Endemol Shine creates Israeli studio

Endemol Shine Israel’s slate includes The Orpheus Project for HOT

MIPTV: Endemol Shine Group (ESG) has launched a scripted hub in Israel that will invest in local writers, showrunners and onscreen talent to create series for distribution and adaptation around the world.

Endemol Shine Studios Israel will be based in Tel Aviv and led by director of drama and comedy Gal Zaid, reporting to Endemol Shine Israel’s CEO Elad Kuperman.

The studio will also collaborate with ESG’s global offices, including those led by Lars Blomgren, chairman of scripted exchange; Sharon Hall, president of Endemol Shine Studios in the US; Cathy Payne, CEO of Endemol Shine International; Lisa Perrin, CEO of Creative Networks; and recently appointed Peter Salmon, chief creative officer at ESG.

Endemol Shine Israel’s current slate of scripted series includes thriller The Orpheus Project for HOT, which has been locally adapted in the Netherlands, dark comedy Killing Grandma for YES and Reshet drama The Harem.

Also on the slate is sitcom Miller Junction for Keshet and new comedy Dalmatian Family for Reshet.

Kuperman said: “It has been our long-held ambition to establish a world-class scripted hub here in Israel and build on our current slate of successful series.

“Gal is responsible for some of Israel’s most successful dramas and has worked with the best showrunners, writers and talent in the market. Coupling this with our group’s global distribution and scripted resources is an ideal formula for establishing Endemol Shine Studios Israel within the international marketplace.”

Gal, who was director of drama at both Channel 10 and Keshet prior to joining ESG in 2014, added: “Israel has become recognised internationally for stand-out scripted programming that travels to markets all over the world.

“It’s a great time to launch Endemol Shine Studios Israel, which will allow us to further invest in the incredible pool of local talent here and offer them a gateway to the international market.”

Cathy Payne, CEO of global distribution arm Endemol Shine International, said the Israeli hub would also allow the company “to tap directly into one of the world’s most prolific markets for successful scripted programming and build a new pipeline of series for international distribution.”

Endemol Shine Israel was originally known as Kuperman Productions and was founded by Elad Kuperman in 2002. Endemol took a majority stake in the company in 2013. Its shows include Big Brother on Keshet and Start Over, a reality series for Reshet in which a family relocates out of their comfort zone for a week.