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Category: News
GRB Studios is a Realscreen Global 100 Company
Welcome to our 13th edition of the Global 100, Realscreen‘s annual snapshot of the best production companies working in the non-fiction and unscripted visual content industry, compiled with input from the industry itself.
As with past lists, we polled execs from across the business and our readership, asking them to weigh in on the companies that they feel are trusted partners, as well as the prodcos whose work they consistently admire, and the programming from the past year that struck a chord. As usual, it was difficult to pare the results down to a list 100 companies strong, and meant to represent the non-fiction production communities of multiple territories.
This year, you will notice within these pages a fair amount of newer companies being profiled, as opposed to some of the veteran companies who have graced the list and its profiles often. While the results still feature a healthy number of those veteran companies, many of which have been on the Global 100 since its inception, we thought shining the spotlight on up and coming companies that are making an increasingly strong impact across platforms would spice up the proceedings, and highlight some of the new blood that is capturing your attention, and that of viewers as well.
http://realscreen.com/2019/03/25/its-here-the-13th-annual-realscreen-global-100/
GRB Studios Secures New Season of On the Case
GRB Studios has added to its catalog season nine of On the Case, a true-crime show that it has landed further sales on as well.
Heading into MIPTV, GRB has 32 new episodes of the series to offer the international market (excluding the U.S.). Discovery Europe has acquired season eight for Spain, while M6/Paris Première in France took multiple seasons.
The series, which explores murder mysteries through in-depth interviews with those closest to the case and examines the forensic evidence that helped to unravel the crimes, has been sold in 70-plus countries.
Mehmet Gunduz, GRB Studios’ VP of international, said: “GRB Studios is delighted we could acquire another season of the fascinating On the Case. Global interest in this true-crime series continues to grow. Our broadcast partners who recently took the show—Discovery Europe, M6/Paris Première, Foxtel, A+E Networks and Super RTL—have already enjoyed success with previous seasons. The intriguing story lines are quite compelling, drawing in audiences everywhere. GRB is pleased to bring the show to MIPTV.”
https://worldscreen.com/tvreal/grb-studios-secures-new-season-of-on-the-case/
Int’l nets take GRB crime, paranormal docs
Broadcasters in North America, Europe and Africa have acquired true crime, paranormal and weapons documentary series from US producer and distributor GRB Studios.
Canada-based broadcaster Blue Ant has picked up the second season of true crime, paranormal investigative series Occult Crime, offering viewers a look into the evil minds of dangerous killers.
France’s Planete+ CI, meanwhile, has acquired celebrity obsession series Stalker Files (10×60′), continuing the show’s run of sales in Europe after Super RTL in Germany took the series last year.
UK-based AETN has picked up multiple seasons of weapons docuseries Man at Arms: Art of War (18×60′), hosted by Hollywood actor Danny Trejo, for its territories in Africa.
Elsewhere, CBS Chellozone UK has acquired multiple seasons of Auction Kings for its EMEA feed, focusing on Atlanta-based Paul Brown’s auction house.
https://www.c21media.net/intl-nets-take-grb-crime-paranormal-docs/
GRB inks multi-territory sales deals
Global content creator and distributor GRB Studios has completed multiple territory sales deals for a slate of true crime, paranormal and weapons programming.
Blue Ant Media has picked up the 10-episode second season of the paranormal investigative series Occult Crime in English-speaking Canada. The series offers a glimpse into the minds of some of history’s most dangerous killers, claiming to take their marching orders from devil.
Elsewhere, France’s Planete+ CI has acquired the celebrity obsession series Stalker Files (10 x 60 minutes) following its sale to SuperRTL in Germany last year. The series features expert interviews and explores high-profile stalking crimes involving Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Steven Spielberg and others.
Meanwhile, AETN UK has picked up the weapons docuseries Men at Arms — Art of War (pictured; 18 x 60 minutes), hosted by Danny Trejo, for its African territories. The series features expert craftsman recreating historical weapons to test their quality, strength and practicality.
Finally, CBS Chellozone UK has acquired three seasons and a one-hour special of Auction Kings for their EMEA feed. The series follows Atlanta-based Paul Brown and his work running auction houses.
GRB Studios Inks Raft of Global Sales
Leading up to MIPTV, GRB Studios has closed on deals in multiple territories for a variety of programs from its catalog, including true-crime series, paranormal shows and a weapons docuseries.
Paranormal investigative series Occult Crimes will make its debut in English-speaking Canada with Blue Ant. The show offers viewers a glimpse into the minds of infamous killers. Meanwhile, France’s Planete+ CI has acquired true-crime show Stalker Files, moving it over to France from Super RTL Germany, where it landed last year. The 10×1-hour series delves into the stalking cases of high-profile celebrities like Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Steven Spielberg.
Man at Arms: Art of War, a weapons docuseries on offer from GRB, is headed to Africa with a multiple-season deal with AETN UK. Action star Danny Trejo hosts the show, which showcases a team of craftsmen who recreate weapons from history and then test their strength and functionality.
Additionally, CBS Chellozone UK acquired multiple seasons of Auction Kings for their EMEA feed. The series takes a behind-the-scenes look at one of the U.S.’s most successful auction houses, led by Atlanta-based Paul Brown.
GRB’s VP of international, Mehmet Gunduz, said: “GRB Studios is thrilled to share our intriguing, top-quality programs with the world—from Africa to Canada to Europe—and work with long-standing partners AETN UK, Blue Ant, Planete+ CL and CBS Chellozone UK. We are truly confident that their viewers will embrace these exciting and engaging stories. We also look forward to attending MIPTV to showcase these and many other great shows from our premium portfolio.”
https://worldscreen.com/tvreal/grb-studios-inks-deals-on-raft-of-global-sales/
A+E Networks Syndicating ‘Intervention’ to TV Stations
A+E Networks said it is working with PPI Releasing to launch the long-running cable series Intervention into U.S. broadcast stations.
There are 175 episodes of the series when the show hits the NATPE syndication conference in Miami. The show, in which addicts are confronted by family members and friends, is produced for A&E Network by GRB Entertainment.
“What makes this series incredibly effective television is the emotional conflict at the heart of every ‘Intervention’,” said PPI co-founder Ritch Colbert. “This conflict is real, it’s passionate, and it touches every family in America today. We applaud GRB and A+E Networks for their singular achievement, and we are humbled by the opportunity to launch Intervention in syndication.”
The show won the Emmy for Outstanding Reality Series in 2009.
“PPI is the perfect partner to deliver this important series to the syndication marketplace,” said A+E Networks international executive managing directors Patrick Vien and Edward Sabin. “We acknowledge PPI’s long-running expertise in domestic distribution and are delighted with their commitment to this acclaimed series, a series that highlights one of the most vital and important issues of the day.”
https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/a-e-networks-syndicating-intervention-to-tv-stations
Ugandan Producer Hemdee Scoops Mega Money TV Deal
Ugandan producer and actor Hemdee Kiwanuka is at the centre of a big money licensing and distribution deal between America’s GRB studios and South Africa’s Black TV.
The deal involving Mr Kiwanuka, a son of Ugandan artiste Halima Namakula, will see GRB studios distributing more than 200 hours of programming per week to Black TV.
Mr Kiwanuka, his mother told Sunday Monitor, “worked hard” to bring GRB’s Founder and CEO Gary Benz to the table.
She said he participated in the movie titled Cannonball Run that GRB Studios did in 2001, and he has kept in close touch with its founder, Mr Benz.
GRB Studios is an award winning content studio and global distribution company.
Mr Kiwanuka said GRB Studios venturing into Africa with his involvement will likely see Ugandan content getting wider coverage across the continent on the African pay channel, Black TV.
Mr Thomas Gumede, the principal of Black TV, signed on behalf of his company.
The announcement:
The deal was announced in a press statement by Mr Benz during the start of the Discop market in Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“The Black TV OTT platform delivers both premium local content as well as world-class international content through a mobile app, web app and website accessible across a wide range of devices. I am thrilled to be a partner with them and share our great content with the widest audience possible,” Mr Benz said.
The partnership is key to Black TV’s launch and will immediately provide the service with hundreds of hours of programming. Future plans include co-producing original content for the platform.
“I have known Gary Benz for more than 15 years. GRB Studios’ stellar reputation for producing Emmy Award winning programming alongside their catalog of more than 3000 hours of content makes them the ideal partner for Black TV,” Mr Kiwanuka was quoted saying.
Mr Gumede added that Black TV channel, an African pay TV channel broadcast via Starsat, South Africa, a subsidiary of the Chinese satellite television provider, StarTimes, features original African series, movies, music, documentaries and non-scripted shows.
“I’m excited to be venturing into new territory, and with a partner like GRB we are confident that Black TV will be a success. Content is king and Africa is an untapped kingdom,” Mr Gumede said.
About GRB studios
GRB has been at the forefront of unscripted television for decades with ground-breaking series including the ER (TLC), Next Action Star (NBC), Showdown of the Unbeatables (Nat Geo), Growing Up Gotti (A&E), Princes of Malibu (FOX) and many more. It has established strong relationships with the largest broadcasters in the world, offering a catalogue of more than 3,500 hours of a wide range of genres including crime, food, travel, docu-series, automotive, lifestyle, science and wildlife.
By Isaac Ssejjombwe
November 18th, 2018
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
https://allafrica.com/stories/201811190103.html
Ugandan Artistes to Eat Big from GRB Studios Partnership with Black TV
U.S. based Ugandan movie producer and actor, Hemdee Kiwanuka has assured Uganda’s movie industry and artistes of a wider coverage of their content following a new deal between GRB Studios and Black TV, the African pay channel.
https://www.softpower.ug/ugandan-artistes-to-eat-big-from-grb-studios-partnership-with-black-tv/
GRB Studios inks licensing and distribution deal with Black TV
GRB Studios has signed a multiyear licensing and distribution deal with Black TV and will be a partner in the African channel, led by actor and producer Thomas Gumede.
Black TV is an African pay-TV channel broadcast via Starsat, South Africa, a subsidiary of the Chinese satellite television provider StarTimes. The channel features original African series, movies, music, documentaries and non-scripted shows. Black TV has picked up some 200 hours of programming from the GRB catalog.
GRB’s founder and CEO, Gary R. Benz, said: “The Black TV OTT platform delivers both premium local content as well as world-class international content through a mobile app, web app and website accessible across a wide range of devices. I am thrilled to be a partner with them and share our great content with the widest audience possible.”
“I have known Gary Benz for more than 15 years. GRB Studios’ stellar reputation for producing Emmy Award-winning programming alongside their catalog of more than 3000 hours of content makes them the ideal partner for Black TV,” said Hemdee Kiwanuka, a principal in Black TV.
Gumede added: “I’m excited to be venturing into new territory, and with a partner like GRB we are confident that Black TV will be a success. Content is king and Africa is an untapped kingdom.”
Original Link
Thomas Gumede to take BLACK TV to the world with new international deal
Producer Thomas Gumede has gone global with a new deal.
Original Link: https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2018-11-16-thomas-gumede-to-take-black-tv-to-the-world-with-new-international-deal/
GRB Studios Promotes Scot Cru To President After Rebrand And Reorg
GRB Entertainment is now calling itself GRB Studios, a shift that suits its new push toward content and distribution, with the rebranded company promoting Scot Cru to president.
Cru joined the unscripted programming specialist in July as president of international sales and distribution after a 15-year run working for Mark Burnett’s production company.
The announcement was made by Gary R. Benz, founder and CEO of GRB, which is best known for its long-running A&E reality hit Intervention.
In related promotions, Karen Pinto is now EVP of Production and Megan Reeves is SVP of Development. Cru’s former lieutenant, Patrice Choghi, who he recently brought on as SVP of International, will continue in that role.
“I look forward to working with Scot, Karen, Megan and Patrice as we build GRB Studios to expand our reach domestically and internationally,” Benz said in a press release. “Scot is a well-known and highly respected television executive, his enthusiasm for our company and the industry is contagious,” said Benz.
GRB Studios will continue with current productions such as Intervention as well as newly commissioned series and pilots. GRB’s past credits include shows such as Untold Stories of the ER for TLC, Next Action Star for NBC, Showdown of the Unbeatables for Nat Geo, Growing Up Gotti for A&E and Princes of Malibu for Fox.
“In this ever-expanding global landscape, my focus is to continue the great work that GRB is doing while diversifying our revenue streams across more verticals, working closer with independent producers and cultivating relationships with both known and emerging content creators to monetize across multiple traditional and digital platforms,” Cru said.
October 9, 2018 1:22pm
Original Link:
Realscreen: New GRB president Scot Cru talks rebrand, global expansion
Sherman Oaks-based indie prodco and distributor GRB Entertainment has rebranded and is now GRB Studios, with an expanded focus on worldwide growth and a renewed push into premiere content.
Scot Cru (pictured), who previously served as president of GRB’s international sales and distribution, has again been upped to president of the reorganized company. He will work with founder and CEO Gary R. Benz to push the company towards a greater international footprint and more partnerships and co-productions with other indies.
Cru immediately promoted Karen Pinto to EVP of production and Megan Reeves to SVP of development. Patrice Choghi, who Cru recently brought on as SVP of international, will continue in that role and run the company’s international distribution and production arm.
Cru sees his role as president as a collaborative process, working alongside Benz and a small team who have their hands in everything. “I’m the president of the company, but we’re a very small company. We wear several different hats all throughout the day. Everybody in this company does,” says Cru, in an interview with realscreen. “I could be talking about a domestic format development we’re doing, and the next meeting we could be talking about acquiring 100 hours of somebody’s great program out of the UK, so it’s all of those things, and I’m running point. I’m like the coach, and Gary’s the owner of the team, I guess.”
Cru joined GRB in July after 15 years working with Mark Burnett. He was quickly upped to the head role when a former lead executive departed the company.
“We’re going to be maintaining our strengths in the core business that we’ve been doing for years, which is great distribution of over 3,500 hours of content that we put through our distribution arm, and producing our award-winning series like [A+E Networks’] Intervention,” he says. “But also looking at different ways to create new revenue streams. At the end of the day it all comes down to great content, and we want to expand our relationship with independent producers, not only here in LA but around the world.”
That independence is one of the main messages Cru wants to drive home. While smaller companies might get lost in the shuffle at larger studios, Cru wants GRB Studios to be home to those independent producers with great ideas who are ready to move on them now.
“We can make quick, fair deals with producers, and then work aggressively with them to develop their content and get it out into the marketplace,” he says.
He’s also keen to diversify content moving forward. “We’ve been very strong in the super high-end, Emmy Award-winning cable space, but we haven’t been doing a lot of network. We haven’t done a big shiny floor show, we haven’t done big formats,” he says.
Cru remains mum about what specific projects we can expect from GRB Studios, though he hints that at least some of the new slate will be announced at the upcoming MIPCOM marketplace.
“We are aggressively expanding our reach with celebrity-driven development projects and there’ll be some announcements coming out about those,” he says.
For now, the priority will remain on expanding while continuing what the company has been known for over its 30-year run.
“We’re shifting our focus to be more inclusive and not so narrow-minded in what our output is. And that’s the biggest takeaway from our rebrand to GRB Studios.”
October 10, 2018
ORIGINAL LINK: http://realscreen.com/2018/10/10/new-grb-president-scot-cru-talks-rebrand-global-expansion/
GRB rebrands, promotes execs
C Scot Cru, Patrice Choghi and Karen Pinto
LA-based distributor GRB Entertainment is rebranding as GRB Studios and is promoting a number of executives as part of a reorganisation.
C Scot Cru, who only joined the firm from Mark Burnett Productions in July, has been promoted from president of international sales and distribution to overall company president.
Founder and CEO Gary R Benz will lead the company with Cry. Karen Pinto has also been upped to executive VP of production, and Megan Reeves is stepping up to senior VP of development.
Cru’s former lieutenant, Patrice Choghi, who he recently brought in as senior VP of International, will continue in that post, now running the company’s international distribution and production arm.
The rebrand to GRB Studios is designed to reflect the company’s expanded creative direction as a producer and distributor.
ORIGINAL LINK: https://www.c21media.net/grb-rebrands-promotes-execs/
GRB taps Patrice Choghi as international SVP
Sherman Oaks-based content studio and global distributor GRB Entertainment has named former Mark Burnett Productions and Televisa USA executive Patrice Choghi as SVP of international.
In the role, Choghi will be responsible for expanding the profitability and scope of GRB’s international division including sales, acquisitions, and production.
He reports to C. Scot Cru, president of international, who joined the California company earlier this summer.
Choghi previously worked with Cru at Mark Burnett Productions’ international arm over an eight-year period.
Choghi also formerly held roles at Televisa USA as head of unscripted and alternative television; at United Artists as SVP of international strategy and business development; and at One Three Media as VP of international distribution and production.
9/8/2018
From Realscreen: http://realscreen.com/2018/09/06/grb-taps-patrice-choghi-as-international-svp/
GRB APPOINTS SCOT CRU TO PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL
GRB Entertainment appointed former Mark Burnett Productions Executive C. Scot Cru to President, International, reporting to Marielle Zuccarelli, COO.
In his new role, Cru will be responsible for managing the profitability and growth of GRB’s international distribution division including sales, acquisitions and production. GRB is aggressively expanding its international footprint and Cru’s hire is a part of that initiative. Cru previously lead Mark Burnett Productions’ international arm for fourteen years where he played a key role in the company’s expansion internationally.
‘I am very excited to have Scot join GRB to helm our talented sales team. Scot’s entrepreneurial mindset and incredible sales and production expertise will greatly amplify GRB’s international expansion,’ said Zuccarelli.
‘I am thrilled to be joining such a forward-thinking company with an outstanding track record of delivering premium content around the globe,’ said Cru; ‘Working alongside a great team, I look forward to strengthening our international reach and advancing relationships with our international partners,’ he added.