London – FremantleMedia, one of the largest creators, producers and distributors of television brands in the world, is teaming up with newly-formed Danish production company, Skylark. The partnership will establish a creative hub, based in Copenhagen, with the purpose of creating new entertainment formats with global appeal. Skylark founders – Henrik Hancke Nielsen and Per Zachariassen – will work closely with FremantleMedia’s Director Global Entertainment, Rob Clark, to develop these new ideas. The team will then strategically decide where the new format will launch, harnessing FremantleMedia’s network of global production teams to deliver these shows for international audiences.
Nielsen and Zachariassen’s development and production credits include Total Blackout, Spoofed, Bang Bang and Eurovision Song Contest 2014. Nielsen also created FremantleMedia’s Master Athletes (Atleterna), which is enjoying a successful second season on Sweden’s SVT1. The pair have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with FremantleMedia, having founded entertainment production company, Blu, which FremantleMedia acquired in 2005. Nielsen and Zachariassen also have first-hand experience of producing FremantleMedia’s major entertainment brands such as The X Factor, Idols, Got Talent and Farmer Wants a Wife in Denmark and most recently worked with FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) out of the Los Angeles office.
Announcing the partnership, Nielsen and Zachariassen said: “We first began working with FremantleMedia in 2000, and we have loved working with them ever since. They have a fantastic reputation for telling great stories and making shows loved by audiences all over the world. As producers, they provide us with amazing support, while still giving us the creative freedom to produce and develop projects that we want to make. We can’t think of a better partner to take our shows global.”
Rob Clark added: “Personally, I’m very excited by the opportunities that this new creative partnership presents. Henrik was one of the first people I met when I joined FremantleMedia 12 years ago, and I still believe he has one of Europe’s most creative minds.
