Active TV

MarVista Entertainment collaborates with Australia’s activeTV

A new agreement between US television producer/distributor MarVista Entertainment and Australian producer activeTV will see one of MarVista's most successful childrens formats developed for the Australian market.

MarVista's vast catalogue includes dozens of television series, feature films, TV movies and documentaries. The Los Angeles based company, which has production offices in Boston, is working with activeTV to identify content with potential to be developed into hits down under.

"We've been impressed by the work activeTV has been doing in the region with The Amazing Race Asia and also their annual Carols in the Domain Family Christmas specials," said MarVista's founding partner
and CEO Fernando Szew.

"The Amazing Race Asia is a ratings winner in its markets and activeTV has maintained the vision and production values of the original in their overseas translation," said Fernando.

"Prank Patrol is the first of MarVista's formats to be licensed by activeTV for Australian rights," said activeTV's President Michael McKay.

Prank Patrol, from Canadian-based company Apartment 11, is a reality show for kids that gives them the opportunity to play pranks on their friends or family, with the help of the Prank Patrol ‘Ninjas' and the host. The series is a hit in Canada where 104 episodes have aired on Discovery Kids Canada and YTV. 30 episodes were also produced for the BBC in the UK.

"It's a great way to start our relationship with MarVista. Prank Patrol is so popular because it's cheeky and appeals to a child's sense of humor, it doesn't preach but sets out to entertain kids.

"As a father of three kids, I appreciate how important it is to provide them with light hearted entertainment," said Michael, who will also lead the production as Executive Producer.

"I'm sure that Australian kids will react with the same buy-in as Canadian and British kids have," said Michael.

MarVista Entertainment's producer and distributor structure is unique. They represent thousands of hours of multi-format content as distributors, which provides the leverage to produce their own.

"As an independent company, we are fundamentally about partnerships to expand the depth and breath of programming we offer. This is a perfect example of this. We are finding the best local partners to properly exploit the wonderful format created by one of Canada's creative forces in Apartment 11. This alliance with activeTV is based on mutual respect and a synergy of ideas," said Fernando.

activeTV brings a wealth of experience producing across sports, events and reality programming. The company was established in Sydney, Australia in 1998 and gained a significant place in the industry producing multi-format content. They recently expanded by establishing an operation in Singapore in a joint venture with The Amazing Race's co-creator Bertram van Munster, from which the two international Race franchises are produced.

activeTV and MarVista are strongly considering the successful Surprise! It's Edible Incredible! as the second project to bring to Australia, another one of Apartment 11's formats. The series peers into kids fridges and lifestyles, highlighting unhealthy eating habits and suggesting appealing alternatives. Each episode culminates
in a cook-off in a boxing ring.

"It's Edible! is an example of the innovation that drew us to an association with MarVista," said Michael. "It's an entertaining concept which also has the potential to educate and help to address childhood obesity, which is a very real issue."

"We are delighted to be working closely with this energetic company."

ABOUT activeTV
activeTV is one of the leading independent production companies in Australia and now, in Asia. activeTV produces the biggest reality television series in the region: The Amazing Race Asia and is now translating that success into a version for Israeli television. activeTV also produces Woolworths Carols in The Domain, broadcast annually on the Seven Network, as well as world class sports coverage of the Australian leg of the World Superbike Championship and V8 Supercars.

activeTV was founded in Sydney in 1988 and is a respected and trusted brand on the television industry landscape.

ABOUT MarVista Entertainment
MarVista Entertainment is a Los Angeles based leading independent producer and distributor of features and family entertainment programming. The company was founded in September 2003 and is helmed by Fernando Szew, the company's CEO, Michael D. Jacobs, President, Joseph Szew, COO/CFO, and George Port, Executive Vice President. Now in its fifth year, MarVista's library features over 2000 hours of programming.

The company's flagship primetime series, Beyond the Break, a co-production with MTV Networks The N and Brookwell McNamara Entertainment (Even Stevens, That's So Raven) has been sold
to all major territories across the globe and is broadcast on leading terrestrial channels. In early 2008, MarVista entered into an agreement with Spain's Drimtim Entertainment to executive produce three new movies, Reflections and Hidden Camera, co-produced with Gestmusic Endemol Spain and Antena 3, and for which MarVista will serve as the exclusive worldwide distributor, excluding Spain.

Additionally, MarVista has become well established as a provider of television movies to leading cable networks in the U.S., with over twenty television movies produced or executive produced by the company broadcast on Lifetime Television Network, NBC Universal Television and ABC Family. The success of these movies has translated into extensive program sales across the globe on numerous terrestrial and pay television platforms.