Zodiak Television World Signs Deals With European Production Companies

Zodiak Television World has signed a number of options with European production companies for its slate of factual, entertainment and reality formats launched at MIPCOM.
Primetime entertainment format series Teen Starz has been optioned for production in Italy, Spain and France.
Teen Starz sees 10 musical artists scouring the country for their ‘mini-me’ – choosing a protégé to mould into copies of themselves through training in singing, dancing, style and attitude. The series culminates in a huge finale gala, where the public decide who will be crowned the best Teen Star.
Establishing a new genre in television, To Understand and Forgive – the psychotherapy docudrama - is set for local production in France and Italy. Each episode follows a self-contained case as psychotherapists try to solve real-life issues – offering strong drama portrayed in a unique real life style. Over 200 episodes have aired as a daily format on Russia’s First Channel, achieving exceptional viewing figures far above the broadcaster’s average.
A how-to guide for a better life will shortly be available in Spain and Italy, as local versions of the 30-minute factual entertainment and lifestyle format Time Doctor are optioned. A guide to living a less stressful and demanding life as well as establishing a more functional day-to-day existence – a visit to the Time Doctor offers organizational advice and inspiring new solutions for the modern 24/7 lifestyle – as well as the opportunity to save up to ten hours a week.
Finally, Who Killed JC, a detective show with a darkly comic twist, will be produced for audiences in Greece. Offering the ultimate challenge to the keen amateur sleuth, each episode in this format from Cuarzo Productions sees JC die in mysterious circumstances. Clues are revealed throughout the show to four contestants who must put the pieces of the puzzle together and decide who, in the comical cast of characters, committed the crime.
Heather Stevenson commented: "We launched a range of innovative, unique and exciting formats at MIPCOM, which all received strong interest from international broadcasters and production companies. This was a highly successful market and we are confident that these deals will be the first of many generated from our attendance."
(DS)