David Stapf seeks to play down impact of integration of production divisions
CBS Studios (CBSS) has unveiled international co-productions including an Australia Gold Rush drama, as chief David Stapf downplayed any threats to its creative output amid the Paramount Global restructure.
News broke overnight that Paramount’s production divisions CBSS, Paramount TV Studios and the Paramount+ scripted team are being aligned into a more cohesive unit, with the latter folded into Paramount TV Studios.
The move has reportedly resulted in the layoff of 30 people, with most coming from CBSS and Paramount TV Studios, led by Stapf and Nicole Clemens, respectively, but the exec said creative resource will not alter following the changes.
“It won’t affect us at all, we remain two very separate creative studios, we just combined some of the operational positions in legal, finance and business affairs,” he said. “We’re two vibrant studios and our doors are wide open.”
Drama slate
Stapf was speaking during a keynote address at Content London where he unveiled titles from CBSS’s international drama slate, including projects from Australia and France & Spain.
Period piece Gold Diggers, co-produced by The Alliance (a joint venture by US firm Stampede Ventures and Australia-wide indie Kojo Entertainment), follows the action during the 1850s Gold Rush which saw thousands of men from around the world head to the wilds of the country to hit the jackpot. Among the melee are two sisters seeking to exploit the newly-rich prospectors.
Gogglebox Australia’s Jack Yabsley serves as writer on the series which is for public broadcaster the ABC.
CBSS has also unveiled French-Spanish drama Electric Years, produced by Dynamo, which explores the story of Campano, a mysterious wanderer and fugitive hiding on the France-Spain border who strives to stay ahead of law enforcement and a dangerous drug cartel. The show is created by Fernando Navarro (Matadero) and Cristian Conti (Distrito Salvaje), directed by Kike Maillo and written by Navarro, Conti, Isabel Peña, Rafael Cobos and Salvador Perpiñá.
Both series are distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
Stapf said CBSS is intent on growing its reputation as an international studio, with the titles joining previously-announced projects including NCIS: Sydney, Binge comedy Colin From Accounts, and Friday Night Dinner US reboot Dinner With the Parents, for Amazon Freevee.
Co-produced with London-based Big Talk, Stapf said CBSS is shot in the UK, though set in the US, to “take advantage of the efficiencies of Big Talk”.
“We’re going to be doing more shows here,” he added.
Expanding on CBSS’s local originals intent, Stapf said the strategy is to “help artists make their shows”, wherever they may be from to help attract future projects.
“[These shows] are about establishing a beachhead in the global community,” he said. “It’s about building up our portfolio and establishing ourselves as a company that is artist-friendly, so we can get more people [on-board].”
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