Small World beds US format deal
KIEV MEDIA WEEK: Burbank-based producer Mission Control Media has picked up an Israeli format from distributor Small World IFT to develop for the US.
The US prodco, one of the companies behind NBC show Hollywood Game Night and Syfy’s Face Off, has bagged US rights to Come to Bed and is soon to start pitching it stateside.
The format captures what happens in the bedrooms of various couples using hidden cameras.
“We spend a third of our lives in bed, where we fight, love, lust, talk, play with our kids… Everything happens in the bedroom,” Small World president Tim Crescenti told C21.
“The show will take between five and eight couples and follow them in their bedrooms, talking about their day in a fixed-rig style. It’ll be humorous and emotional.”
The format was the winner of the Small World Big Ideas pitching competition that took place here in Kiev in April, an event backed by Small World and Kiev Media Week organiser MRM.
Created by Israeli TV executive and news anchor Lital Shemesh, the format is being represented on the global market by Small World. The company also sells the winner of the same format competition in 2015, called Stars in Cars (fka Star Races), from Kiev prodco Selena Films.
“Normally with the winners of the competition we make a sizzle but with Come to Bed things moved so quickly we skipped that stage and did the deal with Mission Control right away,” added Crescenti.
Small World will launch Come to Bed and Stars in Cars at Mipcom alongside TV Tokyo’s Can I Follow You Home, among others. It will also focus on Korean format Grandpas Over Flowers from CJ E&M.
“With the success of the US adaptation, Better Late Than Never, on NBC that’s created a lot more interest in the Korea format. We have more than 14 options for that show around the world and now they can see the NBC show we’re hoping they’ll go into production soon,” said Crescenti.
Small World has hired a new head of production, Frank Sutera, to oversee the Grandpas Over Flowers production schedule. He joined the company from Sony Pictures Television, where he was VP of international production.