BlackBox Multimedia and The Mediapro Studio announced that they have teamed up for the international co-production of medical drama 58 Seconds.
58 Seconds is an original series by Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-award-winning writers Jeremy Brock (The Last King of Scotland) and Paul Unwin (Breathless), the original creators of the world’s longest-running medical drama Casualty, and Holby City.
The series is a front-line drama following the private and professional lives of a group of humanitarian relief workers – medics, administrators, and care-workers – who volunteer to go to the world’s most dangerous and challenging places, working thousands of miles away from home and enduring natural disasters, war zones and political conflicts. The characters confront nearly unimaginable challenges with humour, determination, and courage. The doctors and their teams form resilient bonds, fall in love, and grow – both as medical professionals and human beings.
58 Seconds will transport viewers to different front-line locations each season. Telling the stories of today’s real-life superheroes, the universal relevance of the show’s themes will resonate and inspire people of all ages.
Giuliano Papadia, CEO of BlackBox Multimedia says, “The medical drama genre has proven its success time and time again, and now more than ever it is time to pay tribute to the superheroes of today – the doctors and health workers around the world that have been sacrificing so much by working on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. Paul and Jeremy’s unique talent will not only ensure thrilling storylines but also real and relatable characters, with whom we will laugh and cry in equal measure. Partnering with The Mediapro Studio makes total sense, their creative vision for the series aligns perfectly with ours and they have proven again and again they can create an English-language show that will resonate with global audiences. Together with Paul and Jeremy, we’re confident of producing a series that will really captivate the world with its stunning locations, compelling characters, and exciting plot.”
Laura Fernández Espeso, Corporate and Television Director of The Mediapro Studio says, “58 Seconds is brilliant storytelling, very well written and full of emotion that will thrill audiences around the world with its universal themes of courage and its human values. The series represents the kind of addictive and bold TV content that The Mediapro Studio develops for global audiences in the English language. We have in BlackBox Multimedia the best partner for this adventure, as well as Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, whose proven talent as screenwriters is an unbeatable asset that will give the series the necessary dramatic, epic tone to set it apart from other medical dramas.”
Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, writers, add: “We are delighted to be working with BlackBox and Mediapro on 58 Seconds. We have always tried to tell stories that reflect the real world and the struggles of everyday heroes. Researching the people who volunteer to work in some of the planet’s most troubled places has been awe-inspiring. We hope through the stories we tell in 58 Seconds that we will not only celebrate the volunteers but the courage, humanity, and life of people whose world has fallen apart.”
