PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
Just for kicks: Former president of AOL TV Dermot McCormack, The Voice EP Audrey Morrissey, Ivan Dudynsky and Brandon Rochon are teaming for SNKR INC, a media company that will produce premium content based on the sneaker culture. “SNKR INC is built to reach young, influential consumers with engaging content that’s culturally relevant in their daily lives,” said McCormack. “With our unique positioning in the market as the only video-first sneaker channel, we are projected to distribute our content across all screens, including Apple TV, Amazon Fire, iOS and Android by the end of this year.”
ABC gave a pilot commitment to musical drama Harmony, from composer Stephen Schwartz, Five For Fighting’s Jon Ondrasik, Peter Paige and Bradley Bredeweg (The Fosters), Mandeville TV and ABC Studios.
Chris Morgan (Fast & Furious) sold 3 police dramas – Darwin’s Blade, MSU: Motorcycle Specialty Unit, and Walkaways, to NBC, via his Chris Morgan Prods. Morgan also has a reboot of Miami Vice, with Vin Diesel, at the net.
Our Digital Awards luncheon is one week away and just a few seats remain! Hosted by Oliver Trevena along with guest presenters Cathy Kelley (WWE), The Gregory Brothers, and Randy Rainbow, the event will announce the winners of the Model D Awards and highlight the Digital “It list” honorees. Check out the finalists/honorees + register before we sell out: http://www.cynopsis.com/events/model-d-awards-2017/
TNT is moving the season 4 debut of The Librarians up a week, to Wednesday, December 13 at 8p. Noah Wylie will recur in 7 of the season’s 12 episodes in the role he played in the TNT movie trilogy.
FX set a season 3 premiere date for Baskets. Comedy starring Zach Galifianakis returns Tuesday, January 23 at 10p.
Animal Planet greenlit a season 2 of I Was Prey, telling the stories of people who were brutally attacked and lived to tell the tale. Production begins this month.
Open wide: Investigation Discovery debuts Deadly Dentists on Friday, November 24 at 9. Three-parter tells the true stories of dentists involved in murder.
SundanceTV true crime docu-series Cold Blooded: The Clutter Family Murders premieres as a 2-night event on Saturday, November 18 at 9p, part of a “True Crime Weekend” that includes the digitally restored film version of Truman Capote classic In Cold Blood, chronicling the Clutter killings and investigation.
E!’s WAGS Atlanta kicks off the new year on Wednesday, January 3 at 10p, with 9 Atlanta-based wives and girlfriends of pro athletes living large in the ATL.
It’s all about reclaimed wood on Great American Country’s new series, Log Cabin Fever, debuting Tuesday, November 21 at 10p. Through 6 episodes, expert craftsman Charlie Norman and crew deconstruct antique log cabins and barns and use the salvaged beams to create new homes.
Vibrant TV added to its lineup of reality shows. Slate includes new series acquired from DRG, Snake Boss and Honey, I Bought the House.
Which political figure would you most like to see host Saturday Night Live this season? Let us know in the new Cynopsis poll: http://cynopsis.com/poll/.
COMING UP
The week after the premiere of A&E’s 2-part Biography special, Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography on Sunday, November 12 and Monday, November 13 at 9p, the net will air a Q&A special with victims advocate Smart about her months in captivity and journey to recovery. Dr. Drew Pinsky guides the discussion on Elizabeth Smart: Questions Answered on Monday, November 20 at 10p.
President Bill Clinton guests on TBS‘s Conan from Harlem’s Apollo Theater on Wednesday, November 8. It’s the first time Clinton has joined Conan O’Brien on the late nighter, and comes 25 years after his 1992 election victory.
Spanish-language edu-tainment net HITN is adding Doctor Nandi to its “Vida y Salud Television” program block, devoted to improving the health of the US Hispanic community. Talk show will broadcast with Spanish subtitles weekdays at 3p starting Monday, November 6.
HDNet Movies is offering “Bruce Dern’s Cowboy Collection,” hosted by two-time Oscar-Nominee Dern, every night at 7p Monday, November 20-Sunday, November 26, sandwiching an all-day Thanksgiving Marathon November 23. Among the 15 films are Dern and Kirk Douglas in Posse, Sam Peckinpah classics Ride The High Country and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, several films from the Magnificent Seven series and more.
Noticias Telemundo’s Enfoque con Jose Díaz-Balart presents “El papa con los latinos en la Red mundial de Scholas,” an international forum with His Holiness Pope Francison Sunday, November 5 at 5p.
Comedy Central isn’t taking the holidays seriously with 3 irreverent specials. Drunk History Christmas Special airs Tuesday, November 28 at 10p, I Came Up with Christmas: A President Show Christmas debuts Thursday, November 30 at 10p, and The Daily Show’s Yearly Show 2017 premieres Monday, December 18 at 11p.
NBC will air the 16th anniversary edition of The National Dog Show Presented by Purina on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, from noon-2p. John O’Hurley (Seinfeld) returns as host. Last year’s broadcast reached over 22 million total viewers.
Smithsonian Channel airs Make It Out Alive: USS Indianapolis on Sunday, November 12, centered on the events of July 30, 1945, when 2 torpedoes hit a ship heading towards the Philippines, leaving 900 people floating in shark-infested waters with no lifeboats, food or water.
The first round of presenters for The 51st Annual CMA Awards, airing Wednesday, November 8 at 8p on ABC, include NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson, model Karlie Kloss, Lea Michele (The Mayor), Tyler Perry and Trisha Yearwood, among others. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood repeat as co-hosts.
CASTING
The voice cast for Nickelodeon’s Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, debuting in 2018, includes Omar Miller (Ballers), Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation), Josh Brener (Silicon Valley), Brandon Mychal Smith (You’re The Worst) and Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries).
Added to the cast of CMT’s Nashville in recurring roles are Josh Stamberg (The Affair), musician Jake Etheridge, Rainee Lyleson (Love Is Now), Nic Luken (Ride) and Dylan Arnold (When We Rise). Drama returns January 14.
New cast members joining Antonio Banderas for season 2 of Nat Geo’s Genius, focused on Picasso, include Alex Rich (True Detective), Clemence Poesy (In Bruges), Robert Sheehan (Fortitude), Poppy Delevingne (KIngsman: The Golden Circle), Aisling Franciosi (Game of Thrones) and Sebastian Roche (Young Pope).
KIDS CORNER
Portfolio Entertainment acquired CBC KIds-commissioned animated mystery-adventure series Addison from executive producer Charles Bishop of Halifax’s Six Eleven Media. STEM-centric series targets kids aged 4-6.
VIDEOS IN SHORT
A documentary short in support of Paul McCartney’s “Meat Free Monday” campaign is now on YouTube. The film, which also features Emma Stone and Woody Harrelson, who narrate and share facts about the impact of livestock agriculture on climate change. “Meat Free Monday encourages people to not eat meat at least one day a week with the hope that if enough people do it and the idea spreads, it will make a difference,” said Sir Paul.
DIGITAL DATA
The Measurement Rating Council and the IAB Tech Lab updated their digital video ad impression measurement guidelines, in a document available for a 30-day public comment period. If you have questions about that 25-page update, or anything else related to a topic that’s never been more important to the media industry – or more complex and confusing – you’ll want to register for the Monday, November 13 webinar, Solving the Digital Ad Measurement Challenge. CEO and executive director of the Media Rating Council George Ivie will moderate a lively, audience-interactive discussion with experts from the ANA, the 4A’s and the IAB.
Season one of Rosehaven will be available to stream on SundanceNow starting Thursday, November 30. Season 2 of the Australian comedy launched on the linear net last month.
Ownzones Media Network struck a strategic digital partnership with Zoomin.TV, which targets Generation Z viewers, to build at least 10 dedicated Zoomin.TV apps that will allow the publisher to penetrate the mobile and OTT space. Zoomin.TV will create content for Ownzones’ media content and network platforms.
Zag’s Zak Storm – Super Pirate has launched on Netflix, coinciding with the release of Bandai America’s toy line, for a connected play experience via the show, toys and mobile game. Series launched in fall 2017 on Discovery Family and Sinclair Broadast Group’s KidsClickTV.
Cannabis news, entertainment and lifestyle OTT channel 420TV, set to launch in January, signed TV personality and social entrepreneur Quddus Philippe (Total Request Live) to host Cannabiz, a series exploring cannabis industry innovators.
Streaming service Crackle acquired rights to Federal Offense, an original movie from Boundless Pictures that will star Chevy Chase as a foul-mouthed grandfather who breaks out of his nursing home.
GOING GLOBAL
Armoza Formats’ The Bubble, already in 8 countries, will pop in Finland with production company Moskito. The format isolates contestants from the world for a week (no phone!) and when they emerge, they have to guess what really happened while they were away.
Germany’s Tel Munchen Group grabbed international rights outside of Italy to the Italian TV adaptation of The Name of the Rose, from Rupert Everett (My Best Friend’s Wedding) and John Turturro (The Night Of).
ADVERTISING & AGENCIES
A 90-second Honda ad during last night’s Will & Grace starred Sean Hayes as Jack, his W&G character, as well as the voice of Megan Mullally as Karen. A 30-second version of the spot will air across NBCUniversal properties through Symphony, NBCUni’s cross-platform offering. Honda is the first advertiser to create content around the revived comedy.
Sponsorship spending on Major League Baseball and its 30 teams totaled $892 million in the 2017 season, up 7.9% from the previous year, according to ESP research. That’s versus projected estimates of +4.1% in 2017 North American sponsorship spending and +4.3% in overall sports spending.
The Weather Channel retained SpicyTequila as a consultant on targeted advertising, advising the net on advertising strategies including addressability, localization and additional creative products.