Pop Monkey Bags Formats, Pilot Deal

By Ed Waller
Published: March 29, 2011

LA-based start-up Pop Monkey Productions has taken US rights to a number of formats from Europe and Asia, as well as agreeing a pilot funding deal in the UK.

Pop Monkey, set up by UK multi-platform producers Chuck Thomas and Simone Thorogood with US television veteran Syd Vinnedge (The Price Is Right) and former director of development at FremantleMedia Hugh Wright, has acquired rights to Channel 5 format In the Dark.

The indie has also secured US rights to Gutter Ball Alley, a format that originally aired on Canada's Comedy Network, and Pilihan Mama, a format produced by Lemon Productions for RCTI in Indonesia.

Furthermore, the US company has sealed a deal with UK-based AdVision TV Studios to fund a number of TV pilots every year, using the latter's broadcast studio facility in Kent, UK.

"Since our launch late last year, Pop Monkey has grown fast," said Thomas, adding that the AdVision deal would allow Pop Monkey to "explore our global opportunities by investing in TV pilots."

Pop Monkey launched last summer, after Thomas and Thorogood - two former FremantleMedia participation TV execs who were behind controversial interactive format Quizmania - landed a development deal with ITV Studios.

The firm has since pushed further into original content and ownership of unscripted format rights after closing format development deals with France's TF1 Production and Summer Films in the UK.

One of Pop Monkey's latest developments is Un1que, a cross-platform format that the firm will be showcasing as a finalist in MipTV's Content 360 competition next week.

© C21 Media 2011