ITV

Tag: Fremantle

  • Brands take centre stage at Mipcom Cannes 2025

    Brands take centre stage at Mipcom Cannes 2025

    PARIS: Brand money is flooding into television. At Mipcom Cannes  this month, the world’s largest TV market is rolling out the red carpet for corporate storytellers with the first international edition of BrandStorytelling, a summit that has spent a decade building its reputation at Sundance.

    The two half-day event on 13 and 14 October brings together an unlikely crowd: global brands like Ancestry and Indeed, creative agencies including Dentsu and McCann, and heavyweight studios such as Banijay, Fremantle and BBC StoryWorks. Their mission is to turn corporate cash into compelling content—and to do deals that make it happen.

    Rick Parkhill, the producer and media entrepreneur who founded BrandStorytelling, reckons the sector has come of age. “Brands are increasingly behind some of the biggest stories on our screens globally,” he says. The event’s expansion from Park City to the French Riviera suggests he’s onto something.

    Among the speakers are Doug Scott, founder of Unxnown and an alumnus of Endeavour and Ogilvy, and Kim Miller Olko, global chief marketing officer at Toys”R”Us and president of its in-house studio. Representatives from over 20 organisations will take the stage, from the Branded Content Marketing Association to entertainment giants like UTA.

    Mipcom Cannes director Lucy Smith says the “overwhelming response” from the industry confirmed the appetite for a dedicated brand-content forum. The summit promises to unlock new funding streams and co-production opportunities at a time when traditional television budgets are under pressure and brands are hunting for more sophisticated ways to reach audiences.

    The event, sponsored by Fell + Co., Storybones Media and IPG Mediabrands Entertainment is part of Mipcom’s broader embrace of the creator economy. Last year’s market drew over 10,500 delegates from more than 100 countries—a captive audience for anyone peddling the promise of brand-funded programming.

  • Ryan Reynolds backs the beasts no one bets on in National Geographic’s ‘Underdogs’

    Ryan Reynolds backs the beasts no one bets on in National Geographic’s ‘Underdogs’

    MUMBAI: Move over lions, tigers and photogenic penguins — the oddballs of the wild are finally having their moment. National Geographic’s latest natural history docu-series Underdogs, narrated by the irreverent Ryan Reynolds, premieres 19 June and promises to flip the animal kingdom’s PR machine on its head.

    Running every Thursday and Friday at 8 PM, Underdogs is a five-part, gloriously offbeat dive into the secret lives of creatures usually left on the cutting-room floor — think mucus-glowing grubs, dodgy parents, and desperate flirters. It’s equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and visually stunning, wrapped in Reynolds’ trademark wit.

    “Getting to work with National Geographic on Underdogs was a dream come true—mostly because I can finally watch a project of ours with my children. Technically, they saw “Deadpool & Wolverine” but I don’t think they absorbed much while covering their eyes and ears and screaming for two hours,” said Reynolds. “We’re so proud to elevate the unsung heroes of the natural world to the top of the entertainment food chain and can’t wait for everyone to see.”

    Produced by Emmy and BAFTA-winning Wildstar Films (a Fremantle company) and Reynolds’ own Maximum Effort, the show swings between education and entertainment like a monkey on espresso. Each episode delves into unexpected themes – bizarre mating rituals, dodgy parenting, deception, and jaw-dropping survival hacks.

    One standout scene features a first-ever filming inside a glowing cave in New Zealand, lit up by the, er, backsides of mucus-covered larvae. Other unsung stars include bug-eyed frogs, underappreciated rodents, and creatures that give “creepy crawly” a whole new twist.

    With a score by Oscar-nominated composer Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek, The Martian), and a thumping original theme by rock legends Green Day, Underdogs doesn’t just celebrate the misfits — it turns them into rockstars.

    The Underdogs soundtrack, featuring Gregson-Williams’ compositions, dropped on 13 June via Hollywood Records. Green Day’s new single “Underdog” is part of their just-released deluxe album Saviors (édition de luxe).

    Behind the scenes, the creative force includes executive producers Mark Linfield, Vanessa Berlowitz and Dan Rees (Wildstar); Reynolds, George Dewey, Ashley Fox and Patrick Gooing (Maximum Effort); and a production team from National Geographic led by Tracy Rudolph Jackson, Janet Han Vissering, Charlie Parsons, and Tom McDonald.

    Underdogs might just be the most delightfully absurd and oddly inspiring natural history series of the year — proving that in nature, weird wins.

    Pic courtesy: National Geographic

  • Gabriella Carriere climbs higher at Fremantle with expanded global strategy and new biz brief

    Gabriella Carriere climbs higher at Fremantle with expanded global strategy and new biz brief

    MUMBAI: Fremantle has handed group head of strategy Gabriella Carriere a power-packed promotion, expanding her remit to include new business in addition to her current strategic responsibilities. She now takes charge as group head of strategy and new business, reporting to group COO and CEO continental Europe Andrea Scrosati.

    With the new hat, Carriere will now command Fremantle’s most lucrative growth levers — including sports, branded content and licensing, music rights, live events, and its vast library of IP — all while continuing to lead the company’s global strategy agenda. Reporting into her are director of Fremantle Sport Owain Walbyoff and global head of branded content & sponsorships Gabriella Zamboni.

    Since joining Fremantle in 2022, Carriere has been at the forefront of major moves, from launching the documentaries division to shaping the Fremantle Sports unit, driving branded entertainment, and integrating global M&A footprints.
     

    Scrosati commented: “I am delighted to announce Gabriella’s promotion to Group Head of Strategy and New Business. I have been working with Gabriella for many years and highly admire her analytical and business skills and her innovative approach to define and drive strategy. I have no doubts that in this new expanded role Gabriella will drive even more value for Fremantle and her teams.”

    Carriere added: “I am deeply grateful to Fremantle’s leadership team for their trust in me and for this incredible opportunity. I strongly believe in the growth potential of these areas and in the outstanding team currently driving this forward. I’m excited to collaborate with the Fremantle labels and the talented Fremantle teams to unlock many opportunities across our global footprint. I am proud of our achievements over the last three years and now I look forward to what we can accomplish together going forward.”

    Before Fremantle, Carriere made waves at Sky Italia, where she spearheaded landmark deals for Serie A and the UEFA Champions League, inked game-changing partnerships with Netflix and Disney, and helped launch Sky’s broadband business. Her career roots lie in the energy sector, with senior stints at EDF and Edison across Milan and Paris.

    Now with the full force of Fremantle’s revenue-generating verticals under her belt, Carriere looks set to play a starring role in the company’s next act.

  • Vinay Kalia takes centre stage at Fremantle, joins as head production

    Vinay Kalia takes centre stage at Fremantle, joins as head production

    MUMBAI: Vinay Baldev Kalia, a production heavyweight with nearly three decades of experience, is back in the Fremantle fold, taking on the role of head of production for India. After a brief stint as a freelance production executive, Kalia has returned to the very place where he previously held the same title, promising to bring his production skills to the forefront.

    Kalia’s career reads like a who’s who of Indian television, with stints at Balaji Telefilms, Miditech, Optimystix Entertainment, and, of course, Fremantle itself. He’s been the production maestro behind some of India’s biggest shows, including Indian Idol, Fame Gurukul, and numerous daily soaps that have kept viewers glued to their screens.

    His LinkedIn profile is a testament to his extensive skill set, boasting expertise in everything from project coordination and financial planning to team building and vendor management. With a track record that spans both fiction and non-fiction, Kalia is a seasoned pro in the cut-throat world of Indian television production.

  • Fremantle unveils Imaginae Studios, an AI-powered creative label

    Fremantle unveils Imaginae Studios, an AI-powered creative label

    MUMBAI:  Fremantle has launched Imaginae Studios, a dedicated label focused on harnessing the full potential of artificial intelligence for creative content production. Led by Andrea Scrosati, group chief operating officer and CEO europe, the studio aims to provide creators with cutting-edge AI tools, fostering a space for experimentation and innovation in storytelling.

    “Our mission is to empower creatives with the best tools and support to deliver compelling content globally,” Scrosati stated. “AI presents unprecedented opportunities to transform ideas into diverse media, including visuals, video, sound, and art. Imaginae Studios will serve as a dynamic bridge between human creativity and advanced technology, cultivating an environment where innovation and experimentation thrive.”

    Imaginae Studios will operate as an independent entity, staffed by a specialised team of creatives passionate about pushing the boundaries of storytelling through AI. This team will explore a wide array of AI-driven solutions, developing new methods for content creation across various platforms. The studio’s focus will extend beyond mere technological application, emphasising the crucial role of human creative direction in shaping AI-generated content.

    The label’s operations will adhere to stringent intellectual property and compliance standards, ensuring ethical and legal considerations are prioritised.

     Imaginae Studios is poised to explore the intersection of AI and human creativity, aiming to revolutionise the production of media and entertainment. This initiative signals Fremantle’s commitment to investing in future-forward technologies and supporting the evolution of creative storytelling in the digital age. It intends to use AI to enhance all parts of the production process, and push the boundaries of current creative limitations.

  • Fremantle gets its cloud moment with AWS and PFT in the director’s seat

    Fremantle gets its cloud moment with AWS and PFT in the director’s seat

    MUMBAI: Fremantle is stepping into the future with a bold new production upgrade this time, behind the scenes. The global content powerhouse has roped in Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build a slick, scalable, and AI-powered content supply chain platform that promises to make their operations as binge-worthy as their shows.

    The new setup currently in the works isn’t just a digital spring-cleaning exercise. It’s a full-blown transformation, aiming to unify Fremantle’s workflows across international markets, speed up distribution, and give real-time visibility into content lifecycles. Think of it as streamlining the journey from storyboard to screen, with fewer traffic jams.

    At the heart of this digital makeover is PFT’s Clear Smart MAM, a media asset management solution packed with “agentic AI” smarts. It’ll help Fremantle automatically enrich content with metadata, optimise workflows, and cut through operational clutter like a content butler with machine learning for manners.

    Fremantle CEO for commercial and international, Jens Richter said, “A robust content supply chain that will cater to the dynamic business requirements of monetizing content is paramount, and we look forward to working with PFT and AWS to see what we can achieve together. This collaboration will provide us with the agility, visibility, speed and scalability required across Commercial and International, Digital and Global channels to streamline our media supply chain and digital processes.”

    Prime Focus Technologies founder and global CEO Ramki Sankaranarayanan said, “Our offering is designed to meet the most demanding needs of global content studios like Fremantle. We’re thrilled to partner with them on this transformative journey and enable their vision of a modern, AI-powered supply chain that fuels creativity and revenue.”

    AWS head of broadcast for media, and sport for UK at Andy Stephenson said, “We are proud to support Fremantle on its digital transformation journey. By harnessing technologies like cloud computing and AI, Fremantle will be able to drive innovation across its business, scale quickly, easily, and securely, and extract new value from its content.”

    As streaming, syndication, and social media redefine how stories are told and sold, Fremantle’s cloud-powered leap is less about catching up and more about setting the pace. For a company with storytelling in its DNA, its supply chain is finally getting a plot twist of its own.

  • Fremantle launches Fremantle Sports, a dedicated sports content unit

    Fremantle launches Fremantle Sports, a dedicated sports content unit

    MUMBAI:  Content production and format powerhouse Fremantle has established Fremantle Sports, a new division dedicated to the creation of sports-related content. The unit will focus on unscripted and scripted projects, including factual documentaries and digital formats, leveraging the expertise of Fremantle’s existing entertainment, documentary, drama, and film teams.

    Owain Walbyoff has been appointed director of sports, and will lead the strategy to expand Fremantle’s global sports content portfolio. He will focus on partnerships with rights holders, brands, and co-production deals.
    Fremantle Sports will support the company’s network of labels, including 72 Films, UFA, and TalkbackThames, in the development of sports-themed entertainment, scripted, and factual content. The unit will also explore the creation of new cross-platform sports formats for global distribution.

    “This expansion into sports content aligns with our broader growth strategy, building on the success of our drama, film, and documentary divisions,” stated Fremantle  global CEO Jennifer Mullin. “We aim to deliver compelling sports stories and formats to audiences worldwide.”

    Fremantle Sports will build upon the company’s existing sports content portfolio, which includes productions such as All or Nothin and Matildas: The World At Our Feet.

     The unit will focus on producing content that highlights the human stories behind athletes, teams, and sports organisations.

  • Fremantle secures global rights to Japanese game show Ants

    Fremantle secures global rights to Japanese game show Ants

    MUMBAI: Fremantle has acquired worldwide distribution rights to Ants, a novel Japanese competition format where contestants tackle supersized challenges while pretending to be ant-sized humans.

    The format, originally created by Nippon TV and further developed by Fremantle North America, transforms contestants into ant-sized competitors who must navigate enormous everyday objects and work together to complete physical challenges. Tasks include transporting oversized food items across a giant kitchen against the clock, with prize money increasing based on successful collections.

    Under the distribution agreement, Nippon TV will retain rights for most of Asia, while Fremantle will handle the rest of the world. The show has already proven successful in Japan, where it launched as a special on Nippon TV.

    “It is so rare to find a format that makes you say to yourself ‘I have never seen anything like this,’” said Fremantle EVP of Unscripted Jimmy Fox. He noted that Nippon TV has a strong track record in format creation, having developed both Dragons’ Den (known as Shark Tank in America) and Sokkuri Sweets, which sparked the ‘cake or not cake’ trend.

    Fremantle’s EVP global acquisitions and development Vasha Wallace, said the company has already received significant interest in the format, citing its unique blend of humour and physical challenges that appeals to viewers of all ages.

    Nippon TV  head of formats Tom Miyauchi described the show as highlighting “the power of unity and teamwork, much like the ants themselves.” The format features distinctive themed characters and larger-than-life set designs to create its miniaturised world.

    The deal marks another significant format export from Japan, following Nippon TV’s previous international successes with shows like Dragons’ Den and Old Enough!, the latter of which streams on Netflix in over 190 countries.

  • Something Special & ITV Studios sign multi-territory option deal for ‘Battle in the Box’

    Something Special & ITV Studios sign multi-territory option deal for ‘Battle in the Box’

    Mumbai: Something Special, the Seoul-based international format agency founded by format specialists Jin Woo Hwang (president & executive producer) and InSoon Kim (EVP & head of content) have announced that global production powerhouse ITV Studios has optioned the hit Korean celebrity format Battle in the Box for France, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel.

    Battle in the Box, created by Korea’s NMedia and represented globally by Something Special, has traveled around the world in recent months including previously announced deals with Fremantle (for Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal) and UKTV which commissioned the groundbreaking game show for Dave and UKTV Play, hosted by comedian Jimmy Carr.    

    Battle in the Box is a comedic competition and reality game show hybrid in which two celebrity pairs live in an empty box specially designed with movable walls. With no home comforts, celebrities must conquer physical and mental challenges in order to win special prizes and ever-coveted floorspace. Winning these challenges expands their living area while shrinking the losing team’s. Round-the-clock challenges with cameras watching their every move means each pair must strategize to expand their space and win!

    Something Special VP & head of sales Praise ChanMi Shin stated: “It’s extraordinary to see the huge international response to Battle in the Box which we instantly loved and couldn’t wait to take globally. And now our partners at ITV Studios are taking this exciting show further and building on its success. We look forward to seeing how each country adds its own touch to this hilarious series.”

    ITV Studios VP format acquisitions Ella Umansky stated: “We’re excited to be taking out such a fun, creative format alongside Something Special. It’s a simple but hilarious concept that translates everywhere. Celebrities are used to taking up space but Battle In The Box takes things right back to basics – they’ll have to earn every home comfort, including the floorspace.”

  • Fremantle acquires majority stake in Silvio Productions

    Fremantle acquires majority stake in Silvio Productions

    Mumbai: Television format creator and distributor Fremantle has acquired a majority stake in Silvio Productions (formerly known as EGG Films). This is the Israeli independent production company behind the documentary series Shadow of Truth, Coastal Road Killer, After Midnight, The Baby Daddy, and Buried, which was recently nominated for two Emmys at this year’s 43rd News and Documentary Emmy Awards.

    Silvio Productions was founded by Israeli-based director-writer-producers Yotam Guendelman and Mika Timor.

    The acquisition of Silvio Productions further underlines Fremantle’s commitment and ambition to grow its global documentary proposition by investing in and helping develop premium production companies working with creative talent.

    Fremantle Group COO and CEO Continental Europe Andrea Scrosati, Abot Hameiri co-founder Guy Hameiri, and the Fremantle-owned Israeli production company behind the international hit drama Shtisel (Netflix), the recently announced East Side and original formats Power Couple and Hear Me Love Me See Me, as well as the Israeli producer for global formats such as Got Talent, Survivor, and The X Factor, spearheaded the deal.

    Yotam Guendelman and Mika Timor, will collaborate and work closely with Hameiri in Israel, as well as benefit from Fremantle’s global infrastructure, international distribution, and strategic support across the 27 territories in which it operates around the world. Under the agreement, Guy Hameiri will assume the position of chairman of Silvio Productions, with Guendelman and Timor reporting to him.

    Silvio Production’s Shadow of Truth premiered on the Israeli HOT8 channel and was subsequently picked up by Netflix for worldwide distribution. Released in over 190 countries, the series was labelled as one of the most-watched true-crime shows on Netflix and won several awards, including the 2017 Israeli Academy Television Awards for best documentary series.

    Recent productions include Buried (Showtime), which follows the story of Eileen Franklin, who suddenly remembered witnessing the murder of her childhood best friend; it was recently nominated for outstanding crime and justice documentary and outstanding cinematography: documentary at this year’s 43rd News and Documentary Emmy Awards, and The Baby Daddy (YES DOCU), which follows Ari Nagel, a math professor and the father of 117 children (and counting). The film had its international premiere at the Austin Film Festival and its Israeli premiere at the DocAviv Festival lately, receiving rave reviews.

    Upcoming productions include 1948 (KAN), Dunam and a Half (YES DOCU), and a new season of Shadow of Truth(HOT8).

    Guendelman and Timor said, “This is a truly unique opportunity for us. To join forces with the incredibly talented Fremantle team, with its unrivalled international infrastructure, and to work with Guy and the Abot Hameiri team, who are without doubt one of the best production companies in Israel. The cultural, creative, and business rationale is natural, and we look forward to working closely with Andrea (Scrosati) and Guy (Hameiri). With their support and the global reach of Fremantle, we will take our business growth trajectory and our ambitious slate to the next level.”

    Scrosati said, “Fremantle is committed to working with the very best talent and creative minds in the business. Yotam, Mika, and the team at Silvio Productions have a proven track record and take great pride in their filmmaking and storytelling. We welcome them into the Fremantle family at this important time as we look to scale up our global documentary capabilities. I would like to thank Guy (Hameiri) for his leadership and continued focus on growing and optimising our valued business and IP in Israel. I believe Silvio Productions will perfectly complement Abot Hameiri’s premium scripted and formats divisions, and we are extremely excited to see both businesses benefit from this collaboration.”

    Hameiri said, “We have known Yotam and Mika for a long time and been great admirers of their work. They bring creative excellence and a real flair for important storytelling. Their projects not only connect with a local audience but also, importantly, globally, which has been recognised by international outlets including Showtime and Netflix. When this opportunity arose, it was obvious to see the synergies, and we are all looking forward to embracing this new partnership with Silvio Productions and the many opportunities it represents.”

    The investment in Silvio Productions follows the acquisitions over the past 12 months, which include UK production company Dancing Ledge (The Responder), scripted Italian production company Lux Vide (Devils, Leonardo), international development and production company Fabel (Bosch), Australian-American television production company Eureka Productions (Parental Guidance, Finding Magic Mike), and 12 production labels in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark from Nordic Entertainment Group (This is Nice Group), Irish production company Element Pictures (Normal People, The Favourite), and most recently, 72 Films (All or Nothing: Arsenal, 9/11: One Day in America) and natural history and premium factual content production company, Wildstar Films (America the Beautiful, Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory).

    In August 2021, RTL Group set targets to increase Fremantle’s full-year revenue to €3 billion by 2025. The acquisition of Silvio forms part of Fremantle’s wider growth strategy to invest in production companies, content, and talent around the world to source creative ideas, develop, and create IP.