FremantleMedia Enterprises forms global partnership with Pukeko Pictures
FremantleMedia Enterprises has made a global deal with Pukeko Pictures, the affiliate television company of Richard Taylor’s Weta Workshop. The companies will work together on new scripted television series
The announcement:
FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES FORGES GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP WITH RICHARD TAYLOR’S PUKEKO PICTURES
FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has announced a major first look deal with Pukeko Pictures, the affiliate television company of Richard Taylor’s Weta Workshop. The partnership will see the two companies working together on new scripted television series, which will benefit from the expertise from within the New Zealand entertainment sector, in particular the Weta Workshop facilities and the world-renowned talents of the Wellington film and television production industry. As part of the new relationship, FME and Pukeko have jointly hired Adam Fratto to head up development of new television projects for the global market, working out of FremantleMedia’s LA office. Reporting to Martin Baynton, co-owner of Pukeko Pictures, Fratto will work alongside Jeff Tahler, FME’s SVP of Global Content, and Tony Optican, SVP of Scripted Programming for FremantleMedia North America. This deal further expands FME’s global content initiative, which has recently included Wedding Band, from Tollin Productions for TBS in the US, and Hit & Miss from Abbott Vision for Sky Atlantic in the UK. David Ellender, Global CEO of FremantleMedia Enterprises, said, “The teams at Pukeko and Weta Workshop are respected the world over for their work at the cutting edge of the film and television industry. Adam’s appointment provides tremendous opportunities, allowing for incredibly close collaboration between our two organisations on the development, financing and production of ambitious and innovative new scripted content that will appeal to audiences around the globe.”Richard Taylor, co-founder of Pukeko Pictures, said, “We are proud and delighted to have formed this partnership with FremantleMedia Enterprises, a global entertainment leader. Together with Adam as EVP, Development, we look forward to creating high-quality and universally appealing productions. Adam brings to the partnership years of industry experience with Atticus Entertainment and Piller/Segan and we are thrilled to announce his appointment.”
Pukeko Pictures is affiliated with the Oscar® and Bafta award-winning Weta Workshop through founding partners Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger, known internationally for their work on films including the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, King Kong, Avatar, The Adventures of Tintin and The Hobbit; television shows Hercules and Xena, and their own IP developed brands Jane and the Dragon and The WotWots. Adam Fratto joins from Atticus Entertainment where he spearheaded television, feature and new media development under a first-look deal with HBO. He is also co-executive producer of Haven, a dramatic mystery series based on “The Colorado Kid” by Stephen King, airing on Syfy in the U.S. and more than 100 cable channels around the world. Prior to his role at Atticus Entertainment, Fratto served as VP at Piller/Segan where he oversaw development and served as associate producer on The Dead Zone and Wildfire and co-producer on Greek. While at Piller/Segan, Adam developed and sold pilots to ABC, NBC, TNT, ABC, Family, Lifetime, Syfy, USA, and Spike and worked closely with studios including ABC Studios, NBCU Studios, Fox TV Studios, E1, and Lionsgate.
Source: FremantleMedia Enterprises press release.
