As its Emerging Producers Development Programme proves, the fringe knows that producers are just as important to its success as the companies who bring shows.
Working out of VICE's London newsroom, a team of Guardian journalists, led by the Guardian's multimedia news editor, Mustafa Khalili, will work side-by-side with VICE News producers and development executives on developing this original content.
For Animal Planet: Jason Carey, executive producer; Charlie Foley, development executive.
(She is now an associate producer of development for Crazy Legs Productions, an Atlanta-based film and television production company).
It would also put Iraq on course to pass its perennial rival Iran as the Gulf's second-largest producer — a development that would imply a significant realignment of power in the region.
"When you have a concept like that, you kind of have to go out of your way to court them, with the quality and the tone of the show almost compensating for the idea," said Stu Smiley, the veteran producer and development executive whose credits include "The Kids in the Hall," "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Flight of the Conchords".
The Guardian team will be led by Mustafa Khalili, multimedia news editor, who will work alongside Vice News producers and development executives to produce original content.
Created by Morgan J. Freeman; Tony DiSanto, Liz Gateley and Mike Powers, executive producers; Christy Spitzer, development executive; Steve Michaels, Jonathan Koch, Mr. Freeman and Russell Heldt, executive producers for Asylum Entertainment.
Created by Liz Gateley; Gary Auerbach, Tony DiSanto, Ms. Gateley, Mark Ford, Kevin Lopez and Dave Sirulnick, executive producers; Adam DiVello, development executive for "Laguna Beach".
Though Mr. Ford is blessed with impressive contacts in Hollywood -- the famous actresses he has dressed, a longstanding friendship with the agent Bryan Lourd, a partner at the Creative Artists Agency -- these relationships, some producers and development executives said, would not guarantee him a career in directing.
