FremantleMedia Enterprises Inks Drama Deal With Australian Playmaker

FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has announces a multi-year first look deal with Australian production company Playmaker as part of its global drama strategy to develop more scripted content with leading producers in key territories.
FME will work closely with Playmaker to develop, fund and distribute its content around the world.
Working with the Playmaker principals, David Taylor and David Maher, FME will have first look on all scripted projects from Playmaker including projects to come out of its recently launched SCRIBE programme, an initiative to foster and develop writing talent backed by Screen Australia's Enterprise programme.
FME is already working with Playmaker on the multi-platform Fox8 drama Slide, which is co-produced with Brisbane-based multiplatform producer Hoodlum and will be launched to the international market later this year. Slide tells the explosive story of five teenagers smashing their way from school into adulthood and it's the first ever drama in Australia to launch with an online prequel.
In announcing the deal, David Ellender, FME's Global CEO, said: "We wanted to work with Playmaker, not only for their expertise in scripted content, but also for their commitment to nurturing local writing talent which reflects our own approach to content development. We are very excited about taking Slide into the market this year, and launching future Playmaker titles under the FME banner over the next few years."
David Taylor added: "Playmaker's goal is to produce authored, distinctive and commercial successful Australian drama. We're absolutely thrilled to be working with the FME team in making that happen."
The deal with Playmaker sits alongside a number of other Australian drama successes for FME including international sales of the glossy crime drama The Strip which has sold to more than 25 countries including the US, Germany, Holland, France, South Africa and China's largest broadcaster CCTV, and the award-winning Satisfaction, which has sold to more than 30 countries including the US, Japan, France and Russia.
(KMcA)