News round-up: BossaNova preps development days, sells to Bell; Quintus launches True Crime channel; Global snags Sky deal

Olivia Daines

BossaNova preps development days, sells to Bell

Canada’s Bell Media has acquired feature documentary, Siegfried and Roy: The Original Tiger Kings, following a deal with distributor BossaNova Media, which has also unveiled detsails of its next Development Days.

The show was produced by AMS Pictures for Reelz and was first pitched to the international market at BossaNova’s 2022 Development Days. It tells the story of master illusionists Siegfried and Roy, whose Las Vegas shows incorporated magic tricks featuring 20 white lions and tigers, which they treated like cuddly props.

That illusion, however, was shattered when an angry tiger attacked and severely wounded Roy Horn — a terrifying moment that sparked countless conspiracy theories and cover-ups.

BossaNova has also announced its third Development Days on Jan 10-11, combining virtual and in-person pitching sessions and has issued an open call to independent producers interested in pitching their brand new factual and true-crime projects to key UK and international buyers.

The event is to be held at the Soho Screening Rooms in central London and is being curated by BossaNova’s Olivia Daines, acquisitions and co-pro executive, and produced by Jasmin Joseph, marketing manager.

Quintus launches true crime channel

Germnay’s Quintus Studios has launched a new true crime AVOD channel, named FD Crime.

It will feature Quintus’ catalogue shows as well as over 60 hours of acquired true crime content from Red Arrow Studios International, New Dominion Pictures and TVF International to bolster the new channel’s offering.

Show available include New Dominion Pictures’ The FBI Files, Ghost Stories and Escape from Death Row. Red Arrow pick-ups include The Greatest Crimes of all Time while TVF International acquisitions range from Bodies of Evidence to The Negotiators.

FD Crime joins Quintus Studios’ AVOD channel portfolio which is led by Free Documentary, which has nearly 4 million subscribers on YouTube. Other channels including FD Real, FD History, FD Nature and ENDEVR also attract a further 2 million subscribers combined on the platform.

Global snags Sky deal

Sky has commissioned Global to produce five shows for its creative arts channel, Sky Arts, as part of a multi-year production agreement.

Global will produce two further episodes of Classic FM’s Rising Stars with Julian Lloyd Webber, as well as three recordings of its sell-out show at the Royal Albert Hall – Classic FM Live.

The live event, which has been running since 2000, will be broadcast on TV for the first time when it airs on Sky Arts at 20.00 on 19 December.