News & Updates

UMG Nashville launches film and TV arm, partners with Thinkfactory Media

UMG Nashville launches film and TV arm, partners with Thinkfactory Media

Universal Music Group Nashville is launching a new film and TV production arm, Sing Me Back Home Productions, and revealed details on the shingle’s first unscripted project.

Led by UMG Nashville chair and CEO Cindy Mabe (pictured left) and Dawn Gates (right), SVP of digital business and creative development, the new division will draw on the music group’s deep catalog of country music artists to develop a content slate featuring a range of documentaries, scripted and unscripted television, feature films and short-form content. The label will also be involved in securing production partners, music supervision and distribution.

For its first project, Sing Me Back Home has partnered with ITV America’s Thinkfactory Media to develop and produce a docuseries on the Grammy-nominated act The War and Treaty, comprised of the husband-and-wife team of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter. Helmed by Thinkfactory CEO Adam Reed, the series will chart the Trotters’ breakout success and accompany them as they work to balance their ascending career with the demands of their home life, which includes 13 family members living under a single roof.

The Trotter project is already set up with a broadcast partner, according to a release, which also noted that the docuseries is one of many projects that Sing Me Back Home has in development with Thinkfactory as part of the companies’ broader collaboration.

View Original Realscreen Article Here.

First Look at ‘Rat in the Kitchen’ Cooking Competition With Natasha Leggero & Ludo Lefebvre

First Look at ‘Rat in the Kitchen’ Cooking Competition With Natasha Leggero & Ludo Lefebvre

View original ET Online article

TV’s tried-and-true recipe for cooking competitions is getting an unexpected twist thanks to the inventive new TBS series Rat in the Kitchen hosted by comedian Natasha Leggero and renowned chef Ludo Lefebvre. And ET has the exclusive first look at the sweet and savory sabotage to come! 

Described as a “game of high stakes cat and mouse,” Rat in the Kitchen combines the best parts of Top Chef and The Mole. Over the course of the 10-part competition, a mix of professional chefs and home cooks face off in a series of creative culinary challenges in hopes of collecting a cash prize while attempting to expose the rat trying to undermine their chances at victory. 

Each episode will see the contestants not only trying to impress Chef Ludo with their dishes, but also playing detective as they try to identify the person working against them. But according to TBS, if they are “successfully duped, then the rat walks away with the cheddar.” 

Rat in the Kitchen is produced by ITV America’s Thinkfactory Media, in association with ITV Studios’ Possessed. It is executive produced by Adam Reed, Adam Freeman, Simon Thomas, Bernie Schaeffer, Kenny Rosen and Michael O’Sullivan for Thinkfactory, and by Glenn Hugill for Possessed. It is distributed internationally by ITV Studios.

Rat in the Kitchen premieres Thursday, March 31 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TBS. 

Adam Reed talks “Carole Baskin’s Cage Fight”

Adam Reed talks “Carole Baskin’s Cage Fight”

The bridge from Netflix’s Tiger King series in 2020 to a new unscripted series premiering on Saturday (Nov. 13) featuring Carole Baskin was just one Instagram message.

Adam Reed, Thinkfactory Media CEO, tells Realscreen that after watching the hit true crime docuseries last year, he and his development team began talking about characters in the series they could develop projects around. Without knowing any other way to contact Baskin, a Thinkfactory development executive cold-messaged her on Instagram.

“There were about 40 other producers that had also reached out to her, wanting to do some iteration of an unscripted project with her. But ultimately it ended in our favor, because we got on the phone with her,” Reed says.

“I think she was pitched a lot of different things from a lot of different producers, and I think she liked our angle and our pedigree… we were off to the races quickly when she decided we were the ones.”

Carole Baskin to Investigate Treatment of Big Cats at Joe Exotic’s Former Zoo in Discovery+ Docuseries

Carole Baskin’s Cage Fight will document Baskin’s investigation into the treatment of these animals alongside her husband, Howard, and their team. 

Said Baskin: “This is a unique opportunity for audiences to come behind the scenes with us for an unfiltered look at how we expose the cub-petting exploiters and roadside zoos we feel are mistreating animals. This is our real-life work within a dangerous world, and viewers will see it comes with our people being threatened, guns pointed at us and the bad guys shooting at our drones.”

The docuseries, which debuts Nov. 13 on discovery+, is produced by ITV America’s Thinkfactory Media, where Adam Reed, Adam Freeman, Tim Cohen-Laurie, and Pat McGee serve as executive producers, along with Carole and Howard Baskin. Keith Hoffman and Joseph Schneier are executive producers for discovery+.

Exclusive: TLC slates Thinkfactory Media-produced special “Born with Albinism”

Exclusive: TLC slates Thinkfactory Media-produced special “Born with Albinism”

Ahead of Discovery’s virtual Upfront tomorrow (May 18), TLC is revealing its newest special, Born with Albinism, produced by ITV America’s Thinkfactory Media.

The special follows Jon and Liz Grabowski, who have adopted five children from China, four of whom have Albinism, a genetic condition that reduces the amount of melanin pigment formed in the skin, hair and/or eyes. Viewers will see Jon and Liz navigate having children with disabilities, and decide whether to adopt again.

Adam ReedAdam FreemanTim Cohen-Laurie, Jenna Cole and Hollie Loboski are the executive producers.

Born with Albinism premieres May 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Los Angeles-based Thinkfactory Media, run by CEO Reed, produces across formats and genres, including docu-series, docusoaps and feature-length documentaries.

Projects include TBS’s upcoming Rat in the Kitchen; A&E’s Nature Gone Wild and What’s it Worth?, hosted by Jeff Foxworthy; WE tv’s Marriage Boot Camp empire, encompassing flagship Reality Stars, as well as Family Edition and Hip Hop EditionMama June: From Not to Hot and Million Dollar Matchmaker, also for WE tv.

10 Things You Didn’t Know about “What’s It Worth?”

We’ve all heard the saying ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” but is it really true? A&E’s new series, What’s It Worth? sets out to answer that question. Hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, the show visits people across the country to find out how much some of their trinkets and heirlooms are worth. Some people have been hanging on to these items because they’ve always been told how valuable they are. In some cases, these items are worth more than anyone could have ever imagined, and in others they’re simply not worth anything at all. Either way, viewers will be taken on an interesting journey that may even inspire them to look into their own ‘junk’. Continue reading for 10 things you didn’t know about What’s It Worth?

1. There Will Be A Wide Variety Of Items

One of the best things about What’s It Worth? is that viewers will get to see appraisals on lots of different items. The show doesn’t just focus on people who own or collect certain types of items. No matter what kind of collecting you’re into, there’s a good chance you’ll see something like it on the show.

2. There’s Some Comic Relief

What’s It Worth? isn’t necessarily a comedy, however, since Jeff Foxworthy is the host, you can bet that there will be lots of funny moments. After all, we all could use a little extra humor during these times so it’ll be nice to enjoy something that is entertaining and humorous.

3. Jeff Foxworthy Works With A Team Of Experts

Even though Jeff Foxworthy is the host, he won’t be on this journey alone. He will be working with a team of expert appraisers to determine how much each item is worth. The team consists of Gina Theesfield who owns an auction company and collectors/appraisers, Christie Hatman and Chris Childers.

4. The Show Is Self Shot

COVID-19 still has production across the entertainment industry at a complete stand still. In order to produce new content, networks have had to get a little creative. As a result, What’s It Worth? is entirely self shot. Foxworthy and the rest of the team will be able to visit people from all over the country without ever leaving the house.

5. Jeff Foxworthy Is Also A Collector

Some people may feel like Jeff Foxworthy is a random choice to host a show like What’s It Worth? However, he has more of a connection to the show than many people realize. Foxworthy is actually a collector himself and has been buying all sorts of items for many years.

6. Not All Cast Members Are Collectors

Not only will the show feature a wide variety of items, but it’ll also have a diverse cast. Some of the people will be collectors who have been buying and selling things for years, some will be people who simply enjoy thrifting, while others will be people who simply bought or were given an item that they think could hold some value.

7. The Show Has An Official Instagram Account

If you’re a fan of What’s It Worth? A&E has made it very easy for you to keep up with the latest clips and updates. The show has an official Instagram page where information pertaining the show is posted. Not only can you see clips of the show, but you can also get the chance to learn more about the experts.

8. Viewers Will Learn About The Auction Process

Have you ever wondered how appraisers are able to determine how much something is worth? Watching What’s It Worth? will give you an inside scoop to the world of auctioning rare and antique items. You might even feel inspired to have some of the items in your house appraised.

9. The Show Is Produced By Think Factory Media

Although What’s It Worth airs on A&E, the network isn’t the only company responsible for making the show possible. The series is produced by Think Factory Media. The company is responsible for producing several other shows including Marriage Boot Camp, Million Dollar Matchmaker, and Mama June: From Not to Hot.

10. The Show Focuses On More Than Just The Items

The focal point of the show will be the items and discovering how much they’re worth, but that won’t be the only thing viewers get to see. During a Q&A, Jeff Foxworthy explained that the show will also give us some insight into the cast member’s lives. Additionally, since the show is self shot, it will give viewers a more intimate feel than a typical reality show.

Read the full article here.

Winter Park family featured on new A&E show hosted by Jeff Foxworthy

A Winter Park family will be featured in the premiere episode of A&E’s “What’s It Worth?” hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy.

On the show, which debuts Aug. 4, a team of experts and authenticators appraise various antiques and collectibles that families have had in their households for years.

Winter Park resident Dane Koller and his 12-year-old son Kamron hope to find out if their Donkey Kong arcade machine is worth big bucks during the premiere.

Dane had posted his classic Donkey Kong arcade machine on Facebook Marketplace for $2,000. After sinking $1,100 into it, he was looking to make a return on his investment. Then the show contacted him, asking if he would like to appear with his game.

He said the filming experience, which took place about three weeks ago at their home, was great.

“They were wonderful, and they sent us equipment, the cameras. They shipped everything to us.,” Dane said. “We went through several takes and a couple weeks of back and forth, emails, videos, things like that.”

Both the father and son have acted and modeled, so filming wasn’t new to the pair, but the method was.

“It was kind of neat seeing how they did everything through Skype,” said Dane, who noted that viewers should tune in to the show for a surprise.

“There’s something that’s gonna be pretty exciting about something I did for Jeff that he didn’ have any clue about,” Dane said.

Catch new episodes of “What’s It Worth” at 9 p.m. Tuesdays on A&E.

Read the full article here.

Thinkfactory, A&E weigh in on revamping artefactual with “What’s It Worth?”

There has been much talk about reinvention over the last few months as the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have upended the television production industry and caused broadcasters to overhaul schedules. But in the unscripted business, reinvention has been a programming prerequisite for some time, as producers and their network partners are constantly in search of the format that can offer a fresh twist on the familiar.

In the spring, A&E announced the greenlight of a new series in the “artefactual” genre pioneered by the network and its sister network History following the 2008 financial crisis. From the network group that brought us Pawn Stars and American Pickers, a new series, What’s It Worth… Live, was unveiled, to be produced by ITV America prodco Thinkfactory Media and hosted by American comedian Jeff Foxworthy (pictured). The series would see participants with potential hidden treasures in their attics and elsewhere bring them to the studio, where both experts and the folks at home could weigh in, in real time, on what the items could be worth.

“In looking at the collectibles space, we realized no one had really upended or revamped that arena anytime in recent memory,” says Thinkfactory CEO Adam Reed, in advance of the premiere of a summer iteration of the series, airing tonight (August 4). “We felt it was ripe for an overhaul and saw an opportunity to create a louder, splashier series that offered more.

“It started with, ‘Can we create a series where people showcase interesting items from their homes?’” he adds. “And in taking things a step further, that conversation turned into, ‘What if we gave folks across America the opportunity to bid on those items?’ Building from the interactive element, we incorporated the ‘live’ piece, and we were off to the races.”

While the prodco pitched it wide, Reed says A&E, home to Storage Wars, “immediately sparked to the idea” and taking it to the network seemed like a “perfect marriage.”

Says A&E’s EVP of programming, Elaine Frontain Bryant, “We were excited about that live element because it felt like a re-invention of the existing shows in the genre but with a new, exciting live twist, which viewers hadn’t seen before.”

But then along came the pandemic.

While the live version of the series was originally slated to debut this summer, Frontain Bryant says, “it became clear that bringing people in from all over the country wasn’t practical.” To keep the idea afloat, a COVID-proof revamp was in order.

“We went through extraordinary lengths to ensure the version we developed – What’s it Worth? – didn’t feel like ‘COVID programming,’” says Reed. “It was important to us that what people see when they tune in to A&E on Tuesday nights stands on its own as a great series – COVID or no COVID. This isn’t something that was thrown together as a temporary solution; it was carefully thought out and executed by our team and our counterparts at the network.”

“With people suddenly spending more time in their homes and looking for projects, they’ve started taking a closer look at what items they own which has led them to wondering what hidden treasures they might be coming across buried in their attics and basements,” says Frontain Bryant. “From that revelation, we realized that a new remote version of the show could work and viewers might relate to this new virtual format.

“Also, in the summer — especially this summer — people are really looking for feel good options to watch,” she adds. “From a pure entertainment perspective, we feel our audience really craves seeing positive outcomes for people during these times we are living in.”

Once the decision was made to revamp the format for remote production, the hard work of putting it together began.

“Jeff was filmed in the basement of his house, while we operated remote cameras from a control room in Washington D.C.,” explains Reed. “The show’s experts all joined from their own homes via video conferencing links, and the item owners and their families all self shot with various devices.

“Our remote team in D.C. is managing all feeds, while also coordinating communications between Jeff, the production team, our experts and the item owners – ensuring all goes smoothly,” he elaborates. “I’m operating out of my home office in LA, as our entire producing team does the same from their homes, overseeing the various feeds from across the country, while on video conference with my production team on one monitor and with the network’s team on another monitor. Meanwhile, Jeff has the whole team in his ear and one crew member in his basement with him at any given time.”

Says Frontain Bryant: “Connectivity was definitely an early issue just in terms of making sure everyone was able to see and hear each other while shooting. But in a weird way that also speaks to the times we are living in because we are all facing that same challenge day-to-day so it adds to the authenticity of this show.”

Both Frontain Bryant and Reed point to some unexpected, surprising moments that arise under such conditions that probably wouldn’t have happened under a normal shoot.

“There were wives trying to film their husbands, and vice versa; we had a kid walk in in his underwear while his parents were on camera,” Reed says. “We didn’t shy away from those unplanned moments; it all just added to the fun.”

As Thinkfactory looks forward to the response to the 10-episode summer series, the company — now fully owned by ITV America — is looking to hone in on further format development and broaden its formats catalog.

“It’s not enough to have a good concept, you also need to bring elements to the table that put that good concept through a funhouse mirror, creating something that feels bigger and more intriguing than anything that’s come before it,” says Reed, adding that the company has recently sold original formats to History and OWN, and has adapted and sold an international format to TBS.

As prodcos and networks kick production back into gear, they both face uncertain financial challenges wrought by the pandemic but also, conversely, newfound opportunity as unscripted content emerges as a schedule savior of sorts, in the absence of scripted series hobbled by production lags. While Reed asserts that “co-viewing is the holy grail right now,” Frontain Bryant draws parallels between the time that birthed the original wave of transactional TV, and today’s cultural climate.

“History’s Pawn Stars and American Pickers, as well as our own Storage Wars, were born from the 2008 recession,” she says. “Leaning into and finding the value of what you already have, with a little entrepreneurial grit, is likely to come about again and I cannot wait to see all the ways people reinvent themselves after this crisis.”

(Photo: Justin Stephens)

View the full article here.

PEOPLE: Aaron Carter Claims Michael Jackson Did ‘One Thing That Was a Little Bit Inappropriate’

Aaron Carter will appear alongside his mother, Jane Carter, in the upcoming Family Edition season of Marriage Boot Camp

Aaron Carter is speaking out about his complicated past with Michael Jackson.

PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that Carter, 31, will be joining the next season of Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition, where he will be sharing his thoughts on the late “King of Pop” following the controversialLeaving Neverland documentary.

“Michael was a really good guy, as far as I know, a really good guy,” Carter says in PEOPLE’s exclusive interview footage from the WE tv series.

“He never did anything that was inappropriate,” he continues.

“Except for one time. There was one thing that he did that was a little bit inappropriate,” he claims without elaborating further.

A rep for the Jackson family did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Jackson and the “Aaron’s Party” singer first met in the recording studio in 2001, when Carter was 14. The 13-time Grammy winner wanted Carter to partake in his charity song “What More Can I Give?” Carter did, and by September of that year, he and Jackson had gotten so close that Carter performed “I Want Candy” at Jackson’s anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden.

Over the years, Carter has shut down rumors that Jackson came onto him sexually when he was younger, telling PEOPLE in 2004, “Michael and I have been friends for three years. … Nothing happened between me and Michael. We didn’t sleep in the same room, we didn’t share a bed. We have a normal friendship. There’s nothing sexual to it.”

Carter, who will appear with his mother Jane Carter on the Family Editionseason, is also getting candid about his rocky relationship with his older brother Nick Carter, 39.

“My brother and I weren’t talking before I went onto this show,” he explains in PEOPLE’s exclusive interview footage from Marriage Boot Camp. “After we did it, we’re back [to] talking again.”

The pop brothers publicly feuded after the younger Carter’s DUI arrest in 2017, when he lashed out on Twitter after he felt his older sibling wasn’t supportive after the incident.

“If my own blood truly cared about my wellbeing, why wouldn’t he call me directly and have a conversation instead of making this about him through a very public forum?” he said in a Twitter statement. “That’s not cool at all to use me for his PR and kick me while I am down. I love my family despite it through thick and thin.”

Now, after seeking professional treatment for both his mental and physical health, Carter is giving credit to his stint on the reality show for helping him be in a better place.

“Participating in Family Boot Camp literally gave me the strength and ability to feel more comfortable in my own skin,” he says in the interview footage.

Marriage Boot CampReality Stars Family Edition premieres later this year on WE tv.

View the full article here.

REALSCREEN: It’s here: the 13th annual Realscreen Global 100

elcome to our 13th edition of the Global 100, Realscreen‘s annual snapshot of the best production companies working in the non-fiction and unscripted visual content industry, compiled with input from the industry itself.

As with past lists, we polled execs from across the business and our readership, asking them to weigh in on the companies that they feel are trusted partners, as well as the prodcos whose work they consistently admire, and the programming from the past year that struck a chord. As usual, it was difficult to pare the results down to a list 100 companies strong, and meant to represent the non-fiction production communities of multiple territories.

This year, you will notice within these pages a fair amount of newer companies being profiled, as opposed to some of the veteran companies who have graced the list and its profiles often. While the results still feature a healthy number of those veteran companies, many of which have been on the Global 100 since its inception, we thought shining the spotlight on up and coming companies that are making an increasingly strong impact across platforms would spice up the proceedings, and highlight some of the new blood that is capturing your attention, and that of viewers as well.

Before we move on to the list, a familiar caveat: companies owned by broadcasters that do the majority of their work for that broadcaster have historically not been represented in the list. But as those companies increase their production for third parties, they are then admissible.

And now, your Global 100.

Barry Walsh
Editor and content director
Realscreen

CANADA

ALIBI ENTERTAINMENT
Headquarters: Toronto
www.alibientertainment.ca
Number of employees: 40
Number of hours produced in 2018: 55
Recent projects: Carnival Eats (Food Network); Sarah Off the Grid (HGTV)
Upcoming projects: An Accidental Wilderness(CBC); untitled Sarah Richardson project (HGTV); Around the World in 10 Meals (Gusto); Northern Gold (TVO, pictured)

Founded in 2012 by James Hyslop, Toronto-based Alibi has produced over 500 hours of content across genres, ranging from factual to scripted, and from brand funded to kids. On the factual front, the prodco also makes it a point to diversify, with content ranging from lifestyle (HGTV’s Sarah Off the Grid and Food Network’s Carnival Eats) to specialist factual (Secrets of the Pyramids).

Praised by collaborators for “clear direction and open communication” and for “building a culture of storytelling, teamwork and innovation,” while also recognized in nominations from outside of its home territory for delivering “heart warming” content that “works well internationally,” the prodco is currently prepping the documentaries Spaceman and An Accidental Wilderness for the CBC, more Carnival Eats and Sarah Off the Grid, and yet another series featuring the host of that program, Canadian designer Sarah Richardson. Barry Walsh

PEACOCK ALLEY ENTERTAINMENT
Headquarters: Toronto
www.peacockalleytv.com
Number of employees: 8
Number of hours produced in 2018: 30
Recent projects: Tower of SongA User’s Guide to Cheating Death
Upcoming projects: Jensplaining50 Ways to Kill Your Mama

Established in 2012 by former Tricon Films & Television exec Carrie Mudd, Peacock Alley has created a name for itself through smart yet entertaining storytelling. That approach is easily seen in such series as A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, hosted by Professor Timothy Caulfield and sold to numerous broadcasters globally while also streaming on Netflix. The series, now in its second season, has garnered multiple accolades and awards (including a nod for best science and technology program at the most recent Realscreen Awards) and its second season is being shopped globally by Sky Vision.

Network execs and production peers who cast votes for Peacock Alley cited the prodco’s ability to punch above its weight, and its dedication to producing what Caulfield calls “fun programming that matters.” In the near future, look for more of that in the form of Jensplaining, featuring Twitter’s resident gynaecologist Dr. Jennifer Gunter for the CBC, and its North American adaptation of the Channel 4 format, 50 Ways to Kill Your MamaBW

MORE CANADIAN GLOBAL 100 PRODCOS
(Company name, titles, HQ, website)
Big Coat Productions
Love It or List It
Toronto
www.bigcoatproductions.com

Buck Productions
Stalker Files; It Happened Here
Toronto
www.buckproductions.com

Cineflix Productions
Mayday; Property Brothers; American Pickers
Toronto
www.cineflixproductions.com

Cream Productions
Fear Thy Neighbor; The Dictator’s Playbook
Toronto
www.creamproductions.com

eOne
Growing Up Hip Hop; LadyGang
Toronto
www.entertainmentone.com

Frantic Films
In Plain Sight; Still Standing
Toronto
www.franticfilms.com

Great Pacific Media
Heavy Rescue: 401; Highway Thru Hell
Vancouver
www.greatpacifictv.com

Insight Productions
Amazing Race Canada; The Launch
Toronto
www.insighttv.com

Media Headquarters Film & Television
Canada’s Smartest Person
Toronto
www.mediahqs.net

Network Entertainment
I Am Paul Walker; I Am Heath Ledger
Vancouver
www.networkentertainment.ca

Omnifilm Entertainment
Jade Fever; Wild Bear Rescue
Vancouver
www.omnifilm.com

Pixcom
Hellfire Heroes; Rogue Earth
Montreal
www.pixcom.com

Proper Television
Vegas Rat Rods; MasterChef Canada
Toronto
www.propertelevision.com

Yap Films
Mosquito; A Day in the Life of Earth
Toronto
www.yapfilms.com

UNITED STATES

AMPLE ENTERTAINMENT
Headquarters: Culver City, CA
www.ampleent.com
Number of hours produced in 2018: Approximately 60
Number of employees: 75, including staff and freelancers
Recent projects: Murder in the Heartland (ID); Could You Survive the Movies? (YouTube); 9 Months with Courteney Cox (Facebook Watch)
Upcoming projects: Lost Gold of World War II(History)

Founded four years ago by former AMC and XBox Entertainment Studios exec Ari Mark and former Studio Lambert producer Phil Lott, Ample has garnered substantial praise and greenlights from networks across the cable spectrum and top digital platforms such as Facebook Watch and YouTube. Production partners have included Steven Spielberg’s Amblin TV (Cooper’s Treasure for Discovery) and Blumhouse Television (Cold Case Files for A&E). This past year saw the prodco strike overall deals with Courteney Cox (resulting in the Facebook Watch series 9 Months with Courteney Cox, which premiered in January), veteran producer John Henshaw and former Raw TV producer Ed Gorsuch.

With a flair for delivering access-driven content with visual panache, Ample received, well, ample praise from various execs during our nomination process, with one partner specifically highlighting the team’s “incredible taste, style and attention to detail.” According to co-founder Mark, that’s all thanks to the company’s “filmmaker mentality.”

“We wrote a manifesto when we started the company,” he told Realscreen in a March 2018 interview. “And aside from not being jerks, it also says that we need to stay true to the passion.”BW

DORSEY PICTURES (a Red Arrow Studios company)
Headquarters: Littleton, Colorado
www.dorseypictures.tv
Number of hours produced in 2018: 137
Number of employees: 105
Recent projects: Building AlaskaMaine Cabin MastersBuilding Off the Grid (DIY); Living Alaska (GAC); Slenderman Stabbing: The Untold Story(Reelz)
Upcoming series: Dog’s Most Wanted (WGNA); Accident, Suicide or Murder (Oxygen); season 10 of Building Alaska, season 4 of Maine Cabin Masters (DIY)

Far enough from the frantic pace of New York or Los Angeles, Dorsey Pictures, founded by Chris Dorsey and nestled in Littleton, Colorado (estimated population: 47,734) has built a rock-solid roster of lifestyle, outdoor and branded content over its 15-year history. The company has produced more than 1,000 hours of programming for such cable nets as Discovery, History, National Geographic, HGTV, DIY, Travel Channel and others, and with its recent move into the true crime space, is broadening both its content offering and its network partner portfolio, with the recent Slenderman Stabbing: The Untold Story airing on Reelz and Accident, Suicide or Murder on the way for Oxygen.

Many of its outdoor and lifestyle titles are several seasons deep — DIY’s Building Alaskawas recently renewed for a 10th season and the prodco is behind four of the Discovery Inc. net’s top 10 series, including Maine Cabin Masters. But an upcoming series for WGN also garnered substantial attention in late 2018. Dog’s Most Wanted, featuring crime-fighting duo Dog the Bounty Hunter and wife Duane Chapman is in production, and is the first unscripted series to come from the network in more than five years.

Praise for the prodco came from myriad corners of the industry — network execs, coproducers and talent. From one frequent network collaborator: “Chris Dorsey, along with his talented team, have been wonderful productions partners: extremely collaborative and consistently delivering a great looking product at a reasonable cost.” BW

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION (an Industrial Media company)
Headquarters: Los Angeles
www.theipcorp.com
Number of hours produced in 2018: 78
Number of employees: 26, up to 300 freelancers depending on volume of production
Recent projects: Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (A&E); Active Shooter (Showtime); This Giant Beast That Is the Global Economy(Amazon Prime); Mind Field (YouTube)
Upcoming projects: #FreeMeek (Amazon Prime); 1989: The Year that Made the Modern World (Nat Geo)

Only a few years after its formation, The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC) has made significant headway in the unscripted space, with Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (pictured) for A&E racking up strong ratings and Emmy recognition, including a win in 2017. Company principals and former Miramax colleagues Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman (who co-founded the shop following successful stints at Studio Lambert and All3Media America) hit the ground running in 2016 with the Remini project and Active Shooter, a riveting exploration of the sad reality of gun violence in the U.S. airing on Showtime.

It wasn’t long before larger companies began taking notice and making overtures to acquire IPC. It was Core Media, a brand with a sizeable portfolio including American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance producer XIX Entertainment as well as Sharp Entertainment, that won the day, offering Holzman and Saidman the opportunity to run a revamped Core, now trading under the Industrial Media moniker, as CEO and president respectively.

IPC has also made good strides in producing for non-linear platforms, with Amazon Studios bringing them on board for This Giant Beast That Is The Global Economy (a collaboration with Vice and The Big Short helmer Adam McKay) as well as the upcoming #FreeMeek, about rapper Meek Mill, and YouTube as the home for popular science series Mind FieldBW

ITV ENTERTAINMENT
Headquarters: Los Angeles, New York
www.itv-entertainment.com
Number of hours produced in 2018: 109+
Number of employees: 50+
Recent projects: Queer Eye (with Scout Productions for Netflix); The Four (in association with Armoza Formats for Fox); Hell’s Kitchen (in association with A. Smith & Co. for Fox); The First 48 (A&E)
Upcoming projects: Love Island (CBS); Queer Eye: We’re in Japan! (Netflix)

Under the creative oversight of ITV America chief creative officer David Eilenberg and ITV Entertainment EVP Alex Dundas, ITV Entertainment had a big year in 2018, complete with three Emmy wins for the Queer Eye reboot (pictured), produced with Scout Productions and perhaps Netflix’s most popular entry into the unscripted game. Season three premiered March 15.

Meanwhile, Hell’s Kitchen featuring Gordon Ramsay (produced in association with A. Smith & Co.) is still heating up Friday nights for Fox as it wrapped its 18th season (picked up for seasons 19 and 20), and The First 48 continues its reign as a top five true crime series on U.S. cable, after 17 seasons on A&E. Another edition of the franchise, The First 48 Presents: Homicide Squad Atlanta, debuted in January. Music competition series The Four, produced in association with Armoza Formats, aired seasons in winter and summer.

As the summer of 2019 approaches, all eyes will be on the American arrival of UK format phenomenon Love Island, as it hits CBS. BW

SHARP ENTERTAINMENT (an Industrial Media company)
Headquarters: New York City
www.sharpentertainment.com
Number of hours produced in 2018: 150
Number of employees: 150
Recent projects: 90 Day Fiancé (TLC); Love After Lockup (WE tv); Man V. Food (Travel Channel)
Upcoming projects: 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way (TLC)

Headed by Matt Sharp, this New York-based shop has a hit franchise on its hands in the form of 90 Day Fiancé, which garnered its highest ratings in the W18-34 demo over the course of its most recent, sixth season. Thanks to Fiancé, TLC topped cable for Sunday nights in that demo, averaging 2.5 million P2+ viewers.

But 90 Day Fiancé isn’t the only success story in Sharp’s portfolio at present. Love After Lockup, a series following couples that are starting fresh after one partner is released from incarceration, has locked down serious ratings for WE tv, and has emerged as the fastest growing new cable reality series of the past year. “Matt is talented and hardworking, everything you could want in a creative partner,” WE tv orginal programming EVP Lauren Gellert tells Realscreen. “Love After Lockup is a very difficult show to produce, and he and his team make it look seamless.”

Coming soon: another installment of the Fiancéfranchise, 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way, in which U.S. citizens leave their home country to join their partners overseas. BW

TREMOLO PRODUCTIONS
Headquarters: Los Angeles
www.tremoloproductions.com
Hours produced in 2018: 10+ hours
Recent projects: Ugly Delicious season 1, They’ll Love Me When I’m DeadWon’t You Be My Neighbor?
Upcoming projects: Ugly Delicious season 2, Abstract: The Art of Design season 2, Shangri-La

Founded by filmmaker Morgan Neville in 1999, this Academy Award-winning, Los Angeles-headquartered prodco has built its reputation by crafting acclaimed films about music, art and culture. Over the past two decades, Tremolo has produced four Grammy-nominated films: Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road EnsembleRespect Yourself: The Stax Records StoryMuddy Waters Can’t Be Satisfied; and Johnny Cash’s America.

Other notable Tremolo projects include the 2013 feature documentary, 20 Feet from Stardom, which shone the spotlight on the contributions of the back-up singers to notable hitmakers. The film took home the 2014 Academy Award for best documentary and a Grammy award for best music film.

Tremolo Productions’ output for 2018 included the release of its award-winning film Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (pictured), which became one of the highest grossing documentaries of all time. The 94-minute feature, helmed by Neville, tells the life story of TV and cultural icon Fred Rogers, the beloved host of the long-running children’s series, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The film collected a slew of nominations and awards, including three nods at the 2018 Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards in the categories for best documentary, best director and best editing.

Other recent projects include the David Chang-fronted culinary series Ugly Delicious and the design docuseries Abstract: The Art of Design, both for Netflix. Additionally, Tremolo’s They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead, about the making of Orson Welles’ The Other Side of the Wind, bowed on Netflix this past November. Selina Chignall

MORE U.S. GLOBAL 100 PRODCOS
(Company name, titles, HQ, website)

Thinkfactory Media (an ITV America company)
Marriage Boot Camp; Mama June: From Not to Hot
Los Angeles, CA
www.thinkfactorymedia.com

View the full article and list here.