Luc Besson To EP ‘Rainbow Warrior’ Feature Doc
Luc Besson is exec producing a feature documentary exploring the stranger-than-fiction tale of the bombing of the iconic ship Rainbow Warrior, which is in the works with Doscville Studios, GNZ, EuropaCorp and Expanded Media. Pre-sales to DR, SVT and NRK have already been struck for Rainbow Warrior and a streamer and UK broadcast partner will soon be announced. The feature charts happenings in 1985 when two bombs exploded in the port of Auckland, New Zealand, sinking the ship of a small environmental group in the dead of night. Investigators initially suspected terrorists but quickly uncovered a trail of clues that lead directly to the French secret service. “This story is more relevant than ever with the seemingly constant threat of nuclear war and the environmental crusade that many young people will consider their life’s mission,” said director Edward McGurn. Besson is an EP alongside film producer and wife Virginie Besson-Silla. The documentary is being distributed globally by Fremantle and will have its North American premier at Doc NYC on November 9. Other EPs are Lawrence Elman, Nick Fraser, Duncan Heath, Francis Hopkinson, Steve Rabineau and Angela Neillis.
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Amazon Prime Video Greenlights Series On German Soccer Player Thomas Mueller
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Amazon Prime Video is turning its attention to German World Cup-winning soccer player Thomas Mueller for its latest tell-all doc. Neo Studios’ series will give “an intimate and authentic look at the professional and personal life of one of German football’s all-time greats,” according to the streamer. Thomas Mueller [working title] follows similar docs on the likes of Wayne Rooney, Sergio Ramos and Steven Gerrard. The German legend has spent his entire 15-year career with Bayern Munich and has played more than 600 times for club and country, scoring reams of goals. “Thomas Muller is an incomparable football player, an absolute legend at FC Bayern and in the national team, who not only stands out on the pitch with his special playfulness, but also always inspires enthusiasm off the pitch with his humor and his open and honest manner,” said Philip Pratt, Head of German Originals at Prime Video Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
ITV Signs Creative Strategy Boss & Launches Training Program In Honor Of Roger Pearce
ITV has signed a Head of Creative Strategy for its in-house ad unit and launched a training program in honor of Technical Director Roger Pearce. Tatiana Jezierski will join later this month from creative agency Mother, where she was Strategy Director. In the newly-created role, she will be responsible for embedding strategy within the agency and working on creative campaigns, including for new streamer ITVX. She will sit on the creative leadership team alongside the Executive Creative Director, Head of Campaign Management, Head of Production and Head of Post Production, with the opportunity to build the team. ITV Creative Director Niki Garner hailed a “brilliant brain which will help us all to raise our creative game, and a warmth and generosity that will fit perfectly with ITV’s culture.” ITV’s in-house agency was set up to promote the pubcaster’s content and delivers thousands of campaigns per year. Elsewhere at ITV, the ITV Academy with Creative Access has launched a traineership in memory of Sport Technical Director Pearce, who died last year. The successful candidate will be offered a 12-month contract, giving them the opportunity to join ITV Sport’s technical team where they will be taught technical production process and learn skills with training from technical facilities providers.