Reality veteran creates prodco with Vidiots

US reality TV veteran producer Brian Flanagan has partnered with a pair of branded entertainment specialists to create new unscripted prodco Switchblade Entertainment.

Flanagan is the founder of Magilla Entertainment, was also VP, current series and development at Endemol Shine North America-owned Original Media between 2007 and 2009, and counts series such as TLC’s Long Island Medium and Discovery Channel’s Moonshiners on his CV.

He has formed Switchblade with Michael and Anthony Amoia, whose branded content production company Vidiots will “slowly fold into” Switchblade “in coming months”.

The firm will focus on unscripted television and digital programming, sports programmes, and online and commercial content that can be developed, created, edited and distributed “under one roof”. There will be a focus on cable, digital and mobile products.

Anthony Amoia will oversee New York-based Switchblade’s day-to-day and production operations at the group, which will operate out of a 20,000-square foot production facility.

While the Amoias’ background is in branded and commercial content, they have executive producer credits on TV shows such as Fox’s Being Liverpool and others for Discovery Chanel, HLN and CBS.

“Most non-scripted producers would love to expand into digital and advertising but lack the agency relationships,” said Flanagan. “When the opportunity to create a multi-media house that could meet the needs of the entertainment and branding worlds from concept to execution presented itself, I jumped at the chance. We are excited to merge our backgrounds and believe that it may be an industry game changer.”

Other execs listed on the company’s website include Geoff Greer (Wife Swap), who is director of development; Michael Lipson, who is VP, sales and business development; and former Leftfield Entertainment executive Donna Brucale, who is controller.