Discovery calls in Cajun Navy

Cajun Navy is being produced by Lightbox

Discovery Channel in the US ordered a feature-length documentary focusing on civilians who risk their lives to help others survive devastating storms.

Cajun Navy is being produced by Simon and Jonathan Chinn’s LA- and London-based prodco Lightbox, with James Newton directing.

The show follows a group of people who, when everyone else flees, face down deadly storms and floodwaters and attempt to save their community and its people from destruction.

Simon and Jonathan Chinn, who executive produce, said the doc “will be a snapshot into a fascinating and little-understood group of people in the Deep South who are driven to risk life and limb to help their neighbours, regardless of religion, race or creed.”

The show was revealed at Discovery’s Television Critics Association press tour session, where group CEO David Zaslav said he was happy with where his company was positioned following its deal for Scripps Network Interactive earlier this year.

Zaslav told attendees that Discovery saw the media business as “two sides – one side is scripted series and movies, and we’ve moved away from that,” with its focus now squarely on the other side, factual and unscripted.

The Discovery chief predicted that the major drama players would all launch OTT services costing subscribers between US$10 and US$15 per month, providing an opportunity for his company on the unscripted side because it has “great content” and “a lot of scale. We have a lot of strength.”

“We’ve placed a lot of chips as bets and we’re feeling quite good about it,” Zaslav added.

In addition, Investigation Discovery unveiled Sugar Town, a doc about the controversial death of a 22-year-old African American Victor White III, who police claim shot himself while in custody.