BLACKFIN JOINS ENTERTAINMENT ONE

BACKBLACKFIN JOINS ENTERTAINMENT ONEFounder and CEO Geno McDermott appointed to role of President, US Alternative Programming Unscripted Television for eOne

London/Los Angeles September 12, 2019 - Entertainment One (eOne) has acquired US-based, nonfiction content producer BLACKFIN, an industry leader in premium, nonfiction long-form content. The deal was announced today by eOne's Tara Long, President, Global Unscripted, Television. BLACKFIN's Founder and CEO, Geno McDermott, will report to Long and serve as eOne's President, US Alternative Programming Unscripted Television.

The acquisition continues eOne's global expansion of its non-scripted business adding to the acquisition earlier this summer of Daisybeck Studios and the appointments of Matt Pritchard and Matt Walton as Executive Vice Presidents, Unscripted, Television based in London. The addition of McDermott in his new role will bolster eOne's already significant position in the US unscripted marketplace.

Founded in 2014, BLACKFIN's diverse slate of past and current productions ranges from the international hunt for Pablo Escobar's hidden fortune in Finding Escobar's Millions, to best-in-class true crime series and specials I Am Homicide, Homicide City, Primal Instinct, and Bad Henry, for networks including Discovery, ID, History, Netflix, Nat Geo, History, and Animal Planet, as well as prestige feature documentaries including MY PERFECT WORLD: THE AARON HERNANDEZ STORY. BLACKFIN will continue producing docs, true crime, natural history and factual content now under eOne.

As our global unscripted television business has rapidly expanded, we are eager to bring Geno's entrepreneurial hustle to the eOne team. I am excited to have Geno's focus, drive, and business acumen as part of our arsenal to continue building the future of eOne's unscripted slate, said Long. We are extremely impressed by the company and team Geno built so early into his career and we could not be more thrilled to have Blackfin on board.

Blackfin's rapid growth called for a strategic partner to provide infrastructure and take the company to new heights, eOne could not be a better fit. There is a prolific story unfolding at the studio that Tara has spent the past nine years driving and I am excited to be a part of it, added McDermott. I respect and admire Tara's grit and tenacity and look forward to collaborating with her as we grow the business together.

Under Long, eOne's current unscripted partner network includes Emmy nominated producers Mark Ford and Kevin Lopez's Creature Films, Matthew Anderson and Nate Greens Purveyors of POP, Joseph Freed and Allison Berkley's Marwar Junction Productions, David Solomini and Philip Segal's Crush+Lab and Simon Howley and Jon-Barrie Waddell's UK based Fired Up Films.

eOne was represented in the deal by Sidley Austin LLP; with ACF Investment Bank and Loeb & Loeb LLP for Blackfin. Blackfin is represented by WME.

About Entertainment One

Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. The Company s diversified expertise spans across film, television and music production and sales; family programming, merchandising and licensing; digital content; and live entertainment. Through its global reach and expansive scale, powered by deep local market knowledge, the Company delivers the best content to the world.

Entertainment One's robust network includes international feature film distribution company Sierra/Affinity; Amblin Partners with DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, and Reliance Entertainment; Makeready with Brad Weston; unscripted television production companies Whizz Kid Entertainment, Renegade 83 and Daisybeck Studios; live entertainment leaders Round Room Live; world-class music labels Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang; innovative music platform Audio Network; and award-winning emerging content and technology studio Secret Location.

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LINK:	https://www.entertainmentone.com/press/blackfin-joins-entertainment-on...
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