By Connie Thiessen
TORONTO – Blink49 Studios, the Endeavour Content-backed content venture founded by former eOne executives John Morayniss, Patrice Theroux, Jeff Lynas and Nelson Kuo-Lee last fall, is adding an unscripted arm to develop a slate of non-fiction entertainment.
Targeting the Canadian and international marketplace, the new division will be led by former eOne execs Toby Dormer (above, right), executive vice-president, unscripted television, with Allison Brough (left) named vice-president, unscripted television.
Based in Vancouver, Dormer will report to CEO John Morayniss and oversee development, production and strategy across the new division. Reporting to Dormer and based in Toronto, Brough will helm the creation aspects of the studio’s unscripted portfolio.
“We’re thrilled to be launching our unscripted division with Toby and Allison leading the charge,” said Morayniss, in a studio announcement. “They are a formidable team with stellar reputations and an impressive track record of developing and producing a compelling and diverse slate of unscripted content for a global market. I can’t think of a better fit for us.”
Dormer has most recently served as executive vice-president, unscripted, Canada, at eOne overseeing programming including Project Bakeover (Food Network), Arctic Vets (CBC/NatGeo), Hunt for the Chicago Strangler (Discovery+), and Border Security (Netflix/Global). Prior to joining eOne, he founded UK prodco Remedy Productions, which was acquired by Argonon Media Group in 2011.
Brough was vice-president of development, unscripted television and head of podcast network for eOne, responsible for bringing a “podcast to broadcast” model to life in addition to managing a slate of unscripted television including forthcoming Canadaland collaboration, Thunder Bay (CTV/Crave). Prior to that, she was director of development at Toronto’s Lone Eagle Entertainment where she green-lit projects like Meme gURL (Slice Network), Raising the Bar (CMT Canada), Starving Artist (Food Network) and Dead Funny (CBC).
Blink49 has been aggressively pursuing IP deals, announcing most recently a partnership with Canadian entertainer Lilly Singh, her company Unicorn Island Productions, and Bell Media, on a first-look global scripted and second-look unscripted deal focused on creating and producing television content showcasing underrepresented communities.
The studio also signed a first-look deal in March with Sheri Elwood, the executive producer of CBC drama Moonshine and Netflix series Lucifer, among other shows. It additionally has preempted the rights to New York Times bestselling author Marissa Stapley’s second novel, Things To Do When It’s Raining, a romantic drama set in Canada’s 1,000 Islands. Stapley’s 2021 novel Lucky was the first Canadian novel selected for Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine Book Club.
Photos supplied by Blink49 Studios.
This article first appeared in Broadcast Dialogue.
