Izen targets UK format exports

A fledgling UK prodco co-founded by the former MD of Shine Group’s formats business has received an financial boost from a new Middle-Eastern/European production group.

Lebanese prodco Imagic, Zebra Productions in Spain and the Elephant Group in France have combined to form Izen Group, which has invested in UK-based indie Chalkboard TV.

The latter company was recently co-founded by Shine Group exec Ben Hall; Warwick Banks, whose credits include series editor on gameshows Reflex and Total Wipeout; and Mike Benson, previously a development executive at Shine and also at BBC Factual.

With its investment, Izen Group hopes to see Chalkboard become a profitable, top-50, UK independent production company within three years and to launch formats that the group can produce in their markets.

“The formation of the group is a response to the ‘closed shop’ reality of the global format market and our desire to shake it up a little,” said Jose Velasco, CEO of Zebra.

“We needed to take action to ensure that we have a source of top quality, original formats and we felt that sharing IP within our group and investing in like minded creative entrepreneurs was the right way to go.”

“We’re now looking at additional investment opportunities but they have to be the right fit,” added Rony Jazzar, Imagic’s CEO.

Zebra and Elephant are both major drama producers and Chalkboard also has drama aspirations, Izen Group said.

“We’re just beginning to look for the right person to head up our drama team to work initially with our partners strong scripted format catalogue but, in the immediate short term, our focus is very much on non-scripted formats,” said Banks, Chalkboard’s director of programmes.

The group will decide in the coming months whether or not to start their own international distribution business or to sell their available rights to an existing distribution partner.

Chalkboard’s development team includes Sean O’ Riordan, previously at Maverick, who heads up Chalkboard’s factual development. Chalkboard has projects in discussion with all the major UK broadcasters, according to Izen Group.