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MUMBAI:
AMC/Sundance Channel Global announced the establishment of
its Asian headquarters and substantial steps toward building
out local staff and operations.
The
company’s scheduling and on-air creative services will
be based in Singapore while affiliate operations will be spearheaded
out of Hong Kong. The company had recently appointed Keith
Mak to oversee affiliate distribution and marketing for the
company’s Asian operations.
Coming
on the heels of Sundance Channel’s breakthrough success
with its premiere window broadcast of Breaking Bad, the channel
is increasing its slate of award winning, critically acclaimed
programming by acquiring the rights to numerous series and
independent films for 2013-2014.
The
extensive range of productions announced includes TV premiere
rights in Asia to the new Rolling Stones documentary Crossfire
Hurricane, as well as Downton Abbey, Monk, The Hour and numerous
independent films that have recently been showcased at leading
festivals worldwide.
Bruce
Tuchman, AMC/Sundance Channel Global President, stated, "After
a tremendous amount of distribution growth and success with
our original productions such as Breaking Bad, it is the natural
next step for us to augment our localization by establishing
both creative and distribution headquarters in Asia. With
highly experienced personnel and world-class resources on
the ground, we will move even closer to our audiences and
partners, thereby further accelerating our growth."
In
an agreement with Eagle Rock Entertainment, worldwide TV premiere
rights for Asia have been secured for the Rolling Stones documentary
Crossfire Hurricane (1x120’), which will be seen on HBO
in the US. Sundance Channel will premiere the documentary,
which features extensive interviews with the band, later this
year.
Sundance
Channel will premiere the documentary on TVOD to its affiliate
partners prior to the linear launch.
AMC/Sundance
Channel Global has also acquired the basic cable rights in
Malaysia to multiple seasons of critically acclaimed Downton
Abbey and Monk from NBCUniversal International Television
Distribution. Premiere window rights for the second season
of The Hour have been secured via Shine International for
Asia.
Numerous
films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier
this year have been acquired from a variety of distributors.
This
includes End of Love (for Spain, Dutch speaking Benelux and
Malaysia) and Here (France, Spain, Portugal, Dutch speaking
Benelux and Asia), and The Imposter (Asia), among others.
In addition, rights in Malaysia have been acquired to premiere
Teddy Bear and Safety Not Guaranteed.
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