The Canadian group consolidated this transaction, which will convert Abacus Media Rights into a Sphere Media company, which will operate under the name Sphere Abacus Media Rights.

Abacus Media Rights (AMR) will be acquired by Canada’s Sphere Media for a total consideration of $24.6 million following Amcomri Entertainment Inc.’s sale of the company. Sphere Media is partnering in this transaction with Bell Media, Canada’s leading media and entertainment company and current shareholder of Sphere Media.

The transaction became binding today and is expected to close in mid-August of this year, subject to customary conditions. Once closed, Abacus Media Rights will become a Sphere Media company operating under the name Sphere Abacus Media Rights.

AMR’s highly experienced sales and acquisitions teams will remain in the UK and continue reporting to Managing Director Jonathan Ford, who will join Sphere Media’s executive team reporting to Sphere Media CEO Bruno Dubé. AMR will continue to work closely with its existing worldwide client base, investing in and distributing productions with a renewed focus on growing its operations.

Robert Price of Amcomri Entertainment Inc. mentioned, “AMR’s carefully selected expansion of AMR’s diverse library of high-quality content has brought to life Amcomri’s passion for independent storytelling, and we wish Jonathan and his team the very best in this new venture. AMR’s collaboration with Sphere Media to Abacus’ current growth plans is creating a dynamic new force on the international stage.”

Jonathan Ford, CEO of AMR, commented: “I would like to thank Amcomri for their support as AMR has grown over the past few years. AMR has grown over the last few years. As we move into the next development phase, we are delighted to be joining Sphere Media Group, where, once the deal closes, we will operate as the international distribution arm alongside their leading production company. Our sales and acquisitions teams look forward to continuing our strong partnerships with independent production companies worldwide, investing in and establishing financing, and selling and pre-selling content in the global marketplace.”

Bruno Dubé, CEO of Sphere Media, said, “Sphere Media is a leader in our industry and is recognized for the quality of its productions both in Canada and internationally. Thanks to our creators and the expertise of the teams we have worked hard to assemble, we have achieved consistent success in recent years. For this reason, we were looking for a strategic partner to reflect and complement this quality regarding slate and reputation. Now that we are teaming up with Abacus Media Rights and its enviable range of partners, we look forward to exploring all possible collaborations and creative ventures to push the boundaries of what we can achieve together.”

La entrada Sphere Media Adds Distribution Capabilities With the Acquisition of Abacus Media Rights se publicó primero en TTV News.

The distributor has secured international distribution rights to the documentary Epstein’s Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell, which will premiere in June in the US on Peacock and the UK on Sky, and has already been sold to multiple territories, including Latin America to Directv and Spain to Movistar+.

Abacus Media Rights (AMR), a member of the Amcomri Media Group, has secured international distribution rights to the uncompromising documentary Epstein’s Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell, commissioned by Peacock in the USA and, through a deal brokered by AMR, Sky in the UK.

Produced by Blue Ant Studios, the 3 x one hour series investigates British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, known for her association with financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as she awaits trial on multiple sex abuse charges. Epstein’s Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell is directed by Barbara Shearer. Jennifer Harkness, Emma Cooper, Barbara Shearer, Nina Burleigh, Sam Sniderman and Laura Michalchyshyn serve as executive producers. Michael McKinley is co-executive producer.

Epstein’s Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell, which airs in the US on 24th June and in the UK on 28th June has already been licensed by AMR to Mediengruppe RTL (Germany), Nine Network (Australia), DIRECTV (Latin America) – for their exclusive OnDIRECTV channel, DIRECTV GO in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay; SALTO (France), Bell Media (Canada), Movistar+ (Spain), Channel 8 and DBS (Israel), Nordic Entertainment Group (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Poland and Baltics), MNET (Africa), WATCHA (South Korea), OSN (Middle East), TV+ (Turkey) and RTL Hungary with many more deals in the pipeline. The series will air on Sky in the UK with the revised title Ghislaine Maxwell: Epstein’s Shadow.

Jonathan Ford, CEO at AMR comments: “Blue Ant has a phenomenal track record of producing provocative and highly journalistic investigative documentaries. We’re extremely pleased to have the opportunity to deliver this new series, which will unravel the complex, enigmatic Maxwell and her puzzling relationship with Epstein, to global platforms and broadcasters and their viewers.”

“This is a story that has stunned the world, and understanding Ghislaine Maxwell is a crucial piece in getting to the truth,” said Blue Ant Studios Chief Creative Officer and Co-President, Laura Michalchyshyn, and Senior Vice President of Unscripted Content, Jennifer Harkness. “Our hope is that the powerful stories and information uncovered in this series will shed light on who Maxwell is, and help to inform viewers about the events that unfolded leading to her arrest and upcoming trial.”

Director Barbara Shearer comments: “There are many unfortunate stories of crimes committed by men against women, but when a woman like Ghislaine Maxwell is accused of this activity, it creates many questions. This series sheds light on Maxwell’s path from her past to the present to unravel the enigma that she is, and takes us from the highest echelons of society to a Brooklyn jail cell awaiting trial while the world watches.”

Absorbing three-hour documentary series Epstein’s Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell, examines the powerful, connected, and mysterious Ghislaine Maxwell, who was once the heiress to the Maxwell fortune but whose life takes a sordid downturn when she meets Jeffrey Epstein, the serial sex offender. This investigative series reveals a complicated story of power, sex, and money and leads to Ghislaine Maxwell’s arrest awaiting trial in November 2021.

La entrada Abacus Media Sells Epstein Documentary in Latin America and Spain se publicó primero en TTV News.

The international distributor announced new deals for its factual catalog across the region, to broadcasters including HBO Latin America, Globoplay in Brazil, Directv Latin America and Paramount Network.

Abacus Media Rights (AMR), a member of the Amcomri Media Group, announces a raft of factual programming sales to Latin American platforms as MIPCancun launches this week.

HBO Latin America has acquired 1 x 100-minute feature documentary Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn. Produced by LIGHTBOX and directed by Muta’Ali (Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee), the film tells the story of Yusuf Hawkins, a black teenager who was murdered in 1989 by a group of young white men in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Yusuf Hawkins’ death and the official response to it sparked outrage in New York, unleashing a torrent of racial tension and spurring tireless civil rights activism that exposed deep racial prejudices and inequities which continue to plague the USA today.

Directed by Nick Broomfield, Whitney Can I Be Me, a 100-minute one off documentary film, has been picked up by Globoplay (Brazil). Created with rare footage and exclusive live recordings, Broomfield’s film tells Whitney Houston’s incredible and poignant life story with insights from those closest to her.

The highly anticipated Lennon’s Last Weekend a film of the Beatles legend’s honest and heartfelt final interview has been acquired by DIRECTV Latin America for their exclusive OnDIRECTV channel and associated VOD for DIRECTV GO. Intertwined with footage and commentary from friends, this 65-minute feature documentary produced by MGMM Studios, is now available as December 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of John Lennon’s sudden death in New York.

Paramount Network Latin America has snapped up Margaret Atwood: A Word after a Word after a Word is Power, a revealing 92-minute documentary film from White Pine Pictures which takes a rare glimpse into Margaret Atwood’s personal world. Poet and novelist Margaret Atwood is a household name, yet few know the private Margaret. Atwood’s novels are explored, including her latest, The Testaments, the highly anticipated sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. Who is the woman behind these incredible stories?

Anton Romalijskij, Director of Sales at Abacus Media Rights who brokered the deals comments: “This eclectic mix of premium documentary films uses deep research, high production values and unprecedented access to reveal many unknown and compelling stories. We are very pleased that through these sales Latin American viewers will be able to access a unique insight into some extraordinary lives.”

These significant sales join other recently secured deals by Abacus Media Rights in Latin America including Discovery Latin America’s acquisition of Australian factual entertainment series Outback Lockdown; Globoplay (Brazil) and DIRECTV Latin America have picked up hard-hitting documentary People You May Know, with Globoplay (Brazil) on board to air coming-of-age, supernatural drama series Trickster.

La entrada Abacus Media Strikes New Sales in Latin America se publicó primero en TTV News.

Anton Romalijskij, Sales Director at Abacus Media Rights, spoke to ttvnews about the recently launched company and its initiatives for Mipcom.

In March of this year, with its sights set on Miptv, British distributor Abacus Media Rights, owned by Amcomri Media Group, was launched on the international market.

And while almost half a year has passed since then, the company is still a relatively new player, especially considering this strange 2020 marked by the coronavirus.

To learn more about its offer, objectives and news for Mipcom, ttvnews spoke with Anton Romalijskij, Sales Director at Abacus Media Rights.

“Abacus Media Rights distributes a diverse range of premium programming across scripted series, documentary series and features as well as non-fiction series”, the executive explained. “In short, we distribute entertainment that counts.”

However, since its recent launch, the company’s catalog has had a higher incidence of documentary and non-scripted content. “But our focus is also the scripted segment,” said the executive.

The company will participate in Mipcom Online+ with several titles, such as Canadian series Trickster, the documentary Diana: The Interview That Shook The World, British true crime series In The Footsteps of Killers, the documentary Lennon’s Last Weekend, the British docuseries The Real Manhunter; the real crime documentary Meet, Marry, Murder and the documentary series Inside the Mind…

The catalog also features true crime docuseries The Night Caller (4 x 60′), an Australian original production by Stan that has just been sold to Sundance Now in the US and Canada, Sky Crime in the UK and DR in Denmark.

Regarding its focus on the international market, Romalijskij explained that the Abacus sales team works with all territories, including Latin America and Spain.

“Latin America and Spain remain important territories for us and since the launch of Abacus in March this year we have signed multiple deals in these territories,” he said.

Indeed, since the distributor first launched, it has already landed sales with companies such as Movistar+ in Spain (which acquired Lennon’s Last Weekend), Directv Latin America (People You May Know), Discovery Latin America (Outback Lockdown) and Globoplay Brazil (Trickster, People You May Know, Whitney Can I Be Me).

And the same is true from the point of view of acquisitions. “Our acquisitions strategy also sees us looking internationally for content.”

Lastly, Romalijskij pointed out that in addition to “traditional” distribution, Abacus is currently looking for “opportunities” together with producers for other financing models such as pre-sales or developments.

La entrada Abacus Media Rights, a new British Player for the International Market se publicó primero en TTV News.