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US format veteran Phil Gurin has launched a US-based global distribution company to represent premium formatted content from some of the world’s leading producers. TGC Global Entertainment (TGC GE)’s launch slate consists of a curated collection of entertainment, factual and documentary formats, series and specials, selected on the basis of their international appeal.

The announcement was made by The Gurin Company founder Phil Gurin, a respected format creator, writer and producer with decades of experience in creating and distributing international television entertainment. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the new company will provide direct access and format representation to major US and European broadcast and cable networks whom Gurin has forged close relationships with over his career. In addition, Gurin will leverage his worldwide network of relationships, which span the key English- and Spanish-speaking territories, Europe, MENA and Asia, to create opportunities for third party independent producers looking to find a global audience for their IP.

TGC GE has been created to bridge the widening gap in the US format market between the global entertainment giants (GEGs) and the independent production community, which is finding it increasingly hard to compete with the power and dominance of the GEGs.

Phil Gurin said: “There’s no independent US-based format distribution company with decades of creative production track record at its heart - TGC GE will address that problem. We want all creators, producers, packaging agents and platforms to know there is a new game in town. With our deep understanding of formats, along with carefully curated factual and premium documentary content, TGC GE can draw on decades of goodwill, not to mention years of commercial and creative experience, to put its independent producer clients and partners first.”

TGC GE’s launch slate features firstly third-party formats, documentaries and non-scripted series from both US and international producers, along with original content from The Gurin Company. The catalogue includes new, current and soon-to-launch titles, as well as classic shows culled from domestic and international format libraries. Output will also include shows from a range of strategic creative alliances with platforms and producers from around the world.

Current slate highlights include Canada’s Ultimate Challenge, a primetime competition event series set to launch on CBC next month, and evergreen entertainment formats Fridge Wars and The Singing Bee, both of which have been sold into multiple territories. Other successful titles include Parking Lot Payday, an original game show from HDNET in the US; The History of Criminalistics, a popular Ukrainian show which explores the science of forensic medicine and international cooking documentary series Yes Chef. The slate also includes RTS nominated Holocaust: The Revenge Plot produced by Caravan Media for Channel 4 plus two social-experiment projects — People Vs? Puppets, piloted by ABC in the US, and Strangers on a Train, piloted by ITV in the UK. TGC GE also presents the kids’ series Clipheads, which aired on CBBC in the UK, produced by Strawberry Blonde TV and will now work in partnership with Warner Bros International to re-launch the Rose d’or winning physical game show Oh Sit!
TGC GE is currently establishing a global network of specialist sales agents, with particular focus on Europe, Asia, Eastern Europe/CIS, Latin America and North America. All content represented has been produced somewhere in the world and comes with a broadcaster and/or streamer commitment to either a pilot, special or a full series.