| MUMBAI:
Sony Pictures Television International’s (SPTI) international networks group
is expanding its original production efforts by signing a format development and
series production agreement with reality production house Base Camp Films. The
announcement was made by Marie Jacobson, SPTI’s senior vice president, programming
and production, international networks, and by Base Camp principals Brady Connell
and Jim Jusko. SPTI’s international
networks group has been acquiring rights to produce local-language versions of
third party formats, mainly for its AXN and Sony Entertainment Television (Set)
networks. AXN and Set have produced local-language versions of such international
formats as The Amazing Race (on AXN Asia), Big Brother (on Set India
as Bigg Boss), Pop Idol (Set India as Indian Idol and Set
Latin America) and Strictly Come Dancing (Jhalak Dikhla Jaa on Set
India). The agreement with Base Camp augments SPTI’s efforts to acquire
and develop its own original formats as part of its overall growth strategy. “While we’ve
found great success with such third party formats as Pop Idol, The Amazing
Race and Strictly Come Dancing, SPTI’s international networks
are continuously seeking out homegrown, commercial formats with multi-platform
extensions which our networks can own and control,” said Jacobson. “Jim
and Brady are just the guys to bolster our collective efforts to develop and adapt
formats for our international web of channels.” Base Camp principals
Connell and Jusko will executive produce projects developed under the deal and
adapt formats developed or acquired overseas by SPTI for sale in the United States.
“The opportunities and challenges in the international TV marketplace
make it an exciting and growing business for us,” said two-time Emmy winner
Connell (The Amazing Race, Survivor, Eco-Challenge). “Our relationship
with SPTI has grown steadily over the years, and we share a strong belief in the
value of international partnerships for the production of innovative high-value
programming,” noted Jusko who, prior to forming Base Camp with Connell in
2002, brought key international partners to Disney’s Air Bud and Lions
Gate’s Kiefer Sutherland starrer, Dead Heat. As part of the
agreement, the first format in active development is Base Camp’s Six Degrees
of X. Developed to be scalable for global, regional or local production, Six
Degrees of X tests the theory that all people are somehow connected by only
six degrees of separation, even today’s hottest celebrities and their most
adoring fans. “Six Degrees of X is great TV and opens the door
for compelling extensions in the web and mobile space,” added Jacobson. “We’re
actively developing it out to pilot across our SPTI networks later this year.”
SPTI is also fast-tracking the development of a groundbreaking cross-platform
interactive ‘crimesolving’ project known as MyCrime. To be produced
with Base Camp for SPTI’s international channels and networked with internet
and wireless devices, MyCrime is set for global launch in mid 2007. Pamela
Parker, SPTI’s vice president, business affairs and acquisitions, led negotiations
on behalf of SPTI. The agreement was negotiated for Base Camp by United Talent
Agency.
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