Discovery links with Hollywood duo

Discovery Communications has teamed up with Hollywood producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer to form a digital production company.

LA-based New Form will focus on developing scripted and unscripted programming for digital viewing.

The new venture will be led by Kathleen Grace, who has been appointed chief creative officer. Grace was previously head of creative development at YouTubeSpace LA.

New Form aims to partner with digital platforms and brands to create new content that could be distributed across Discovery and partner platforms in future.

Oscar winners Howard and Grazer, who co-founded US studio Imagine Entertainment in 1986, are behind such hits as Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and American Gangster, plus dozens of other successful films and TV series.

“Technology is rapidly changing the entertainment landscape for studios, producers and audiences, and Ron and I could not think of a better partner to invest with than Discovery, to expand beyond film and television and enter into the digital frontier,” said Grazer.

“By investing with Discovery, New Form is poised to re-imagine storytelling and reach new audiences online and beyond,” said Howard.

New Form’s other partners are Craig Jacobson, Ed Wilson, Jim Wiatt, Michael Rosenberg and CAA.