After spending the past two years working for most other format entertainment companies in the UK, media consultancy Strand Media has big plans to break into the intellectual property space with its own television formats – a move supported by a global deal with Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI), writes Ed Waller.

Strand, launched in 2003 by 10-year format veteran Amanda Groom (left), has kicked off its global format strategy with Snaparazzi TV (13×60′). The show is a primetime, multi-platform reality talent search series that challenges members of the public to come up with the next big TV hit.

“Each contestant has to develop and make a pilot, and then faces challenges based in various media, such as 3G mobile, online and TV. Contestants are later eliminated by a panel of celebrity judges and the two final pilots are aired in a head-to-head finale. The public decides the winner,” says Groom.

“Snaparazzi TV is designed to create maximum impact and publicity throughout all media, and will work across television, broadband and mobile telephony applications driving audiences to the newly launched Italian Sony AXN channel. It pits the potential of young talent against the tough reality of creating and succeeding as a TV producer in the cut-throat world of television.”

Under Strand’s three-year deal with SPTI, the global producer/broadcaster gets rights to produce Snaparazzi TV in every market around the world, starting off with an Italian version of the format for its own AXN Italia channel. The show will be rolled out in Italy in February 2006 and is currently in pre-production at UK start-up Chunky Punch, set up this year by Leigh McSwan and Italian-born Davide Scalenghe, two producers who worked on the UK version of NBC format Queer Eye for LivingTV.

“Snaparazzi TV is unique. By combining marketing strategy within the format we are able to present the first television format that allows market opinion to select what it sees on television. It’s a leap forward to the next generation of television,” says Groom.

The Sony deal is the first major format agreement for Strand, which was set up by Groom in 2003 and has since been designing formats for the likes of Shine, Flame TV, Five, Channel 4 and FremantleMedia. “We have been in the format business for a number of years now and are delighted that SPTI understands the full potential of the Snaparazzi TV format,” she says.

“The deal enables us to continue to grow our commercial strategy across production, branded content and intellectual property. By linking with relevant production partners we have proved we can attract the best creative talent in the business to produce the very best television in the international market.”

Groom’s TV career started with producing the science show Beyond 2000 at Beyond Productions, as well as making documentaries for ABC, Channel Nine and Network Ten in Australia. Groom was also an exec producer at what was then called Pearson Television, as well as head of content for TWI-owned broadband play Network of the World (NoW), an ill-fated new-media joint-venture with Asian media firm PCCW. She also saw a spell as head of Sky’s Health Channel in the UK and Thomas Cook TV.

All of which has given Groom much experience in format development. Her plans to crack the global market, however, were given a boost over the summer when Strand was acquired by UK-based Media Partnership Group (MPG). That deal not only added MPG’s chairman Paul Bickford and CEO Mike Morrison to the Strand top table, it also made Groom a senior partner at MPG and gave Strand sister companies in the shape of corporate video outfit Crest International Productions, boutique prodco London TV International and branded entertainment specialist Eggshell Media & Entertainment.

MPG’s experience and assets in the sponsorship and branded entertainment space will certainly come in handy, as many see this sector as the future of TV. The point is not lost on Groom: “Making money out of formats is always a battle; it’s tough but if you factor in things like sponsorship, other brands, plus mobile telephony and SMS revenues, it all becomes more lucrative,” she says. With the production deal secured for Snaparazzi TV in Italy, all the ancillary revenue share deals are now being finalised, she adds.

While Sony ponders further local productions of Snaparazzi, Strand will continue its other work with partners like September Films and Pit & Stuff Creations on the Once More With Feeling talent format as well as development of its own reality properties Butler, Posh and Blah, and a seven-year docusoap.

In the longer term, MPG is also planning to draw on Bickford’s contacts in the City of London and the real estate sector to fund strategic acquisitions in the media space. “We’re initially looking at acquiring percentages in small but active UK production companies,” says Groom. “At the moment we’re taking our formats out via third-party distributors but we’re also planning our own distribution operations.”