Hugh Marks and Carl Fennessy outfit Dreamchaser has inked multi-year development and production deals with three of the country’s leading non-scripted producers.
Debbie Cuell, Leigh Aramberri and Emma Lamb will work with the studio as producer partners, developing new TV/streaming projects for its factual and entertainment divisions. Dreamchaser will then serve as EP on all projects and take them out internationally.
Former Nine CEO Marks and former Endemol Shine Australia co-CEO Fennessy launched Dreamchaser in April with the backing of Endeavor Content. Both a production and distribution business, it aims to drive global projects with creative partners.
As Marks explained to IF on launch: “We’re not simply employing people and asking them to come in and produce work that we might we perhaps might have developed or sold.
“We’re really asking them to come in so we can invest in them and help them creatively push their own boundaries and limits to try and create work that we can take to the international stage together.”
Cuell, formerly of ESA, was the executive producer of the ABC’s International Emmy Award-winning Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds and Nine’s Ambulance Australia, and will be an executive producer partner at Dreamchaser across documentary and factual entertainment. Her projects will be made through both the studio and her own banner, Sparkle Pictures.
In a statement, Cuell said: “With the global explosion of demand for premium content, for me there’s never been a better time to create and produce original programs, and to launch my own Production label Sparkle Pictures in partnership with Dreamchaser.
“With Carl and Hugh’s combined industry expertise, and my creative and program making skills, I’m just so excited about the future and what we can produce together. Here’s to programs that make a difference to society, entertain audiences around the world, and win awards!”
Both Lamb and Aramberri will be executive producer partners in non-scripted.
Aramberri, who joins from ITV Studios Australia, has been a part of The Voice since its inception a decade ago, working as the show’s executive producer for the past seven seasons and helping to produce spin offs The Voice Kids and The Voice
Generations. His other credits include Masterchef, Australia’s Next Top Model, The
Apprentice, Project Runway, The Biggest Loser and The X Factor.
“It’s an exciting time in television to be creating original content and I couldn’t be more
thrilled to be doing that than with Carl and Hugh at Dreamchaser,” Aramberri said.
“It’s a dream itself to be part of a team that fosters such a large scope for creativity and I look forward to the quality of programming that it will bring.”
Lamb was co-executive producer on ESA’s Married At First Sight for four years, and more recently she executive produced Netflix’s Byron Baes for Eureka Productions. She will launch her production label Mischief Maker as an exclusive partnership with Dreamchaser in late July.
“It is a true privilege to be given the opportunity to bring a fresh slate of compelling unscripted programming to life,” said Lamb.
“I am thrilled to partner with the brilliant team at Dreamchaser to deliver new, internationally minded formats with a mischievous edge, that will capture the imagination of audiences worldwide.”
Joint CEOs Marks and Fennessy said: “Leigh, Debbie and Emma are three of Australia’s most dynamic, trusted and admired non-scripted executive producers. They have an incredible track record of multigenre success, and each brings a deep commitment to creating programs with integrity, authenticity and creative excellence. We’re proud to welcome them to Dreamchaser as executive producer partners as they launch the next phase of their careers. We can’t wait to share their programming with Australia and
the world.”
Dreamchaser is expected to make further producer partner announcements in the coming months.