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PRESS RELEASE
FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES FORGES GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP
WITH RICHARD TAYLOR’S PUKEKO PICTURES
Powerhouses To Develop Scripted Drama Series
** March – FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has announced a first look deal with Pukeko
Pictures, the affiliate television company of Richard Taylor’s Oscar Award winning Weta Workshop.
As part of the new relationship, FME and Pukeko have jointly hired Adam Fratto to head up
development of new drama projects for the global market, working out of FremantleMedia’s LA
office.
Reporting to Martin Baynton, co-owner of Pukeko Pictures, Fratto will work alongside Jeff Tahler,
FME’s SVP of Global Content and Tony Optican, SVP of Scripted Programming for
FremantleMedia North America on the development of new drama series. These will benefit from
the expertise from within the New Zealand entertainment sector, in particular the world-renowned
talents of the Wellington film and television production industry and the Weta Workshop facilities.
This deal further expands FME’s global drama initiative, which has recently included The Wedding
Band, from Tollin Productions for TBS in the US, and Hit & Miss from Abbott Vision for Sky Atlantic
in the UK.
David Ellender, Global CEO of FremantleMedia Enterprises, said, “The teams at Pukeko and Weta
Workshop are respected the world over for their work at the cutting edge of the film and television
industry. Adam’s appointment offers up tremendous opportunities, allowing for incredibly close
collaboration between our two organisations on the development, financing and production of
innovative new drama series that will appeal to audiences around the globe.”
Fratto joins from Atticus Entertainment where he spearheaded television, feature and new media
development under a first-look deal with HBO. He is also co-executive producer of Haven, a
dramatic mystery series based on “The Colorado Kid” by Stephen King, airing on Syfy in the U.S.
and more than 100 cable channels around the world.
Prior to his role at Atticus Entertainment, Fratto served as VP at Piller/Segan where he oversaw
development and served as associate producer on The Dead Zone and Wildfire and co-producer
on Greek. While at Piller/Segan, Adam developed and sold pilots to ABC, NBC, TNT, ABC, Family,
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Lifetime, Syfy, USA, and Spike and worked closely with studios including ABC Studios, NBCU
Studios, Fox TV Studios, E1, and Lionsgate.
Pukeko Pictures is affiliated with the Oscar and Bafta award-winning Weta Workshop through
founding partners Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger, known internationally for their work on films
including the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, King Kong, Avatar, The Adventures of Tintin and The
Hobbit and television shows Hercules and Xena and their own IP developed brands Jane and the
Dragon and The Wotwots.
Note: Weta Workshop is not to be confused with Weta Digital, the VFX company, owned by Peter
Jackson. Peter Jackson is not involved with this Fremantle first look deal.
- ends -
Notes to Editors
ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES & FREMANTLEMEDIA
FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL
Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the
world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s
highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the
brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment around the
world. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia North America, UFA, talkbackTHAMES, FremantleMedia Australia
and Original Productions amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating
nearly 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia
has some of the world’s most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally, produces such programmes as: Idols
(co-produced with 19 Productions in the US), Hole In The Wall, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor
(co-produced with Syco in the UK), Take Me Out, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten,
and Neighbours.
About Pukeko Pictures
Pukeko Pictures is an independent entertainment production house focused on the development of high quality entertainment properties
for a global audience. Based in Wellington, New Zealand, the city famous for blockbuster movies such as: Avatar, King Kong and The
Lord of the Rings triology, Pukeko Pictues has a close relationship with Weta Workshop through the involvement of Sir Richard Taylor
and Tania Rodger. Pukeko’s first production, The WotWots, has launched to great success and is currently broadcast in 90 territories
worldwide.
For more information please contact:
Jumana Rizwan
PR Manager
FremantleMedia Enterprises
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7691 6114
jumana.rizwan@fremantlemedia.com
Mary Jones
Interim Sr. PR Manager
FremantleMedia Enterprises
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7691 6515
mary.jones@fremantlemedia.com
FremantleMedia Ltd An RTL Group Company
Registered office as above Registered in England Number 353 341 VAT Number GB 222 715 193
FremantleMedia Limited 1 Stephen Street London W1T 1AL United Kingdom
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Adele Feletto Publicity - Consumer
M: 61 413 489 292
adele@adelefelettopublicity.com.au
Aimee Norman, DDA Blueprint PR - Trade
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8133 9697
Mob: +44 (0) 7957 564 050
aimee@ddablueprint.com
FremantleMedia Ltd An RTL Group Company
Registered office as above Registered in England Number 353 341 VAT Number GB 222 715 193