Sony buys Australia’s Playmaker

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has expanded its international production empire by acquiring Australia’s leading indie drama producer Playmaker Media.

Former Fox Television Studios Australia production executives David Maher and David Taylor, who founded Playmaker in 2009, will remain at the helm under a five-year deal.

“We have been talking to Sony for a while. We liked what they had to say and it’s a good opportunity,” Taylor told C21.

One asset is that future Playmaker Media productions will be routed via SPT’s global distribution machine.

The producers have dealt with DCD Rights, All3Media International, ZDF Enterprises and ITV Studios Global Entertainment after a first-look deal with FremantleMedia Enterprises expired in 2013.

“Having one point of call for international for the shows we create will be a big advantage,” Taylor said.

Maher and Taylor will report to SPT president Andrea Wong and chief creative officer Wayne Garvie.

Wong said: “Playmaker is having fantastic success creating the next generation of distinctive, high-quality Australian television drama. They are a great addition to our international production group.”

Playmaker is the only indie with four shows commissioned by the free-to-air networks. The fourth series of House Husbands will debut on the Nine network next year. Remake rights have been acquired by producers in France and Italy.

Nine’s Love Child was the most watched Australian drama series in 2014, seen by an average of 2.087 million viewers per episode, and a second season is in the can.

The producers held back the format rights to Love Child in their deal with All3Media International, which will now be handled by SPT.

Conspiracy thriller The Code performed well enough on pubcaster ABC this year to have been renewed for a further six episodes. The show was acquired by BBC4, DirecTV for Audience Network in the US and Sundance Channel Latin America.

Hiding (8×60’), which follows a Gold Coast family that is forced into witness protection and must build a new life in a strange city, premieres on ABC next year.

Earlier this year NBCUniversal International Television Production took full ownership of Oz prodco Matchbox Pictures, having held a majority stake since 2011.