SundanceTV puts gears in motion for Drive deal

UK production and financing consultancy Drive is to identify international scripted drama projects for US cable channel SundanceTV.

AMC Networks-owned Sundance has put Drive on a retainer after the agency successfully brokered a coproduction between Sundance, BBC Worldwide and BBC Two for upcoming miniseries One Child.

Former RDF and Channel 5 coproduction chief Lilla Hurst and Extreme Sports Channel co-founder and former Zig Zag Productions commercial boss Ben Barrett launched Drive last year as one of a growing number of production financiers and fixers.

The firm is already retained by a number of factual production companies, but the Sundance deal represents both its first drama and channel retainer.

“The aim is we are retained by Sundance to help them find the next drama that they will internationally coproduce,” Drive’s joint managing director Barrett told TBI. “We’re their eyes and ears on the ground in the UK.”