ZDF Boots Factual Entertainment
ZDF Studios is boosting factual entertainment with the establishment of new company Content Laden.
Founded with managing director Tom Gamlich and creative director Jan Fritzowsky, the Munich-based subsidiary will focus on the development and production of innovative and high-quality formats. Gamlich and Fritzowsky most recently served as the long-standing management team at South&Browse, where they oversaw development and production of successful factual entertainment formats for broadcasters and streamers.
ZDF Studios President and CEO Markus Schäfer said the foundation of Content Laden was “an investment in creativity and innovation. We want to create outstanding formats and in doing so, achieve long-term, sustainable growth.”
Oble Selling Albert Camus Adaptation ‘The Plague‘
France’s Oble has acquired international broadcasting rights for the series “The Plague,” a modern adaptation of Albert Camus’ novel of the same name. While the book’s story takes place in the 1940s, the miniseries is set in 2029 in a society still recovering from the waves of COVID epidemics and that is now facing a much deadlier plague. The four-part series, adapted and written by Gilles Taurand and Georges-Marc Benamou, is produced by Siècle Productions for France 2. Directed by Antoine Garceau (“Call My Agent,” “Greek Salad”), “The Plague” starts shooting April 17 in the South of France. Frédéric Pierrot (“In Therapy”), Hugo Becker (“Baron Noir”) and Sofia Essaïdi (“Women at War”) star.
Italy takes “The Vow”
Mediaset has acquired hit Spanish daily drama “The Vow.” Sold by Studiocanal, the show will air on Canale 5 later this year. The series is produced by Studiocanal subsidiary Bambú Producciones for Spain’s TVE, which has just renewed it for a second season. Created by Josep Cister Rubio (“Dos Vidas”), “The Vow” is currently airing on TVE’s La1, where it is enjoying a successful performance on Spain’s highly competitive daily slot.
Planete+ Orders WWI docu-drama
Canal+ Group documentary channel Planete+ in France has commissioned Pernel Media’s World War I docu-drama series “1914, Summer in Hell.” The immersive production recounts the first summer of the Great War from the perspective of the soldiers sent to the battlefield and civilians working on the frontline. Across four one-hour episodes and using colourised archive and dramatic recreation, “1914, Summer in Hell” takes viewers to the heart of the action as war erupts in Europe, shattering the peaceful lives of millions of Europe’s youths as they are sent to fight in a conflict most of them don’t understand. French and U.K.-headquartered Pernel Media’s Fabrice Frank executive produces.
Australia Welcomes ‘Honeymoon Island‘
Red Arrow Studios Intl. has sold “Stranded on Honeymoon Island” to Seven Network in Australia after launching its new hit format at the London Screenings. Endemol Shine Australia will produce the new adventure dating show, in which couples matched by experts are marooned on a deserted island and left to fend for themselves for three weeks. Copenhagen-based Snowman Productions – part of Seven.One Studios and a sister company of Red Arrow Studios – initially made the show for Belgium’s VTM and is planning to set up and manage a production hub in southeast Asia to facilitate the year-round filming of new local versions of the format.
