Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity gears up for TV distribution

Ryan Kavanaugh has told TBI that his media firm Relativity is gearing up to start selling its own TV shows internationally and plans to start doing so in time for the international launches of the just-announced Limitless and Act of Valor projects.

Relativity’s hit series, Catfish, has been a hit on Viacom’s MTV and is sold internationally by Viacom International Media Networks and distribution of the company’s growing slate of TV shows is decided on a case by case basis.

However, on the movie side there is a Relativity Foreign division, which launched late last year, and Kavanaugh wants to see the international unit take on TV rather than always have properties distributed by third parties.

“We’re in the process of doing it ourselves,” the film and TV financier and producer told TBI. “Relativity Foreign is currently focused on film, but is often working with the same companies and partners as in TV. We have legal, accounts and the infrastructure and it would mean adding some [sales] people to that.”

The Relativity boss said he was hopeful that it would be handling international sales of Limitless, which is based on the eponymous Relativity feature film as is its other new scripted project Act of Valor.

Act of Valor will be produced with Tandem and air on National Geographic in the US. Written by Erik Jendresen (Band of Brothers), the series will focus on pararescuemen who rescue and treat the wounded in conflict situations.

Limitless will be made by Relativity and Georgeville, Marc Rosen’s production business. The film followed a writer who took a smart drug that enabled him to use 100% of his brain and the series will be set in the same universe. There is not yet a confirmed broadcast partner.

Both scripted series were announced ahead of Kavanaugh’s Media Mastermind keynote at MIPOCM, which takes place at 4.45 today.