Producer and distributor Sierra/Engine launching at MIPCOM with ABC, NBC series

Chris Philip, Nick Meyer and Marc Schaberg have joined forces to create a new producer and distributor Sierra/Engine Television. The new firm will debut at MIPCOM with a slate containing shows that will air on US networks ABC and NBC.

Philip runs distributor Engine Entertainment and Meyer and Schaberg film sales and distribution outfit Sierra/Affinity.

The new company’s launch slate includes NBC series Crossbones and ABC show Hunters.

Crossbones has a ten episode order from NBC and will be written by Neil Cross, creator of UK cop series Luther. He is adapting the novel The Republic of Pirates, about famous pirate Blackbeard, for the broadcast network.

Sierra/Affinity inked a deal with the show’s producer, Marc Rosen’s (Harry Potter) Georgeville Television, earlier this month and its new joint venture with Engine will sell Georgeville series internationally. Georgeville is also making the Blake’s 7 reboot for US cable net Syfy.

Hunters (aka Epidemic), meanwhile, is also from Georgeville as well Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski and Will Smith’s production company Overbrook. The drama series is about a group of elite virus hunters, tracking epidemics.

Sierra’s Nick Meyer stated: “Chris’ experience in studio television distribution and in the independent financing and packaging of programming is a perfect fit for our expansion into television. Partnering with Chris and Engine accelerates our movement into this space and we are looking to continue to work with great creative partners in television as we have done in film.”

Engine’s Chris Philip added: “Nick and Marc have created something special in filmed entertainment, and with their financial strength, and appetite for TV, we are ready to offer our global clients a raft of new high quality programming and taking three new US network series to MIPCOM is an outstanding way to launch.”