Fremantle buys Beach House Pictures from Blue Ant Media

Mind Your Manners (Source: Netflix)

Fremantle has taken a majority stake in Beach House Pictures after buying the company from Blue Ant Media.

Beach House, which was founded in 2005 by Donovan Chan and Jocelyn Little, produces predominantly unscripted content such as Netflix lifestyle series Mind Your Manners and Evolve for Prime Video and Curiosity.

It is also behind Netflix documentary Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee and Jessica Wongso, as well as wildlife drama Otter Dynasty for Max/Discovery+ and Love Nature. The prodco also produces local formats such as Masterchef Singapore.

Jocelyn Little

The prodco has also been expanding into entertainment and brand-funded programming, while also becoming known as a co-financier.

It has also been in acquisitive mood itself, buying a majority stake in Japanese producer Vesuvius Pictures two years ago and shifting into scripted fare through a deal for regional prodco Momo in 2021.

The surprising acquisition also follows a period of restructuring at Blue Ant and the creation of its new studio and rights business last year, following the Canadian’s firm’s acquisition of Marblemedia.

Jennifer Mullin, Fremantle CEO, said: “Fremantle invests in and works with the best creatives in the industry, and Jocelyn, Donovan and the team at Beach House Pictures are exactly that. Their taste and approach to storytelling is inspirational.

“Asia is a dynamic market and one we have targeted for strategic growth, and I am proud we have found a wonderful partner in Beach House Pictures to be part of our family.”

Fremantle’s CEO in Asia and Lat Am, Ganesh Rajaram, added: “We have been looking for the right partner in Asia to expand our output and footprint, and I can think of no one better than Jocelyn, Donovan and entire team at Beach House Pictures.

Donovan Chan

“They are a true powerhouse, with great synergies to our business, and we are lucky to welcome them into the Fremantle family.”

Chan and Little said: “This is a significant milestone in the growth of Beach House Pictures; from a small and scrappy documentary company over 18 years ago to the multi-genre Asian super indie today.

“We are very proud of what we have achieved but we are even more excited about the many things we can build together with our new partners Fremantle, whose immense scale and reach, incredible quality and deep library of formats is second to none.”

Sam Sniderman, chief commercial officer at Blue Ant Media, said: “Donovan Chan, Jocelyn Little and the team at Beach House Pictures have been great colleagues and collaborators for many years now. We wish them well on their next chapter with Fremantle which we are certain will be a great success.”