Banijay Americas in partnership with Everywoman Studios commissions Geena Davis Institute to conduct the first-of-its-kind study on womens’ inclusion in the unscripted business.
Cannes, 17 October 2023: Media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, today launches a brand-new global accelerator program, designed to exclusively support women creators with promising unscripted formats. Unveiled at a prestigious breakfast in Cannes for MIPCOM 2023, Banijay Launch is geared towards discovering and incubating untapped talent, to support the next generation of global franchise makers.
Initiated by Sharon Levy, Chief Executive Officer, Endemol Shine North America, and co-led by James Townley, Chief Creative Officer, Development at Banijay, Banijay Launch will provide a selected women mentorship by Banijay’s global collective of creatives to aid them in developing bold new formats from concept to pitch to sale, thereby supercharging the group’s burgeoning pipeline.
Conceived as an enterprise-level strategy to address gender inequity and fuel creativity, Banijay Launch will seek out undiscovered formats with international appeal, from an incredible pool of undiscovered women across the globe, providing a new opportunity for Banijay to further diversify both its talent and IP worldwide.
Banijay Launch was inspired by the Propelle program, a female-focused accelerator initiative created and developed in 2020 by Everywoman Studios’ CEO, Abby Greensfelder. With Levy and Endemol Shine North America partnering for two consecutive years with Everywoman Studios and Realscreen on the program, the pair have established a long-standing working relationship. Greensfelder consulted on the creation of Banijay Launch and will join the judging panel for the initiative’s inaugural year.
To support the program, Banijay Americas has commissioned a first-of-its-kind study with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, in partnership with Everywoman Studios. The institute is the only global data-driven, non-profit that researches diversity, equity, and inclusion onscreen in media and entertainment to mitigate unconscious bias, while fostering inclusion, and systematically reducing negative stereotyping. The ground-breaking study will investigate women’s inclusion in creative leadership roles in unscripted production across four distinct territories: Brazil, the U.K. and U.S., and one EU territory to be determined.
Entries are now OPEN. Apply here!
How it works? Banijay will first select the top three to five finalists who will be mentored by a local creative (names disclosed in notes to editors) to develop their formats, with the aim of nurturing them to screen. The competition will culminate with a live pitch presentation before a judging panel led by Levy and Townley. Fellow judges include Marco Bassetti, Chief Executive Officer, Banijay; Pilar Blasco, Chief Executive Officer, Banijay Iberia; and Abby Greensfelder, Founder and CEO of Everywoman Studios. A winner will be crowned during London Screenings 2024.
Sharon Levy, CEO, Endemol Shine North America comments: “As a group, Banijay is constantly exploring new ways to support the broader content community, diversify its pipeline and ultimately, sharpen its creative edge. With an undisputed track record of travelling IP, expansive cross-territory network of first-class producers, and industry-leading unscripted infrastructure led by Creative Networks, the business is primed to open its doors to yet-to-be-discovered creative minds. Through Banijay Launch, and the partnership with the Geena Davis Institute, we hope to welcome women creators who may be struggling to have their voices heard, setting a new narrative for the industry, and fostering the next generation of break-out unscripted formats.”
Marco Bassetti, CEO, Banijay comments: “We are proud at Banijay to have over 50% of our managerial positions globally filled by women. However, we recognise the landscape has not always supported this demographic of creators in breaking through. With Banijay Launch, we are vested in spearheading a raft of new unscripted format ideas, ideated by women, and in doing so, we hope to bring new voices and talent to the market, with the potential of creating the next Survivor, MasterChef, or Big Brother…”
The initiative will capitalise on the infrastructure and expertise of Creative Networks, Banijay’s central unscripted content department co-led by Townley and Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations.
For more information, check out our FAQs.
Notes to editors:
Below are the local Banijay Launch ambassadors, all with a passion for empowering women creators and getting great new ideas into the Banijay creative pipeline. They will work locally to mentor their respective candidates through development to screen:
· Australia: Amelia Fisk, Endemol Shine Australia
· Benelux: Annabelle Aaftink, SimpelZodiak
· Brazil: Natasha Szaniecki, Endemol Shine Brasil
· Denmark: Line Westi, Metronome
· Finland: Vera Olsson, Endemol Shine Finland
· France: Leslie Blumberg, Air Productions
· Germany: Shona Fraser, Good Times
· Iberia: Sonia Perez, Cuarzo Producciones
· India: Mrinalini Jain, Banijay Asia
· Israel: Lee Gaon, Endemol Shine Israel
· Italy: Francesco Lauber, Banijay Italia
· Mexico: Marie Leguizamo, Banijay Mexico and US Hispanic
· Norway: Hege Hansen, Mastiff Norway
· Sweden: Miranda Kroge, Mastiff Sweden
· UK: Claire O’Donohoe, Remarkable, Initial, and ZnakTV
· USA: Chachi Senior, Truly Original
For further enquiries please contact:
Kate Humphreys, Global Head of Communication @ Banijay
Email: k.humphreys@banijay.com
Tel: +44 7792 222769
About Banijay
Launched in 2008, media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, is home to over 130 production companies across 21 territories, a multi-genre catalogue boasting over 180,000 hours of original standout programming, and a complementary live entertainment business – Banijay Events.
Imagining and delivering high-quality, multi-genre IP that was born locally and travels globally, the business offers the best stories told the best way, and represents some of the biggest global brands in the market including Survivor, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, MasterChef, Rogue Heroes, Marie Antoinette, Mr Bean, Love Triangle, Hunted, The Summit, Black Mirror, Blow Up!, and Starstruck among others.
Built on independence, creative freedom, collaborative entrepreneurialism, and commercial acumen, the company, operates under the direction of Chief Executive Officer, Marco Bassetti. It is under his leadership, the business has grown to reach €3.2bn in revenues and €472m in EBITDA for 2022.
About Banijay Americas
Banijay Americas is a leading creator and producer of entertainment content, composed of production companies in the United States and across Latin America. A division of media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, Banijay Americas includes subsidiary production companies across two continents – U.S.-based Endemol Shine North America, Bunim/Murray Productions, Truly Original, 51 Minds Entertainment, Authentic Entertainment, and Stephen David Entertainment; Mexico-based Endemol Shine Boomdog and Banijay Mexico and U.S. Hispanic; and Brazil-based Endemol Shine Brasil and A Fábrica. Additionally, the company is set to open Banijay Studios Brasil, a 750,000 square-foot studio facility in 2023. Together, Banijay Americas is home to more than 100 original series, including some of the biggest brands in television, and produces over 1,500 hours of original content per year.
About Everywoman Studios:
Everywoman Studios is a full-service media company, dedicated to women-fuelled content that can create positive cultural impact. Founded in 2019 by veteran producer, Abby Greensfelder – creator of global hits such as Say Yes to the Dress and The Last Alaskans, among others – Everywoman Studios currently has a range of non-fiction series and features in development and production across multiple networks and streamers. The company’s first feature documentary, LFG – which chronicles the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s fight for equal pay – premiered in 2021 at The Tribeca Film Festival before launching on HBO Max. The Emmy-nominated film is credited with helping the players achieve equal pay.
Greensfelder and Everywoman also founded “Propelle,” a content accelerator program for women producers and filmmakers. The first year’s winning project, Prisoner of the Prophet, is streaming now on Discovery+. For more information, please visit Everywoman Studios’ website.
About Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media:
Founded in 2004 by Academy Award Winning Actor Geena Davis, the Institute is the only research-based organization working collaboratively within the entertainment industry to create gender balance, foster inclusion, and reduce negative stereotyping in global family entertainment and media. Visit seejane.org for more information.
