New Metric links with authors

New Metric Media, the Canadian company behind comedy series Letterkenny, has struck development deals with three authors and is planning to open an LA office.

Mark Montefiore

The Toronto-based company has optioned the rights to multiple projects from criminologist Dr Michael Arntfield; veteran author and Toronto Star’s lead investigative reporter for organised crime Peter Edwards; and popular online personality Anne T Donahue.

Going into development at the firm are Monster City, a series based on true crime author Arntfield’s book of the same name, which explores cases such as the serial killers who terrorised Nashville’s music scene for over three decades. Arntfield is attached to consult on the project.

New Metric Media is extending its partnership with Edwards, who currently serves as an executive producer on its Netflix series Bad Blood, based on one of his books.

The indie prodco will develop multiple television series to create the “Peter Edwards Universe,” based on optioning the rights to a selection of his novels, such as The Bandido Massacre: A True Story of Bikers, Brotherhood & Betrayal and upcoming title The Wolfpack.

Nobody Cares, meanwhile, is a frank, funny personal essay collection by Donahue, the author of popular newsletter That’s What She Said. The memoir about work, failure, friendship and the messy business of being alive in your 20s and 30s also deftly tackles the subject of mental health, according to New Metric Media.

New Metric president Mark Montefiore said: “Discovering compelling material and IP like we have in these fascinating stories shows our commitment to developing unique and premium content. As our scripted slate increases, we plan to expand our business and open an office in LA to seek more development and production opportunities.”

Arntfield is represented by Sohrab Merchant at The Characters, Grace Freedson at Grace Freedson’s Publishing Network and Danny Webber at Hall Webber LLP. Edwards is represented by Juliet Forrester from Top Left Entertainment and Premier Artists’ Management, while Donahue is repped by Addison Duffy at UTA and Carly Watters at PS Literary.