Produced by Future Studios and Krempelwood, the two-part documentary, heading to MIPCOM this fall, follows journalist Marcel Theroux as he explores the dark world of the Eunuch Maker with unprecedented access to those who underwent castration and those at the heart of the inner circle
The Eunuch Maker is a two-part, true crime documentary, hosted by journalist and author, Marcel Theroux, who explores this headline-grabbing story that almost defies belief
(Toronto, Canada / London, UK – September 19, 2024) – Blue Ant Studios’ rights division reveals that it has acquired a startling new documentary, The Eunuch Maker (2 x 60’ and 1 x 60’), for worldwide distribution. It will be officially launched for sale to international programme buyers at MIPCOM next month.
Produced by Future Studios and Krempelwood for Hearst Networks EMEA, The Eunuch Maker is a two-part, true crime documentary, hosted by journalist and author, Marcel Theroux, who explores this headline-grabbing story that almost defies belief. An unhosted, 60-minute version of the documentary is also available to buyers this fall.
In 2022, a group of men were found to be performing castrations and live-streaming them to paying customers online. The man in charge, the terrifyingly-named ‘Eunuch Maker’, was accused of being a cult-like leader of a group that severed genitals and sold body parts – earning thousands of pounds. In this new documentary, Theroux explores the dark and disturbing world of the Eunuch Maker, gaining unprecedented access to several men who underwent castration, as well as many of those at the heart of the group’s inner circle. During his investigation, Theroux sets out to answer several key questions: Who is the Eunuch Maker? Why did he mutilate others and why is there a globe-spanning voluntary eunuch community seeking castration, raising timely questions about body modification, the limits of consent, and gender identity.
“After the success of Future Studio’s ThePlayboy Bunny Murder, which we launched at MIPCOM last year, we are thrilled to extend our partnership on this incredible new title and add it to our growing catalogue of true crime documentaries”, says Lilla Hurst, Global Head of Acquisitions & Content Strategy, Blue Ant Studios. “John Farrar and the teams at Future Studios and Krempelwood have a brilliant knack for identifying powerful stories and creating compelling content that never fails to resonate with international audiences. With such a high-profile true crime story and the brilliant access that’s been granted, The Eunuch Maker was always going to garner attention in the marketplace. However, as the final result is also intelligent and multi-layered, it presents broadcasters and streamers with a fascinating, topical and somewhat alternative story about sex, gender identity, personal freedom and the limits of consent. We are confident that it will greatly interest a wide range of buyers coming to Cannes in October.”
John Farrar from Future Studios says: “Blue Ant Studios’ faith in our team and its support for our shows has really cemented our partnership, and we are delighted to be working together again on this extraordinary true story. We are now excited to see The Eunuch Maker follow The Playboy Bunny Murder into the international market and cannot wait to see the response it generates at MIPCOM.”
Farrar adds: “This is one of the most complex and extraordinary stories we’ve ever undertaken. Born out of two years of sensitive and meticulous research, Marcel’s immersive journey promises to deliver the shocking reality behind the tabloid headlines, whilst offering a forensic insight into the motivations of The Eunuch Maker.”
The Eunuch Maker is set to launch on Hearst Networks later this year. The documentary’s series director and co-executive producer is Sam Miller, the presenter and executive producer is Marcel Theroux, and John Farrar is the executive producer for Future Studios. Blair Krempel and Mark Wood are the executive producers for Krempelwood
Blue Ant Studios has full international licensing rights for The Eunuch Maker, excluding the UK.
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Note to Editors
Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away(Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race(Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker(Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies(Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks(Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil(Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media.
Created by Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan, the new season is currently in production, shooting across Canada to uncover more national ghostlore
Blue Ant Studios holds international distribution rights for the series
Creators Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan have begun shooting across Canada for season two of their paranormal unscripted comedy , Ghosting With Luke Hutchie And Matthew Finlan
July 24, 2024 – CBC today announced a second season of the unscripted paranormal comedy series GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN (8×30) from Blue Ant Studios in association with Luke Hutchie Productions. Currently in production, the new season sees Hutchie (EZRA) and Finlan (Orphan: First Kill, EZRA) take the show on the road, expanding their quest cross-country to explore some of Canada’s most haunted places.
Joined by celebrity guests, the amateur ghost-wrangling duo will traverse the country, investigating stories of paranormal activity in Ontario, British Columbia, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the Yukon Territory. Their mission remains unchanged: to uncover the truth behind local ghostlore and deliver a verdict of “haunted” or “not haunted”. The new season is slated to premiere winter 2025 on the free CBC Gem streaming service.
Hutchie is most credited with creating and starring in the hit award-winning short-form series EZRA, where he portrayed the titular role of Ezra Grey, acting alongside Priyanka (Canada’s Drag Race), Zoe De Grand Maison (Orphan Black, Riverdale), Veronika Slowikowska (What We Do in the Shadows) and Finlan. Finlan previously starred in Orphan: First Kill and alongside Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk in their slasher comedy Hell of a Summer.
“Season one of Ghosting was a captivating and innovative take on the paranormal genre that left viewers craving more,” says Matthew Hornburg, Co-President, Blue Ant Studios. “In season two, viewers can expect to see a wider variety of locations across Canada with increased tension and scarier moments, but the series will still maintain the humour and liveliness that Luke, Matthew and their celebrity friends bring to the show.”
“I am so excited to be working with CBC again on such an incredible show that not only highlights Canada in a new and unique way, but also celebrates Canadian talent,” says Luke Hutchie, President, Luke Hutchie Productions. “I am so proud of the talent and locations we were able to showcase in season one and cannot wait to up the ante with a cross-country season two.”
“Luke and Matthew bring a new twist to paranormal entertainment with their spirited and spooky investigations,” says Jennifer Dettman, Executive Director, Unscripted Content, CBC. “We look forward to seeing them explore ghostly mysteries in more Canadian communities as we expand the show, and travel it across the country in season two.”
A CBC original series, GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN is a Blue Ant Studios production, in association with Luke Hutchie Productions. Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan are the Creators, Executive Producers and stars of the series. Executive Producers for Blue Ant Studios are Matthew Hornburg, Mark J.W. Bishop, Donna Luke and Jennifer Harkness.Mitch Burman (Freak Encounters, Brother vs Brother) joins as showrunner and series producer. Jonathan Jude will serve as Senior Story Producer for the season, Nikki Chow is the Series Director and Brooke Yerxa is the Associate Producer. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual & Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; and Susan Taylor is Executive in Charge of Production.
Blue Ant Studios holds international distribution rights for the series.
Hutchie is repped by Atlas Artists and The Characters Talent Agency. Finlan is repped by Christopher Oldfield at Oldfield Talent Management and Corey Menzies at Principals Talent Management.
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About Blue Ant Studios
Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away(Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race(Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker(Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies(Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks(Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil(Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.comTwitter|Instagram|LinkedIn
About Luke Hutchie Productions
Luke Hutchie Productions is a boutique Canadian LGBTQ+ run production company. Founded in 2021, the company is most known for the queer multi-nominated and award-winning short form OUTtv seriesEZRA, which starred Luke Hutchie, Priyanka (Canada’s Drag Race), Zoe De Grand Maison (Orphan Black), and Veronika Slowikowska (What We Do in the Shadows). In 2024 the company released its first unscripted series, CBC’s Ghosting with Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan, produced with Blue Ant Studios, which starred Katie Douglas (Ginny & Georgia), Devyn Nekoda (SCREAM IV), Kevin Alves (Yellowjackets), Frankie Grande, and more.
About CBC/Radio Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
Blue Ant Studios’ rights division is managing pre-sales for a slate of recently greenlit Love Nature series available at Sunny Side of the Doc, including Pride Rules (w/t), pictured above, produced by Lion Mountain Media.
(La Rochelle, France – June 24, 2024) – Blue Ant Studios’ rights division today announced a slate of original commissions from global wildlife and nature brand, Love Nature, that it will be representing at Sunny Side of the Doc. Blue Ant Studios will manage international licensing and pre-sales for the recently greenlit, premium natural history programming titles, produced with the world’s preeminent wildlife partners, including Wild Pacific Media, Films à Cinq, Lion Mountain Media, Passion Planet and WildBear Entertainment
“We’re thrilled to be showcasing such high caliber content coming from Love Nature and Sunny Side is the ideal event for it,” says Lilla Hurst, Global Head of Acquisitions & Content Strategy, Blue Ant Studios. “This market is a perfect example of our partnership with Love Nature and how we leverage all aspects of our production, distribution and channels businesses across Blue Ant Media.”
“Love Nature is committed to commissioning natural history content with world-class production partners supporting our business as a premium destination for modern natural history,” says Alison Barrat, SVP, Production & Development, Love Nature. “Sunny Side of the Doc is a key festival for connecting with established production companies as well as discovering emerging talent who bring fresh perspectives to natural history filmmaking”
The new original Love Nature titles including, Pride Rules (w/t), The Kimberley, Reteti Elephant Rescue (w/t), 13 Hours to Survive, Planet Weird (w/t) and Coral City (w/t) will premiere on Love Nature worldwide and will roll out on Sky Nature in the UK, Italy, and Germany in addition to premieres across co-commissioning territories. Blue Ant Studios’ rights division oversees licensing opportunities for new titles outside of commissioning territories.
Blue Ant Studios and Love Nature have a combined presence at Sunny Side of the Doc that includes co-sponsoring and moderating the Nature & Conservation Pitch and participating in a “Meet the Executives” panel session that will give insight into Blue Ant Media’s production, distribution and global channels businesses. Blue Ant Studios and Love Nature are at Stand B12.
Love Nature’s original commissions underpin the brand’s commitment to bringing a modern approach to natural history by working with the world’s best wildlife production partners:
Pride Rules (working title) (5 x 60’) Producer: Lion Mountain Media This series takes audiences on a journey that reveals how iconic lion prides survive and thrive in the Chobe region of Botswana. Stunning cinematography brings epic African vistas to life and showcases the extraordinary story of the Chobe prides—a powerful representation of the lion species as a whole. Across an ever-evolving landscape dictated by seasonal change, these lions are forced to battle it out against the elements in their quest for survival. Against the backdrop of their environmental challenges, the series examines the intricacies of pride dynamics as the resident lions grapple with pride politics, both internally and when facing rival prides in the territory.
The Kimberley (3X60) (working title) Producer: Wild Pacific Media Broadcast Partners: ABC Australia & ARTE FRANCE This stunning three-part series immerses viewers in The Kimberley, a barely-seen environmental wonderland and one of the wildest places on earth in the North-Western corner of Australia. This biodiversity wonderland is a place where billion-year-old sandstone formations tower like cathedrals over rivers full of crocodiles and micro-predators hunt unseen among savanna grasses. Captured by Australia’s most awarded wildlife and aerial cinematographers and using innovative filmmaking techniques, the episodes reveal never-before-seen wildlife behavior and the inner workings of these ecosystems in breathtaking detail, while also the missions of passionate conservationists who are devoted to preserving this natural wonder. The series received production support from Screen Australia.
Reteti Elephant Rescue (working title) (2 x 60’) Producer: Passion Planet Co-Production Partner: The WNET Group Set in the remote foothills of Northern Kenya, Reteti Elephant Rescue follows a group of orphaned elephants, all on different paths through rehabilitation. Nurtured by skilled Samburu women and the other orphans, each calf is on their own journey away from heart-break; through recovery, towards a triumphant return to the wild. This emotional and uplifting two-part special documents the intimate reality of what it takes to persuade a tiny elephant to go against their instincts and put their trust in strangers to overcome the trauma of their childhood and learn the skills needed to get back to the wild lands from which they came.
13 Hours to Survive (2 x 60’’) Producer: Films à Cinq/CAPA Co-Production Partners: ARTE GEIE This two-part special is an up-close look at the epic drama that occurs with the coming of each low tide. As the ocean recedes, sea animals become trapped in tide pools. In these miniature oceans the natural order is overturned and a struggle to survive is unleashed. The creatures have thirteen hours to survive, the time it takes for the tide to return. This underwater arena could be anywhere in the world, but this stunning series takes place near Roscoff in Brittany, France, with breathtaking windswept coasts that experience a daily tidal shift of 10 meters or more.
Planet Weird (working title) (6 x 60’) Producer: WildBear Entertainment This series is a quirky, light-hearted celebration of the planet’s most bizarre creatures in the animal kingdom. Along with witty, tongue-in-cheek narration, by renowned UK comic Ross Noble, the series plays with pop culture, graphics, and human comparisons to make the absolute extremities of nature leap right off the screen and into the modern world. In short, digestible stories, viewers meet the critters who are faster than a speeding bullet, and more powerful than a locomotive. But inside every moment of ‘weird’ is a revelation of cleverness, amazing adaptation and scientific surprise.
Coral City (working title) (4 x 60’) Producer: WildBear Entertainment Stunning never-before-seen underwater footage of marine life, seascapes, and animal behaviors of The Great Barrier Reef take center stage in this visually beautiful series. Like any big city, this iconic reef has distinct neighborhoods, including true reef, lagoon, sand cay and coastal rainforest. Each community has its own ebb and flow in response to tides, time of day, and seasons. Audiences will see what it’s like to plunge beneath the waves on a year-long journey through The Great Barrier Reef, one of the planet’s largest, most densely inhabited ecosystems. Over four episodes, Coral City reveals each season’s profound impact on the behaviors, feeding patterns, and life cycles of the marine creatures that inhabit the reef.
Love Nature, headquartered in Washington D.C. with offices in Los Angeles, London and Toronto is a premium global natural history brand that delivers high-quality, captivating stories about wildlife and nature on all its platforms. Love Nature is a destination for award-winning natural history series and documentaries. It is available on top-tier pay-TV platforms and streamers all over the world. Engage with us at lovenature.com / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Instagram
Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), the upcoming scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil (Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.comTwitter|Instagram|LinkedIn
See No Evil, the long-running investigative series about how real crimes are solved with the help of surveillance cameras, sold to Viasat World Limited
(Toronto, ON, June 20, 2024) – Heading into NATPE Budapest, Blue Ant Studios reports a surge in sales and demand for true crime and mystery content in CEE. From high-profile headline-grabbing limited series to long-running crime formats, buyers from a wide range of channels and platforms are turning to Blue Ant Studios to fill their schedules. Over 270 hours of premium series and documentaries from Blue Ant’s growing roster of crime-production partners have been acquired by CANAL+, CBS Reality, DOX TV, Public Institution Lithuanian Radio & Television (LRT), MRT, Delfi, Digi Romania (formerly RCS and RDS) and Viasat World.
“The crime and mystery genres are fueling a growing demand for series and documentaries, driven by captivating storytelling and compelling headlines. We’ve noticed a rising trend in interest for these stories in CEE,” said Kate Blank, VP, International Sales, Blue Ant Studios. “Our catalogue includes everything from limited series to long-running returnable franchises that explore real-life crimes, unsolved cases, strange phenomena, police procedurals and profiles of criminal masterminds, all catering to audiences’ growing desire for binge-able, compelling stories and characters.”
Sales in the region include:
Croatia’s HRT; Czechia’sFTV Prima, Digi Romaniaand Lithuania’s Public Institution Lithuanian National Radio & Television (LRT) all licensed the long-running series, Mysteries from Above (30 x 60’; Saloon Media), which investigates historical and contemporary sites from above with drone, satellite and aerial photography for a unique perspective to reveal fascinating insights into these strange occurrences.
In Poland, CANAL+ picked up Our Toughest Cases, (6 x 60’; Woodcut Media), which features officers as they relive the toughest cases they’ve faced and provide first-hand insight into cases that had seismic repercussions and shook entire communities to their core; Night Stalker: Terror in A Small Town, (3 x 60′ | 2 x 90′ | 1 x 120′; Joined Up Films) is a shocking true crime documentary that explores the longest-running manhunt for a serial killer in Australian history; Predator: Catching the Black Cab Rapist (1 x 60′; October Films) explores the case of Britain’s most prolific serial rapist, John Worboys, who drugged, raped and assaulted over 100 victims in the back of his black cab.
CBS Reality acquired Big Little Crimes (10 x 60’| 30 x 30’; Brown Bob Productions), which follows the stories of ordinary beat cops who come across a crucial piece of evidence that leads to the capture of a major criminal; plus season two of Killers: Caught on Camera (20 x 60’; back2back) that pieces together video footage to solve crimes and bring the criminals to justice.
International broadcaster Viasat World has licensed for its Viasat True Crime channel in Poland the eighth season of See No Evil (20 x 60’; Arrow Media & Saloon Media) a long-running, ground-breaking series about how real crimes are solved with the help of surveillance cameras; Playboy Bunny Murder (2 x 60′ HD; Future Studios, Soho Studios) which sees journalist and author Marcel Theroux take viewers to the enchantment and exoticism of the Playboy Club in London’s swinging seventies, which was the backdrop for one of the world’s most enduring unsolved murder cases of four young women; as well as Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies(3×60’; Blue Ant Studios) in which Casey Anthony finally tells her story a decade after being acquitted of murdering her daughter in a court decision that enraged millions and earned her the moniker of “America’s Most Hated Mom.”
DOX TV has picked up Mafia Killers with Colin McLaren (6 x 60′; Bedlam Productions) in which the detective takes a close look at six notorious American mobsters including John Gotti, Henry Hill and Sammy Gravano; Evil By Design: Surviving Nygard (3 x 60′; Blue Ant Studios) a three-part documentary series that searches for the truth behind allegations of Peter Nygård’s 40-year reign of terror, featuring first-hand accounts from the survivors who tell harrowing stories of abuse; Undercover: Fighting the Fraudsters(10 x 60′; Curve Media; s1), following investigative journalist Paul Connolly as he delves into the rapidly growing world of fraud and scams from phishing to investment fraud, from romantic scams to forgeries; Madeleine McCann: Investigating the Prime Suspect (3 x 60′; ScreenDog Productions) following the first active TV investigation into the German paedophile Christian B since he became the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case.
North Macedonia’s MRT also licensed Playboy Bunny Murder alongside Cracking The Code (8 x 60′; Blink Films), which uncovers some of the world’s most famous – and infamous – encryptions. Unravelling these codes can unlock military secrets, unmask deadly enemies and even decode lost civilizations. The Real Spies Among Friends, (1 x 60′; Wingspan Productions) is the real story behind hit drama series A Spy Among Friends. This documentary on Kim Philby, and his fellow Cambridge traitors, reveals the worst spy ring in history.
InLithuania, Delfi picked up Cops on the Rocks (10 x 60′; Rare TV), which shows the extraordinary work of Gibraltar’s police and customs forces as they fight against international smugglers and drug dealers.; and Women on the Force (16 x 60’; Flint TV & Lambent Productions) captures the frontline women officers on the West Yorkshire Police force and the demands the job can place on their lives – both on duty and at home.
Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away(Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race(Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker(Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies(Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks(Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil(Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.comTwitter|Instagram|LinkedIn
Premiering This Year, “Slaycation” Will Feature BOA, Jada Shada Hudson, Kandy Muse, Kerri Colby, Lawrence Chaney, and Luxx Noir London
Slaycation is produced by Blue Ant Studios in association with World of Wonder and Crave
[LOS ANGELES, CA – June 6, 2024] Revealed today at Bell Media’s Upfront presentation are the six queens starring in Slaycation, an all-new unscripted series which follows queens from across the international “Drag Race” franchise as they vacation together at a Canadian winter retreat. The six-part series will premiere globally on WOW Presents Plus later this year, day and date with its local airing on Crave in Canada.
A brand-new format produced by Blue Ant Studios, in association with World of Wonder and Crave, “Slaycation” will follow the cast of queens through fun activities, frivolity, drama, and fish-out-of-water escapades which culminate in a dragtastic performance for the local community.
The six fabulous queens set to star in “Slaycation” are:
BOA is a queen who has been on a journey! Now five years sober, after her season of Canada’s Drag Race, BOA became very committed to her recovery and overall health. She is a newly certified yoga instructor, has launched her wellness brand BOGA (yoga for every body), as well as a podcast, BOGA: Wellness with BOA, where she discusses the importance of prioritizing mental health and wellness. BOA wants to be an example to others and leave a positive mark, “people won’t always remember the things you say, but they will always remember how you made them feel.”
Jada Shada Hudson, known as Toronto’s Turnup Queen, has been entertaining for 14 years. Her electric and hype performance skills and her one of a kind superstar personality has made the world fall in love with her. Runner up in Season 3 of Canada’s Drag Race, Guest Correspondent on Crave series 1 Queen 5 Queers and CBC Gem’s Queens, Jada has taken flight, from brand deals, paid partnerships and billboards across Toronto. She has even performed at the Lizzo pre-show in 2019.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 8
Kandy Muse is a triple threat drag superstar from The Bronx, or as she likes to put it, from the hood to Hollywood! A major threat on her seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Kandy is known for her feisty personality, street style steeze and dominating stage presence. Her talent for telling it like it is landed her own series on WOW Presents Plus, Inside the Producer’s Studio with Kandy Muse, where she spills the tea on the spiciest Drag Race drama with her Drag Race sisters.
Kerri Colby is a queen known for serving face, hair and body-ody-ody! Self-described as southern-raised and LA-glazed, Kerri is a proud multi-cultural transgender woman who constantly breaks down barriers. Hailing from the Legendary House of Colby, with her flawless aesthetic, this queen will always tell it like it is, showing the world she came to play and she’s here to slay.
Lawrence Chaney was crowned winner of Season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Largely known for her comedy and stand up shows, they host the World of Wonder show House of Laughs, showcasing the funniest and fiercest LGBTQ+ up-and-coming comedians and drag queens. Additionally Lawrence has travelled the world and has hosted “RuPaul’s Drag Race Live,” the live version of the Emmy winning show on the Las Vegas Strip.
Luxx Noir London made their mark on Season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race as one of the fiercest fashion queens in recent herstory. Luxx also has a burgeoning music career, with current single, “Let It All Hang Out” and an upcoming album in the works. Always on the go, Luxx has walked the Primetime Emmy Awards Red Carpet, spoken at the famous New School about the impact of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and continues to push the fashion envelope forward.
Announced at LA Screenings, the recent round of LATAM sales point to the business’ premium offering of series and documentaries across its natural history, premium documentary and factual entertainment categories
#Racegirl: The Comeback of Sophia Florch (1×90’: Gebrueder Beetz), acquired by DirectTV Latin America, follows Sophia on a gruelling battle to get back on the racetrack after a horrific headline-making accident at the 2018 F3 Macau Grand Prix
(Los Angeles, CA – May 15, 2023) – Blue Ant Studios’ rights division announced at LA Screenings today that it has inked over 125 hours of premium LATAM deals across its natural history and factual entertainment offerings. The sales represent a renewed demand for acquired programming in the region, with fresh deals forged with Latin American buyers such as AMC Networks International – Latin America, DirectTV Latin America, DGO and ¡HOLA! TV.
“This latest crop of sales showcase a diverse range of premium series and documentaries in our library that unlock unique access to stunning locations around the world and creative and on-air talent, all available for content licensing and pre-sales at LA Screenings,” said Maria Ibarra, VP, International Sales, Blue Ant Studios. “LATAM audiences have made clear that they are hungry for new programming and, with a content supply that is entertaining, consistent and constant, we are ready to deliver on that demand this week.”
AMC Networks International – Latin America has picked up a significant package deal of natural history programming for LATAM from Love Nature’s celebrated original’s catalog, including the first seasons of Animal Senses (6×40’: Blue Ant Studios), which traces the evolutionary history of evolved animal senses to perceive food, shelter and danger; Mysteries Of Evolution, a six-part series that uncovered solutions to nature’s toughest puzzles and problems; The Wild Wild East (14×30’: Arcadia Entertainment), a journey to North America’s maritime woods and waters; Africa’s Hidden Kingdoms (6×60’: Off the Fence), which explores the wonders of nature’s most primitive and ancient plant and wildlife biomes found in Africa; A Wild Year on Earth (6×60’: Northern Pictures), a six-part series, narrated by acclaimed English actress of film, television and theater, Laura Carmichael, which charts the planet’s spectacular events of migration, rebirth and transformation; Animal Empires (6×60’: Arcadia Entertainment), which watches creatures gather in dangerous places, playing host to wildlife’s migrations and congregations; and The Living Beach (6×60’: Arcadia Entertainment), which shows how physics and nature contribute to shaping the coastlines of the world’s most unique beaches.
Bolstering the deal with AMC Latin American Networks is the acquisition of key factual entertainment titles from Blue Ant’s factual entertainment offering. The buyer has opted for Seasons 1 and 2 of Crazy Beautiful Weddings (20×30; Blue Ant Studios), which introduces audiences to wedding planner Lynzie Kent, who takes inspiration from each couple’s own love stories and weaves these into unique and jaw-dropping decorations and celebrations; Great Escapes with Colin and Justin (8×30’: Nikki Ray Media Agency), an entertaining lifestyle series, following design duo, Colin and Justin, as the explore the wilderness to discover what people will do to create their perfect city escape; and Season 1 of Custom Built (26×30’: Nikki Ray Media Agency), a property series that showcases one-of-a-kind builds, from custom kitchens to bathrooms to poker tables.
Latin America PayTV service DIRECTV Latin America, and the live TV and streaming platform
DGO,has picked up a suite of documentary and factual entertainment projects, including Tata: Escobar’s Widow (2 x 60′ | 1 x 90′; Telegramme Media) where Maria Isabel (Tata) breaks her silence and tells the truth about her life with Pablo Escobar with never-before-seen material from the beginning of their relationship, as well as photos and handwritten letters that give the most intimate portrait of their life together; the cinematic true-crime series, The Playboy Bunny Murder (2 x 60′ HD; Future Studios, Soho Studios, ITVX), journalist and author Marcel Theroux takes viewers to the enchantment and exoticism of the where Playboy Club in London’s swinging seventies; premium documentary,Body In the Suitcase (2×60’ or 1×120’: Transistor Films), a gripping two-part documentary that details the shocking twists and turns of an unprecedented case through first-hand accounts of family members, eye-witnesses and police; #Racegirl: The Comeback of Sophia Florch (1×90’: Gebrueder Beetz), which follows Sophia on a grueling battle to get back on the racetrack after a horrific world-headline making accident at the 2018 F3 Macau Grand Prix; Finding Satoshi (1 x 60’ HD; Mt. Melvil) a fascinating, multi-award winning documentary that unpacks the wild story of a 14-year search for answers to a hide-and-seek puzzle game, and the fascinating path to the answer; and Seasons 1 and 2 of Coolest Places to Stay (12×30’: Nikki Ray Media Agency), which takes a look at beautiful and unique homes, and the homeowners who have figured out how to use handcrafted touches and decor to make their bedrooms into hotels.
Sociedad Televisora Larranaga S.A. (Teledoce) has opted for a lineup of natural history programming for its Uruguayan audience, including Osprey: Sea Raptor (1×60’: CosmoVision and Love Nature), a one-hour, blue-chip special, narrated by Sean Bean, that profiles a pair of magnificent raptors, a life-long couple, as they reunite having traveled separately across continents to the same location year-after-year to raise their young. The buyer also picked up Alaskan Summer (1×60’: Blue Ant Studios) and the first seasons of Wild Latin America (3×60’: Blink Films), Africa’s Wild Year (4×60’; Merx International), Wild Year On Earth (6×60’; Northern Pictures), Pacific (4×60’; Voltage TV) and Valley of Flood and Fire (3×60’: Plimsoll Productions). Rounding out the deal is the acquisition of Seasons 1 and 2 of The World’s Deadliest Weather (26×60’; back2back), showcasing Mother Nature’s unstoppable force with increasingly volatile natural disasters and extreme weather fronts endured across the planet.
¡HOLA! TV has licensed Charles III: The Coronation Year (2 x 60’ and 1 x 90’; Oxford Films), which follows King Charles and Queen Camilla through landmark moments of their first year.
Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away(Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race(Crave), the scripted teen comedy series Davey and Jonesie’s Locker(Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies(Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks(Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil(Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.comTwitter|Instagram|LinkedIn
The documentary provides exclusive access to Stormy Daniels and profiles the woman who took on Donald Trump
Blue Ant will begin selling international rights in all territories
Stormy Daniels tells her truth in the new documentary, Stormy with licensing available internationally from Blue Ant Studios’ Rights Division
(London, UK – April 15, 2024)As the Donald Trump hush money trial begins in New York, Blue Ant Studios’ rights business announced that it has obtained worldwide licensing rights for the documentary Stormy(1 x 120’| 2 x 60’) which providesan in-depth, unvarnished look into Stormy Daniels, as she shares her story and account of events that have become part of American history. Watch the trailer here.
Emmy-nominated Producers Erin Lee Carr (I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter) and producer/director, Sarah Gibson (Orgasm Inc: The Story of One Taste)are the powerhouse team behind the explosive documentary, Britney vs. Spears, which exposed the manipulation that pop star Britney Spears suffered under her family’s conservatorship. Stormy takes the audience behind the curtain asStormy Daniels grapples with the bombshell that went off in her life five years earlier.
“Our team is thrilled to have international rights for this sought-after documentary produced by two renowned filmmakers who specialize in portraying the stories of women exploited and harmed by the legal system,” says Lilla Hurst, Global Head of Acquisitions & Content Strategy, Blue Ant Studios. “This is an inside look with exclusive access into a David and Goliath battle and the consequences of being the voice of dissent against someone with ultimate power, a standing President. Audiences will see history through a new lens and walk away with an entirely different perspective.”
“Blue Ant Studios has an impressive track record working with documentary projects and turning them into global hits,” says Producer Erin Lee Carr. “They understand exactly what we were trying to accomplish by showing Stormy as a mother, an artist and an advocate working hard to reinvent herself and we are excited to be partnering with them to take Stormy’s story to a global audience.”
The film is executive produced by Emmy Award-winning Judd Apatow of Apatow Productions (George Carlin’s American Dream, The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling) alongside Emmy Award-winning Sara Bernstein and Meredith Kaulfers from Imagine Documentaries (The Super Models, Judy Blume Forever). Emelia Brown also serves as producer.
“Ultimately, this film is a constellation of kindred spirits— everyone involved had the bravery to tell a controversial person’s story and to give her a chance to speak her truth, like-minded hearts coming together saying, it’s not okay how this woman’s been treated with all the death threats,” says Director/Producer, Sarah Gibson. “We all wanted to get behind her and tell her story with the hopes that this was an opportunity for her to live safely in this country with her daughter.”
Stormy is currently streaming on Peacock in the US; with Blue Ant Studios’ rights business overseeing international licensing. The deal with Blue Ant Studios was brokered by UTA on behalf of the production team.
Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away(Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race(Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker(Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies(Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks(Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil(Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.comTwitter|Instagram|LinkedIn
GET READY FOR MARCH 8 WHEN THE HOTTEST COMPETITION RETURNS TO NETFLIX
Today Netflix released the trailer for Season 4 of Blown Away.
We’re going bigger, badder and bolder than ever in North America’s largest hot shop. Ten incredible glassblowers will try to brave the heat in a gruelling competition to see if they can push their creative limits enough to win the grand prize package worth $100,000 – the largest in the history of the series.
Hunter March (Sugar Rush, E! Nightly Pop) joins as the new host of season 4, which promises to be a fiery competition like no other. The artists must create jaw-dropping works of art to avoid elimination and impress Resident Evaluator and Glass Master Katherine Gray.
Stunning blue-chip natural history series, Airborne and premium documentary, Wanted: President Trump? (w/t) available for presales
Lineup includes environmentalist docu-series, Hope in the Water featuring Martha Stewart and Shailene Woodley
Blue Ant Studios will debut Hope in the Water at London Screenings, featuring Martha Stewart (pictured with sustainable-scallop farmer, Andrew Peters)
(Toronto, Canada) – February 15, 2024 –Blue Ant Studios, an international studio and rights business, unveiled its impressive new lineup of 265 hours of content that includes over 40 new and returning series and documentaries spanning natural history and wildlife, true crime, factual entertainment, history, lifestyle, comedy and paranormal. The company is offering two high-profile projects for presales: Love Nature and Sky Nature’s stunning tentpole wildlife series Airborne (4 x 60; Humble Bee Films) and the premium documentary, Wanted: President Trump? (w/t) (1 x 60′; October Films).
With London Screenings’ expansion over the past four years, Blue Ant Studios sees the market as an important opportunity to launch new titles and secure presales and finished program opportunities for over 40 content partners including Andaman Films, back2back, BreakOut Productions, Brownbob Productions, eOne, Humble Bee Films, Intuitive Content, Like A Shot Productions, LoCo Motion Pictures, Luke Hutchie Productions, October Films, OneTribe TV, Oxford Films and Screendog Pictures.
“As we continue to utilize all aspects of our Blue Ant Media business, including production, distribution and channels, we are developing innovative ways to collaborate across multiple platforms and maximize our capabilities,” says Mark Bishop, Co-President, Blue Ant Studios. “The upcoming London Screenings event is a significant milestone for Blue Ant Studios as we introduce a brand new lineup of premium access and talent-driven programming to international buyers and look for creative solutions to meet their content needs.”
PRESALE OPPORTUNITIES:
The extraordinary, blue-chip natural history series Airborne (4 x 60; Humble Bee Films) is available for presales. Airborne shows the unique challenges and ultimate freedom of animals that use the air to survive and thrive. This series is full of stunning, never-before-captured footage and incredible natural storytelling that immerses audiences in the incredible point of view of animals in flight.
Also available for presales, Wanted: President Trump? (w/t) (1 x 60′; October Films) will be the definitive and distinctive 2024 US presidential race documentary. Former President Donald Trump is facing 91 criminal charges and each of the many trials taps into the very character and legacy of Trump’s presidency by cross-examining his involvement in crimes of fraud, sexual abuse, inflating his wealth, provoking an insurrection, subverting democracy and giving false information. Far from the trials becoming a distraction to his run for a second term of office, Trump is embracing them as a central rallying cry to his base and using them as a platform to decry the ‘witch hunt’ against him.
ORIGINAL SUREFIRE HITS INCLUDE:
Hope in the Water (3 x 60′; Intuitive Content) features Martha Stewart, actor and activist Shailene Woodley, journalist Baratunde Thurston and celebrated humanitarian and chef José Andrés, in a three-part series that explores the work of cutting-edge innovators and the breakthrough blue food technologies that will dramatically shape the future of sustainable food, while saving our threatened seas and fresh waterways.
Ghosting (8 x 30′; Blue Ant Studios in association with Luke Hutchie Productions) introduces audiences to horror actors turned amateur ghostbusters, Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan, as they venture into some of the most iconic and scary locations to discover if they are truly haunted. Joined by a celebrity special guest each episode, Hutchie and Finlan put their fictional survival skills to the test in the real world of ghost busting, hoping to find out if each location is haunted.
Charles III: The Coronation Year (2 x 60′ | 1 x 90′; Oxford Films) After Elizabeth II‘s longest reign in British history, King Charles III had to lead his family and his people in mourning while embracing his destiny on the most famous throne in the world. This exclusive access documentary follows King Charles and Queen Camilla through landmark moments of their first year. Filmed behind the scenes at Buckingham Palace, this film features candid interviews with members of the Royal Family and key players in the inner circle.
Lost Tombs of Amun (1 x 60′; At Land Productions) follows a team of Egyptian archaeologists has discovered a previously unknown cemetery that opens a window onto a unique period in the history of ancient Egypt – a time when the country was ruled by rich and powerful princesses, “The God’s Wives of Amun.” The one-hour production explores the excavation of the tombs in real time and witnesses the discovery of amazing artifacts belonging to these elite women.
Mayhem: The Scandalous Lives of the Georgian Kings (4 x 60′ HD; One Tribe TV) tells the story of the Georgian Kings, one of the most dysfunctional royal dynasties in British history. Loved and loathed by the public in equal measure, their scandals, backstabbings, feuds and betrayals shaped an entire era of British history. This is a true-life Succession for the 18th Century, combining dramatic reconstruction with expert testimony from leading historians.
In the Footsteps of Marco Polo (4 x 60′ | 1 x 90′; One Tribe TV) is a perfect blend of history and adventure, as the four-part history series follows father and son, Stanley and Max Johnson‘s once-in-a-lifetime journey as they recreate Marco Polo’s epic journey from China’s far western border and down the Silk Road.
Caesar (5 x 60′; Andaman Films) is a five-part history docuseries that travels through six countries around the Mediterranean and retells the story of Gauis Julius’ military, political and love life. Told in the present tense, the series creates a young hero that viewers can relate to – showing his humanity, struggles, doubts, hopes and flaws – in a way that today’s young audience can identify with.
Adam Richman Eats Britain (10 x 30′; eOne) Globally famous American food explorer, Adam Richman (Man v. Food) is in Britain and he’s hungry! He’s embarking on a unique food tour of the country – using the map as his menu, and tracking down some of the world’s most famous dishes that share their names with the places in Britain where they were created.
World’s Most Luxurious Retirement Homes (1 x 60′; Screendog Pictures) takes viewers into the heart of luxury – where the ultra-rich go to make their golden years truly golden. These homes offer a lifestyle that most people can only dream of, such as Bugatti stairlifts, on-call Michelin star chefs, yachting and even in-house pet groomers.
Big Cats, Small World (2 x 60′; Camel Thorn Films and The WNET Group in Co-Production with Blue Ant Media and Terra Mater Studios for Love Nature) In Africa, there’s a rare, small world, where three big cat families have made themselves at home. Each has carved out a space to raise their young while trying to avoid the others.
Jaguar Journals With Lizzie Daly (5 x 60′; Off The Fence) is an exciting new five-part series led by biologist, conservationist and animal tracking expert Lizzie Daly. Lizzie joins forces with Oncafari, an extensive 10-year jaguar research project, on their mission to monitor, study and conserve the world’s most elusive big cat.
National Parks From Above (6 x 60′; Like A Shot Productions) Across the world, countries have turned some of their most incredible areas of natural beauty into national parks, preserving them for generations to come. From the frozen expanse of Iceland’s Vatnajökull ice cap to the steep limestone gorges of the Cévennes in southern France, this series explores these areas by taking a cinematic journey to meet the people who use these landscapes every day, discovering the often extreme jobs they undertake and the unique lives they lead.
Super Shark Highway (6 x 60′; Breakout Productions) In a world-first research expedition, two elite teams will track the ocean’s greatest predator along remote and unexplored shark migration routes – giving scientists critical data to help them unlock the mysteries of shark movements.
Murder in the Goldfields (2 x 60′; Perpetual Entertainment) The Western Australian Goldfields desert can swallow you whole – vast, sparse, hot and pockmarked with abandoned mine shafts. This true-crime documentary investigates three murders that remain unsolved and continue to baffle homicide detectives.
My Dead Mom (6 x 15′; LoCo Motion Pictures) This scripted comedy stars Megan Follows (Anne Of Green Gables, Reign) and Lauren Collins (Degrassi: The Next Generation, Slip). Emmy had a list of things she wanted to do after her mother died – like hike the Appalachian Trail, get married, have a baby, and maybe even grieve. She’s just been really busy. As Emmy tries to move forward with her life, time and grief finally catch up with her as her fabulous and overly critical dead mother, Fern, pops into her life to question her life choices and lipstick colour. Like only a mother can.
RETURNING FAN FAVOURITES INCLUDE:
Killers Caught on Cameras (20 x 60′; back2back; Season 2) Season 2 of this true crime series reveals the video footage that leads to the conviction of killers around the world. Each case is pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle, as we link the CCTV, home surveillance, police bodycam and mobile phone footage that builds the evidence to trap the killer.
Big Little Crimes (10 x 60′ | 30 x 30′; Brown Bob Productions; Season 2) Most crimes are solved after months of painstaking investigation, but sometimes police get a lucky break. This true-crime series tells the gob-smacking stories of ordinary beat cops who stumble upon a key piece of evidence, a haul of stolen goods, a suspect on the run…? and bring a major criminal to justice. ?
Orangutan Jungle School (20 x 60’ 4K | 6 x 60′ NHNZ Worldwide; Season 3) Orangutan Jungle School returns with a brand-new class of orphan orangutans ready to learn. At the Borneo nursery, 2-year-old new girl Rumba lacks confidence and needs extra support from her human surrogate mums. In the Juniors, fun-loving 7-year-old Bumi is the oldest but not the smartest student. His lack of focus means he’s in danger of flunking class. Former jungle school favourites – Valentino and ‘Big Boy’ Beni – move to a protected island to learn to live without humans, while six lucky graduates begin their final journey to a new life in the wild.
Fraud Squad (40 x 60’ | 15 x 30′; Brown Bob Productions; Season 6) The hunt is on as this crime series follows investigators whose job is to catch and convict anyone with their hand in the UK’s public purse. Featuring a fraudster leading a double life, a multi-million-pound scam targeting the disabled, and even a dishonest headmaster creating a sex dungeon using school funds, Fraud Squad uncovers the biggest and most shocking cases of theft.
See No Evil (116 x 60’; Arrow Media & Saloon Media; Season 10) The ground-breaking series about how real crimes are solved with the help of surveillance cameras returns with another season. Police reveal how CCTV?footage has unlocked the answer to cases that otherwise might have remained unsolved – leaving dangerous killers at large.
Greatest Discoveries with Dan Snow (7 x 60′ | 4 x 90; History Hit; Season 2) In season 2, Dan Snow continues his tour of the world’s greatest archaeological puzzles and discoveries, focusing on Stonehenge, Atlantis, Machu Picchu and the Terracotta Army. In each episode, Dan unfolds the story of these amazing finds – climbing, digging and sailing in the wake of adventurers to uncover the excitement of their discoveries and the ancient treasures they uncovered.
Hell Below (12 x 60′; Parallax Film; Season 4) is an event-based series charting the stealth game of subsea warfare from contact to attack of the greatest submarine patrols of World War II. From the rise of the Wolfpack to the drive for victory in the Pacific, meet the masterminds who brought together the strategy, technology and tactics to make every sailor’s worst nightmare come to life.
Mysteries From Above (30 x 60′; Saloon Media; Season 3) sets out to investigate significant historical and contemporary sites from above with drone, satellite, and aerial photography. Each story begins with a view from above, allowing a unique perspective to understand the site below and dramatically changing how we see these mysteries, ourselves and the world around us.
Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), the upcoming scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil (Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.comTwitter|Instagram|LinkedIn
Produced by UK-based Humble Bee Films, the series immerses audiences in the incredible point of view of animals in flight
Blue Ant Studios’ rights division oversees pre-sales and licensing outside of commissioning territories
New series to roll out on Love Nature globally and Sky Nature in the U.K., Germany and Italy
Airborne, produced by Humble Bee Films, for Sky Nature and Love Nature, shows audiences the wonder of animals who defy gravity and use the air to survive and thrive.
(London UK – February 13, 2024) – Love Nature and Sky Nature today announced the greenlight of Airborne (4 x 60’), a visually stunning series that celebrates the unique challenges and ultimate freedom of animals that use the air to survive and thrive. Produced by Humble Bee Films, the series gives viewers a true bird’s-eye view from airborne birds and animals as they catch air for the first time, snatch in-flight meals, navigate crowded skies and soar through the most challenging environments on the planet.
Airborne offers an astonishing and revelatory adventure into the wonderfully diverse world of creatures that fly, glide and leap through the air. The series follows a diverse array of charismatic creatures through their trials and triumphs. From great soaring condors to leaping lemurs, and from gliding squirrels to beautifully buzzing orchid bees —the series reveals unexpected and fascinating stories of animals who defy gravity and master the air around them in extraordinary ways.
Blue Ant Studios’ rights division will oversee pre-sales and licensing outside of commissioning territories.
Poppy Dixon, Director of Documentaries and Factual at Sky said: “We look to commission exceptional natural history programming that reveals a new lens on our planet. Taking to the air, we are excited to be offering our audiences a thrilling new perspective on the world around us, which we know they will love.”
“Partnering with Sky Nature on this ambitious project allows us the scale to capture breathtaking footage and stories to make this world-class, blue-chip series. We’re also thrilled to deepen our existing content partnership with Sky,” says Carlyn Staudt, General Manager, Love Nature & Head of Commissioning, Global Media, Blue Ant Media. “The immersive and innovative footage of animals in flight, illustrates Love Nature’s commitment to unlocking fresh and compelling perspectives of wildlife that appeal to audiences around the world.”
“Humble Bee Films is delighted to be working with Love Nature and Sky Nature to produce this immersive natural history series. For many animals, the ability to defy gravity and launch into the air is crucial to their survival and our specialist camera teams will take the viewer right alongside as we go Airborne,” says Stephen Dunleavy, Executive Producer, Humble Bee Films.
Airborne offers an astonishing and revelatory adventure into the wonderfully diverse world of creatures that fly, glide and leap through the air. The series follows a diverse array of charismatic creatures through their trials and triumphs. From great soaring condors to leaping lemurs, and from gliding squirrels to beautifully buzzing orchid bees —the series reveals
unexpected and fascinating stories of animals who defy gravity and master the air around them in extraordinary ways.
The series rises through the ultimate flight path, from perfect take-offs and long-haul flights to tricky landings. Each episode explores a different aspect of flight including:
Catching Air shows how different species use air, from rookies to the masters of the skies .
In-flight Meals explores how animals defy gravity to gather food on the ground, in the canopy and high in the air.
Love in the Air is a look at how animals use air to their advantage when finding and keeping a mate.
Flight Path is an examination of different navigation methods that involve power and precision, innate GPS and complicated routes through crowded skies
Airborne, co-produced by Love Nature and Sky Nature and produced by award-winning production company, Humble Bee Films, will premiere on Love Nature around the world, and Sky Naturein the UK, Italy and Germany. The series leverages Love Nature’s relationship with Blue Ant Studios’ international rights group, which oversees pre-sales and licensing opportunities for the new title outside of commissioning territories.
The series is executive produced by Charlotte Crosse and Stephen Dunleavy at Humble Bee Films. Poppy Dixon is the executive producer for Sky Nature and James Manfull executive produces the series on behalf of Love Nature.
Notes to Editors
Love Nature, headquartered in Washington D.C. with offices in Los Angeles, London and Toronto is a premium global natural history brand that delivers high-quality, captivating stories about wildlife and nature on all its platforms. Love Nature is a destination for award-winning natural history series and documentaries. It is available on top-tier pay-TV platforms and streamers all over the world. Engage with us at lovenature.com / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Instagram
Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies and is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that connects people to moments and experiences that matter. At Sky we Believe in Better. It’s in our DNA. We’re famous for innovation. We offer the world’s smartest TV, Sky Glass; our plug and play streaming puck, Sky Stream; the best aggregation platform, Sky Q: the best aggregation platform, Sky Q; and streaming services NOW and WOW. We provide connectivity you can count on in mobile, fast, secure, reliable residential and business broadband, as well as smart home protection through Sky Protect. We’re Europe’s premium content producer. We create award-winning original content, produce the biggest live sporting events, and we provide free access to news and the arts. Our new state-of-the-art film and TV studio Sky Studios Elstree is projected to attract £3 billion of new production investment to the UK in its first five years and create up to 2,000 jobs. We are a diverse and inclusive employer that has a positive impact on society and the communities that we work and live in. Sky plays a major role in the UK’s cultural economy and, in 2022 alone, supported a contribution of £20 billion to UK GDP, broadcast 70,000 hours of elite sports coverage and invested over £130 million to provide news to consumers free of charge.
