Following the domestic and international success of history series Forgotten Frontlines, produced...
Following the domestic and international success of history series Forgotten Frontlines, produced for Canada’s Super Channel and distributor Off The Fence in 2022, Go Button Media is delighted to announce that the partnership has been renewed and extended for a further six factual series.
The new contract sees Go Button Media commissioned to create a slate of 36 hours across six series over a 2-year period, from the popular unscripted genres in which it excels - such as history, paranormal, engineering and science - and then deliver each as a six-hour series across 2 years. The deal is not linked to specific titles at present but plays to the strength of Go Button’s evolving relationship with each partner, along with its rapidly growing reputation for swiftly and reliably producing top quality, cost-effective and compelling factual content with global appeal.
Daniel Oron, co-founder and executive producer at Go Button Media comments: “Super Channel has long been a supporter of Go Button’s projects and we are elated to be making new programmes for its audience on our home turf. In addition, following a previous project, we are especially thrilled to extend and deepen our relationship with Off the Fence, creating a range of new factual content for this dynamic company to take to broadcasters and platforms around the world. Off The Fence has an impressive reputation for investing in and representing only the very best in factual programming and we are proud to have them as a partner”.
Loren Baxter, head of acquisitions at Off the Fence, says: “Forgotten Frontlines worked very well for us last year, so we are now keen to replicate and scale that success across our key content pillars of yesterday, today and tomorrow. This new partnership, alongside Super Channel will not only give us six new series to sell but, as a commissioner, we also have a fantastic opportunity to work closely with Daniel and the team to marry Go Button’s creative ideas with our own market insights and ensure each series readily meets current international demand.”
Jackie Pardy, chief content officer at Super Channel adds: “Go Button Media has become one of our most valued suppliers of factual programming in recent years, so we had no hesitation in extending our relationship and committing to this new slate. We now look forward to working with Go Button and Off the Fence to bring a range of exciting new titles to our viewers.”
read more
read less
A big pat on the back and a round of applause to OTF Productions for winning a whole host of awards...
A big pat on the back and a round of applause to OTF Productions for winning a whole host of awards at Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards 2022, including Best Production Company of the Year!
See below for all the OTF winners!
Best Production Company of 2022
Grand Prix for Best Documentary: Going Circular
Environment, Ecology and Sustainability (Gold): Going Circular
Nature and Wildlife (Silver): Rescued Chimpanzees of the Congo with Jane Goodall - Episode 3: Making Friends
Science, Technology and Innovation (Silver): Underworld
Science, Technology and Innovation (Finalist Diploma): Ancient Engineering - Episode 4: Rise of the Super Castles
History and Personalities/Portraits (Finalist Diploma): The Year That Rocked The World - Episode 3: 1989
Lots to celebrate and more to look forward to at OTF!
read more
read less
Off The Fence (OTF) has announced a new collaboration with RAPA, the association that represents and...
Off The Fence (OTF) has announced a new collaboration with RAPA, the association that represents and promotes the interests of the Korean broadcasting industry.
Under the deal, OTF will be granted access to RAPA’s wide-ranging catalogue of factual programming with the aim of reversioning, repackaging and/or developing it for international sale. In turn, RAPA will promote OTF to Korean filmmakers as a potential co-production partner for factual projects. Furthermore, both partners will work to stimulate Korea’s emerging factual production sector, sharing resources, expertise and networks to help develop, produce and distribute fresh and original content for global audiences.
RAPA’s role is to serve as a bridge between Korea’s broadcasting industry and the government, supporting and strengthening the industry’s competitiveness, while fostering a safe and dynamic environment for the production and distribution of Korean content. Now entering its third decade, RAPA has around 140 members drawn from across the media spectrum, from broadcasters and communication businesses to telecoms players, equipment manufacturers, and research and educational institutes.
Bo Stehmeir, CEO of Off The Fence said: “This pact gives OTF access to an untapped world of storytelling. It’s no secret that Korea is a content powerhouse, known around the world for its border-breaking dramas, and weird but wonderful formats. But the mighty hallyu, or Korean Wave, isn’t just about entertainment. In recent years, the country’s independent production community has been intensifying its focus on factual programming — and the results are stunning. We’ve been blown away by the quality and creativity of RAPA’s catalogue, and we reckon the international market will be equally impressed. We can’t wait to work with RAPA to amplify the voice of Korea’s brilliant factual producers and to help our Korean friends to build a robust and sustainable market for their creative output.”
Ki Hoon Gwak, Next-Generation Media Promotion Division Director of RAPA said, “We expect this collaboration to serve as an opportunity to introduce Korea’s excellent UHD content to the global market.” “Besides the drama genre that has been in the limelight recently, Korea boasts of numerous first-rate documentary producers and content. We’ll give our full support to ensure that diverse Korean content break into the global market through collaboration with OTF,” he added.
read more
read less
Off The Fence (OTF) has announced a string of pre-sales for its new slate of high-end history...
Off The Fence (OTF) has announced a string of pre-sales for its new slate of high-end history series, which ranges from OTF Studios to programming acquired from some of the most respected producers of historical documentary. The four new titles, which tackle subjects as diverse as Egypt’s forgotten queens, the Mongol Empire and the 20th century’s greatest military masterminds, bolster OTF’s Yesterday content pillar, which focuses on premium historical programming.
Headlining the slate is Queens of Ancient Egypt (3 x 60 mins), produced by Tile Films for Curiosity Stream and OTF Studios has already been pre-sold to ARTE, Movistar Plus+, Viasat World, and SVT with more major sales expected before its delivery at the end of the year. Drawing on fascinating new discoveries and cutting-edge research, this documentary series tells the stories of three largely forgotten but incredible Egyptian queens, who became standard-bearers for their gender long before the modern era.
Also, due to deliver at the end of the year is Lion Television’s Mongols: The Secret History (3 x 60 mins and 1 x 90 mins), commissioned by Smithsonian Channel and ARTE. The series, which has been pre-sold to Viasat World and AMC Networks International Southern Europe tells the story of Genghis Khan’s Mongol dynasty through CGI reconstructions and rich cinematic quality dramatisations. Each episode combines epic storylines and the latest archaeological and historical revelations with the magnificent landscapes of modern Mongolia, to deliver not only an immersive and innovative TV experience, but a fresh insight into an extraordinary and little-known people.
More history series come in the form of CIC Media’s Military Masterminds (4 x 60 mins) which has been picked up by Now TV in Hong Kong. Commissioned and executive produced by OTF, the series focuses on the most successful generals of the 20th century, which hold the dubious honour of being the bloodiest in history. Each of the four episodes explores a different military tactic — rapid dominance, combat power, deception and guerrilla warfare — through the lens of four military masterminds who used these strategies to deliver victory.
The second OTF Studios commission for CIC Media is History’s Ultimate Influencers (4 x 60 mins), which chronicles the great leaders — spiritual, cultural, political, scientific, and sporting — such as Nelson Mandela and Marilyn Monroe, who changed hearts, minds, and the collective consciousness long before social media reinvented the meaning of ‘influencer’. The brand-new series, which is due to be delivered later this year, unpacks the lives and achievements of these masters of communication, and the brilliant strategies they employed to influence the course of history.
Loren Baxter, OTF’s Head of Acquisitions, said: “History content has changed out of all recognition in recent years. Gone are dry, fact-laden documentaries: today’s history docs — as exemplified by these latest additions to OTF’s Yesterday portfolio — are story-driven and visually stunning, with dynamic re-enactments, not too far removed from a scripted drama, with expert insights not only making sense of the past but bringing it vividly back to life.”