ITV

Tag: Media Ranch

  • Horsepower is heading to Europe

    Horsepower is heading to Europe

    Mumbai: Media Ranch founder & CEO, Sophie Ferron announced that Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) will host a Horsepower intensive in late February, training participants in the writing and pitching of global unscripted TV formats. The event is organised by the Lithuanian creative enterprise The Ethnic Kitchen Productions in partnership with Media Ranch, the Embassy of Canada to Lithuania, and Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT).

    Horsepower is a proprietary talent incubator created by Media Ranch to foster new talent in the creation of unscripted television formats. The program, started by Media Ranch’s Sophie Ferron in partnership with Quebecor, was first held in Montreal, Canada in 2018. Formats from this incubator have been optioned around the world. Highlights from past years include partnerships with TF1, Quebecor, La Fabrique des Formats and deals with The CW, Diga Studios, Wheelhouse, and gaming giant Ubisoft – where a first-year participant’s project is now the official TV format for mega-hit game “Just Dance”.

    After a successful run in Quebec, this is the first time Horsepower will be conducted internationally, and talks have already begun for other countries. Taking place in Vilnius, the workshops will be given by Media Ranch’s head of storytelling Philip Kalin-Hajdu, who has run the program since its inception. The program will conclude with pitches of the original formats created by participants to decision-makers from LRT and Media Ranch. LRT will pick one project that they would like to pursue in co-development. Media Ranch will board one (or more) projects as an international distributor.

    Ferron stated: “Horsepower has been such a dynamic vehicle for launching new IP and reaching new voices for the creation of formats. Media Ranch is thrilled to launch the first international version with LRT and Ethnic Kitchen in Lithuania and look forward to seeing amazing formats emerge.”

    Kalin-Hajdu said: “We are grateful to Aiste at Ethnic Kitchen, LRT, and the Embassy of Canada to Lithuania for this event. The beauty of formats is that they are, by nature, adaptable and serve to illustrate the commonalities between audiences, while celebrating our uniqueness. Horsepower continues to prove that local talent has the capacity to create for global audiences. We are thrilled to be bringing the program to Lithuania.”

    Ptakauske said: “In Europe alone, the TV formats industry generates over three billion euros per year. Although the UK has been the biggest European exporter of TV formats for a long time, other European countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have lately been stepping on its heels. Lithuania is, unfortunately, not a contender in the global TV formats industry yet. My hope is that Horsepower in Vilnius will provide Lithuanian creators with knowledge and ambition to develop TV formats for global audiences.”

    LTR head of TV department Andrius Korenka said: “Every year, before launching our public tender for TV programs, we hold special meetings with Lithuanian producers with the goal to convey to them our expectations as well as our audience’s preferences. New opportunities to learn about the most current trends of the global TV formats industry and possibilities to adapt them to the Lithuanian TV industry will be a very valuable experience to us and all our collaborators.”

  • Media Ranch partners with Crazy Maverick Films for international format development

    Media Ranch partners with Crazy Maverick Films for international format development

    Mumbai: Media Ranch’s president and founder Sophie Ferron announced that Media Ranch, and Crazy Maverick Films Private Ltd (CMF) have agreed to develop, co-own and distribute a slate of paper formats for global distribution, with the aim to partner and co-own with high-end talent of the industry. Media Ranch’s director, storytelling and business development Philip Kalin-hajdu will oversee the development for the partnerships.

    The first partnership is with Lucky Horseshoe, newly launched ProdCo from Blake Shelton & Lee Metzger for two 2 paper formats – including a bold, fresh high-concept take on dating – with development beginning this Autumn. In May 2023 music superstar and TV personality Blake Shelton and showrunner Lee Metzger (Legendary, The Voice) joined forces to launch Lucky Horseshoe Productions and this partnership is one of their first international deals.

    Development and IP ownership for the first format will be with all three parties with a focus on a strategic worldwide launch with each company leaning into their strengths: Lucky Horseshoe will be the producer in North America, CMF will produce in India; and Media Ranch will market and distribute to the rest of world. The aim is to collaborate and co-develop to create exciting new formats that appeal to a global audience, while identifying early on what makes the format feel local, personal, and identifiable. The ability to understand the nuances in each company’s territories helps in the creative approach.

    Media Ranch had been working with Abhishek Rege of CMF to partner with brand-name companies and AAA creators such as Lucky Horseshoe to expand their libraries of originals to reach new markets. This is the first project for Rege’s new prodco, CMF after his role as CEO of Endemol Shine India. He was also named to The Economic Times/Spencer Stuart’s India’s ‘hottest 40 under 40 Business Leaders ‘in 2018 and to the Impact 40 under 40 list in 2019. Prior to this, he has held various management roles at Viacom18 and Star India. Bhhaskar De, who comes with a rich international experience, played a key role in getting Media Ranch and Abhishek Rege together for this one-of-a-kind initiative.

    Shelton and Metzger stated: “Lucky Horseshoe was launched in May and this partnership is exactly what we are looking for to broaden our reach to other territories. Sophie and Abhishek have the international experience and contacts to help us create something fun and unique.”

    Rege added: “Sophie and I are here at MIPCOM to promote our exciting collaboration with Blake and Lee. With all the talent involved, we know that we  are bringing something special to the market – the first of many for our format development slate.”

    Ferron said: “Media Ranch is so thrilled to announce our development deal with Abhishek Rege here at MIPCOM and also to jointly announce our partnership with the incomparable Blake Shelton and Lee Metzger whose talent  and appeal are universally recognized and loved.   Media Ranch continues to develop original formats that will make their mark on the world. We are excited to be in partnership with such fantastic format creators from around the world. The world is truly small, business is global, and this pan-world partnership is testament to that.’”

  • GRB Studios & Media Ranch partner for distribution joint venture

    GRB Studios & Media Ranch partner for distribution joint venture

    Mumbai: GRB Studios CEO Gary R. Benz and Media Ranch CEO Sophie Ferron have entered into a joint venture partnership to create a premiere independent distribution organization. The new entity will combine the extensive content catalogs and proven formats, coupled with the years of entertainment business experience of both companies and principals to create an entity with a broader reach and a deeper catalog than the two partners have individually.  The company, GRB Media Ranch, will have a portfolio that includes over 5,000 hours of factual, unscripted, and scripted programming as well as a multitude of formats in all genres.

    Both companies will retain their separate production and creative businesses. Creative and original production for GRB Studios will remain solely with GRB under the management of Benz while Media Ranch’s original IP and format development, including current paper formats, and incubator Horsepower will remain solely with Media Ranch, under the management of Ferron and with Media Ranch’s Philip Kalin-Hajdu, head of development and storytelling.

    The two companies have a combined 50+ years in the international content sector, with award-winning programming such as GRB’s  Untold Stories of the E.R.; Icons Unearthed series: The Simpsons, Marvel, Star Wars, etc.; On the Case, among others, and GRB is the producer of megahit, Emmy Award-winning  Intervention. Media Ranch distributes over 150 formats, including Round Table from Wonwoo Park  (creator of Masked Singer), Watch, and hits such as Surprise sur prise, Comedy on the Edge, Rose D’or winning Street Jungle, and many more.

    Both Benz and Ferron have been active on the international trade circuit, speaking at MIPCOM, NATPE, Realscreen and other events. Ferron is an Advisory Member of FRAPA and the International Emmys org, and Benz is currently a member of the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America, the Academy of Television Arts and the Board Chairman for the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc.

    Under the leadership of both Benz and Ferron, the team will include personnel from both partners handling distribution. From GRB:  Liz Levenson will cover Africa, Middle East, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe while Torquil Macneal will cover APAC; Janel Downing will cover Latin America;  From Media Ranch:  Tanja van der Goes will cover Europe for formats; Alexa Jorizzo will cover Europe and Canada for finished programs.

    Benz stated, “Sophie and I have known each other for over 10 years, partnering on various inspiring projects. Our companies and visions complement each other well, and we bring our creativity to deal-making into the evolving business of the content industry. Our joint venture is a natural and logical next step in our relationship to build a super independent distribution organization.  Together, we will expand our global reach even further.”

    Ferron added, “Gary and I have two strong teams that will become a unified and stellar sales force. We are eager to contribute our skills to the new entity and reach even greater heights. The goal is to become an international distribution powerhouse offering a comprehensive marketing approach from formats to finished programs in all genres.”