About the Pitch
Winner announced in the C21 International Drama Series Pitch
C21 has announced the winner for the C21 International Drama Series Pitch 2022 after 10 projects were shortlisted to pitch live at Content London.
The winning project; Pigeon from Triongl/Cwmni Da was chosen by a panel of senior industry judges who were impressed by its originality.
“Creatively ambitious and deeply thoughtful, this series is original in its story, format and language. We especially appreciated its cultural authenticity, strong sense of place, and powerful characters and look forward to seeing it come to life,” said head judge, executive producer Adam Fratto.
The C21 International Drama Series Pitch showcased 10 of the most exciting development projects from the professional drama community looking for partners to take them to the next level. From more than 90 submissions from 33 countries, 10 projects were selected to pitch live at Content London.
The finalists, from established drama creators worldwide, are all bidding to attract additional finance and coproduction partners.
The winning project has been awarded a £30,000 marketing package from C21Media to support development.
Projects are all listed below:
PIGEON
(TRIONGL/CWMNI DA)
SYNOPSIS
Pigeon is a coming-of-age thriller set in the heatwave summer of 1992 in the working class, quarry town of Bethesda, in Snowdonia, north Wales.
12 year-old Pigeon’s life is turned upside down when his mother brings her new boyfriend home to stay. Having moved out to live in the shed at the bottom of the garden in protest, Pigeon feels neglected, ashamed and very, very angry.
To distract himself, he embarks on an adventure with his best friend Iola, and together they create a make-believe world where they are the heroes.
They convince themselves that Gwyn, the local odd-ball ice cream seller, is a dangerous murderer that must be stopped at all costs. But shit gets real when they start believing their own fantasies and before long they end up with a gun – and a very real dead body.
PITCHING
Angharad Elen
Writer
Triongl
Angharad Elen made the leap to become a freelance writer in 2021 after spending 16 years as a producer. She writes in both Welsh and English.
She created the drama series Stad in 2021 (S4C/Triongl/Cwmni Da), co-storylining and scripting four episodes. In 2018 she adapted the Welsh language scenes in the ‘Tywysog Cymru’ episode of The Crown (Leftbank/Netflix) and was Associate Producer on William McGregor’s feature, Gwen (Endor/BFI) starring Maxine Peake. A live action series she created – Deian a Loli (S4C/Cwmni Da) – has been in production for 7 years running, has won numerous awards, has been sold internationally and has a theatre show in development.
She is one of the writers selected to take part in Pilot 2023, the coveted BBC Writersroom programme, where she will be commissioned to write a pilot of an original TV drama series of her own.
Nora Ostler Spiteri
Executive producer
Triongl
Nora Ostler Spiteri is Executive Producer of Triongl production company. In 2021, she was executive producer on drama series The Light in The Hall which Triongl co-produced with Duchess Street Productions (C4/S4C/APC/Sundance Now). Previously, she produced the first series of Keeping Faith with Vox Pictures (S4C/BBC Wales/APC) and the the third series of Hinterland for Fiction Factory (S4C/BBC/All3Media International).
Genre/format: Coming-of-age thriller
Writer, director & producers: Director - Euros Lyn; Writer - Angharad Elen; Producers - Nora Ostler Spiteri, Gethin Scourfield, Llion Iwan
Partners: S4C (Welsh language broadcaster)
Development Stage/ Planned shooting start: We have a pilot and a series bible and development funding for 3 more scripts. The aim is to paper the project by mid-2023 and go into production in spring 2024.
Shooting locations/ languages: Snowdonia, north west Wales. A bilingual script, shot in both English and Welsh.
Total budget/ budget per episode: Total budget: £4,600,000 / Budget per episode: £575,000
Financing already in place: £1,000,000 (25%)
LOOKING FOR
We are looking for a broadcast partner, presales and international distribution.
COMPANY PROFILE
Triongl is a production company established in 2017 by Nora Ostler Spiteri and Alec Spiteri. Fellow company director, Gethin Scourfield joined in 2018. Together, they have a track record of producing high quality, award-winning scripted content. Their combined recent credits include international successes The A List (Kindle Entertainment/Netflix), Keeping Faith (S4C/BBC Wales/APC), Hinterland (S4C/BBC/All3Media international), Hidden (S4C, BBC Wales/All3Media international) and The Miniaturist (BBC/WGBH/All3Media international).
Triongl's most recent drama series, The Light in the Hall (C4/S4C/APC/Sundance Now) - which they co-produced with Duchess Street - launches at Content London this year.
Triongl will be co-producing Pigeon with Cwmni Da production company.
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Angharad Elen and Nora Ostler Spiteri
ALL I HAVE IS WORDS
(EQ MEDIA)
SYNOPSIS
This story is inspired by true events. When Professor Emma Edelman volunteered to help a severely disabled man with communication, she never imagined it would lead to a 12 year prison sentence. The story begins with a student asking Emma to help his disabled brother, D'Man, with communication strategies. D’Man’s family are amazed at his early progress. Emma creates opportunities for D’Man’s world to grow, and when their relationship turns romantic, they share this with his family. D'Man's family are horrified and forbid Emma from seeing him. With a guardianship order in place, the police become involved, D’Man is legally incapable of consenting to sex. In court, the validity of their communication is questioned. Has D'Man finally had a chance to experience life and love or has the communication of his desires been a figment of a deluded mind?
PITCHING
Sarah Barton
Creator
EQ Media
Sarah Barton has been making films with and about the disability community for more than 25 years and is an internationally recognised ally of that community. Sarah’s previous films include the feature Defiant Lives about the rise and fight of the disability rights movement and Untold Desires a multi award winning film about sexuality and disability. In 2004 Sarah founded Disability Media. The flagship program No Limits won five consecutive Program of the Year Awards. No Limits was also instrumental in the early career of internationally renowned comedian Stella Young who co-presented around fifty episodes of the show. In 2010 Sarah was awarded a Churchill Fellowship. Since 2010 Sarah has served on the management committee for the Anne MacDonald Centre where she became aware of the events and characters portrayed in All I Have Is Words. The centre’s director was an expert witness in the trial of the real Emma Edelman.
Lisa Duff
Head of scripted
EQ Media
Lisa Duff's producing credits include feature film Last Cab to Darwin starring Academy Award nominated Jacki Weaver and drama series Troppo starring Thomas Jane (The Expanse). She worked as a Senior Investment Manager at Screen Australia for 5 years and is currently the Head of Scripted at EQ Media.
Genre/format: Drama: 6 x 1hr episodes
Writer, director & producers: Sarah Barton & Anna McClennen writers, EQ Media Producers
Partners: APA Agency, Australian Federal and State Incentives
Development Stage/ Planned shooting start: Pitch Deck, Treatment & early draft episode scripts
Shooting locations/ languages: Newark, New York and Sydney, Australia
Total budget/ budget per episode: AUD$12,000,000 total budget, AUD$2,000,000 per episode
Financing already in place: AUD$1,000,000 or 8.3% of the budget
LOOKING FOR
Broadcasters, finance and distribution partners.
COMPANY PROFILE
With offices in Australia, the US and New Zealand, EQ Media is an award-winning production company producing high-quality content for networks and streaming platforms worldwide.
Scripted titles include 8 x 1hr series Troppo starring Thomas Jane (The Expanse) for ABC Australia, AGC Studios and Amazon Freevee, and two seasons of Under the Vines for Acorn TV and TVNZ starring Charles Edwards (The Crown) and Rebecca Gibney (Halifax). In production - Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race (Paramount+ Australia) and in development - season 2 of Troppo and season 3 of Under the Vines.
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Lisa Duff and Sarah Barton
CRÉME DE LA CRÉME
(MUTANT KOALA PICTURES)
SYNOPSIS
Joonas is a young farmer, living in his childhood home at a dairy farm. He loves the rural lifestyle, but the farm struggles financially. Many of Joonas’ peers have left for the big city, as sources of livelihood have dwindled away. Even Nuutti, Joonas’ best friend, has started to talk about leaving.
Joonas receives a bizarre proposal from a lesbian couple next door; the women ask him to donate them his sperm. Too kind and discreet to say no, Joonas agrees. Afterward, the grateful couple want to thank Joonas, and they give him an envelope full of cash. Although the money certainly hits the spot, Joonas doubts his decision and turns to Nuutti for moral support. Nuutti is exhilarated. He figures this could finally be the solution to their problems: to start jerking off for money.
PITCHING
Jukka Vidgren
Producer
Mutant Koala Pictures
Jukka Vidgren started his work as a commercial director in early 2000. Since then he has been working with music videos, short films, tv-series and features. Vidgren is graduated as a media producer from Oulu University of Applied Sciences. Vidgren has worked as producer, screenwriter and director.
Vidgren’s first feature as director and screenwriter Heavy Trip had it’s international premiere at South by Southwest SXSW festival in 2018. Since then the film has been part of dozen International film festivals such as Fantasia, Jameson Cinefest and Warsaw where in each the film won the audience award. The film has been sold to over 50 countries and has become a cult hit.
At the moment Vidgren is working on the sequel to Heavy trip as well as several other projects.
Pekka Ruohoranta
Producer
YLE Drama
Producer Pekka Ruohoranta has previously worked in YLE, the Finnish Public Broadcaster, as a director and a script developer both on radio and tv drama. He has been directing and producing a Finnish weekly family series “Our street” and directed several tv dramas and series. He has also been keen on teaching writers, dramaturgs, directors and producers at different universities, Theatre Academy and in varying courses. He is an ‘oldtimer’ who seeks for new - like in Star Trek: “TV Series: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Yle Drama. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds. To boldly go where no one has gone before!”
Genre/format: Comedy
Writer, director & producers: Writers: Henna Rinnekangas, Jukka Vidgren, Topi Koljonen, Juuso Laatio Producer: Jukka Vidgren
Partners: YLE (Finnish broadcasting company)
Development stage/ planned shooting start: In development, shooting planned for summer 2023.
Shooting locations/ languages: Locations: Finland, Language: Finnish
Total budget/ budget per episode: Total budget: 3,4 MEUR. 425 000 EUR per episode (8 episodes)
Financing already in place: 2 400 000 EUR / 70 percentage
LOOKING FOR
International pre-sales, distribution
COMPANY PROFILE
Mutant Koala Pictures is a production company set in Northern-Finland with a sense of humour, high technical skill and focus on stories with international potential. Humanity, professionalism and warmth are always at the very core of all our productions. We want to be known as the company that’s honestly fun to work with.
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Jukka Vidgren and Pekka Ruohoranta
DARK HOUSE
(KINDLE ENTERTAINMENT/UNDERGROUND FILMS/ROCLIFFE)
SYNOPSIS
Every family has its secrets. Some parents lie to their children. Tell themselves it’s for the best. Do anything to keep the truth from coming out.
Graphic novelist Louise Mackle returns home to spend time with her dying father, only to discover that her whole identity is based on a lie; a lie which has poisoned the relationship with her mother Rhonda. Louise’s latest novel draws on childhood memories and the rumours surrounding the mysterious death of her family’s neighbour, Enid Henry. Louise’s homecoming holds the key to solving the mystery and unlocking the terrible truth at the root of the dysfunctional mother/daughter relationship.
PITCHING
Rachel Lysaght
Producer
Underground Films
Rachel Lysaght is an award winning film and TV producer who founded Underground Films in 2007. Producing credits include TRADERS by Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy, 11TH HOUR by Jim Sheridan and starring Salma Hayek, and HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL by Martin Stalker which sold to Netflix.
Rachel was founding Chair of Women in Film & Television in Ireland 2015-2017, served on the board of Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland 2017-2020 and is a Council member at the Irish Film Institute. Underground Films is a recipient of Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland’s 2020 slate development funding and Creative Europe’s Slate Development funding 2019.
Melanie Stokes
Managing director
Kindle Entertainment
Melanie Stokes is Founder MD of Kindle Entertainment, an award-winning drama production company, that focuses on female-led, premium 4-quadrant drama. Recent credits range from high-end franchise Ivy & Bean for Netflix Movies (2022), to global smash-hit The A List (BBC iPlayer, Netflix) (2021), and ground-breaking, innovative thriller Kiss Me First (Channel 4, Netflix) (2018).
Genre/format: Mystery / 6 x 1hour
Writer, director & producers: Writer & Director: Aislinn Clarke Producers: Rachel Lysaght, Melanie Stokes, Farah Abushwesha
Partners: ZDF Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland Northern Ireland Screen and with the support of the Creative Europe Programme - MEDIA of the European Union
Development Stage/ Planned shooting start: DARK HOUSE is in pre pre-prep. We are scripting and casting with 2 scripts available to read. Planned Shooting start is Spring 2023.
Shooting locations/ languages: Ireland, UK, Belgium
Total budget/ budget per episode: Total Budget €9,454,650 / £8,150,560 Budget per episode €1,575,775 / £1,358,427
Financing already in place: Financing in place 80% // €7,577,200 / £6,503,674
LOOKING FOR
DARK HOUSE is looking for Pre Sales and Co-Production Partners.
COMPANY PROFILE
DARK HOUSE is being produced by Kindle Entertainment (UK), Rocliffe (UK) and Underground Films (IE). Combined company and individual producer credits include NO RETURN (ITV), THE SINGAPORE GRIP (ITV), THE ABC MURDERS (Amazon / BBC), KISS ME FIRST (C4 & Netflix), SOME DOGS BITE (BBC), TREASURE ISLAND (Sky).
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Rachel Lysaght and Melanie Stokes
GOLD TRAIN
(27 FILMS PRODUCTION)
SYNOPSIS
To escape a spiral of debt, a family of four moves from Berlin to the East German province near the Polish border to live with the grandparents. The nightmare come true for Robert, the family father, while his wife Johanna reunites with her first childhood love and tries to keep her feelings under control while their children become increasingly estranged from their parents.
But when Robert decides that the solution to their financial woes lies in an old legend of a hidden Nazi train full of gold, he threatens to unearth secrets that could lead his family and the whole village to ruin.
This is the story of a new beginning and about crisis in adversity; of mysteries of the past and solutions for the future - with all its winding paths.
PITCHING
Oliver Damian
Managing director
27 Films Production GmbH
Oliver Damian is a producer and Managing Director of 27 Films Production, which he founded as a boutique production house in 2005. Oliver graduated the University of Film & Television in Potsdam-Babelsberg. He has produced numerous international feature films over the past 25 years and played a key role in several others.
Oliver Damian is a member of the German Film Academy, the European Film Academy (EFA), the ACE and EAVE network. He is also a founding member of the German Producers Association (PRODUZENTENVERBAND). Oliver was selected as the ‚German Producer on the Move‘ in 2010, organized by the European Film Promotion (EFP).
Tali Barde
Writer
Network Movie
Tali Barde works as a writer, director and producer in Cologne, Germany. With his own production company Avalon Film he produced his feature film debut For No Eyes Only as an autodidact. After touring the international festival circuit the award-winning youth thriller was released in German cinemas in the end of 2014. In 2016, Tali was selected for the Berlinale Talent Campus. Since he completed the renowned Serial Eyes program of the dffb in Berlin in 2018, he is specialized in working in writers’ rooms and is developing multiple fictional series for various production companies.
Genre/format: Drama-Mystery Series / 6x45 minutes, returning
Writer, director & producers: Headwriter: Tali Barde, Co-Writer: Jenni Egen, Director: Matthias Luthardt, Producers: Oliver Damian and Andi Wecker
Partners: Networkmovie
Development Stage/ Planned shooting start: Series bible and pilot treatment available; shooting planned for Spring 2024
Shooting locations/ languages: East Germany/Poland
Total budget/ budget per episode: Total budget: EUR 7.200.000,- / per Episode: EUR 1.200.000
Financing already in place: EUR 1.580.000 / 22%
LOOKING FOR
Platforms, international distribution, Polish co-producer
COMPANY PROFILE
Established in 2005, 27 FILMS PRODUCTION is a production house focusing on developing, financing and producing independent feature films as well as high-end drama series for the global market place.
Productions of 27 FILMS PRODUCTION include the sci-fi-comedy cult film IRON SKY and the sequel IRON SKY THE COMING RACE by Finnish director Timo Vuorensola.
In 2023 will be the international premiere and theatrical release of LUISE a WW1 drama directed by Matthias Luthardt (PINGPONG).
We are currently developing GOLD TRAIN, a drama-mystery series, the near-future sci-fi series DARKSKY and the hardboiled cop series BOSMAN.
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Oliver Damian and Tali Barde
SEA OF LIES
(VERTIGO)
SYNOPSIS
July 2009. When The Arctic Sea, a Finnish cargo ship carrying timber, vanishes without a trace from the Baltic, Finnish intelligence agent OTSO SAKARA starts to chart the fate of the ship allegedly hijacked by pirates. But why would anyone be interested in hijacking a ship carrying timber? The deeper Otso digs, the more links he finds to illicit weapons smuggling from Kaliningrad to all over the world. When his own agency doubts his theory, help comes from an unexpected direction: Mossad agent ELLA MIZRAHI shares Otso’s belief that the claimed hijacking by pirates is a cover up. Otso and Ella join forces and soon find themselves against a powerful network of Russian spies and diplomats, who all report back to Moscow. But things get even more complicated when the two spooks bite the forbidden fruit and fall in love.
PITCHING
Minna Virtanen
Executive producer, creator
Vertigo
Minna Virtanen, Executive Producer and Creator, has been working in TV drama for over 20 years. After working as a director and creator of many awarded, critically acclaimed crime shows in Finland (such as IN COLD BLOOD, MARIA KALLIO), Minna founded a production company VERTIGO where she has created and produced a variety of series and feature films with top distributors and producers in Europe .
Ali May
Writer
Vertigo
Ali May is a British-Iranian screenwriter, whose original series REVOLUTION has been acquired by Spiro Films (Israel) and is being co-developed with Haut et Court (France). Ali is the creator and writer of THE HUNTRESS, a six-part series for Zentropa (Denmark), telling the story of East Africa’s first female professional hunter. Previously, Ali has made documentaries for the BBC, worked as the UK Correspondent for euronews and Middle East Reporter for Bloomberg.
Genre/format: Spy Thriller, True crime
Writer, director & producers: Writers Ali May and Matti Laine. Producer Minna Virtanen
Partners: -
Development Stage/ Planned shooting start: Development stage. Bible and Pilot script available. Planned shooting starts in 2024
Shooting locations/ languages: Shooting locations: Helsinki, Estonia, Tel Aviv. Languages: Finnish, English
Total budget/ budget per episode: Total budget 6 000 000 €. Budget per episode 1 000 000 €
Financing already in place: Finnish Film Foundation development funding 35 000 € (0,6%)
LOOKING FOR
We are looking for distributors, broadcasters and streaming platforms to come on board.
COMPANY PROFILE
Vertigo aims to create inspiring TV- drama for global audiences. Vertigo has a deep passion for telling touching and daring stories that combine artistic freedom with commercial sensibility.
Currently Vertigo has several TV drama series in various stage of development based on best selling books and on original stories.
The company highlights include a drama thriller BULLETS, distributed by Sky, Elisa Viihde and CMore, the winner of the MIPDrama Buyers' Coup de Coeur Award, and a drama thriller A GOOD FAMILY distributed by About Premium Content and CMore.
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Minna Virtanen and Ali May
SOUL SUCKER
(DORI MEDIA STUDIO)
SYNOPSIS
On the verge of turning 40, a washed-up reality star is dead set to turn her life around and winning back her mythological ex. If only things were that simple. Her ex just got engaged to a younger woman and our heroine finds out that she might be carrying the matrilineal family curse: men who fall in love with the women in her family hasten their own DEATH!
Soul Sucker takes the private and universal fear many women share - becoming our mothers - and examines it through the prism of a horror comedy drenched in Gypsy mythology: A damned world, a godforsaken town, a smothering family and a woman who does everything she can in order to fight her tragic fate.
If you love somebody, do you set him free or lock the door and throw away the key?!
PITCHING
Bat Hen Sabag
Creator
Dori Media Studio
BAT HEN SABAG is a third generation with Gypsy roots, who moved from Romania to the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon. She is the co-creator who's also starring in her award-winning show, Dumb (the Israeli 'Braking bad'), which became a massive hit with 3 seasons for HOT BROADCASTING and a successful German remake “Rampensau” following further remakes to be produced in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Spain. In addition, Warner Media Latin America has signed for the original Israeli version.
Keren Michael
Head of development & original content
Dori Media Studio
Keren Michael is the Head of Development and Original Content for Dori Media studio Israel alongside Ra'anan Gershoni, overseeing the scripted series, pipeline and productions while leading the studio's efforts to expand its slate of cutting-edge dramas for the international market.
With more than 15 years' experience in scripted content, Michael joined Dori Media in 2013 as head of the feature film label. The films she has produced have achieved the love of both audiences, critics and jurors while premiering Cannes and representing the Oscars. She is also signed as script editor on the ARTE drama series by Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen.
Genre/format: Horror Comedy | 9X45
Writer, director & producers: Bat Hen Sabag, Aharon Keshales, Raanan Gershoni, Keren Michael
Partners: Hot Broadcasting
Development Stage/ Planned shooting start: script and Bible completed 2022-23. Shooting fall 2023.
Shooting locations/ languages: Israel/Hebrew
Total budget/ budget per episode: 2,880,000 euro/ 320,000 euro
Financing already in place: 75% (Hot broadcasting)
LOOKING FOR
We are looking for all intonational- co-financing , coproduction partners and commissioning.
COMPANY PROFILE
DORI MEDIA STUDIO is dedicated to high-end scripted television series and feature films with social purpose and international appeal. Some of the company’s recent successes include Apple TV+’s Losing Alice and Israeli Oscar entry Let It Be Morning (2021; Cannes, Israeli Academy Awards Best Film). The company provides ongoing deep support from script to screen with the goal of creating cutting edge dramas for the Israeli and global market. Raanan Gershoni is the chief producer, Keren Michael is the creative producer on development and original content.
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Bat Hen Sabag and Keren Michael
SUNNY HILL
(TOPIC)
SYNOPSIS
Based on actual events. While covering Yugoslavia’s wars in Kosovo, JENNY (a US journalist) meets DALMAT (a Kosovar journalist). When Jenny becomes pregnant, they must leave Kosovo, but the city locks down first, forcing her to give birth underground.
As everyone is deported, Jenny, Dalmat, and their newborn MELISSA must hide in a friend’s apartment building, as Melissa becomes a symbol of hope for everyone that joins them in hiding. Meanwhile, Serbian soldiers (led by ZARKO) wreak havoc across the city searching for Jenny, the last remaining American. Just as NATO arranges an extraction, Zarko closes in. Dalmat confronts Zarko in a hair-raising battle, as Melissa cries for the first time.
Jenny and Dalmat endured a 78 day siege from hell to keep Melissa safe, but it was Melissa that saved them in the end.
PITCHING
Ryan Chanatry
General Manager
Topic
Ryan Chanatry is General Manager of Topic, First Look Media’s streaming service. Previously, Ryan oversaw First Look’s Audience Development efforts and prior to joining First Look Media, Ryan was Director, Global Marketing Insights at Netflix. He has Executive Produced over forty series, films, and shorts including Academy Award nominated The Letter Room (starring Oscar Isaac); Emmy nominated The Zo; Peabody, duPont-Columbia, and Gotham Award-winning documentary series Philly D.A.; NY Times “What to Watch” pick The Accidental Wolf (directed by Succession’s Arian Moayed and starring Kelli O’Hara); Tribeca selection The Courtroom, and more.
Blerim Gjoci
Writer/director
SCA Group
Blerim Gjoci is a writer and director, with a career across Europe and US. He is also the General Manager of the SCA Group. His talents came to fruition after the war in Kosovo, where Blerim, joined by some of his friends, worked to revive Kosovo's film industry that lay in ruins. He has more than sixty movies and series to his credit. He is a winner of many international awards, including Best International Short at Sundance, Best European Short at Italian Movie Awards, and Best Director at Venice Shorts Film Festival. In 2016, Blerim graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, MFA in Film and Television.
Genre/format: War thriller based on true events; 6 x 50 minutes
Writer, director & producers: Writer/Director: Blerim Gjoci; Executive Producer: Topic (Ryan Chanatry)
Partners: Topic (funded development and looking for co-production partners)
Development Stage/ Planned shooting start: Pilot script and pitch deck prepared; Summer 2023
Shooting locations/ languages: Kosovo; English, Albanian and Serbian
Total budget/ budget per episode: €3,450,000; €575,000 per episode
Financing already in place: Topic intends to finance up to 20% of the budget.
LOOKING FOR
We’re looking for production and pre-sale partners to co-develop and finance the series.
COMPANY PROFILE
Topic is the boundary-pushing streaming service for crime, thrillers, mysteries, and more from around the world, serving viewers who crave entertainment beyond the mainstream.
Topic Original productions include Oscar® nominee The Letter Room (starring Oscar Isaac), NY Times “What to Watch” pick The Accidental Wolf (directed by Succession’s Arian Moayed and starring Kelli O’Hara), Tribeca 2022 selection The Courtroom; Academy Award-shortlisted Call Center Blues, Peabody nominee, duPont-Columbia Awards and Gotham Award-winning documentary series Philly D.A., Big Sky 2022 Film Fest winner Meltdown in Dixie, and Soul City (directed by Chike & Coodie).
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Blerim Gjoci and Ryan Chanatry
THE ISLAND/AN T-EILEAN
(BLACK CAMEL PICTURES)
SYNOPSIS
Douglas MacLeod and his wife Mary have the perfect life - successful careers, four grown children and an enviable marriage - until a bungled burglary at their Hebridean estate leaves Mary dead and Douglas fighting for his life.
THE ISLAND follows the fallout of this gruesome murder through the eyes of the MacLeod children – Sorcha, Aisling, Calum, and Ruaridh – who gather on the island after their mother's death.
Playing out across dual narratives – one in the present day that unravels the murder of Mary MacLeod, the other a series of flashbacks from ten years ago at a New Years party - we learn the secrets of the MacLeod family and how one fateful night a decade earlier sealed the fate of their mother.
A thrilling drama where family loyalty is stretched to the limit and the truth will change this family forever.
PITCHING
Arabella Page Croft
Producer and company director
Black Camel Pictures
Arabella Page Croft is the founder and producer behind Scottish indie Black Camel Pictures. The company produces ANNIKA (6 x 47') for UKTV and PBS Masterpiece, starring Nicola Walker. The first season aired on Alibi in August 2021 to rave reviews and record viewership on the channel. Black Camel are currently in production on the second season. Their BAFTA-winning children’s animation series THE BRILLIANT WORLD OF TOM GATES (40 x 11’) (adapted from the best-selling novels by Liz Pichon) premiered on Sky Kids in January 2021 and a second season was broadcast in January 2022. The company produce queer YA series FLOAT (6 x 10') for BBC iPlayer, which won Best Series in the short format at Series Mania 2022 and an RTS Scotland Award. The company released 3 feature films in 2021: Majorca set OFF THE RAILS starring Judi Dench, Kelly Preston and Sally Phillips, the romantic comedy FALLING FOR FIGARO, starring Danielle Macdonald and Joanna Lumley, and the psychological thriller MARIONETTE. Other credits include the UK hit musical SUNSHINE ON LEITH, psychological thriller LEGACY, BBC drama CASTLES IN THE SKY, the Netflix film THE REZORT and action horror trilogy OUTPOST (I,II,III).
Genre/format: Family Crime Thriller
Writer, director & producers: Writer: Nick Osborne, Producer: Black Camel Pictures
Partners: BBC Alba have commissioned the series. Screen Scotland have co-developed the series. All3Media International (subject to contract).
Development Stage/ Planned shooting start: We have a pilot script and want to greenlight the remaining scripts. We aim to move into production in mid 2023, with delivery set for Q2 2024.
Shooting locations/ languages: Filmed in Scotland, with location filming in the Hebrides. Back-to-back shooting in Gaelic/English.
Total budget/ budget per episode: Total Budget: £4.5M / Budget per episode: £1.125M
Financing already in place: £3.3M (73% of the budget in place)
LOOKING FOR
We are looking for pre-buys from broadcasters, streamers or co-producers.
COMPANY PROFILE
Black Camel Pictures is a BAFTA and RTS award-winning film and television drama company based in Scotland. Founded by producers Arabella Page Croft and Kieran Parker, it is one of Scotland’s leading indies.
Credits include: marine crime drama ANNIKA (S1 & S2) for UKTV and PBS Masterpiece starring Nicola Walker, THE BRILLIANT WORLD OF TOM GATES for Sky Kids, FLOAT for BBC iPlayer. Feature films include: FALLING FOR FIGARO for Netflix starring Joanna Lumley, OFF THE RAILS starring Judi Dench, REPRESSION, SUNSHINE ON LEITH, CASTLES IN THE SKY, LEGACY, THE REZORT for Netflix, action horror trilogy OUTPOST (I,II,III).
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Arabella Page Croft
THEY DRIVE AT NIGHT
(BLACK BIRDS ENTERTAINMENT)
SYNOPSIS
3am. A 1972 Camaro speeds down the highway. The Cure’s “Love Song” plays on the radio. Mickey drives. He’s a Goth kid with teased-out hair and heavy eyeliner. Ron is passed out in the passenger seat. He’s pushing 50. Stubbly face. Unkempt. They’re best friends since high school. Mickey is a vampire, Ron a werewolf, and they’re on the run.
They Drive At Night is a comedic supernatural drama about monsters on an epic road trip across Canada. Along the way they cross paths with other outsiders, both human and supernatural, who inhabit the dark fringes of society. Below the surface, hiding like the werewolf beneath Ron’s skin, is a show about middle age regret, fear, trauma and lifelong friendship.
It’s about human needs and wants, and the monsters we all have hiding within us.
PITCHING
Craig Wallace
Craig Wallace is an Emmy award winning writer-director whose work spans across the Irish Victorian-era serial killer dramedy DEAD STILL (Acorn), the early 1900’s detective procedural MURDOCH MYSTERIES (CBC), the sci-fi space adventure series DARK MATTER (SyFy), the zany kids show ODD SQUAD (PBS), political sketch comedy series THE BEAVERTON (CTV) and the fantasy puppet series THE BARBARIAN AND THE TROLL (Nickelodeon). He was the producer-director of the horror-thriller series SLASHER (Netflix/Shudder) and the teen zombie series FREAKISH (Hulu). He was also the co-creator and showrunner of the cult Canadian TV series TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL.
Sarah Timmins
Sarah Timmins is the founder and president of Toronto based Black Birds Entertainment (formerly Corvid Pictures). Most recently she has acted as a Creative Executive Producer on the CTV/NBC series Transplant.
For Corvid Pictures: Producer feature animated film Todd & The Book of Pure Evil: The End of The End (2017). 2 Seasons of comedy series Todd & The Book of Pure Evil (Canada and International). The series garnered multiple awards, SXSW. The Tracey Fragments (2007) starting Elliot Page.
Other recent positions: Executive Producer Float (2022) - Lionsgate/Wattpad Studio/Collective Pictures Scripted Executive positions at marblemedia and Shaftesbury.
Genre/format: Comedic Drama with side of Supernatural, 1hr 8eps
Writer, director & producers: Writers: Craig Wallace, Mike Foster, Ed McNamara Showrunner/Director: Craig Wallace Producer: Sarah Timmins
Partners: Canadian Domestic SVOD in place
Development Stage/ Planned shooting start: Pilot, Advanced Bible and series document. Shoot Q3 2023
Shooting locations/ languages: Canada, English
Total budget/ budget per episode: USD $14,045,200 Per ep USD$1,755,650
Financing already in place: USD $3,358,000 Per ep USD $419,750 Approx. 33% (Could be more depending on shooting region)
LOOKING FOR
With a domestic SVOD in place (which triggers Canadian tax incentives), we are looking for additional sales including regional broadcasters/SVODs for the series.
COMPANY PROFILE
Toronto-based Black Birds Entertainment produces media combining the talents of partners Sarah Timmins (Transplant, The Tracey Fragments) and Craig Wallace (Director/Writer – Dead Still, Slasher, Murdoch Mysteries, Freakish)
The feature animated film TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL: THE END OF THE END was Fall 2017 The film continues the stories of the two seasons of the live-action supernatural comedy series TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL. (Space - Canada, Fearnet US, SyFy UK, Germany, Russia, Australia) and garnered multiple award nominations and wins. It was the first TV series to be featured at the SXSW Film Festival.
CONTACT THROUGH MY CONTENT LONDON
Craig Wallace and Sarah Timmins
