Super indie production company Banijay has unveiled a push into “sportainment” with the launch of a new sports division.
Banijay Sports will focus on entertainment, documentary and digital content with a sports angle as well as pursuing new partnerships, content investment and M&a in the field.
The new division will not pursue broadcast or streaming rights.
Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti revealed plans for the new division at U.K. TV conference Content London on Tuesday afternoon.
The official push into sports will build on Banijay’s existing content, which includes a number of documentaries from Banijay-owned Workerbee such as “That Peter Crouch Film,” about U.K. soccer star Crouch is available on Amazon Prime Video, “Tyson Bruno,” made in association with Sky Studios for Sky, charts the rivalry between boxing legends Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno while “Human Playground,” which is narrated by Idris Elba, was produced by Scenery and Workerbee for Netflix.
Banijay Sports will focus on entertainment, documentary and digital content with a sports angle as well as pursuing new partnerships, content investment and M&a in the field.
The new division will not pursue broadcast or streaming rights.
Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti revealed plans for the new division at U.K. TV conference Content London on Tuesday afternoon.
The official push into sports will build on Banijay’s existing content, which includes a number of documentaries from Banijay-owned Workerbee such as “That Peter Crouch Film,” about U.K. soccer star Crouch is available on Amazon Prime Video, “Tyson Bruno,” made in association with Sky Studios for Sky, charts the rivalry between boxing legends Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno while “Human Playground,” which is narrated by Idris Elba, was produced by Scenery and Workerbee for Netflix.
- 11/28/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Banijay is pushing into the sports game, while CEO Marco Bassetti has criticized private equity firms for “raising expectation into the market.”
Bassetti announced at Content London this afternoon that the Big Brother powerhouse will broaden efforts in sports partnerships, content investments and M&a. It will focus on docs, digital and “sportainment” via the Banijay Sports division, while not venturing into broadcast and streaming rights.
Bassetti pointed to the likes of Netflix, Amazon and Apple TV+’s recent move into sports shows. “They don’t just want [sports] matches they need to do more,” he added. “Leagues and tournaments need a lot of content but we are also thinking about the guys who buy the shows.”
Bassetti said the move represents his desire to transform Banijay from production companies to a “media powerhouse” and the “biggest European studio.”
“That means we have to diversify but also expand our business,” he added.
Bassetti announced at Content London this afternoon that the Big Brother powerhouse will broaden efforts in sports partnerships, content investments and M&a. It will focus on docs, digital and “sportainment” via the Banijay Sports division, while not venturing into broadcast and streaming rights.
Bassetti pointed to the likes of Netflix, Amazon and Apple TV+’s recent move into sports shows. “They don’t just want [sports] matches they need to do more,” he added. “Leagues and tournaments need a lot of content but we are also thinking about the guys who buy the shows.”
Bassetti said the move represents his desire to transform Banijay from production companies to a “media powerhouse” and the “biggest European studio.”
“That means we have to diversify but also expand our business,” he added.
- 11/28/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Red Sea Fund & Film AlUla Partner On Production Grant
The Red Sea Fund has partnered with Film AlUla to offer a production grant for filmmakers with projects set within the landscape of AlUla in northwest Saudi Arabia. The Red Sea Fund and Film AlUla will be named as co-producers on all selected films, and Saudi Arabia will be a co-production country. The two bodies said chosen filmmakers will be given “free rein” on their creative project and will be judged purely on the quality of the production, talent, and script. Projects from Saudi Arabia, the Arab regions, and Africa are eligible for the Film AlUla fund. The fund will sponsor at least 10 projects. Mohammed Al Turki, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said: “Our aim as an organization is to uplift and support filmmakers from the Arab and African region and to promote the industry in Saudi Arabia – which...
The Red Sea Fund has partnered with Film AlUla to offer a production grant for filmmakers with projects set within the landscape of AlUla in northwest Saudi Arabia. The Red Sea Fund and Film AlUla will be named as co-producers on all selected films, and Saudi Arabia will be a co-production country. The two bodies said chosen filmmakers will be given “free rein” on their creative project and will be judged purely on the quality of the production, talent, and script. Projects from Saudi Arabia, the Arab regions, and Africa are eligible for the Film AlUla fund. The fund will sponsor at least 10 projects. Mohammed Al Turki, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said: “Our aim as an organization is to uplift and support filmmakers from the Arab and African region and to promote the industry in Saudi Arabia – which...
- 6/15/2023
- by Zac Ntim and Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Dutch docs indie Scenery is lining up a feature about a Ukrainian refugee ballet company.
The doc, Front Row, is currently shooting across Europe as the company performs its special dance performance ‘Giselle’ in cities such as London and Paris.
Dutch filmmaker Miriam Guttman, whose three-parter Seeds of Deceit was part of the Official Selection at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, is directing. No partners are involved at this stage, and the plan is to shoot more footage and release the doc at festivals in 2024.
Should Ukraine capital Kiev become safer, the company will perform there but Ukraine remains locked in battle with Russian soldiers, who has been attacking the country since February.
The doc follows three performers, as they both perform and come to terms with the horrors of war back home, communicating with their friends and families via FaceTime. During the filming of rehearsals, one learned their former dance teacher had been executed.
The doc, Front Row, is currently shooting across Europe as the company performs its special dance performance ‘Giselle’ in cities such as London and Paris.
Dutch filmmaker Miriam Guttman, whose three-parter Seeds of Deceit was part of the Official Selection at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, is directing. No partners are involved at this stage, and the plan is to shoot more footage and release the doc at festivals in 2024.
Should Ukraine capital Kiev become safer, the company will perform there but Ukraine remains locked in battle with Russian soldiers, who has been attacking the country since February.
The doc follows three performers, as they both perform and come to terms with the horrors of war back home, communicating with their friends and families via FaceTime. During the filming of rehearsals, one learned their former dance teacher had been executed.
- 12/16/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, we’re talking with Isidoor Roebers and Lea Fels, partners at Dutch doc producer Scenery, a joint venture with Banijay Benelux that has served up artistic but commercial unscripted projects for everyone from local public broadcaster Npo to Netflix and Prime Video.
Scenery has been one of the Benelux region’s most influential documentary producers for several years, and now it is moving beyond its core Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg operations and into the UK and U.S.
Dutch producer Isidoor Roebers had already launched a company, Fonk Films, but in 2016 teamed with former Vice Media Benelux Head of Production and Head of TV/Editor-in-Chief of Vice TV Lea Fels to create Scenery. The two had met with Roebers was...
Scenery has been one of the Benelux region’s most influential documentary producers for several years, and now it is moving beyond its core Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg operations and into the UK and U.S.
Dutch producer Isidoor Roebers had already launched a company, Fonk Films, but in 2016 teamed with former Vice Media Benelux Head of Production and Head of TV/Editor-in-Chief of Vice TV Lea Fels to create Scenery. The two had met with Roebers was...
- 12/16/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Banijay Benelux joint venture producer Scenery has signed an exclusive partnership deal with the director of the company’s Netflix doc series Human Playground, Tomas Kaan.
He joins the firm, which Banijay Benelux runs as a Jv with producers Lea Fels and Isidoor Roebers, as Creative Producer. He will develop international stories and support other talent to fulfil their own doc plans.
Kaan directed the Idris Elba-narrated Human Playground, a six-part doc series Scenery co-produced with Banijay UK’s Workerbee about the origins and evolutions of the world’s most unique sports for Netflix internationally and Youku in China. He also directed Netflix’s sex line drama Dirty Lines, which was nominated for a Golden Calf.
The Tanzania-born director’s upcoming projects include a collaboration of Luuk Bouwman on The Eighth Continent, a doc series about moon missions.
Tomas Kaan
Fels, Partner at Scenery said: “Tomas is a...
He joins the firm, which Banijay Benelux runs as a Jv with producers Lea Fels and Isidoor Roebers, as Creative Producer. He will develop international stories and support other talent to fulfil their own doc plans.
Kaan directed the Idris Elba-narrated Human Playground, a six-part doc series Scenery co-produced with Banijay UK’s Workerbee about the origins and evolutions of the world’s most unique sports for Netflix internationally and Youku in China. He also directed Netflix’s sex line drama Dirty Lines, which was nominated for a Golden Calf.
The Tanzania-born director’s upcoming projects include a collaboration of Luuk Bouwman on The Eighth Continent, a doc series about moon missions.
Tomas Kaan
Fels, Partner at Scenery said: “Tomas is a...
- 11/17/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Banijay UK CEO Patrick Holland is focusing on M&a and talent, and is rewarding high-performing labels with extra investment as he enters his first Mipcom Cannes in the new role.
In his first interview since replacing Peter Salmon in May, Holland told Deadline he is keen to look into buying more labels now that the Endemol Shine Group acquisition is fully complete, starting with Chloe producer Mam Tor Productions, which was revealed by Deadline this morning.
The former BBC Factual boss and BBC Two Controller has taken on a vast job, tying Banijay’s multiple UK labels together creatively and strategically since the departure of both Salmon and subsequently Chief Creative Officer Lucinda Hicks, which meant his role expanded before he had even started.
“I don’t think Banijay is necessarily seen as a major player in M&a in the UK,” he said. “You don’t just buy...
In his first interview since replacing Peter Salmon in May, Holland told Deadline he is keen to look into buying more labels now that the Endemol Shine Group acquisition is fully complete, starting with Chloe producer Mam Tor Productions, which was revealed by Deadline this morning.
The former BBC Factual boss and BBC Two Controller has taken on a vast job, tying Banijay’s multiple UK labels together creatively and strategically since the departure of both Salmon and subsequently Chief Creative Officer Lucinda Hicks, which meant his role expanded before he had even started.
“I don’t think Banijay is necessarily seen as a major player in M&a in the UK,” he said. “You don’t just buy...
- 10/17/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Idris Elba is to narrate and exec a high-end Netflix docu-series about the origins and evolutions of some of the most unique sports in the world.
Human Playground will launch later this month from Banijay labels Scenery in the Netherlands and Workerbee in the UK.
Our Planet director Tomas Kaan is aboard the show, which will explore the likes of unique robot camel races in the United Arab Emirates, Big Wave surfing in Nazaré Portugal and Eagle Hunting in Kyrgyzstan.
Luther star Elba is a huge coup for Netflix’s high-end docs offering and the six-parter has long been in the making.
Exec Rick Murray said the show is a “perfect fit” for Elba as narrator and Netflix as commissioner.
“We are delighted to have helped get the project off the ground, the team in Amsterdam are world class and we hope to work with them again in the not-too-distant future,...
Human Playground will launch later this month from Banijay labels Scenery in the Netherlands and Workerbee in the UK.
Our Planet director Tomas Kaan is aboard the show, which will explore the likes of unique robot camel races in the United Arab Emirates, Big Wave surfing in Nazaré Portugal and Eagle Hunting in Kyrgyzstan.
Luther star Elba is a huge coup for Netflix’s high-end docs offering and the six-parter has long been in the making.
Exec Rick Murray said the show is a “perfect fit” for Elba as narrator and Netflix as commissioner.
“We are delighted to have helped get the project off the ground, the team in Amsterdam are world class and we hope to work with them again in the not-too-distant future,...
- 9/21/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Stake
Japan’s biggest film group Toho announced that it has taken a controlling stake in Tia (previously Toho Interactive Animation), a production company behind the “100 Nichikan Ikita Wani,” film and anime series “iii icecrin,” “iii icecrin2” “Ninja Collection” and “That Is the Bottleneck.”
Originally known as I&a, the company was established in 2017 by Ilca and Anima. The name changed to Tia after Toho bought a nearly 35 from the two founders in 2020. Toho has now bought out Anima’s stake, giving it a 67.4 majority holding and cause to rename the company again, this time to Toho Animation Studio. Deal terms were not disclosed.
Keiji Ota, managing executive officer of Toho, in charge of the studio’s video business and digital content division, is to be appointed as president and representative director at Toho Animation Studio.
Toho has been ramping up slowly in animation over the past ten years and...
Japan’s biggest film group Toho announced that it has taken a controlling stake in Tia (previously Toho Interactive Animation), a production company behind the “100 Nichikan Ikita Wani,” film and anime series “iii icecrin,” “iii icecrin2” “Ninja Collection” and “That Is the Bottleneck.”
Originally known as I&a, the company was established in 2017 by Ilca and Anima. The name changed to Tia after Toho bought a nearly 35 from the two founders in 2020. Toho has now bought out Anima’s stake, giving it a 67.4 majority holding and cause to rename the company again, this time to Toho Animation Studio. Deal terms were not disclosed.
Keiji Ota, managing executive officer of Toho, in charge of the studio’s video business and digital content division, is to be appointed as president and representative director at Toho Animation Studio.
Toho has been ramping up slowly in animation over the past ten years and...
- 9/21/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
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