ITV Studios NY signs deal with Joseph Livecchi

ITV Studios New York is entering into a multi-year production and development deal with producer Joseph Livecchi. The deal is part of ITV Studios' strategy to grow its production of home-grown programming as well as international formats. Livecchi has a wealth of experience in non-fiction content, including executive producing TLC's What Not To Wear and Moving Up, working as executive producer with Endemol USA and serving as vice president of NBC 2000. ITV Studios NY is responsible for a number of successful non-fiction programs such as The First 48, Steven Seagal: Lawman and TLC's new series Four Weddings. Under the deal Livecchi will report to Patrice Andrews, executive vice president New York development, production and operations for ITV Studios.

Screen Australia's Indigenous Department head leaves

Sally Riley who spent a decade growing opportunities for Australia's Indigenous filmmakers is leaving her role as head of Screen Australia's Indigenous Department to take up a newly created position as Head of ABC TV's Indigenous Department in May. Riley has been instrumental in helping Aboriginal filmmakers create feature films and documentaries, including Rachel Perkins and Darren Dale's acclaimed television series First Australians. She will be replaced by Erica Glynn who will be acting Head of Indigenous.

Screen Australia revises documentary programs

After reviewing its guidelines in late 2009, Screen Australia is now revising guidelines for its Development, Production Financing, Indigenous and Marketing Support programs, effective immediately. The revisions for documentaries, which include those funded through the Indigenous department, are part of the recent announcement of Screen Australia's funding of $200,000 and under provided as a grant, rather than a recoupable investment. These revisions are the result of the direct consultations between Screen Australia and stakeholder groups, as well as submissions from individual companies.

September Films returns to the 'Exterminators' for A&E

DCD-owned September Films pulled in 2.1 million viewers for the A&E premiere of series Billy the Exterminator. September Films also reports that the premiere brought in a record-breaking audience across all key demos, with 1.1 million adults 25 to 54 and 1.2 million adults 18 to 49. Billy the Exterminator (previously titled The Exterminators) follows the family that makes up Vexcon, a busy Louisiana pest removal companies, as they deal with both family life and business. The UK-based prodco is furthering its presence in the U.S with two cable series in production, Bridezillas 7 (25 x60') for WEtv and Mall Cops (12 x30') for TLC.

Outright sells U.S. 'Who Do You Think You Are' to eight territories

UK-based Outright Distribution has had success selling the U.S. version of Wall to Wall's original format Who Do You Think You Are? The seven-part U.S. version has been licensed to Australia's Nine Network and New Zealand's Prime, while the series has also been pre-sold to Rogers Broadcasting in Canada, DR Denmark, MTV3 in Finland, SVT in Sweden, RTE in Ireland and DBS in Israel. The premiere on NBC of the Shed Media US-produced Who Do You Think You Are? secured 6.9 million total viewers.

Babelgum Online Film Festival open for entries

The 3rd Babelgum Online Film Festival has announced its call for entries. Submissions should fall under four categories - animation, narrative, non-narrative and documentary. Docs should be 15 minutes maximum and there are no restrictions on production year or whether the film has been previously distributed or entered into any type of film festival. This year, Babelgum has also partnered with Shooting People, the largest network of independent filmmakers in the world, in order to reach its 35,000 plus global membership and the 2 million plus constituents of its partner organizations. Jurors of the festival include writer/director Richard Linklater, director/producer Annie Sundberg and director/curator Jason Wishnow. Awards given out in late April include the Stoli Emerging Filmmaker Award; the Audience Awards, given to an outstanding film in each category; the Best Viral Short Award which will be given to an outstanding film with 'viral' potential; the Jury Awards, given to an outstanding film in each of the four categories and the Grand Jury Award, given to an outstanding film in any category, chosen by members of the Jury. Submissions can be entered from March 11 to March 28. More info can be found at www.babelgum.com/online-film-festival.

BBC4 taps Icon Films to mark 50th anniversary of 'Born Free'

Bristol-based factual producer Icon Films is expanding on its portfolio of history storytelling with a BBC4 commission, The Born Free Legacy. The one-off, one-hour historical documentary celebrates the 50th anniversary of the publication of Joy Adamson's book, which chronicled Adamson and her husband George raising an orphaned lion to adulthood and releasing her into the wild. The BBC4 one-off will look at the legacy of the Adamsons' work, which changed the public's perception of wildlife and inspired a conservationist movement.

'Rainbow Nation 2010' doc comes to MIPTV

Madrid-based AL' AL' will be bringing documentary Rainbow Nation 2010 to MIPDOC and MIPTV. The doc highlights eight South African stories, which show the diversity of South Africa. The doc has also been selected for the Cape Town Festival, as it fits the 'One City, Many Cultures' theme of the fest. Rainbow Nation 2010 has sold to free and pay television in Korea, Poland, UK, Israel and is in the process of being sold to Spain, France, Japan, Iceland and the U.S.

Bravo bumping up original programming by 20% this year

Bravo has announced a fifth night of original programming as well as a development slate that will increase the channel's original program content by 20% in 2010. The announcement was made by Frances Berwick, executive vice president and general manager, Bravo Media. Calling 2009 "a banner year for Bravo," she added, "The network reached a new level marrying creativity and innovation, and we'll continue that momentum in 2010 with even more original programming and new initiatives to connect and engage our viewers on every platform available." Among the new programs being developed are two new programs from Magical Elves: Around the World in 80 Plates (w/t) and two-hour special Fashion Masters; Commander in Chef (developed by Stone & Co. Entertainment); singer-songwriter competition series Hitmakers (w/t, developed by True Entertainment) and a docusoap following So You Think you Can Dance choreographer Mia Michaels. Series pick-ups include Miami Social Club (MC Filmworks); Million Dollar Decorators (Goodbye Pictures); Pregnant in Heels (Shout Media) and yet another edition of the Real Housewives franchise produced by Evolution Media, this time heading to Beverly Hills.

Darlow Smithson brings Underwear Bomber to Discovery

Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) has been commissioned to produce a doc on the "Underwear Bomber" for Discovery Channel U.S. The one hour doc will investigate how Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (aka the Underwear Bomber) boarded a flight to the U.S. on Christmas Day, 2009 while allegedly carrying a package of explosives within his undergarments. DSP will talk to leading experts in counter-terrorism, aviation security and passengers on the flight to piece the case together. The Underwear Bomber - Detroit Bomb Plot will air on Discovery Channel March 11 and will be distributed by Endemol Worldwide Distribution.

Blur doc runs to BBC Two

No Distance Left To Run, a doc by Pulse Films on the British band Blur, is set to air on BBC Two. The film tells the story of the band through its members' own words, recounting their highs and lows using previously unseen footage and revealing new interviews. The doc, which screened at SEE: the Brighton Documentary Film Festival last month and was released in theaters in 11 countries by Arts Alliance Media, will air on BBC Two March 14. No Distance Left To Run is presented by Parlophone and EMI Music.

Discovery Networks International names international head of content, loses COO

Discovery Communications has announced the appointment of Luis Silberwasser to the new role of international head of content for Discovery Networks International (DNI). The new role has been created to help boost ratings successes across the company's 100 networks in over 180 countries. This news comes after Discovery announced the global launch of TLC, one of the initiatives Silberwasser will focus on in his new role. TLC is due to reach more than 75 markets and over 100 million households by spring 2011. Silberwasser takes up his new role from his current position as senior vice president of the content group for Discovery Networks Latin America/U.S. Hispanic and general manager of U.S. Hispanic Networks. Discovery Networks International has also announced that Sahar Elhabashi, COO of DNI, will be leaving the company and her position will not be filled.

Discovery and the United Nations spotlight 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity

Discovery Communications has partnered with the United Nations on the UN's global campaign to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity. To mark the occasion, Discovery will work closely with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity to increase awareness of biodiversity's vital role in sustaining life on Earth. Throughout the year, Discovery Communications will use its resources such as its education unit, international networks and specials like Life, the 11-part BBC coproduction to meet the goals of the International Year of Biodiversity.

Indigo Film & TV sells 71 hours

London-based Indigo Film & TV reports that it has seen its documentary sales boom in the early part of 2010. The indie distributor and coproducer has closed 71 hours of global DVD and pay TV rights. The big series sellers have been Classical Destinations, a 26-episode series that tours classical music meccas; World War II: Countdown To Victory, a 24-episode series that documents the timeline of the Second World War and Your Food Your Medicine, a 13-episode series about healthy cooking. The series have sold to Eastern Europe, Russia and Benelux. One-off special David Blaine's Drowned Alive has also sold in Scandinavia.

CABLEready gets the greenlight for 'Intersections'

CABLEready Productions will be producing Intersections for the Speed Channel, marking it as the prodco's first original TV series commission. The 13-episode order of Intersections follows the success of the pilot for Speed Channel. The series is produced in association with Bosch Media and Blue Chip Films and tells the stories of two people on two different missions with the support of two very different machines. CABLEready will handle the international distribution and will be offering the series for the first time during MIPDOC and MIPTV.

Docmakers mourn Marcel Simard

Documentary filmmakers are in shock after last week's suicide of Marcel Simard, founder of Montreal-based les Productions Virage and one of the most respected producers of social issue docs in Quebec. ''When I first started to make documentary films I was told there were two producers in Montreal who were good to work with. Marcel was one of them,'' journalist and filmmaker Francine Pelletier told Playback Daily. Simard's company produced Pelletier's film about Cinar cofounder Micheline Charest, La femme qui ne se voyait plus aller, although the two first met in 1978; Pelletier is the godmother of one of Simard's daughters from his first marriage. "It is an immense loss to the documentary community, which is already struggling," said Pelletier. "Virage was important to many people. The kind of films he made are increasingly rare. We have lost a role model and an important player in documentary film."
Last year Simard founded a new company, Spectra Virage Media with help from l'Équipe Spectra, which runs a number of major entertainment events in Quebec, including the annual Montreal International Jazz Festival. A few weeks before he died, Simard had put Productions Virage under bankruptcy protection.
Born in Montreal in 1945, Simard trained as a sociologist and worked for a number of years as a researcher at Radio-Quebec. He was married to Monique Simard, head of the French program at the National Film Board of Canada.

Hot Docs announces the participation of eight official delegations

Hot Docs will be hosting eight official delegations at this year's edition, a record number for the doc fest, conference and market. The official delegations are from Abu Dhabi, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, the Nordic region, the UK and the U.S. The delegations will be featured participatns during the International Co-Production Day on May 3. Abu Dhabi's official delegation is led by the Abu Dhabi Film Commission. France's official delegation is led by the French Trade Commission and the French Image cluster Iconoval. Germany's, official delegation is led by AG DOK. Italy's official delegation is led by the Italian Trade Commission and Doc/It. Malaysia's official delegation is led by FINAS and Blue In Green Productions. The Nordic region official delegation is led by Filmkontakt Nord. The United Kingdom's official delegation is led by Sheffield Doc/Fest. Lastly, the U.S.'s official delegation is led by IFP, NY-WIFT and Shooting People.

BBC Trust and Back To The Planet to train Turkmen to create first wildlife doc

The BBC World Service Trust will begin a project in April which will see a local team in Turkmenistan learning to create a documentary on the country's wildlife. The project will be the first wildlife doc filmed in Turkmenistan and will feature the wildlife of the Badkhyz Nature Reserve in Turkmenistan which includes eagles, mountain sheep, caracal and the endangered Persian Leopard. Bristol-based prodco Back To The Planet is consulting on the project and will train local Turkmen in camera and video production techniques for the project.

Cream Productions follows up 'Aftermath'

Toronto-based Cream Productions' new Aftermath series for National Geographic Channel and History Television is a follow-up to the CGI/science special Aftermath: The World Without Humans. The first one-hour episode of the series will premiere on March 8 on the National Geographic Channel in the U.S. and will air internationally in June. History Television Canada will debut the series on March 29, with a launch at MIPTV by ITV Global Entertainment to follow.

RDF Rights helps October Films' 'Rude Tube' go global

October Films' Rude Tube has global appeal, with a raft of sales to global networks secured by RDF Rights, part of the RDF Media Group. Rude Tube International series one and two (20x30') has gone to Channel 4 Finland, MTV Networks and SBS Belgium N.V., while series one was sold to TV2 in Denmark, RTL 5 in the Netherlands, Kanal 5 AB in Sweden, NRK in Norway, Planete Cables (French speaking Europe) and Cool TV in Hungary. Two sales have also been closed in Japan. Rude Tube International gathers the best of the Internet's viral videos, including exclusive interviews with their creators.