Bunim/Murray Productions (BMP), a Banijay Group Company and producers of The Real World, Project Runway and Keeping Up with the Kardashians franchises, and Insight Productions, Canada’s foremost production company and producers of the smash-hits The Amazing Race Canada, Battle of the Blades and Big Brother Canada, today announced a joint development deal. The focus of the creative partnership will be on developing new formats across multiple genres including entertainment and competition series for the US, Canadian and international markets. In addition, the companies will exploit existing BMP and Insight formats. Julie Pizzi, Co-President of Entertainment and Development at BMP, and Jane Rimer, Chief of International Business & Creative Development at Insight Productions, will oversee the partnership.
“We have collaborated with Insight several times, have deep respect for what John Brunton, Barb Bowlby, Jane Rimer and the Insight team have done over the past few decades and thought it was time to formalize a strategic relationship between our two like-minded production companies,” said Bunim/Murray Productions Chairman and CEO Gil Goldschein. “There is an increased appetite for high-quality global formats, and with our combined expertise, we see huge opportunity.”
“Insight is thrilled to partner with our good friends at Bunim/Murray,” said Insight Productions Chairman and CEO John Brunton. “Our companies have very similar DNA, and since we’re both so focused on continuing to diversify and expand our slates, the timing makes perfect sense. Bunim/Murray essentially invented reality television as we know it, and we have enormous admiration for Gil and his team and the amazing work they have produced over the last 30 plus years.”
Zodiak Rights will handle international distribution for all formats.
