London – Leading international entertainment group, Viasat World has gone into partnership with Woodcut Media and TCB Media Rights to co-produce a new factual entertainment pop-science series, How Hacks Work. TCB will manage all international rights distribution for the new series, which marks Viasat World’s first co-production venture.
Currently in production and scheduled to premiere on Viasat Explore in 2018, How Hacks Work (30 x 30’) is a fun light-hearted series that looks at the best, worst and weirdest ways to solve everyday issues where an unusual item or idea could come to the rescue!
Using footage from YouTubers and the viewing public, How Hacks Work features a unique panel of comedians and scientists who come together to deconstruct the most talked about and hilarious ‘How To…’ videos from around the world. The panel offer insights into the science behind these hacks, breaking them down into entertaining bitesize chunks, as they are brought to life through real-life demonstrations by extreme engineering expert Mike Sansom and his “human guinea pig”, comedian Stephen Grant.
From Dorito-lighting barbeques, to a power drill pencil sharpener, walking your pet dog with a drone, or a remote-control car snack that gets you exercising without realising it – each episode features clips covering a specific theme (cooking, technology, cars, sport, health and DIY) all culminating in the grand finale ‘epic hack’.
Executive producers are Seniha Tunaboylu, Head of Content & Acquisitions, Viasat World, Derren Lawford and Adam Jacobs, Woodcut Media, and Paul Heaney, TCB Media Rights. Anna McVey joins Woodcut as series producer from Ricochet where she was senior producer for Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped. How Hacks Work is being distributed internationally by TCB Media Rights who will be presenting it to buyers at the upcoming MIPCOM market.
“Viasat World is one of the biggest independent factual buyers in Europe, and with a comprehensive channel and SVOD portfolio, we are always looking for the very best content for our audiences. Our strategy has always been to build our extensive content library through acquisitions and early pre-buys, but now we are moving into co-productions, enabling us to secure the pipeline of relevant, high quality, factual content for our channels in the future. We collaborated with Woodcut Media on Animal Antics which we aired on Viasat Nature in 2016, and are delighted to be working with them again. Both Woodcut and TCB have a solid reputation and track record in the industry, making them perfect partners to launch our first co-pro venture – How Hacks Work – which will air on Viasat Explore in 87 countries next year,” said Karin Heijink, Viasat World’s VP of Content and Product.
“It’s a privilege to partner with Viasat World on its first co-production and How Hacks Work promises to feature some of the wackiest, smartest, funniest ways to solve every day problems, one life hack at a time. We’re also delighted that Anna McVey has joined Woodcut. She’s a super smart, science savvy producer, bursting with ideas and the ideal person to drive this fun and informative series,” commented Derren Lawford, Creative Director, Woodcut Media.
“‘How Hacks Work is the perfect access point for broad based channels to acquire a pop science show with mainstream appeal. An alternative title might be ‘the definitive guide to living’ – and for that we have high expectations as there is something in it for everyone,” added Paul Heaney, CEO of TCB Media Rights.
