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), has promoted Olivier Gers to general manager of FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW).

    In this position, Gers will oversee the exploitation of FremantleMedia’s many strong brands off screen around the world and will be responsible for developing product and promotional associations that enhance and extend consumers’ experience of each property, including brand licensing, music publishing, online and interactive, sponsorship, live events and telephony. Gers will be based in New York and will report to FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO David Ellender.

    Gers, who has been promoted from his previous role as FLW Americas executive vice president, will work together with Ellender to develop, set and implement the company’s ancillary rights strategic direction within the newly-created FremantleMedia Enterprises Group.

    Ellender said, “I am really delighted that Olivier has agreed to take the helm of FLW. Since joining the company, Olivier has demonstrated a great ability to develop an innovative and hugely successful blend of ancillary rights options around some our key TV brands, working on international hits such as American Idol, The Price Is Right and Family Feud. He has made a significant impact on the growth of the business in the Americas and I am confident that, with his great talent and experience, he is the ideal leader to further build upon FLW’s existing reputation and success and further strengthen our position as leading ancillary rights experts around the world.”

    Gers added, “I’m extremely excited to be taking on this role and leading such a talented team of executives from across the globe. FremantleMedia has developed some of the world’s preeminent entertainment brands and I’m looking forward to working with all our partners worldwide to bring these brands to the next level.”

  • FremantleMedia to make shows available for net download

    FremantleMedia to make shows available for net download

    MUMBAI: Format creator and distributor FremantleMedia and Arts Alliance Media have signed a deal for users to download episodes to their PCs and certain portable devices and view them either on a rental basis or keep them on their hard drives to watch whenever they want.

    Fremantlemedia has granted rights to Arts Alliance Media-which provides digital film distribution services in Europe – to make up to 200 hours of classic comedy available to UK broadband internet users. Programming will be sourced from the FremantleMedia and talkbackThames catalogues and will include hit programmes such as Men Behaving Badly, Goodnight Sweetheart and Tommy Cooper.

    The content will be available later this year via a dedicated website as well as via Arts Alliance Media’s download partners which currently includes download and DVD rental site, Lovefilm and AOL, which has over 2.2 million members in the UK, of which more than 1.3 million are broadband members. Additional partners for download distribution will be announced over the coming months.

    FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO David Ellender, says, “This deal represents a central part of our new media strategy which involves us engaging with the consumer across a number of new platforms that are being opened up at present. Arts Alliance Media is the leading download company for the studios and has a reputation and track record second to none in this field. We are very excited about establishing a relationship with them as they move into the TV sector.”

    Arts Alliance Media president Mark Livingstone, said, “We are pleased to be the first to partner with FremantleMedia in a deal which further establishes Arts Alliance Media’s reputation as the premier content provider for download services. FremantleMedia’s content of classic TV comedy adds to our extensive library of feature titles which we look forward to rolling out to our existing and future partners.”

  • FremantleMedia strengthens biz with promotions

    FremantleMedia strengthens biz with promotions

    MUMBAI: Format creator and owner FremantleMedia has announced a series of promotions in the UK as part of the continuing evolution of its international business.

    Dan Allen has been promoted to Fremantlemedia Enterprises (FME) COO from his current role of Fremantle International Distribution (FID) COO. In this newly created role, Allen will be responsible for all operational departments including marketing, finance, legal, HR and material.

    He will be based in London and will report to FME CEO David Ellender.

    Bob McCourt, currently FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW) VP, finance joins FME as director of finance. In this capacity, McCourt will be responsible for the division’s finance function including management and financial reporting, commercial support, strategic development and management of the FME finance team. McCourt, who has been with the company for eight years, will be based in London and will report to Dan Allen.

    Lynne-Mei Lee has been appointed to FME head of publicity, from her current role as FremantleMedia PR manager. Lee, who will be based in London and will report to Ellender, will oversee publicity for the division worldwide, working closely with divisional and territory heads and with local and international press and marketing teams.

    Dawn McComish moves up to FME HR head from her role as HR Manager, FremantleMedia. In this new position, McComish will manage the division’s human resources function covering all FME’s global operations. She will be based in London and will report to Dan Allen. McComish joined FremantleMedia in 2005; prior to this, she was head of Human Resources at a private aviation company, Netjets Management and Human Resources manager at the British Chambers of Commerce.

    Ellender said, “This is an extremely exciting time for our international commercial team and these promotions are extremely well deserved. I am confident that, with the team’s great talent and wealth of experience, we will rapidly build upon FremantleMedia Enterprises’ existing reputation and strengthen our position even further as a leading player in the industry.”

  • BBC picks up teen drama from FremantleMedia

    BBC picks up teen drama from FremantleMedia

    MUMBAI: Fremantle International Distribution (FID), the distribution arm of global format creator and owner FremantleMedia ,has sold its new teen drama Falcon Beach to the BBC and many other additional international broadcasters. The drama is now set to be broadcast in 18 countries worldwide.

    BBC Daytime has secured the UK rights to the edgy new one-hour drama, which premiered on ABC Family in Australia on 5 June 2006. Further significant licensing agreements will see the programme launch on ABC, Australia; RTE, Eire; SBS (Flemish), Belgium; RTM, Malaysia; ANTV, Indonesia; ABC5, Philippines; ETV, Sri Lanka; UBC, Thailand; Show TV, Turkey and Hot, Israel.

    These broadcasters join a raft of deals for Falcon Beach already signed with M6, France; TV2, Denmark; TV4, Sweden; TV Norge (SBS Channel), Norway; Channel 4, Finland; Nederland 3, Netherlands and IBC Iceland’s Sirkus.

    Falcon Beach is positioned as sexy, edgy and full of energy. It is produced by Insight Productions and Original Pictures, in conjunction with Global Television and ABC Family USA and centres on the lives and loves of the town’s young men and women, as they find their way towards their futures.

    Falcon Beach is a quiet lakeside town where locals and summer visitors mingle and where seduction, sand and scandal are abundant. A coming-of-age drama following a group of twenty-somethings, Falcon Beach focusses on friends, families and enemies during a summer of romance and passion, soul-searching and conflicts.

    FremantleMedia CEO David Ellender said, “Falcon Beach has received a deservedly warm welcome from broadcasters the world over, and we are certain that all will be delighted with the results it will no doubt deliver. Dramas of this calibre are rare and the broadcasters that have seen the potential of Falcon Beach will soon be the envy of their rivals.”

  • FremantleMedia dishes up dramas and factuals at DISCOP

    FremantleMedia dishes up dramas and factuals at DISCOP

    MUMBAI: Fremantle International Distribution (FID) will be bringing big budget drama and factual series, along with comedy and romance to DISCOP in Budapest this month.Headlining FID’s slate for DISCOP 2006 will be the new hit drama series Falcon Beach from Insight Productions and Original Pictures, in conjunction with Global Television and ABC Family USA. Described as “sexy, edgy and full of energy” by executive producer Kim Todd, Falcon Beach centres around the lives and loves of the town’s young men and women, as they decide the paths their futures will take.

    Falcon Beach, which premiered on ABC Family on 5 June, features a hot young cast full of beauty and brawn and compelling storylines.

    FID’s flagship factual series Prehistoric Park will also be available for buyers to view in Budapest. Created by Impossible Pictures, producers of the worldwide hit Walking With Dinosaurs, Prehistoric Park is fronted by natural history expert Nigel Marven and is co-produced by ITV (UK), Animal Planet (US), M6 (France) and ProSieben (Germany). As co-financiers, FID has acquired the international distribution rights (excluding France and Germany). FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide will handle the licensing rights to the series including merchandising and publishing rights and Fremantle Home Entertainment will handle DVD.

    Harnessing the latest in CGI technology, Prehistoric Park features stunning scenery from some of the most beautiful places on earth, from history and today. Marven steps back in time to try and save creatures like the mammoth, the sabre tooth cat and the dinosaurs – extinction doesn’t have to be forever. Each episode focuses on a different prehistoric theme.

    FID will also be unveiling the second series of Jimmy’s Farm at DISCOP. Having given up academia in favour of pig farming, Jimmy Doherty weathered the trials and triumphs over a year on his new farm. With a little business advice and financial help from his mate British chef Jamie Oliver, Jimmy sets out to renovate a crumbling farm and realises his dream of breeding rare pigs. This documentary series from BBC Television is full of laddish charm – in series two Jimmy’s hands are full with not only pigs, but bulls, chickens and bees to boot. The second series of Jimmy’s Farm was a ratings winner for BBC2, attracting an average audience of 3.3 million viewers, consistently performing above the channel’s primetime average in 2006.

    Ready to woo a whole new legion of fans is Martha. It’s Martha Stewart as we know and love her – and as we’ve never seen her before. The daily one-hour programme offers a new and different format and is a recipe for daytime success. Cooking, crafting and cavorting with celebrity friends in front of a live studio audience; with this new interactive approach to lifestyle programming, Martha is going to be more accessible than ever to her legions of loyal fans. The show presents inspiring ideas from cooking and entertaining, to decorating, and home renovating. Launched in September 2005 in the US on NBC, Martha is fast becoming the doyenne of daytime and is on the move internationally, with 10 countries worldwide having already added the informative and entertaining programme to their schedules.

    From Crackerjack comes Comedy Inc. – a mix of sharp, fast-paced humour and irreverence, featuring sketch, TV and movie parody, non-existent cable shows, ads for products that don’t exist and characters that will become fixtures of popular culture for years to come. Whether it’s Big Brother, The Sopranos, Lord of The Rings, Tom Cruise or Michael Jackson, nothing and no one is safe! The world seen through the eyes of the Comedy Inc. team is often just a step away from reality… viewed with an hilarious twist.

    Also on offer as either tape or format will be Bianca – Road to Happiness. This German telenovela from Grundy UFA in association with teamWorx is a modern fairytale about a woman beginning a new life after suffering for many years for a crime she did not commit. Bianca Berger now eagerly embraces each day as if it was her last and finds her place, her job, and the man of her dreams – but nothing is as simple as it seems. With regular audiences above the three million mark, Bianca – Road to Happiness was ZDF’s highest rated daytime series during 2005.

    FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO David Ellender said, “We have an exciting programming slate for buyers at DISCOP this year, with a range of programming options that will run the gamut of scheduling needs across Eastern Europe.”

  • FremantleMedia reports big business for ‘Falcon Beach’

    FremantleMedia reports big business for ‘Falcon Beach’

    MUMBAI: Fremantle International Distribution (FID) announced a number of international sales for its latest drama offering Falcon Beach, at the LA Screenings.

    The bold, fresh one-hour drama has been acquired by M6, France and an announcement is imminent regarding a deal recently concluded with a terrestrial broadcaster in the UK. Broadcasters in Scandinavia are also excited by the prospect of the new programme, with TV2, Denmark; TV4, Sweden; TV Norge (SBS Channel), Norway; Channel 4, Finland; Nederland 3, Netherlands and IBC Iceland’s Sirkus all coming on board.

    Falcon Beach, which launched at the LA Screenings ahead of its debut on ABC Family on 5 June, is produced by Insight Productions and Original Pictures, in conjunction with Global Television and ABC Family USA. Described as sexy, edgy and full of energy, the stories of Falcon Beach centre around the lives and loves of the town’s young men and women, as they decide the paths their futures will take.

    A quiet lakeside town, Falcon Beach is where locals and summer visitors mingle and where seduction, sand and scandal are abundant. It is a coming-of-age drama which follows a group of 20-somethings, with their families, friends and enemies during a summer of romance, soul-searching and conflicts at Falcon Beach.

    Featuring a hot young cast of beauty and brawn, Falcon Beach stars Steve Byers as Jason Tanner, Jennifer Kydd as Paige Bradshaw, Devon Weigel as Tanya Shedden and Morgan Kelly as Lane Bradshaw.

    FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO David Ellender said, “We are thrilled to announce this first big raft of sales for the show, which is sure to be a huge hit when it launches very soon on ABC Family. Broadcasters are recognising the wide appeal of Falcon Beach and those who are getting in early will be rewarded with a stylish, dynamic and highly successful addition to their schedules.”

  • FremantleMedia closes Latin American deals as La Screenings begin

    FremantleMedia closes Latin American deals as La Screenings begin

    MUMBAI: Fremantle International Distribution (FID), the distribution arm of FremantleMedia, announced a raft of recent sales in the Latin American region as it kicks off its LA Screenings campaign.

    FID vice president sales and development, Latin America and Hispanic USA Sheila Aguirre brokered the deals with a number of key broadcasters in the region.

    Discovery (People & Arts) acquired season four of Mark Burnett’s The Apprentice, which tests competitors’ survival techniques in New York City’s corporate jungle as the candidates face weekly business challenges and strive to reach the top. The winning candidate is awarded an apprenticeship with top tycoon Donald Trump. Discovery (People & Arts) also picked up the new series of Project Runway, the reality fashion hit hosted by Heidi Klum in which talented fashion designers get the opportunity to show their designs in front of the global fashion community in New York and displayed in the pages of Elle magazine.

    As the FIFA World Cup draws ever closer, football fever continues to grip the world and viewers in Colombia and Brazil will soon be able to learn about the History of Football: The Beautiful Game (13 x 1 hour), to be broadcast on Colombia City TV and TV Cultura in Brazil. Narrated by Terrance Stamp, this series tells the definitive story of the game that generates more excitement, passion and wealth across the world than any other sport.

    The History Channel signed a deal for a package of five key factual documentaries, including Holy Warriors (2 x 1 hour), which documents the struggle between the English King Richard the Lionheart and the Muslim leader Saladin for control of Jerusalem.

    In The Real Face of Santa (1 x 1 hour) Dr Franco Introna delves into the history of Santa Claus to discover the real story of St Nicholas. Although the image of Santa as an old man with a white beard is recognised all over the world, the truth is much stranger. Combining facial reconstruction technology with top secret Vatican documents, Dr Introna and his team unravel the mystery of St Nicholas.

    Catherine The Great (2 x 1 hour) also goes to the History Channel. The life of one of Russia’s brilliant rulers is the subject of this drama documentary, telling the story of Catherine’s reign, and how she strove to modernise Russia, with new ideas on health and education and waged wars in her ruthless quest for expansion. Catherine The Great brings to life one of history’s most powerful and passionate women.

    In The Story of 1 (1 x 1 hour) Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) goes on a humour filled journey to discover what tale lies behind the simplest number we have. Using computer graphics, ‘one’ is brought to life for the programme, in its various guises. The story reveals where our modern numbers came from and how the invention of zero saved us from having to use Roman numerals today.

    Rounding out the History Channel’s package is Khubilai Khan’s Lost Fleet (1 x 1 hour). Marine archaeologist Kenzo Hayashida’s discovery of a ship from a Mongol fleet that sank in 1281 AD, leads to new insights into the empire of Khubilai Khan. This documentary sheds light on the mystery of the fleet that sank on its way to fight the Japanese samurai.

    In further agreements, viewers of GloboSat in Brazil and Cosmopolitan Television Latin America will soon see Godiva’s (19 x 1 hour), where the high-pressure, fast-paced world of the restaurant business is revealed, as are the equally entwined private lives of the young, urban tribesters who populate it.

    In a final deal, the first of its kind as brokered by FID, Canal 10 in Uruguay has signed a format deal to produce 13 episodes of Distraction locally. The gameshow, created by FremantleMedia’s talkbackThames, combines ridiculously simple trivia questions with hilarious concentration-breakers and will be produced by Canal 10.

    FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO David Ellender said, “The breadth of the deals closed in the Latin American market by Sheila Aguirre provide a very positive note on which to enter the LA Screenings, and certainly bode well for a successful market ahead.”

  • David Ellender is FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO

    David Ellender is FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO

    MUMBAI: Television format crestor and distributor Fremantle has announced that David Ellender who is currently Fremantle International Distribution (FID) MD, has been promoted.

    He is now FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO. He also joins the company’s operating board. Ellender will now oversee both FID and FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW) – the two commercial divisions that report into FremantleMedia Enterprises. FID has a global network of sales offices and licenses over 19,000 hours of programming including American Idol, The Apprentice: Donald Trump, Project Runway and Jamie Oliver series to 150 countries worldwide as well as handling DVD exploitation through Fremantle Home Entertainment.

    FLW exploits the company’s brands including Idols, The X Factor and The Apprentice across multiple off-screen platforms including merchandising campaigns, interactive and wireless support and music publishing.
    Under Ellender’s leadership FremantleMedia Enterprises will continue to build on its position and its ability to exploit brands in partnership with FremantleMedia’s international network of 25 production companies around the world. FremantleMedia Enterprises is already a substantial contributor to FremantleMedia’s overall profitability.

    FremantleMedia CEO Tony Cohen, said: “David has led FID superbly over the last few years, turning it into a distinctive and very profitable distributor of a huge range of factual, entertainment and scripted programming, representing both leading independent producers as well as our own extensive catalogue. He has been responsible for a great turnaround in the division’s operations and his promotion is highly deserved. FLW has also been one of the great success stories of our company in the last few years, both commercially and in the great scope of its activities, from traditional licensing through to telephony and interactive. FLW has an outstanding management team and is now one of the world leaders in its field.”

    Ellender says, “I am very proud of my achievements strengthening FID’s portfolio of programming over the last few years and building up a superb team of sales executives. We have worked very hard to establish FID as a leading international distribution company. I am grateful for the opportunity to oversee FLW and look forward to increasing Enterprises contribution to the company going forward.”

  • FremantleMedia strikes deals with German broadcasters

    FremantleMedia strikes deals with German broadcasters

    CANNES: The distribution arm of global production company FremantleMedia, Fremantle International Distribution (FID), unveiled at MipTV a diverse range of programme sales to German broadcasters. It was announced by FID managing director David Ellender.

    Ellender said:”We are very pleased to announce this latest raft of sales in Germany. The diversity of our programming translates into broad appeal for the different networks and Veronika Gracher has worked closely with the German broadcasters to ensure that FID can meet their needs. These latest deals are testament to the enduring strength of our factual and drama catalogues.”

    The sales, brokered be FID VP Sales German Speaking Europe & Eastern Europe Veronika Gracher, include the acquisition of Munich: The Real Assassins (1 x 1 hour) by Discovery Europe (German-speaking Europe).

    This documentary looks back at the events of September 1972, when, at the Munich Olympics before the eyes of millions of television viewers, 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by Black September, a radical group within the PLO. It features testimonies never heard before from Mossad agents who carried out Israel’s bloody revenge to reveal the true story behind the most incredible government-sponsored mission in the history of the War on Terror.

    In a further agreement, History of Football: The Beautiful Game (13 x 1 hour) will be broadcast on Germany’s History Channel to coincide with World Cup fever. Narrated by Terrance Stamp, this series tells the definitive story of the game that generates more excitement, passion and wealth across the world than any other sport.

    Other German deals will see crime drama Homicide (55 x 1 hour) will air on AXN, while Sex In The Bush: Australian Animal Attraction (2 x 1 hour) will be seen on Arte (Germany / France). This series combines stunning footage with amazing and sometimes shocking stories from passionate wildlife experts on the subject of courtship and reproduction among the animal kingdom in Australia – where the truth really is stranger than fiction.