International distribution and TV and film financing start-up Escapade Media has hooked up with OmniLab Media’s production arm Ambience Entertainment.
OmniLab has taken an equity stake in Escapade, which also gets international sales rights to a number of Ambience's children’s TV series.
Escapade is negotiating with Australian producers to help finance and sell internationally a range of adult TV dramas, children’s, lifestyle and factual programs.
The founders of Escapade are Natalie Lawley as managing director, Anthony Mrsnik as director and Hamish Lewis as sales and development executive.
Until last year all three worked at the ABC, where Lawley was manager of content sales at ABC Commercial, Mrsnik was its manager of international acquisitions and business development and Lewis worked in ABC sales and acquisitions.
“We decided to get together because we all have a passion for the business and we enjoy working together,” said Mrsnik, who had known Lawley since he worked for the Showtime pay networks as director of legal and business affairs and was shopping the miniseries Cloudstreet to prospective buyers.
He says Escapade is keen to talk to drama, lifestyle and factual program makers to help finance their projects and arrange pre-sales. The firm is working with Showrunner Productions in developing Status: Vacant, a series that will examine the background of abandoned towns and locations across the world. A yet-to-be-named host will attempt to uncover the mystery behind the town, unveiling a mix of travel, culture and history.
It’s a non-exclusive arrangement with OmniLab, which is headed by managing director Matthew Street and executive producer Michael Boughen. Among the Ambience titles the firm is handling are kids’ shows Kitchen Whiz, Jay’s Jungle and Food Ball plus the features Dying Breed and The Loved Ones.
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