BBC Studios has announced that it has secured a global first-look deal outside of Australia with Big Owl Pictures, the Australian production company founded by Shaun Murphy, ahead of BBC’s annual Showcase event.
The multi-year deal offers BBC Studios a first look on Big Owl Pictures’ slate of original factual entertainment and entertainment formats and a commitment to co-develop paper formats through BBC Studios global production network, including LA, UK, France, Germany and Nordics.
Murphy, Big Owl Pictures CEO and executive producer has extensive experience in the industry serving as executive producer at Shine Australia and six years as head of television at Warner Bros Australia, where he was responsible for executing The Masked Singer, The Bachelor, First Dates, Who Do You Think You Are, Back In Time For Dinner, Celebrity Apprentice, The Bachelorette, Little Big Shots, Dancing With The Stars and many more.
Murphy also executive produced Australia’s Next Top Model, Dying For Everest, the syndicated Coolfuel Roadtrip and produced the Emmy-nominated Crips & Bloods: Made In America.
Matt Forde, managing director of international production and formats BBC Studios, said: “Shaun has an incredible track record in Australia producing some of the country’s most watched and talked about formats in recent years. We are really excited to work with the Big Owl Pictures creative team to bring their dynamic slate to a global audience.
“We are thrilled to be working with producers outside the UK in this way for the first time and are keen to partner with exceptional creatives like Big Owl, wherever they are in the world.”
Murphy, CEO at Big Owl Pictures, added: “The ability for BBC Studios to take Big Owl’s IP onto the world stage is magnificent, they are truly unmatched with their quality of shows and range of genres. Working with the entire BBC Studios international team to broaden out our formats is a terrific prospect and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership for both companies.”
BBC Studios has a number of first-look format deals with UK independent producers such as Magnum Media, producers of The 1% Club which been successfully adapted in six international markets, Jay Blades’ Hungry Jay Media, in addition to a development deal with Joe Sugg’s Final Straw.
BBC Studios also has equity investments in Mothership, Expectation and recently took full ownership of Voltage TV.