Producers from Netflix's 'Million Dollar Beach House' explain how the Hamptons real-estate reality series came together behind the scenes

Netflix has been on a roll with reality shows like "Too Hot to Handle," "Love Is Blind," and "The Circle." 

Its latest series, "Million Dollar Beach House," which premieres on Wednesday, takes an inside look at selling homes in New York's elite Hamptons real-estate market. The show's release at the end of a summer when some wealthy New Yorkers sought solace from the pandemic in those seaside communities potentially sets the stage for another hit.

"Million Dollar Beach House" is the latest in a slate of home-renovation and property series that Netflix has been working on. Brandon Riegg, vice president of non-fiction programming and comedy specials, told Business Insider earlier this year that Netflix planned to push further into the category in 2020 after getting its feet wet with shows like "Selling Sunset."

Similar to "Selling Sunset," the new Hamptons-based series follows a group of high-powered brokers at a firm, Nest Seekers International, during their work lives, which sometimes spill over into their personal lives. 

Two producers on the show told Business Insider what it was like to develop the series with Netflix, which took more of a docu-style approach than the real-estate shows you'll find on cable TV. 

"When you go through the experience, you can see why Netflix is Netflix," said Eddie Shapiro, executive producer on the show and founder of Nest Seekers, whose brokers have featured and starred in other shows like "Million Dollar Listing." "There's a true docu-experience that they look to have and that is something that definitely stood out."

Nick Rigg, who heads up unscripted at DiGa Studios, started talks with Shapiro about 18 months ago for a show that would lift the veil on the real-estate market in the Hamptons, an area that personally fascinated both producers. 

"The Hamptons has some of the most exciting, most beautiful real estate in the country, possibly in the world," Shapiro said. "There are homes there that, if and when they ever get to market, they may be valued at a half a billion dollars, based on today's rates."Rigg, who's produced shows like "House Hunters International" and "Tiny House Nation," already had a relationship with Netflix and thought of the streamer while he and Shapiro were creating the concept. They then pitched the idea to Nathan Wolfe, Netflix's head of non-fiction coproductions, who shepherded in the show.

"Netflix felt like a natural home for it," Rigg said, "because the show is somewhat of a hybrid model of a show — it's not all a docu-soap and it's not all a heavily formatted show — it's somewhere between the two."

Rigg and Shapiro said the concept didn't change much from what was originally pitched, though the handful of Netflix execs working on it were very involved and supported the producers throughout the process.

The Netflix execs encouraged the Nest Seekers team to show the real-estate process as authentically as possible, even when it pushed the brokers, designers, and other cast members outside of their comfort zones.

"We live through a lens these days; everything is on social media," Shapiro said. "But, on the other hand ... discretion and privacy is important to us and sometimes to our clients. So it's a constant pull and push between this uncomfortable feeling of, 'I'm a private person. This is a private experience,' to the, 'Wait, this is also how the world is today.'"

The series shows the fails, attempts, and almost-wins in real estate, along with the successes. It also exposes some of the personal lives of the cast members, including one broker who was expecting his first child during filming, and was feeling the pressure to support his family.

When it came to casting, the Netflix team looked for a mix of personalities, including successful brokers and underdogs, Shapiro said.

Netflix's binge format, in which a full season is released simultaneously, also freed the production up to show the sales process more faithfully, Rigg said. Had "Million Dollar Beach House" been made for cable or broadcast TV, the show would've needed a real-estate transaction or definitive result to close out each episode. In reality, it can take a year or more to sell some high-end homes. 

"We were able to be less worried about that, and therefore focus on the dynamics and drill down into how they're approaching each home," Rigg said. "I think it creates a more nuanced show ... Every home has a very unique story, a different story because we didn't have to follow any formula."

Shapiro, who has used entertainment to build brand recognition for his firm for the past decade, said he hopes 20 million to 30 million people will watch the show globally in its first few weeks. He said cameras are set to roll on season two shortly, if the show is successful. 

"The feedback that I'm getting is that everyone at Netflix is very excited about the show," Shapiro said.

Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.

Source: Business Insider

New Netflix series has curb appeal

Patti’s eyes narrowed to a slit as she surveyed her freshly “staged” home, with a sixsomethingmillion asking price. She looked past that artful temporary décor, past that “bonus” third story view that looked out over that bonus heated Gunite saltwater pool and Roman spa, then past that fabulous view of Sag Harbor Cove, past the sailboats and azure ocean, even past (albeit perhaps fleetingly) that potentially huge pile of money. “I’m not digging it,” says Patti — we never do learn her last name — of the staging, then further elaborates with, “Holy [expletive]. I [expletive] hate it.”

Cue to broker Michael Fulfree, a Nesconset native and one of the stars of Netflix’s “Million Dollar Beach House,” which dropped Wednesday — and yup, the guy who did the fateful staging. Words fail him momentarily but his skin does appear to mottle ever so slightly. Michael clearly is not looking past that potentially huge pile of money.

HOT MARKET

This scene in an early episode happened last summer when “Beach House” was taped, but it may as well have happened yesterday. The Hamptons real estate market remains hot — hotter, in fact — up 27% alone this past spring in median sales prices, although the so-called “Patti Shack” can still be yours for $6 million. The world has changed over the past year — and how — but don’t tell the Hamptons or “Million Dollar Beach House.” Nonetheless, a six-part series devoted to the Hamptons’ ultraluxury market? Now? “Obviously nobody expected the world to be what it is now,” says executive producer (and Manhasset native) Tony DiSanto, “but what I’ve found is that sometimes you’re surprised about what works during a specific period of time.”

And what works on TV, notably the unscripted real estate genre, which continues to boom. The third season of the Netflix hit “Selling Sunset” dropped Aug. 7. Bravo’s long- running “Million Dollar List- ing” remains a subgenre unto itself but there’s also “Flip or Flop” (Hulu) and “Sell This House!” (A&E) and “Love It or List It” (HGTV) and “The Vanilla Ice Project” (DIY), to name a few. Viewers want this stuff even if some can’t meet their own monthly mortgage nut. Surprising, or maybe just counterintuitive?

“People are locked in their apartments and want to escape and there is escapism in this,” says DiSanto. “It might be totally out of step with the world but people want to break out, if only in their minds, and that’s what these kinds of shows can do.”

Like “Sunset,” “Beach House” is a hybrid, designed to sell as much as entertain, and what’s being sold here is Southampton-based real estate giant Nest Seekers International, which recently launched its own TV program division of which this is the progeny. (“Million Dollar Listing New York’s” Ryan Serhant, arguably the best- known personality in the genre, is one of Nest Seeker’s 1,500 employees.)

Nevertheless, “entertain” is the tricky part, and that’s where DiSanto comes in. He changed TV and the culture in the mid-aughts as MTV pro-gramming chief with shows like “The Hills,” “Laguna Beach,” “Run’s House” and — before leaving to start his own production company, DIGA Studios — “Jersey Shore.” “I always liked to get shows that take you inside an interest- ing world or subculture,” he says, but especially those that “were relatable and aspirational. That’s what worked best with [a show like] ‘Laguna Beach.’ You get past the amazing setting [and] realize that everyone is going through something you, the viewer, can relate to.”

Eddie Shapiro, the chief executive of Nest Seekers, said in a recent phone interview that he launched the program division because “first and foremost there’s this perception that real estate agents put a sign up on your property and we find buyers, but we represent big development projects and very expensive homes [and] there’s a lot more that goes into it than you would think.

“The other thing that’s happened with media and TV programming in general,” he adds, “is that people want to know how things are made.”

What gets made in “Million Dollar Beach House” are deals, or at least the schmooze that goes into making them. Along with Fulfree — a former high school football defensive player, and model, whose wife was expecting during taping last summer — the other cast members are Commack native Peggy Zabakolas, a veteran broker who has recently joined the Hamptons office; Noel Roberts, a newbie (and the sole African American of the group) who likes to “push buttons,” most notably Peggy’s in the first season; Jimmy Giugliano, Nest Seeker’s veteran and wise elder of the office who usually appears off-camera to explain real estate arcana or the quirks of his fellow brokers; and JB Andreassi, a Dartmouth foot- ball standout and Water Mill native who has returned home after a brokerage career in Manhattan to work with Michael, his close friend since high school (St. Anthony’s of South Huntington).

“Million” follows them as they learn the ropes, or rather the properties — nice ones, like 6 Olde Towne Lane, Southampton (asking $40 million) or 21 Kellis Way, Bridgehampton ($6.99 million.) A beach-front mansion on Marine Boulevard in Amagansett plays a key role in the early episodes after Noel decides to list it at $35 million — about $10 million too much, per his arch nemesis Peggy, who bristles at his arrogance while he in turn bristles at her pushiness.

READY FOR THEIR CLOSE-UPS

They’re all impeccably dressed, telegenic and ready for their Netflix close-up, but at leastin the early episodes, the camera seems to seek out Andreassi, 30, a bit more than the others. In a telephone interview, he said Shapiro called him into an impromptu meeting at a Star- bucks in early 2019, where his new boss informed him that “ ‘I guess you heard ... we’re thinking about you for the show.’ “I said, ‘What show?’ ” Shapiro said back then “there were a number of [employees] under consideration” to join the cast “but sometimes those that you think are going to be comfortable on camera don’t work out so well.” While this wasn’t a problem for these core five, Andreassi admits this “is all so new to me and I went through this five- minute stretch when I had the blanket up over my head” when he watched for the first time Wednesday. But “they did it right.” And yes, he and Shapiro are hoping for a second season and promise they have more than enough material if they get one. “Overall, wealthy people are as wealthy as they’ve ever been and they continue to get wealthier and wealthier,” says Shapiro. “They often move and act on impulse, and if they feel it’s time, and want to go after [a house] they will.” “The Hamptons [are] definitely on steroids. You couldn’t ask for better times.”

Source: Newsday

‘Million Dollar Beach House’ Team Talks Noel and Peggy, Hamptons ‘Brand’ and Why It May Take Years for Marine Blvd to Sell

Any time Eddie Shapiro, president and CEO of international real estate firm Nest Seekers International, has the opportunity to put his company’s listings and brand in front of millions of viewers across the world, he says he wants to take it.

After having employees on such shows as Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing New York,” the firm is now taking center stage in Netflix’s “Million Dollar Beach House.” The new streaming series is six episodes featuring five of Nest Seekers’ young, “next generation” of brokers trying to get new listings and close sales in the Hamptons between Memorial Day and Labor Day 2019.

“It gives you incredible exposure; it’s a subject of conversation; it’s brand, brand, brand all around,” Shapiro tells Variety. “It becomes easy to penetrate foreign markets because you come in with the credibility and [recognition] of, ‘It’s those guys from that show.'”

The Hamptons — the almost-120 mile long east end of Long Island — has become predominantly known for its vacation culture and celebrity inhabitants and, as such, its real estate market is both opulent and busiest during the summer months, when people flee the oppressive humidity of Manhattan for ocean breezes and acres of land on which to golf, play tennis and/or throw lavish parties.

All of this is captured in the first season of “Million Dollar Beach House,” as cameras follow the brokers as they work with buyers and sellers in homes that range from approximately $6 million all the way to Marine Blvd., a custom-built home that one big-dreamer (Noel Roberts) wants to put on the market at $35 million.

“It’s the American Dream [to have] that white picket fence — this is just on a much larger scale,” says showrunner Paul Yuan.

“We wanted to go for the ‘wow’ factor. We wanted to show spectacular homes. Sure, there are plenty of homes in the Hamptons that are much more modest, and the brokers had other listings — many listings that were much more attainable — but we wanted to show great properties and that’s why we set that bar where we did,” adds Nick Rigg, executive producer and head of unscripted content, Diga Studios. “It’s escapism: ‘This is what I could get, if only — if only I won the lottery or made it big. The Hamptons is a brand. It’s its own character in that sense.”

Historically, the Hamptons has also been an enclave for wealthy (white) New Yorkers, but as the years have gone on, buyers have flocked in from the West Coast, as well as internationally, notes Rigg. As the clientele has changed, so too have the agents.

“Million Dollar Beach House” focuses on just a slice of Nest Seekers International’s employee roster — and a smaller slice than they originally intended, notes Shapiro, who says “there were a number in the beginning who ran for the hills after the cameras were involved.” The producers of the show wanted to capture “diverse entry points” into the world of Hamptons’ real estate, says Rigg, which is why they were glad to have J.B. Andreassi, who grew up in the Hamptons and was “coming home,” as well as Roberts and Peggy Zabakolas, Esq., who entered the Hamptons market after years of success in the city. They could balance Michael Fulfree and James Giugliano, who were already hitting the ground running with some decent sized properties at the start of the season.

“Traditionally it has been an older group that has made up the brokers out there, but we were interested in the fresh faces in this highly-competitive market because of the challenges they were going to face as they’re building themselves into the market,” says Rigg. “Old Hamptons real estate was predominantly male. [Peggy’s] coming in from the outside as a strong woman and she’s trying to put her mark on it. The season ends with her driving off into the sunset vowing to take over, and should we get a Season 2, I think she’ll make good on that promise.”

“Million Dollar Beach House” manages to avoid the stereotypical melodrama of the men feeling threatened when a woman enters their world, in part because Peggy is far from the only woman at the company (although she is the only one with cameras currently following her). But that is not to say there is not a competitiveness in addition to the collaboration the team claims to celebrate.

“They’re all jockeying for position — so many agents fighting for same listing,” notes Yuan. “What’s interesting about Hamptons real estate in general is it’s much more relationship-based than I think other markets [can be]. The agents have to exude the lifestyle. It becomes a very highly-competitive market, but on the surface they make it seem like they don’t break a sweat.”

Andreassi makes it clear to the cameras that he is concerned when Giugliano starts bringing Roberts into deals, having believed he was Giugliano’s main guy, but doesn’t seem to want to make as many waves with his co-workers. Similarly, Zabakolas stays mum when she is close to landing a major client that Giugliano and Andreassi were both courting. However, right off the bat in the premiere episode, seemingly unprompted, Fulfree indicates he has an issue with Roberts and when Zabakolas has an issue with the way Roberts speaks to one of her clients — a potential buyer for Marine Blvd. — she calls him out directly.

“Peggy is very literal in the way she works, so it was a tug-of-war between them when Noel was being more evasive, and that played out,” Rigg says.

The producers believe Roberts “cultivates” a “man of mystery” persona in both his personal and his professional life and they wanted to capture that but not necessarily dig underneath it to see who he is when the mask slips — or in his case, the sunglasses come off.

“He’s happy to present this image that you’re not quite sure what it is. He actively works for that. And when you’re a newcomer into a group, many of whom have known each other for many years, they’re going to question, ‘Who is this guy? What’s he up to? Does he have an ulterior motive?’ He keeps his cards close to his chest,” says Rigg.

Still, the show managed to capture a bit of the man behind the mystery when his twin brother Joel Roberts visits and reveals “a little bit more about Noel than Noel was projecting,” including the real pronunciation of his name, Riggs points out. Moments like these “dropped in our lap,” he says, but were included to show off different sides of agents in such high-pressure scenarios. Similarly, Yuan points out that the timing of Fulfree’s son being born during filming was just serendipitous but important to show just why he was working so hard. Such personal stories, he adds, “tie in the world that could be, for a lot of people, unattainable.”

And it is not just potential buyers who may have a hard time attaining such high-end properties but the brokers themselves.

“They are commissioned workers and the competitive nature of the industry can be tough. I don’t mind being more real about it,” says Shapiro. “The format of our show is not about, ‘Here’s 12 houses [and] here’s the beginning, middle and end,’ meaning we listed it, marketed it and closed the deal in two phone calls — because that’s not a true depiction of how our business works. The truth is, certain properties can sit on the market for a year to two years — some even longer.”

In other words, if Marine Blvd. takes a few years to sell, that would neither be unexpected nor problematic.

“If Season 1 is about landing the listing, then subsequent seasons would be about closing some of those,” says Rigg.

“Million Dollar Beach House” is streaming now on Netflix.

Source: Variety

DIGA Studios Launches New Podcast Division DIGA Sounds

Inaugural Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology podcast, ‘Heavy Metal Presents: WonderWerk,’ includes episodes written by David Arquette, Cliff Dorfman, Dan Fogler, George C. Romero & more

NEW YORK, NY (August 4, 2020)— Content studio and production company DIGA Studios today announced its new podcasting arm, DIGA Sounds.  The division, focused on creating compelling scripted and unscripted audio content, debuts alongside the launch of its first podcast production, Heavy Metal Presents: Wonderwerk, with two additional interview-format podcast series slated to drop later this summer.

“Podcasting opens up a whole new world of opportunity for us to create, innovate, and incubate a wide range of concepts,” said Tommy Coriale, Head of DIGA Studios. “It also allows us to forge exciting partnerships with industry heavyweights, and sets us up for extraordinary content that can both live on its own or be expanded to TV and film."

WonderWerk is a scripted anthology series, featuring episodes written by David Arquette & Cliff Dorfman, Dan Fogler, George C. Romero, Brendan Columbus, Ron Marz, and Bart and Michelle Sears. The podcast was created in collaboration with Heavy Metal Entertainment, as part of the ongoing partnership between Heavy Metal and DIGA Studios.

DIGA’s expertise brings a cinematic sophistication to the audio realm in WonderWerk, giving life to the narratives of science fiction, horror, and fantasy through immersive sound design, original music and intense action. The WonderWerk podcast is available now on all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts, with new 15-minute episodes dropping every Tuesday. The trailer can be found here.

"DIGA Studios was founded on creative diversity and the ability to bring exciting ideas to life in whatever medium best suits the vision,” said Tony DiSanto, CEO of Allyance Media Group/President of DIGA Studios. “Wonderwerk is an anthology of short stories dreamed up by a slew of incredibly talented minds, and as a lifelong horror fan, I could not be more thrilled that this is the inaugural podcast for DIGA Sounds.”

In addition to WonderWerk, DIGA Sounds has two additional podcast series slated for release later this summer.  Mindspace, created in collaboration with Heavy Metal Entertainment and hosted by journalist Geoff Boucher, uses comic book mythology as an entry point to explore the inspiration and creative process of entertainment’s biggest names. Badass Jews, co-produced with MaggieVision, is an interview-format series, hosted by comedian Aaron Berg who dives into history and heritage, combining real-life, often comical stories of growing up and thriving as a Jewish person in America. 

ABOUT DIGA STUDIOS:

DIGA Studios is a next-gen content studio committed to captivating storytelling across formats, genres and platforms. Founded by former MTV President Tony DiSanto and staffed with a deep bench of industry innovators, DIGA Studios’ productions are marked by a rebellious and sometimes subversive pop sensibility that resonates with youthful audiences worldwide.  Past hits include “Teen Wolf” and “Scream”, while current productions run the gamut from lifestyle programs, such as “Million Dollar Beach House” on Netflix, to game shows, such as “Hot Ones: The Game Show” for truTV, to scripted formats, including “50 States of Fright”, executive produced by the legendary Sam Raimi. DIGA Studios is a wholly owned subsidiary of ALLYANCE Media Group, with more information available at www.digastudios.com.

ABOUT ALLYANCE MEDIA GROUP:

ALLYANCE Media Group was founded on the belief that world-changing experiences come from creative collaboration. Through its wholly owned subsidiary DIGA Studios, AMG partners with brands, talent and producers to bring great stories to life across formats, genres and platforms including television, film, publishing and podcasting.

ABOUT HEAVY METAL:

First published in 1977, Heavy Metal, the world's foremost illustrated fantasy magazine, explores fantastic and surrealistic worlds, alternate realities, science fiction and thriller, in the past, present and future. Writers and illustrators from around the world take you to places you never dreamed existed. Heavy Metal was the first magazine to bring European legends Moebius, Tanino Libertore, Philippe Druillet, Enki Bilal, Pepe Moreno and Philippe Caza to the U.S. as well

as showcasing American superstars Richard Corben, Jim Steranko and Bernie Wrightson. The magazine continues to showcase amazing new talent as well as allowing established creators to have "carte blanche". Heavy Metal Magazine is now published six times per year. Most issues feature one or two serialized graphic novels, several short stories, and two artist galleries. Recent creators have featured Grant Morrison, Stephen King, Bart Sears, and Tim Seeley.

With new CEO Matt Medney at the helm, Heavy Metal promises to boldly go where no magazine has gone before. Explore ancient secrets, forgotten worlds and savage futures...experience Heavy Metal.

ABOUT MAGGIEVISION PRODUCTIONS

An award-winning, full-service production company known throughout the industry for delivering impactful film, television and digital content. MVP’s footprint in sports television is unmatched. The company produces the ESPY Awards for ESPN, and the NFL’s flagship award show “NFL Honors,” as well as documentaries for ESPN, Showtime, and a slew of other networks.

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Netflix’s ‘Million Dollar Beach House’ Trailer: It’s Like ‘Selling Sunset,’ Just 3,000 Miles East

Need another fantasy real-estate show packed with mansions and melodrama? Of course you do, and Netflix’s “Million Dollar Beach House” is happy to deliver.On Wednesday, the streaming giant released the trailer for its “Selling Sunset”-East-esque series, which kind of has an underselling title considering the actual price tags of beach houses in the Hamptons. We’re not even sure you could get a mobile home in Montauk for that kind of money.Guess we’ll find that out over the course of Season 1’s six episodes, which premiere Aug. 26 on Netflix.

Here is the logline, which we definitely did not write — especially that last sentence:

“Million Dollar Beach House” is a bird’s eye view into the day-to-day life of the Hampton’s youngest and most exclusive group of real estate agents, documenting their private lives and posh coastline listings. With 2,500 realtors working the Hamptons market, earning a listing is fierce competition. Nest Seekers reps to-die-for, multi-million-dollar properties and not without personal drama between agents. Throughout the series, five brokers hustle from Memorial Day to Labor Day to buy and sell properties for their clients. From appeasing sellers who are unhappy with home staging to cutthroat open houses where agents are going after each other’s clients, “Million Dollar Beach House” has all the views, all the schmooze, and brokers with a lot to lose.

Watch the trailer via the video above.

Paul Yuan is the showrunner on the Diga Pictures series, which has a six-episode order. Yuan executive produces alongside Tony DiSanto, Tommy Coriale, Nick Rigg and Eddie Shapiro.

Below are the featured brokers’ bios.

Michael Fulfree
Former model and office sweetheart, Michael has been with Nest Seekers for the past year and just brought on his best friend JB as a new realtor. Michael’s wife is pregnant and due any moment which adds to the stress of his already stressful realtor life.

Jimmy Giugliano
Nest Seekers lead who has been in the industry for more than 10 years. Jimmy has his hand in all the super-luxe properties and acts as a mentor to the team, but when JB asks if he’s ready to take on his own listings, Jimmy tells him he needs to keep learning, making JB question whether Nest Seekers is the right place for him to excel.

Noel Roberts
From Minnesota, Noel is a recent addition to Nest Seekers and chose to work in the Hamptons because of the great lifestyle and high income-earning potential. He’s seen as pompous by some of the other realtors and clients but is a no-nonsense broker who isn’t afraid to push buttons, especially Peggy’s.

JB Andreassi
Previously in the financial industry, JB recently moved back home to the Hamptons and just got his real estate license. New to Nest Seekers, JB has the support of his best friend Michael as he navigates the Hamptons housing scene. Knowing he’s ready to take on his own listings, he reaches out to Jimmy to discuss his future but Jimmy shuts him down saying he still needs time to learn and he questions whether Nest Seekers is the right place for him.

Peggy Zabakolas
Peggy, a 10-year broker veteran, just transferred to the Nest Seekers Hamptons office after working in NYC. She was tired of referring clients to other brokers in the Hamptons and thought she should take advantage of these listings herself. A tough negotiator (she’s also a lawyer) with a huge rolodex of clients, she has friction with Noel and doesn’t like the idea of back door conversations.

Source: The Wrap

Dylan Sprouse On the Deeply Personal Meaning Behind His New Comic Book 'Sun Eater'

Dylan Sprouse will soon be able to share his new passion project with his fans.

The 27-year-old actor chatted with ET's Leanne Aguilera about his new comic book, Sun Eater, a partnership with Heavy Metal Magazine and DIGA Studios, set to be released in July. Sprouse has been working on the nine-issue saga for half a decade, and it's a tale that is very personal to him.

"I started writing this five years ago because I was kind of in a place mentally where I felt like I needed to get some sort of story out from myself to better understand the scenario that was happening," Sprouse explained. "So I started writing something that I just knew I loved, which was fantasy genre."

Taking place in ninth century Norway, Sun Eater follows a drug-addled warrior who sacrifices his leg to the gods. In return he is fused with a parasitic beast, giving him the power to rescue his son from his sworn enemies -- history’s first Norwegian king and his five personal guards. The result is a grim and bloody adventure -- a dark metaphor for drug addiction, selfishness, and the children it affects. It is illustrated by Diego Yapur.

The project, Sprouse said, has let him open up to his fans like never before. While he explained that he doesn't generally talk about his family, the main character, Kveldulf, is written for and based on his mother, Melanie Wright.

"My own mother is influencing the main character, basically one for one in a lot of ways," Sprouse explained. "His interactions with other characters, his compulsions, his ability or inability to kind of navigate the world around him is really all informed by my real-life happenings that I've encountered with my own mother."

While Sprouse didn't go into detail about his family life, he said that after posting a video to his Instagram in which he shared that it was based on his home life growing up, "I had a huge amount of comments."

"Not only are the ones in support, but also people who are in similar situations and growing up in similar households," he said. "And I found that really, really nice. What I hope for Sun Eater in general is that not only is it a story that's interesting and entertaining to people who like this kind of genre, but also that it's a little bit of a cautionary tale, and it empathizes with people who were raised in similar situations, and that it creates a dialogue between all of us."

Since he's been working on it for years, Sprouse has shared Sun Eater with his twin brother, Cole, as well as his father, Matthew, but admitted that he hasn't shown it to his mother. Sprouse noted that he would often do readings with Cole and show him and his father artwork.

"We've been doing readings of Sun Eater over the years, and as I've continued to get artwork back and I've formulated it a little more, a lot of the times, these conversations that we have about this subject matter is what fuels the next 'episode' or issue that I've been writing," he shared. "So, it's been a lot of talk and a lot of refining."

Meanwhile, Sprouse says that Sun Eater is "a very dark and bloody, and a little bit sexual, story, as well. Given the nature of [publisher] Heavy Metal, which is kind of a perfect union in this way,  [it's] is a dark metaphor for drug addiction, and also how these things pass on to your children."

"I quickly realized that when I was writing it, that this story was only in part my own," he expanded. "That I was writing this, not from a perspective of what I think that interaction was like, but really what I hoped that interaction could have been, and how I hoped that the main character Kveldulf could have been, or had the same amount of dexterity and follow-through with their ideals that my mother didn’t have."

Diego Yapur / Heavy Metal

"It has been challenging, yes. But it’s very cathartic," the former Disney Channel star added of his experience writing the comic book. "And the only thing I hope when people read this … is that they read it for what it is, which is a personal story that hopefully extends a little greater than that. It’s cautionary ... and it says something about that experience, and they take away something from it. And if they don’t, that’s OK, because I think I was still able to get it out and grow from the story. All in all, it’s been less challenging and more rewarding."

For more on Sun Eater, watch the video above. Sun Eater is available for preorder now via https://shop.heavymetal.com/collections/suneater, with the first issue starting to ship July 17. The series will also be available in select comic retail stores starting Aug. 7.

Source: Entertainment Tonight

SUN EATER IS AN INTENSE, DARK, AND PERSONAL NEW COMIC FROM DYLAN SPROUSE AND HEAVY METAL

A drug-addicted warrior in ninth-century Norway sacrifices his leg to the gods, replacing it with a parasite that gives him great and terrible power. It's a dark, intense premise for a story — a far cry from, say, a Disney Channel series about two twins and their "suite life." But, for author Dylan Sprouse, it's a very personal one, and it's a saga he's excited to tell when Heavy Metal and DIGA Studios release the first issue of his comic, Sun Eater.

"I've learned that people kind of want to 'trial-by-fire' me," Sprouse tells SYFY WIRE, reflecting on the possible expectations people might have for his comic book debut — or any of his non-acting endeavors. "I generally live up [to expectations] because I don't really give a f*** about what those people think anyway — excuse my French. But, the truth is, no, I don't feel the need to prove myself. I feel the need to get out a good story that's from my heart and one that I think is interesting, and I think other people will take something away from."

"I love fantasy-action and I wanted to create something that would appeal to newer fans of the genre while tackling an elevated story," Sprouse said in a press release. "The characters I wrote are from actual tales and bardic songs, and the story is about the adult, dark, grotesque, and somber world of Sun Eater and its desperate, faulty protagonist."

Sun Eater, a Heavy Metal Original, is illustrated by Diego Yapur and will hit comic store shelves in August. It is largely inspired by the folk stories that Sprouse's Scandinavian-American grandparents told him and his brother, Cole, while they were growing up, as well as the 27-year-old's own faith as a practicing Heathen. And, of course, a longtime appreciation for comic books.

"I grew up particularly being a Marvel fanboy," Sprouse says, adding that his favorites were Iron Man and Avengers titles. (He's fine with Thor, for the record, saying he views Thor comics as a Pagan the way "a Christian would think of, like, a Jesus comic book. I'm sure it would be fun to read, and I did read them growing up.") Eventually, Sprouse became an avid reader of many Oni Press titles, including Black Metal. It was Charles Burns' acclaimed comic Black Hole, a unique coming-of-age story about a sexually transmitted disease that causes mutations, that really showed Sprouse what comics could be.

"When I read Black Hole, that kind of changed my complete perspective on what comics were doing," Sprouse says. "The story and the setting just blew my f***ing mind."

Sprouse has been working on Sun Eater in various forms for half a decade now, and the resulting title combines all of his influences and beliefs to create something new. Readers may think they know what to expect from a comic about Vikings or Norse mythology, but Sprouse promises Sun Eater will stand out — especially because of his collaboration with Heavy Metal.

"I think the story stands on its own, because many of these stories, of a similar nature, stand on their own," Sprouse says. "But I will say that the one that we're making here, particularly, couldn't be made anywhere else."

Source: SyFy Wire

Dylan Sprouse Teams With Heavy Metal & DIGA Studios On Comic Book Series

Dylan Sprouse has teamed with sci-fi and fantasy magazine Heavy Metal and Allyance Media Group’s DIGA Studios to bring his self-written comic book series to the page. The project is the first collaboration under DIGA Studios and Heavy Metal’s recently announced partnership, which aims to bring Heavy Metal content to film, television, podcasts and more.

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody alum Sprouse wrote and developed the as-yet-untitled comic book series over the past four years. It is described as “a deeply personal tale, drawn from his profound Viking enthusiasm and Norse Pagan affinity” and will fall under the Heavy Metal umbrella. Sprouse will executive produce the project.

Per producers, the project will initially be published as a comic book series, but DIGA’s goal is to eventually take it off the page and onto the screen and beyond.

Sprouse first shared the project with DIGA Studios, who brought it to the attention of Heavy Metal.

“I have always been a huge gaming and comic book fan, and this project has provided me with such a creative outlet that has developed into a true passion,” says Sprouse, who has a background in video game design, poetry, and studio design. “The story is close to my heart, inspired by my past experiences and the bedtime sagas my Scandinavian American grandmother used to read me.”

As an actor, Sprouse starred as Zack Martin on Disney Channel’s The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and its spinoff, The Suite Life on Deck.

Sprouse is repped by UTA and Authentic Talent and Literary Management. The partnership deal was negotiated by Tommy Coriale for DIGA Studios, Matthew Medney for Heavy Metal, Jonathan Ehrlich from Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, and David Markman from DLA Piper.

Source: Deadline

DIGA Studios, Roman Way Productions secure development pod deal

Tony DiSanto‘s DIGA Studios, an Allyance Media Group company, has reached a pod deal with Roman Way Productions for scripted and unscripted content development.

Under terms of the deal, DIGA will serve as the exclusive production partner for all projects to stem from the partnership with Teresa Sorkin and Frank Rainone’s Roman Way.

The New York-based Roman Way was founded in January 2019 by Rainone, an established filmmaker and producer (Me and the Mob, A Brooklyn State of Mind), and Sorkin, a producer, writer and ex-journalist for RAI Television. Sorkin has previously overseen such unscripted series as A&E’s Cement Heads and previously collaborated with DIGA on MTV’s Girl Get Your Mind Right.

The deal was negotiated by Tommy Coriale, head of DIGA Studios, and Scott Kaufman, talent agent at Buchwald.

“At DIGA, we’re constantly looking for compelling characters and stories to bring to life for our distribution partners. Teresa’s exceptional storytelling skills and nose for amazing characters coupled with Frank’s keen eye behind the camera were an opportunity we simply could not pass up,” said Nick Rigg, head of unscripted at DIGA Studios, in a statement. “We’re looking forward to developing a surprising and fun cross section of talent-driven projects with the two of them.”

“I am so excited to be working with DIGA and Tony DiSanto again. While he was at MTV, he bought my very first show and has always been a pioneer and visionary in this space,” added Sorkin, co-Founder of Roman Way Productions. “Frank and I are ecstatic to be joining the talented team at DIGA where we will collaborate and develop engaging content across all platforms.”

DIGA has most recently inked storytelling alliances with Heavy Metal Magazine, Nest Seekers International and Complex Networks.

Source: Reelscreen

'Heavy Metal' Teams With DiGa for Film, TV and Podcast Development

Giovanni Maisto/Heavy Metal

The deal aims to adapt the 40-year-old property in new ways.

Building on recent new hires, sci-fi brand Heavy Metal is expanding its reach outside of comics via a new partnership with Allyance Media Group’s DiGa Studios, intended to bring original Heavy Metal content to television, film and more.

As part of the deal, DiGa Studios will serve as the production company for all Heavy Metal material beyond print — with plans to develop content from the past 40-plus years of the magazine’s back catalog for film, television and podcasts — while Heavy Metal will take on the role of DiGa’s preferred publishing partner. Both parties also plan to co-develop new properties for multiple platforms.

“I grew up as a fan of Heavy Metal magazine, and remember wearing out the videotape of the 1981 film, so this is a dream come true for me,” said Tony DiSanto, founder and CEO of Allyance Media Group, in a statement. “Heavy Metal’s stories, characters and art have had a tremendous impact on the sci-fi and fantasy genre globally, and we can’t wait to collaborate on creating new content together across all mediums.”

“Taking Heavy Metal off the page and onto the screen has been a core focus for us,” added Heavy Metal CEO Matt Medney. “Through this partnership, we’ll be able to activate this exciting proposition, bringing together passionate creators who care about great stories to create memorable experiences. A flagship for DiGa is their ability to think farther than the screen — the possibilities are endless for what we can imagine, and who we can imagine with.”

“At DiGa Studios we are always looking to find new opportunities that will excite and challenge us creatively. This multi-dimensional partnership with Heavy Metal is an exciting new chapter in our story," said Tommy Coriale, head of DiGa Studios. “From the first meeting with Matt and the Heavy Metal team, I knew they were going to be an amazing strategic partner in our drive to expand our footprint in scripted content, podcasts and publishing.”

Heavy Metal launched in 1977, has been continually in publication since its debut. Among the creators it has featured include Richard Corben, Pepe Moreno, Walt Simonson, Bernie Wrightson and Grant Morrison.

The deal was negotiated by Matt Medney, Tommy Coriale and Shawn Strickland, president of Allyance Media Group.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

DIGA Studios, Chris Ramsay team to develop magic-focused content

Tony DiSanto‘s DIGA Studios, a division of Allyance Media Group (AMG), has partnered with magician and YouTuber Chris Ramsay to develop unscripted content for TV and digital distribution.

Ramsay (pictured) will leverage his social media following of more than 3.5 million subscribers to create magic-based content that infuses tricks and illusions with a “modern flair.”

For one concept, Magic: Impossible, Ramsay challenges various magician friends to survive the “craziest and most outlandish” situations they can think of, using magic as their only means of escape.

Drawn from challenge cards, teams will be tasked with participating in one of the following: a survival challenge, an Amazing Race-style challenge, a ticking clock challenge, or a prank challenge. Journalist and author Ian Frisch will executive produce.

“As a lifelong fan of magic, I have been following Chris Ramsay’s incredible career for some time, and am beyond excited to get the opportunity to develop this project with him,” said DiSanto, CEO of AMG and president of DIGA Studios, in a statement.

“He is a true pioneer in the new generation of magicians who spread magic through social media and YouTube, expanding its reach and inspiring millions to take up the art.  And most of all, Chris has a unique creative vision and sensibility—his videos are infused with a great sense of humor, fun, and an ‘anything can happen’ feel, which are all key attributes we want to bring to this show.”

Source: Realscreen

TruTV Orders ‘Hot Ones: The Game Show’ Based On Web Talk Series In Deal With Complex Networks

TruTV has given a 20-episode series order to Hot Ones: The Game Show, based on Complex Networks’ hugely popular web talk series, with Sean Evans as host. Additionally, the network has licensed episodes of the original digital series, created and produced by Complex Networks’ First We Feast. The series, featuring A-list celebrities became a phenomenon with more than a billion views over its 10 seasons. Hot Ones: The Game Show, produced by DIGA Studios, goes into production later this fall with a premiere date planned for early next year.

Hot Ones: The Game Show will air on truTV as part of a Hot Ones hour each week, with one episode of the game show followed by one episode of the original First We Feast digital talk show, also hosted by Evans.

In each half-hour episode of Hot Ones: The Game Show, two teams of two face three rounds, banking as much cash as they can to compete for the grand prize. Contestants will be quizzed on pop-culture trivia while chowing down on wings slathered in increasingly spicy sauces as their mental and visual skills are tested and they become completely disoriented.

The team with the most cash at the end of all three rounds moves on to the finale, The Ring of Fire. Five flaming rings stand between the teammates and the cash, and they must work together to solve a password game, with each successful clue extinguishing another ring of flames as they get closer and closer to the money—and the antidote for their burning mouths. If the teammates fight through the pain and guess five correct passwords in 90 seconds, they’ll win $25,000 in cash and claim their places as Hot Ones legends!

“Fans around the world have tried creating their own versions of the Hot Ones challenge for years, but there’s nothing better than the real thing,” said Brett Weitz, general manager TBS, TNT, and truTV. “We’re going to up the stakes, and take this show to a whole new level of heat.”

“Our Hot Ones interview show is all about deconstructing celebrities and making them seem like normal people,” said Sean Evans, Host of Hot Ones and Hot Ones: The Game Show. “With Hot Ones: The Game Show, we’re excited to flip the script and give everyday people the chance to achieve hot sauce glory.”

“With Hot Ones, we were able to redefine the celebrity interview with the addition of violently hot chicken wings,” said Chris Schonberger, General Manager of First We Feast. “Now, we’re excited to team up with the pros at truTV and DIGA to create a great game show format, supercharged with the spice and offbeat sensibility of the original series.”

Hot Ones: The Game Show is produced by DIGA Studios. Scott St. John is the showrunner and executive producer, with DIGA’s Tony DiSanto, Tommy Coriale, Nick Rigg and Sean Evans executive producing as well. Michael Bloom also serves as executive producer for Bongo Pictures while Chris Schonberger and Justin Killion serve as executive producers for Complex Networks.

Source: Deadline

Rachel Brosnahan, Travis Fimmel, Christina Ricci Among 9 Cast In Quibi Horror Anthology Series '50 States Of Fright'

Courtesy; Shutterstock

Quibi has given a green light to 50 States of Fright, a horror anthology series, from Gunpowder & Sky’s ALTER horror brand, DIGA Studios and executive producer Sam Raimi (Spider Man, Army of Darkness). Cast includes Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Warcraft: The Beginning),Christina Ricci (Monster, Z: The Beginning of Everything), Jacob Batalon(Spiderman: Homecoming, Spiderman: Far From Home), Ming-Na Wen (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, The Mandalorian), Taissa Farmiga (The Nun, American Horror Story), Asa Butterfield (Sex Education, Hugo), John Marshall Jones (The Last Revolutionary, Rectify) and Ron Livingston (Loudermilk, A Million Little Things), who each will star in an episode of the upcoming series.

The first season will explore stories based on urban legends from Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon and Washington taking viewers deeper into the horrors that lurk just beneath the surface of our country.

Raimi and Debbie Liebling (Pen 15, Plus One) executive produce through POD 3 along with Van Toffler, Tony DiSanto, Cody Zwieg, Barry Barclay, Tommy Coriale and Chris Mangano.

Following are details of each episode with cast.

Brosnahan, Fimmel and Jones will star in “The Golden Arm” based on a famous urban legend out of Michigan, co-written by Sam Raimi and Ivan Raimi (Army of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell) and directed by Sam Raimi.

Ricci and Batalon will play lead roles in “Red Rum,” which follows the storyline of Colorado’s scariest story.

Wen will star in “America’s Largest Ball of Twine,” based on Kansas myth.

Farmiga and Livingston will co-star in “Almost There,” Iowa’s frightening folklore, which will be written and directed by Iowa natives Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place, Haunt).

Butterfield is cast as the male lead in “Grey Cloud Island” a chilling tale from Minnesota.

“The driving force for us as a studio is to foster the careers of emerging talent by marrying them with proven innovators,” said Van Toffler, CEO, Gunpowder & Sky. “With 50 States of Fright we sought out a diverse group of breakthrough performers and fearless horror visionaries and partnered them with Sam Raimi to oversee the creative process. This winning formula ensures we’ll get a s-load of scares.”

Additional writers/directors include: Yoko Okumura (Facets, Fed Up) to direct; Sarah Conradt-Kroehler (Out of Her Mind) to write; Mae Catt (Transformers: Cyberverse)to write; Isa Mazzei (CAM) & Daniel Goldhaber (CAM) to write and direct; Cate Devaney (Sinister, Deliver Us From Evil) to write and direct; Greg Hale (Avengers, Iron Man) to write; Ryan Spindell (Two Sentence Horror Series) to write and direct; Adam Schindler (Intruders, Delivery: The Beast With Within) and Brian Netto (Delivery: The Beast Within) to write and direct; Alejandro Brugués (Juan of the Dead, Nightmare Cinema) and Eduardo Sánchez (The Blair Witch Project, Queen of the South) to write and direct.

Source: Deadline

Screamfest Horror Film Festival Menu To Begin With ‘Eat, Brains, Love’ As Opening Film

EXCLUSIVE: The 2019 Screamfest Horror Film Festival has taken a bite out of Eat, Brains, Love, setting the Rodman Flender-directed zombie romantic comedy as its opening-night film. The annual genre fest will run October 8-17 at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood.

Eat, Brains, Love, which world premiered last month at the UK’s Frighfest, is about Jake (Jake Cannavale) and his dream girl Amanda (Angelique Rivera). The good news is she finally knows his name — but the bad news is both contracted a mysterious sexually transmitted zombie virus and devoured the brains of half their senior class.  A teen psychic (Sarah Yarkin) sent by the government’s top-secret Necrotic Control Division is sent to track them down. Patrick Fabian also stars.

Mike Herro and David Strauss wrote the script based on the novel by Jeff Hart. The pic is produced by Tommy Coriale, Tony DiSanto, Brian Hoff, Van Toffler and Cody Weig.

Here’ the first wave of the lineup:

Eat, Brains, Love
Directed by Rodman Flender. Written by Mike Herro, David Strauss. Produced by
Tommy Coriale, Tony DiSanto, Brian Hoff, Van Toffler, Cody Weig. (USA) – North American
Premiere. Based on the living dead road trip novel by Jeff Hart, a gory, funny, surprisingly engaging zom-rom-com from Rodman Flender. The good news: Jake’s dream girl, Amanda, finally knows his name. The bad?It’s because they both contracted a sexually transmitted mysterious zombie virus and devoured the brains of half their senior class. Now both are on the run from Cass, a teen psychic sent by the government’s top-secret Necrotic Control Division to track them down as they search for a cure while weighing up the existential question of who really deserves to be eaten alive. With Jake Cannavale, Angelique Rivera, Sarah Yarkin, Patrick Fabian.

The Deeper You Dig
Directed by Toby Poser and John Adams. Written by Toby Poser and John Adams. Produced by Toby Poser. (USA) – West Coast Premiere. When a murderer tries to hide his guilt, he learns that love can’t be buried. With Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, John Adams, Shawn Wilson.

Immortal
Directed by Jon Dabach, Danny Isaacs, Tom Colley, Rob Marglies. Written by Jon Dabach. Produced by Jon Dabach, Rob Margolies. (USA) – Los Angeles Premiere. A chilling horror/thriller anthology film, Immortal boasts career-best performances from Tony Todd, Dylan Baker, Robin Bartlett, Samm Levine, and Agnes Bruckner. Thrown into the face of death only to emerge unharmed, the characters of Immortal are left staring at their lives in the face with uncertainty and fear like they’ve never imagined. With Tony Todd, Dylan Baker, Samm Levine, Robin Bartlett, Agnes Bruckner, Vanessa Lengies, Brett Edwards, and Lindsay Mushett.

Kindred Spirits
Directed by Lucky McKee. Written By Chris Sivertson. Produced by Ash Christian, Michael Moran. (USA) – West Coast Premiere. Chloe, a single mother in a relationship with Alex, has her life turned upside down when her younger sister, Sadie, comes home after a long, unexplained absence. Though Sadie seems to want to settle in with her sister and 17-year-old niece (becoming quite a handful herself), she’s actually a deeply disturbed young woman who has a sinister agenda regarding anyone who gets between her and her big sister. With Caitlin Stasey, Sasha Frolova, Macon Blair and Thora Birch.

She Never Died
Directed by Audrey Cummings. Written by Jason Krawczyk. Produced by Jennifer Mesich. (USA) U.S. Premiere. Lacey, a socially detached loner is cursed with immortality and her never-ending tedium of existence. In her attempts to keep her compulsions in check, she seeks out the darkest souls humanity has to offer. Lacey must now face her own inner demons while simultaneously finding her next meal. With Oluniké Adeliyi, Peter MacNeill, Kiana Madeira Michelle Nolden and Noah Danby.

Swing Low
Directed and written by Teddy Grennan. Produced by Marsha Oglesby, Heath Franklin, Teddy Grennan, Bennett Krishock. (USA) – Los Angeles Premiere. When a nature photographer explains to the Police how she fought her way out of the Watchatoomy Valley, they dismiss her crazed and violent story as a meth-induced nightmare. But when they discover that she’s telling the truth, it’s too late. With Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Bruce Dern, Robert Longstreet, Ross Partridge, Michael Weaver.

Trick
Directed by Patrick Lussier. Written by Todd Farmer, Patrick Lussier. Produced by Ita Kennedy, Ellen S. Wander. (USA) – North American Premiere. On Halloween night in 2015, Patrick “Trick” Weaver massacred his classmates at a costume party. After being arrested, he managed to escape police custody, but not before being shot five times by Detective Mike Denver (Omar Epps). Everyone believes Trick must be dead, but when a masked killer reappears the following Halloween, and every Halloween after that, they realize the nightmare is not over. With Trick wreaking havoc and killing innocent people in increasingly terrifying ways, Denver will stop at nothing to finish what he started and bring the carnage to an end. With Omar Epps, Ellen Adair, Kristina Reyes, Jamie Kennedy, Tom Atkins.

The Wretched
Directed and written by Brett Pierce, Drew T. Pierce. Produced by Ed Polgardy, Chang Tseng. (USA) – Los Angeles Premiere. A defiant teenage boy, struggling with his parent’s imminent divorce, faces off with a thousand year-old witch, who is living beneath the skin of and posing as the woman next door. With John-Paul Howard, Piper Curda, Jamison Jones, Azie Tesfai, Zarah Mahler, Kevin Bigley.

Source: Deadline

Tony DiSanto’s Allyance Media Taps Verizon Veteran Shawn Strickland as President

Shawn Strickland, a veteran of Verizon and Complex Media, has joined Tony DiSanto’s Allyance Media Group as president. In the role, Strickland is heading up business operations and spearheading partnerships for the multiformat media and production company.

DiSanto and financier Matthew Bruderman formed Allyance Media Group last year. The New York-based company encompasses DIGA Studios, the production shingle DiSanto and Bruderman acquired back from the U.K.’s ITV. DIGA, the company behind “Teen Wolf” and “Scream,” has multiple productions in development including “50 States of Terror” from executive producer Sam Raimi for Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman’s Quibi.

Strickland, who quietly started at AMG this past February, previously spent more than two decades at Verizon or Verizon-affiliated companies (including Complex Media, a joint venture between the telco and Hearst). He helped land Allyance Media Group’s financing and production partnership with real-estate giant Nest Seekers International. Under that pact, the companies are jointly developing and producing unscripted real-estate lifestyle formats, partially funded by Nest Seekers, for TV and streaming distribution.

“Shawn is an incredible person to work with. He has the perfect mix of the business side and the creative side,” DiSanto said. “This moment in time feels so exciting as a content creator. It feels like the next iteration of the cable and home-video explosion in the ’80s.”

Strickland said he first began working with DiSanto and DIGA Studios two years ago, when he was Complex’s EVP of development and distribution. “When Tony launched AMG to capitalize on the rapidly increasing demand for content, I had to be part of it,” said Strickland. “Among independent producers, AMG is uniquely poised to pair creative storytelling with innovative business models as a major point of difference for global distribution platforms.”

AMG currently has three shows in development with Nest Seekers, including a real-estate show set in a beach community for a “global streaming platform,” according to Strickland. The pact was inspired by Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing” reality show from World of Wonder Productions, which has featured Nest Seekers power broker Ryan Serhant.

The series with Nest Seekers are a form of branded content, a model Strickland said helps offset total production costs. AMG is currently in talks with brands in other categories about similar deals. “This lets us come to market faster and preserve the value of the intellectual property,” Strickland said.

DiSanto said co-production partnerships with brands represent a potentially big new growth area for Allyance Media Group. “I felt for us to succeed as an independent production company… we wanted to be creatively fluid and diverse, but also fluid in terms of our business model.”

The company’s other key personnel include Tommy Coriale, head of DIGA Studios, who was recently named AMG’s EVP of production and reports jointly to Strickland and DiSanto. The team also includes head of scripted A.J. Morewitz (who hails from Lionsgate Television); head of unscripted Nick Rigg, Stacey Altman, SVP of unscripted development; and Andrew Portnoy (formerly with Viacom) as SVP of production.

At Complex Media, Strickland led the commissioning of more than 300 hours of premium programming. Prior to joining Complex in 2016, he served in a number of leadership roles at Verizon, including head of product strategy and innovation and head of video products. He also led the original team that launched FiOS TV across the telco’s footprint and served as CEO of Redbox Instant by Verizon, the short-lived streaming-video JV with Redbox. Strickland holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and an MBA from Columbia University.

Pictured above: Shawn Strickland (l.), Tony DiSanto

Source: Variety.com