BANIJAY GROUP S ZODIAK RIGHTS ANNOUNCES FIRST LOOK FINANCE AND TV DISTRIBUTION DEAL with ARISE PICTURES

Zodiak Rights, part of the Banijay Group the world's largest independent content creation group for television and multimedia platforms, has today confirmed a first look finance and distribution deal with Arise Pictures. The multi-year deal is anticipated to garner $150m of scripted content across Arise's slate, highlighting Banijay Group's plans to further expand its presence in the scripted marketplace.

Arise Pictures' original slate of programming was created and written by its co-founder, Los Angeles based British writer/director, David Raymond. Executive producer Chris Pettit, who co-founded Arise Pictures with Raymond, runs the business, finance and advisory operations of the production and finance company.

The deal was brokered by Zodiak Rights' Caroline Torrance and Chris Stewart and Arise Pictures' Chris Pettit.

David is brilliant at creating original, returnable series with global appeal and Arise comes equipped with a slate of content which perfectly aligns with the Banijay Group scripted strategy. We are delighted to be working together to utilize the international distribution channels of the newly merged group to help bring these projects to the market, said Tim Mutimer, Head of Distribution, Banijay Group.

David is a fantastic emerging talent and we're thrilled to be collaborating with such dynamic and creative partners. With the scripted market currently enjoying such expansion and diversification Zodiak Rights is continuing to build on its successes and future ambitions. We are truly excited by the prospect of working with producers with such distinct content, added Caroline Torrance, Head of Scripted, Zodiak Rights.

For me the great thing here is the creative support. By collaborating with a global partner we have been able to create a flexible commercial framework which puts the creatives first and molds the finance plan around the project's individual requirements. It's liberating and gives us a platform to focus on narrative and hopefully create content that audiences are going to want to return to, concluded David Raymond, Arise Pictures.

The first series under the deal is expected to go into production later this year. Further announcements are expected to follow.

Arise Pictures is repped by Stone, Genow, Smelkinson, Binder & Christopher. David Raymond is repped by United Agents in the UK.

The newly-created Banijay Group is 73.8% controlled by a company composed of St phane Courbit's LOV Group (50.1%) and DeA Communications - a company belonging to De Agostini Group (49.9%), with Vivendi owning 26.2% of the total Group.

Zodiak Rights' scripted programming includes: big-budget CANAL+ flagship drama Versailles; The Returned an International Emmy Award winner sold in more than 100 territories; Wallander the BAFTA award-winning drama series for BBC One starring Kenneth Branagh; Braquo the top-rating French drama; ground-breaking political suspense thriller Occupied; Irish uprising drama Rebellion for RTE in co-production with Sundance TV; as well as multiple award-winning dramas Underbelly and Anzac Girls among many others from Screentime Australia. The company will launch the highly anticipated Wolf Creek, a Stan Original Series produced by Screentime in association with Emu Creek Pictures, and Belgian drama Public Enemy at MIP-TV next month.

LINK:	http://www.banijay.com/banijay-groups-zodiak-rights-announces-first-lo...
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