Mentorn International will distribute a four-part series on extreme events that have occurred around the world, it was announced today (THURS).
Matt Holden, Mentorn Media's Executive Producer Popular Factual, said: "User generated content is no longer peripheral to television production, this series will use incredible UGC material, combined with brilliant storytelling, to bring something bold, new and exciting to Channel 5."
The four hour-long programmes originally commissioned for Channel 5 in the UK, entitled World's Scariest Landings; World's Scariest Near Misses; World's Greatest Heroic Moments, and World's Scariest Daredevils, will transmit in the New Year.
Michelle Chappell, Commissioning Editor for News, Current Affairs and Documentaries at Channel 5 ordered the commission from Mentorn Media and said: "We hope to uncover some of the most extreme uncut footage ever caught on camera. From terrifying plane landings to runaway trains you'll want to buckle up after watching this series."
Each programme will include footage from events with expert analysis and comment, and testimony from the people at the heart of the stories.
The series Producer is Amy Walker.
London, U.K. - Mentorn International will distribute Pioneer Productions' one-hour documentary on Steve Jobs for Channel 4 in the U.K. and PBS in the U.S., it was announced today.
Anna Miralis, Channel 4's Documentary Commissioning Editor, and Beth Hoppe for PBS have commissioned the one-hour co-production documentary. It will develop the story of the founder of the Apple computer empire, Steve Jobs, beyond the usual obituary and tribute material to examine not only the man and his many achievements, but also the major influences that helped shape his life and his career.
Jeremy Dear, Head of Development at Pioneer, said: "Jobs' legacy is unique. This programme not only highlights how he shaped the technology world but how he inspired a generation."
This fast-turnaround programme, titled Steve Jobs: iChanged The World for C4 and Steve Jobs - One Last Thing for PBS, features interviews with the people who worked closely with him or chronicled his life, gaining a unique insight into what motivated him.
In a rare never broadcast before interview with Steve Jobs, Jobs shares his philosophy of life, offering his view on how to change our lives to achieve our ambitions, desires and dreams.
Channel 4 Commissioning Editor, Anna Miralis, added: "Steve Jobs was such an inspirational figure. Through interviews with the people who knew and worked closely with him over the years, our programme offers a unique insight into what made him tick."
The Commissioning Editor for Channel 4 is Anna Miralis. The Producer for Pioneer Productions is Bob Strange, with Stuart Carter as Executive Producer. Mentorn International will be distributing the documentary.
London, UK - BBC Television and United Agents have appointed Mentorn International to distribute Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's new comedy series Life's Too Short, it was announced today (FRI).
The series is the third in the trilogy of sitcoms from the pair following their hugely successful series The Office and Extras and is an observational comedy on the day-to-day life of actor, Warwick Davis, who runs an agency for actors of a similar height. It also features cameo appearances from a host of Hollywood stars, such as Johnny Depp, Steve Carell, Liam Neeson and Helena Bonham Carter.
The seven half-hour programmes are written, directed and executive produced by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, who also co-star. The series is a BBC/HBO co-production in association with Backlash Productions, launching on BBC Two in the Autumn and subsequently on HBO in the U.S.
Mentorn International's Managing Director, David Leach, said: "We're delighted to be continuing our relationship with Ricky and Stephen. Life's Too Short is another example of their incredible comedic talent and there is no doubt that this will be a global hit, following The Office and Extras.
"Mentorn International has had enormous worldwide success with An Idiot Abroad, Ricky and Stephen's series with Karl Pilkington, and we're very excited to be launching their latest series on an expectant World."
Ricky Gervais said: "Third in our trilogy of TV sitcoms, Life's Too Short is another naturalist observational comedy dealing with everyday problems, human foibles, and social faux pas…but with a dwarf."
BBC Head of In-House Comedy, Mark Freeland, said: "Life's Too Short is all about a man facing everyday problems very, very badly indeed. Because the themes are universal, because Gervais and Merchant have of course written them so brilliantly, because Warwick Davis is such a star, I'm sure this is a show that will be loved by audiences in many territories."
London, UK - Following Tinopolis' acquisition of U.S. production companies A. Smith & Co. and BASE Productions, Mentorn International are launching two U.S. series at MIPCOM 2011, it was announced today (THURS).
Mentorn International will be distributing the U.S. companies' programmes and formats internationally and Crash Course and Full Throttle Saloon are the first two shows to be brought to market under the new arrangement.
Crash Course is an action competition format and completed series, produced by A. Smith & Co for ABC Network in the USA, pitting five teams of drivers against spectacular and surprising obstacles that test their driving skills in unique ways. The six-part series challenges the best drivers to attempt the most unbelievable and hilarious stunts.
In addition, Mentorn International are offering three series of the long running U.S. hit Full Throttle Saloon for sale. Produced by A. Smith & Co, the popular factual series follows the big characters and craziness at "the Mecca for Motorcycles". For one week each year more than half a million motorcyclists cruise into the sleepy little town of Sturgis, South Dakota for the largest, most legendary bike rally and music festival in the world. In the middle of this two-wheeled insanity is the craziest place of all: The Full Throttle Saloon, the world's biggest action-packed biker bar.
Twenty six episodes are available:the first series of six hour long programmes with a 60 minute special; second series of nine hour long programmes and a brand new third series of ten hour long episodes.
David Leach, Managing Director of Mentorn International, said: "We're delighted to be commencing our relationship with our new U.S. partners and representing their great programmes and formats internationally. They are a perfect fit for our catalogue: Crash Course, featuring the best drivers attempting outrageous stunts, is the ideal companion to our Worst Driver format, and Full Throttle Saloon is a terrific hit series full of compelling characters, dramas and action, which will entertain viewers around the world."
London - Tinopolis, one of the UK's largest independent TV production companies, has acquired US production company BASE Productions. The deal is another significant addition to Tinopolis' portfolio of global television production companies following its recent US acquisition, A. Smith & Co.
BASE Productions, founded by its joint CEO's John Brenkus and Mickey Stern, is a vertically integrated production company with its own studio and production facilities at its headquarters in Burbank, California and offices in Washington DC. BASE is a supplier of television to many networks. Amongst its best known programmes are Sport Science, a long-running series for ESPN, Known Universe and Fight Science for National Geographic, Police POV for Tru Tv with its innovative use of police actuality footage and Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files.Question Time producer Mentorn, sports production company Sunset+Vine, Pioneer and US network producer A. Smith & Co. The company produces around 1,600 hours of drama, factual, entertainment and sports programming each year for more than 200 broadcasters worldwide. The acquisition is part of its diversification and growth strategy and strengthens its already substantial US factual entertainment business.
Tinopolis, backed by private equity firm Vitruvian Partners, owns BASE Productions will be able to tap into the company's worldwide resources and enjoy enhanced access to the UK for its non-scripted productions. It will continue to maintain its independence as a production company. Mickey Stern joins the main board of Tinopolis and will continue to lead BASE alongside his co-CEO, John Brenkus.
Tinopolis Executive Chairman Ron Jones said: "We have admired the Company built up by John and Mickey for some time. They have established a business based on great creativity and impressive business common sense. BASE is a producer trusted and respected throughout the industry and alongside A. Smith & Co we now have a US business with depth and breadth of coverage."
"BASE has experience and formats with the potential to be successful world-wide. This will be a major opportunity for our distribution company, MINT, and reinforces our plans to build a portfolio of brands and formats that work internationally."
"We have a strong reputation for producing quality programmes across a range of genres. In sport we supply the BBC's coverage of the horse racing classics such as the Derby and all sports coverage for BBC Scotland and Channel 5. From our drama expertise in Daybreak and Fiction Factory to our expertise in live programming, particularly for S4C, and Mentorn and Pioneer's record on factual programmes, we are a strong creative team. With two major producers in the US now as part of the group Tinopolis has become a truly international player and even better able to serve our customers around the world."
"We've been approached by numerous companies over the years, and none of the offers made sense until now." said John Brenkus, Co-CEO of BASE. "We are thrilled to be joining a group that is as dynamic as Tinopolis, and to be playing a key role in helping to shape the Group's future. Between their UK core, and our new alliance with A. Smith & Co here in the U.S., our combined global reach, quality programming and outstanding management make the Tinopolis Group a true force in the industry."
Mentorn International's owners, Tinopolis, one of the UK's largest independent TV production companies, has acquired US production company A. Smith & Co.
The deal brings together Tinopolis' portfolio of global television production companies with A. Smith & Co's global ratings hits including The Swan and Trading Spaces as well as Gordon Ramsay vehicles Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares.
David Leach, Managing Director of Mentorn International, said: "We have had a long and successful relationship with Arthur and Kent, including working together on the US productions Paradise Hotel and America's Worst Driver, and I am delighted that A Smith & Co are now part of our group. We look forward to taking their formats and programming to the international market."
Tinopolis, backed by private equity firm Vitruvian Partners and with a turn-over of £75m, owns Question Time producer Mentorn Media and sports production company Sunset+Vine. The company produces around 1,600 hours of drama, factual, and sports programming each year for more than 200 broadcasters worldwide. The acquisition is part of its diversification and growth strategy and increases its access to the US sports and entertainment markets.
Smith & Co. will become Tinopolis' leading North American television production entity, able to tap into the company's worldwide resources and enjoy enhanced access to the UK for its non-scripted productions. A. Smith & Co will continue to maintain its independence as a production company, operating out of its Los Angeles headquarters. Mr Smith joins the main board of Tinopolis and will continue to lead A. Smith & Co. alongside his partner and Company President, Kent Weed.
Tinopolis Executive Chairman Ron Jones said: "Arthur, Kent and all of A. Smith & Co. are great additions to our company. Their experience of launching global brands and television programming and their vision of what programmes need to be will ensure that programme buyers and audiences will be well served for years to come. Tinopolis has a strong reputation for producing quality programmes across a range of genres and this new strategic relationship will support all our businesses as we continue to grow.
"Moving further into a US market hungry for UK formats in partnership with an established and successful entity like A. Smith & Co - with ideas and formats that have international potential - will further enhance opportunities for our distribution company, MINT, and is a massive strategic gain for the group."
"We have a strong reputation for producing quality programmes across a range of genres. In sport we supply the BBC's coverage of the horse racing classics such as the Derby and all sports coverage for BBC Scotland and Channel 5. From our drama expertise in Daybreak and Fiction Factory to our expertise in live programming, particularly for S4C, and Mentorn and Pioneer's record on factual programmes, we are a strong creative team. Mentorn has worked successfully with A. Smith & Co over recent years and is already successful in the US with Discovery, Nat Geo and Fox. The fit is obvious."
Arthur Smith, CEO of A. Smith & Co commented: "We have been fortunate to have been approached by a number of entities offering strategic partnerships, but none until now presented the benefits and synergies that we have found in our new partners at Tinopolis and Vitruvian Partners. This new relationship allows us to expand aggressively while ensuring that we will have even more resources to continue to produce the high quality and successful content. We have a phenomenal team in place, and now look to expand on our already existing relationship with Mentorn as well as harness our experience in sports programming via Tinopolis' respected sports production unit Sunset + Vine."
The acquisition will further the Tinopolis Group's strategy of transforming the company into a genuinely international business with a strong US presence. The purchase will also give Tinopolis an international base from which to launch its intellectual property, with a focus on programme and format rights in an area in which A. Smith & Co excels.
Ron Jones added: "Structural changes in the market mean that traditional broadcasting now has to share its access to viewers with on-demand and non-broadcaster funded services. Many of these trends are US-originated and today's acquisition ensures that Tinopolis is well placed to commercialise them."
For more information please contact Patrick Barrow at Pagefield on: +44 (0)7795035363 or Oliver Foster at Pagefield on: +44 (0)207 440 0984
Mentorn Media Starts Production on Sky Atlantic HD Commission, Brixham - Fish Town
Mentorn Media has been commissioned to produce Brixham - Fish Town (W/T) a new observational documentary series for Sky Atlantic HD, it was announced today (THURS).
Commissioned by Siobhan Mulholland, Commissioning Editor Factual & Features, the ten-part series will be executive produced for Mentorn Media by Neil Grant and the series producer is Jim Funnell.
Mentorn Media has unique access to one of Britain's oldest and busiest fishing ports, and each 60-minute instalment will provide an eye-opening insight into the town from the point of view of the great characters who for generations have lived and worked there, especially as they adapt to the demands of the future.
Siobhan Mulholland said: "It's a pleasure to be working with the people of Brixham on this exciting new series- the first of its kind to be broadcast on Sky Atlantic HD. It's a filmic, intense, yet gentle insight into this historic Devonshire town and the great characters who inhabit it."
Built on fish, Brixham is looking forward to a new era in the town's history having recently completed a multi-million pound regeneration project. Once England's greatest fishing port, the Devonshire tourist hot spot is a bustling town and this character-driven fly-on-the-wall documentary aims to take viewers from trawler to table via the fishermen and market traders who keep this ancient industry alive.
The series will not only capture life at sea, but also let viewers into the engaging and revealing world behind the scenes of this historic town.
Neil Grant added: "This is a warm and engaging look at the characters and personalities that are the beating heart of one of the best loved towns in Devon. This series will revel in the beauty of the sea and its surroundings, and capture the daily life of this popular tourist town."
This is Mentorn Media's first commission from Sky Atlantic HD and is the latest in their continuing relationship with Sky following An Idiot Abroad, Hairspray: The School Musical, Grease: The School Musical, At Home with the Hattons, Credit Crunch Monty for Sky 1; and My Big Fat Cycle Challenge for Sky Real Lives.
Brixham - Fish Town (W/T) will be distributed by Mentorn International.
Mentorn International has confirmed further sales of the hit series, An Idiot Abroad, ahead of this year's MIPTV as well as offering pre-sales of the new series that is in production for Sky1.
The series has now sold in 14 territories, including Discovery Belgium, Discovery Netherlands, Planéte France, Globosat Brazil, Onet.pl Poland. These are in addition to the previous sales of Network Ten in Australia, TV3 in New Zealand, Discovery USA's Science Channel, Discovery Canada, SVT in Sweden, TV3 in Denmark, YLE in Finland, NRK in Norway and ITC Skjarinn in Iceland.
The Mentorn-produced, eight-part series which stars Karl Pilkington, with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant in a documentary travelogue will now be followed by a second series for Sky1 which will be available this autumn.
Managing Director of Mentorn International, David Leach, said: "This series has been hugely popular in the UK and the USA and has already done fantastic business around the globe. The success of the ancillary products - a bestselling DVD and Book are further testament to its enormous appeal to audiences.
"We're delighted that Mentorn International is continuing our relationship with Ricky, Stephen and Karl, and distributing their next series."
At MIP Mentorn International will be selling An Idiot Abroad series 1 and 2 in addition to launching their Drama arm with The Promise and Naked Apes, and launching high profile docu series Katie: My Beautiful Friends as well as numerous Factual programmes from both Pioneer and Mentorn.
Visit Mentorn International at MIPTV 2011 - stand 11.29
Pioneer Productions, fast-turnaround documentary, Japan's Killer Quake, is heading up the list of Pioneer-produced documentaries that Mentorn International are offering at MIPTV, it was announced on Thursday.
The one-hour documentary made by Pioneer Productions was a fast-turnaround for Channel 4 and the first ever three-week turnaround to transmit on NOVA (last night 9pm on PBS). The programme covered the geological and scientific background behind the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunami which has devastated the Japanese coastal areas.
Japan's Killer Quake is part of the Pioneer-produced slate that Mentorn International is offering for sale at MIPTV. Others include High: How Drugs Work - a three-part series which attracted a huge audience on BBC Three and National Geographic Channel USA, and which follows real life stories of recreational drug-taking with leading scientists and doctors explaining the scientific effects on our bodies; also Earth: Making of a Planet 1 x 96 minutes, Volcano that Stopped the World 1 x 50mins, Buried Alive: Chile Mine Rescue 1 x 50 mins and Birth of Britain the 3 part Channel 4 series with Tony Robinson, all of which feature spectacular footage and CGI.
Pioneer Productions Executive Producer, Stuart Carter, said: "Making a fast turnaround for Channel 4 and NOVA in such a short time was an epic undertaking. Not only do you have all the technical problems of getting it made in time, but also getting the tone right - sadly nearly 30,000 have died."
Managing Director of Mentorn International, David Leach, said: "Pioneer Productions has a considerable reputation for high-quality and entertaining science documentaries and this collection of new programmes is a varied and fascinating slate."
Mentorn International has confirmed two significant pre-sales for Mentorn Media's documentary series "Katie: My Beautiful Friends" ahead of its Channel 4 debut, it was announced today (THURS).
TV 3 New Zealand and TV4 in Sweden have both purchased the series with interest from several major territories including USA, France, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Finland and Denmark.
Managing Director, Mentorn International, David Leach said: "Katie is a remarkable young woman and after the sales around the world of the first programme, we're thrilled at the early sales we've had for this series. As with the first programme, Katie tackles everything with a sense of humour which is an inspiration to us all as well as the friends that she meets. It's unmissable television."
Katie: My Beautiful Friends starts on Channel 4 on Tuesday, 22nd March at 9pm.
Katie: My Beautiful Face followed Katie Piper, the victim of a vicious acid attack, who waived her anonymity and shared her story for the first time. It achieved the highest ratings of 2009 for Channel 4's Cutting Edge strand with 3.5 million viewers watching and recently won a Broadcast Award for Best Documentary Programme.
The response was so remarkable that Channel 4 commissioned Mentorn Media to produce the Alternative Christmas Message with Katie and prompted Katie to set up the Katie Piper Foundation to help other burns victims.
The first programme has sold around the World to 15 countries, including TV2 Norway, M6 France, XYZ Australia, TV3 New Zealand, Globosat Brazil, TV4 Sweden, TV2 Denmark, Nelonen Finland, RTL 2 Germany, ABC USA, VTM Belgium, RTL Holland, Discovery Europe, Discovery Italy, Fuji TV Japan.