Canadian production company expands global reach
Canada's Entertainment One Television (eOne TV) has seen meteoric growth since it came into being in 2008, guiding once lame duck skeins like "Haven" to international success thanks to its knack for tailoring deals to fit content and to parent company eOne's roots in global distribution.
"Our model is about combining territories and platforms and we have a borderless development and production structure," says eOne TV's L.A.-based CEO John Morayniss.
The TV group was formed by eOne's merger-acquisition of production houses Blueprint and Barna-Alper and sales and distribution outfit Oasis; U.K.'s Contender Entertainment (the shingle behind "Peppa Pig"), acquired in 2007, is the foundation of eOne Kids. The group hit the ground running with a diverse slate and a team of creative entrepreneurial execs keen to reach global auds.
"If you want to be a major player in multiple genres, the only way to do it is with a strong capital base and infrastructure that allows you to take risks and invest in content," says Morayniss, who co-founded Blueprint in 2002 with Noreen Halpern, now eOne TV's president of dramatic programming. "We're now seeing how we can take advantage of (eOne's) music and film divisions and international markets to elevate and access material for the television group."
Scott Shepherd, showrunner for "Haven," which airs on Syfy, says the supernatural mystery series based on a Stephen King novella would have remained an orphaned pilot were it not for the tenacity of Halpern, who saw its potential while at Blueprint. Bringing the show, recently renewed for season two, into eOne's global scope opened doors.
"The deal didn't solidify with King until after the merger and one of the driving forces was being able to give him a good position on the homevideo side, since eOne is in that business in many territories," says Morayniss.
Universal Networks Intl. was first to partner with eOne on "Haven," which has been enthusiastically received in multiple markets.
"EOne has a collaborative approach to looking at new ways of financing and rolling out programs, which is key as we look to increase the original content we premiere across our channel brands," says Martin Irusta, UNI's senior VP of global programming and acquisitions. UNI is also co-producing "Shattered" and has the global pay TV preem (exclusive of North America) for "Rookie Blue," both eOne series.
EOne's strong factual entertainment biz, grounded in the legacy of Toronto-based Barna-Alper (founder Laszlo Barna is now eOne TV's president), is getting a boost with the creation of a U.S. division.
"Part of its goal is to take artists from eOne's music side and put them in a celebrity docu-soap series," says Morayniss. "First Ladies," a pilot starring R&B diva and eOne distributed artist Faith Evans, just wrapped.
EOne Film's partnership with Summit Entertainment led to the joint development of a series based on the 2009 paranormal thriller "Push," announced earlier this year.A recent deal to develop John Grisham's "The Firm" into a one-hour drama series will skip the traditional U.S. development process.
"There's a script we're using to pre-sell to a few international buyers, we're in negotiations now, so we can greenlight 22 episodes and then pitch in the U.S.," Morayniss says. "It's something we couldn't have done as a smaller company."
Canada's various film and TV tax breaks are key to getting shows off the page.
"Call Me Fitz," a Nova Scotia-shot sitcom starring Jason Priestley, has received raves from Canadian critics and auds and is now selling internationally.
EOne-produced AMC pilot "Hell on Wheels," a period western about the building of the U.S. transcontinental railroad that shot last August in Alberta.
Moreyniss says eOne is looking closely at scripted formats that can be adapted for North America; a Toronto-shot version of U.K. teen soap hit "Skins" bows on MTV in January.
"We're beginning to focus on big international co-productions that are historical in nature or have more of an international subject matter or setting," he adds. "I admit we're giddy with enthusiasm at the depth and volume we have right now, and there's still a lot of growth ahead."