Nippon, Envision in scripted copro alliance
Japanese broadcaster Nippon TV has entered into a coproduction partnership with London-based media company Envision Entertainment to create scripted projects for the international market.
Michael Nakan
The two companies intend to develop a slate of projects based on Japanese properties that combine Eastern and Western sensibilities. They have already begun discussions with some of Japan’s manga publishers to source IP.
The first project in development as part of the alliance is based on Nippon series Double Booking, which aired on the broadcaster last year. In the show, people from different places across the world connect through the internet to solve a mystery.
More details on the show will be revealed later this year, but the companies said the Japanese original has a storyline leading directly into an international English-language series.
Michael Nakan, who founded Envision Entertainment in January, said: “Japan has long been a country that the West has admired from afar, capable of creating world-quality content and developing top-notch IP in their local market.
Sayako Aoki
“We’re thrilled to partner with one of Japan’s most storied media organisations, Nippon TV, and to work directly with Japanese creative talent to create innovative projects that are organic collaborations between Eastern and Western creatives. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Nippon TV to internationalise Japanese content and creatives.”
Sayako Aoki, business producer, international business development, at Nippon TV, said: “The greatest asset we have is our in-house creators with their unique ideas and spirit of challenge, which will be essential to this great opportunity. What we are planning to do is to combine a great story with an innovative format to deliver to the global market and I cannot wait to see how our story expands beyond borders.”
Since launching at the start of the year, Envision has announced projects with showrunner Daniel Cerone (Dexter), Hong Kong talent Tony Leung (Shang Chi & The Ten Rings) and veteran UK producer David Barron (Harry Potter). Before setting up Envision, Nakan was founding partner at Clipper Media Capital and worked at Shoebox Fims.
