As part of its continued expansion strategy, IM Global Television is launching a new unscripted and alternative division to create content across all platforms, which will be led by Emmy Award winning producer, writer and creator Phil Gurin, it was announced today by IM Global Executive Chairman Donald Tang and IM Global Founder and Chief Executive Officer and IM Global Television CEO Stuart Ford.
As President of Unscripted and Alternative Content, industry veteran Gurin will report directly to CEO Ford. Gurin will lead a team that will create, acquire and co-develop ideas in all unscripted and alternative genres. Gurin’s team will also work with brands and broadcasters to initiate new creative revenue models with various bespoke partners and expand with production and development offices overseas. The company’s unscripted division will complement IM Global Television’s scripted operation, also overseen by Ford and which is led by President Mark Stern. Eli Shibley, President of IM Global’s International TV Distribution and Co-Productions operation, and his team will represent international rights to content produced by the new division.
Founder of The Gurin Company, one of the industry’s leading independent creators, producers and distributors of non-scripted television, Gurin has been responsible for executive producing, creating and writing thousands of hours of television across multiple genres including live event, game, music, hidden camera, comedy, stunt, clip show, factual, dramatic re-enactment, docu-soaps and formatted reality. Gurin’s shows have aired on every major U.S. broadcast network, many cable networks, and in over 150 countries around the world. Gurin has won three Primetime Emmy Awards as an Executive Producer on ABC’s Shark Tank, and an international Rose d’Or (Golden Rose) for the comedy game show Oh Sit! which he co-created for The CW. In the past year, Gurin has created and executive produced original new formats for ITV1 (UK), NBC (USA) and CBC (Canada).
Said Gurin: “The opportunity to build a robust unscripted and alternative studio, backed by the international resources of TMP, IM Global and Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings immediately allows us to compete alongside the biggest players in the unscripted space. We will instantly look to build a strong creative team here in Los Angeles, as well as in London, China and Latin America. We will continue to forge worldwide relationships driven by cutting edge, adaptable content creation, and we will be opportunistic and responsive to the changing needs of buyers everywhere. Leading the build-up and global expansion of such a well-financed team has been a dream of mine, and I am excited to generate great future success alongside Stuart and his team.”
Said Tang: “Phil gives IM Global TV a great opportunity to expand our participation beyond conventional unscripted television formats and to help innovate new formats for the global audience. We are excited about our new initiative led by Phil in collaboration with our global partners, including Tencent, CMC, and Huayi Brothers.”
Said Ford: “Phil is a hugely respected and experienced figure in the unscripted and alternative content arena and therefore a very important addition to our fast evolving television studio. Along with our partners at TMP and Tencent we’re very excited to dovetail the phenomenal output of Phil and his team with our existing scripted production, deficit financing and international TV distribution operations.”
Gurin began his career as a writer on MTV's Remote Control and on Nickelodeon's Double Dare, Make the Grade and WildAnd Crazy Kids. Establishing his own company in 1997, he went on to produce CBS’ Candid Camera in primetime for four years, which was followed by an extensive run of shows on NBC, including Twenty One, Weakest Link, The Singing Bee, Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA. Other live events include Women Rock (Lifetime), US Olympic Hall of Fame (USA, NBC), New Year’s Eve Live!, Test the Nation, KISS Live! (FOX), and Joan and Melissa: Live From the Red Carpet (TVGN). Other series and specials include Lingo, All New 3’s A Crowd (GSN), Wanna Bet (ABC), Your Chance To Dance, Win Lose Or Pawn (CMT) and When Cameras Cross The Line (FOX). He developed and produces the prestigious Hall of Fame gala event for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Along with Reggie Hudlin, Gurin is Executive Producer of the NAACP Image Awards and Image Awards Live Red Carpet shows for TV One.
Gurin serves on the Executive Board of Directors for NATPE (National Association of Television and Programming Executives) where he developed the NATPE REALITY annual conference and market; is Co-Chairman of the international non-profit organization FRAPA (Format Recognition and Protection Association), and was recently elected by the Television Academy to serve on the Executive Committee of the Producers’ Peer Group.
Gurin’s eponymous production entity, The Gurin Company, will remain and continue to serve as a production company on its existing slate of broadcast and cable television shows.
The hiring of Gurin is the latest in a string of high profile talent deals announced by fast-growing independent studio founded by Ford in 2007 and since the acquisition of a controlling interest in IM Global by Tang Media Partners in June of this year and the simultaneous establishment of the IM Global Television co-venture with Chinese digital giant Tencent. Those deals include the hiring by IM Global of Academy Award winning producer Greg Shapiro as president of Feature Film production and the consummation of a multi-year first look TV deal with acclaimed writer David Goyer (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Man of Steel, Constantine (TV) and Da Vinci’s Demons (TV)).
Gurin was represented in the negotiation by Business Manager Alan Goldman of Goldman & Knell and Attorney Eric Weissler of Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein.