marblemedia Signs First-Look Deal with Ira Levy Banner
The multi-year agreement with Levy's Spike & Sadie Media spans all genres, with Distribution360 retaining global distribution on all projects.
Toronto-based TV prodco marblemedia has signed a multi-year, first-look deal with Ira Levy’s new boutique film and television production banner, Spike & Sadie Media.
Mark Bishop, co-CEO and executive producer at marblemedia, tells Playback Daily the deal is across all genres — primetime scripted, unscripted and kids and family — with marblemedia acquiring both existing projects that Levy has been developing on his Spike & Sadie slate, as well as new projects.
Distribution360, marblemedia’s distribution arm, will retain global distribution on all projects in the first look-deal.
Levy tells Playback that since launching Toronto-based Spike & Sadie Media in January, he’s “been looking to partner with creators that are authentic storytellers rooted in creativity, with a willingness to take risks.”
“So it felt very natural to sign a first-look deal with Mark and Matt [Hornburg] at marblemedia who are proven leaders in both the unscripted and scripted space,” says Levy, whose producing credits include Less Than Kind and Kenny vs. Spenny.
Bishop says he and Hornburg, who is also co-CEO and executive producer at marblemedia, have known Levy — a veteran producer who is also co-founder of Breakthrough Entertainment — for over 20 years. “Both hold much mutual respect for one another and have often talked about wanting to work on projects together,” he says.
“We have a shared commitment to developing new talent and telling original stories, and this first look-deal brings many exciting new projects to marblemedia’s expansive roster of content,” says Bishop. “Ira has been nurturing a really dynamic slate of primetime projects, a mix of both established creators and producer and many new voices, all of whom we look forward to collaborating with.”
In March, Spike & Sadie Media announced it had finalized the acquisition of 10 scripted projects that are in development from Toronto-based producer-distributor Breakthrough Entertainment.
Bishop says the first-look deal fits into marblemedia’s multi-year growth plan to increase its output of premium content production for global streamers, international partners and domestic broadcasters, with “fresh, rich stories” and a a particular focus on primetime and co-viewing scripted.
It also supports both marblemedia’s goal to showcase and nurture new talent and the company’s announcement last year of Carrie Paupst Shaughnessy’s (VP of scripted and executive producer, marblemedia) expanded role as executive producer of scripted.
“We know how respected Ira is in the industry as a trusted executive producer and he has great taste,” says Bishop. “This multi-year deal will allow us to support the development and production of an increased volume of production of marblemedia content.”