Pop Monkey Swings To UK Branch US Production Company Opens Office In UK
LOS ANGELES, CA (JULY 12, 2011) Pop Monkey Productions, the LA based production company set up by former FremantleMedia executives is expanding its reach with the opening of a UK office.
Based initially at Advision TV Studios in Kent, the company will fund a number of unscripted and multiplatform pilots every year using their broadcast studio facilities. Pop Monkey will use this UK base to manage its expanding slate of development in the UK and Europe.
Co-founders and development execs, Chuck Thomas and Simone Thorogood will head up the UK office while the company will continue to be headquartered in LA under the direction of Syd Vinnedge and Hugh Wright.
The move follows Pop Monkey's push into original content and ownership of unscripted format rights. This comes after recently closing format deals with Sony Pictures Television (USA), TF1 Productions (France), Absolutely Independent (Netherlands) and ohm:tv (Germany). The company has also just signed a joint venture with Miditech in India, the local producer behind "Indian Idol" and "Survivor".
In acquisition news, Pop Monkey has just picked up UK and US rights to "Guerilla Grill" (RTL Klub, Hungary), in addition to "Catch 21" (GSN, USA) and "In The Dark" (which has aired in more than 20 countries).
Chuck Thomas said: "With this move we intend to leverage global success to get better deals with US networks. Our goal is to pitch new formats to broadcasters in Europe first in a bid to retain ownership outside the US and bring them back when they're hits".
Simone Thorogood added: "Using our relationships in Europe and the US and our studio facilities in the UK, we've got the full package to create the next big hit for broadcasters".