Metan and Shangdong team for $75m drama series

Metan, the China-focused production outfit started earlier this year by ex-News Corp boss Marty Pompadur and E! founder Larry Namer, has struck a coproduction deal with Chinese media group Shangdong Film & TV Group.

The first copro between Metan and Shangdong will be Golden Mountain. The scripted series will follow a Chinese family from when they moved to the US during the 1850s Gold Rush to the present day. With a budget of US$25 million a year, the series is slated to stretch to 120 episodes over three years. In China the show will air on public broadcaster CCTV’s CCTV1 channel staring in 2011.

“The project of Golden Mountain is a win-win cooperation,” said Jin Liang, vice president & director, Film & TV, Shandong Film & TV Group. “We believe Metan’s strong media operation and comprehensive network and contacts in North America and Europe will help to maximize the value of the project, as well as to deliver Chinese culture to television audiences all over the world.”

Under the terms of the Metan-Shangdong deal, Metan will also consult on Shangdong projects and represent its TV shows in international markets. It will also broker advertising deals with Western advertisers. Shangdong’s TV channels will also carry Metan’s original Hollywood entertainment programming.