United studios’ International department, founded in 2,000, focuses primarily on:
• Initiation of international co-development and co-production projects.
• Distribution and sale of original content to international producers and broadcasters.
• Acquisition of international formats for local adaptation.
• Offering our production facilities and services to foreign producers shooting in Israel.
• In 2017, the department brokered the distribution agreement with Banijay
Rights for finished-tape and format for the drama series, Juda. In 2016, the department brokered the distribution agreement with Wild Bunch TV for finished-tape and format of the drama series, The Exchange Principle.
in 2015, the department brokered the sale of United Studios’ hit drama series Zagouri Empire to U.S show runner, David Shore, and the series Loving Anna, to U.S producer Jamie Tarses. In 2012, the department began promoting the development of formats for the international market, including Raid the Cage, in which the studios partnered with Sony TV International in the development stage. USI then went on to produce three successful season for Reshet, Ch2 Israel, and SPTI has sold the format in fifteen countries, with more than 1200 episodes produced worldwide. Other formats developed for the international market include the game show Who’s Asking, which has been produced in India, Thailand, Estonia, and Switzerland. Special Delivery, produced in Brazil, Can you Face It, produced in Portugal, medical fact-ent format House Call, which has been optioned in several territories, and Shuttle Battle, Dress Up, and the Hitchhiker.
In 2011, the international department oversaw the sale of United Studios’ successful drama, PILLARS OF SMOKE, to Universal Studios in the U.S. Our department co-development and distributed a new prime-time game show in partnership with Sony International, and initiated several codevelopment agreements for our paper formats.
Ohad Ashkenazi
SVP Content Development and International Relations
Unites Studios Israel
+972-50-5758060