EXCLUSIVE: A new indie collective is out of the gate with four labels on board and discussions underway with others. Thirtyfour Media is the brainchild of former Banijay exec Joris Gijsbertse who told Deadline he has been working on the project for over a year.
The idea is Thirtyfour will act as a hub for indie prodcos and provide centralized support across development, production and distribution. Another key offering to the partner labels will be in the realm of format and IP acquisitions, with Gijsbertse providing intel and counsel.
Ideas can travel between the labels in the group, which is why the plan is to limit the Thirtyfour family to one company per territory. The initial focus will be on unscripted content and formats.
The quartet of companies on board at launch include Constantin Entertainment in Germany, which makes shows locally including LOL, and NewBe in Holland, whose local credits include Singletown. Denmark’s Laud People, which has formats such as Things My Dad Failed to Teach Me, and Constantin Entertainment Polska in Poland, which handles the local versions of The Farm and Kitchen Nightmares, have also signed up. Gijsbertse said discussions are underway with other indies in Europe.
London-based Thirtyfour has an advisory board comprising Tanja van der Goes, CEO of All Right Media and a former EndemolShine exec, and Boudewijn Beusmans, currently consulting at 3Rivers and formerly Chairman of EndemolShine in the Netherlands and Northern Europe.
Gijsbertse said that during a time of consolidation and commissioning slowdowns, and in which ad revenues are under pressure “there is no doubt indies need affordable options that support them in fulfilling their international potential.”
He will be CEO of the newly minted company and added: “As borders diminish, there has never been so much creative opportunity, but equally a need to tap into the broader production distribution ecosystem to effectively take ideas in, and out of markets. With Thirtyfour Media, producers not only preserve their DNA and maintain their freedom, but importantly have the space to focus on what they do best – create, sell and produce locally. We take care of the rest.”
