Media Ranch’s HorsePower, a French-Canadian format incubator initiative with Quebecor Content, has entered into a first-look deal with South Korea’s FormatEast.
Family Tripped, the HorsePower 1.0 winning format created by An Tran, will be the first project of the exchange, which will see the two incubators split IP, co-develop and co-distribute. FormatEast will represent select HorsePower formats in Asia, as Media Ranch handles all territories outside of Asia for select FormatEast properties. Family Tripped will be developed and shopped by FormatEast, while Media Ranch will represent the new Asian format Boundary.
In other HorsePower news, the dating show format Heartbreak Hotel, created by Isabelle Laperrière, won the second edition. The format will receive funding from Quebecor Content to be developed for broadcast, and Media Ranch will manage production and global distribution.
Sophie Ferron, president and executive producer of Media Ranch, said: “Media Ranch, along with our partner Quebecor Content, are thrilled that HorsePower is proving to be a tremendously successful venture. HorsePower 2.0 saw the development of several outstanding formats. The six-month process was even more arduous due to COVID-19, however, we came out with great ideation. Winner Isabelle, with the guidance of her phenomenal mentor, has created a show format that is sure to be a major hit.”
Ferron added: “We are also delighted to partner with South Korea’s FormatEast, and look forward to representing their new show from the creator of Running Man, while they take the HorsePower 1.0 winning format, Family Trip, and other HorsePower formats around Asia. Media Ranch continues to be the go-to company for content creators, producers and broadcasting platforms—attracting and fostering the best talent in the world.”
Christine Maestracci, VP of acquisitions and international distribution at Quebecor Content, said: “Once again this year, the variety and quality of the projects made choosing the winning format very difficult. HorsePower has once more put the spotlight on the talent of Quebec creators. Congratulations to Isabelle Laperrière for her very promising format, as well as to all the other participants. We are happy to partner with Media Ranch to develop and promote our local expertise internationally.”
Il Joong Kim, executive director of FormatEast, says: “FormatEast is the subsidiary of the major South Korean Broadcaster SBS, driving the big success of Running Man in China and Asia. Following the massive success of The Masked Singer, South Korean creatives are receiving growing attention internationally, and FormatEast aims to distribute such creativities around the world. Media Ranch’s HorsePower and FormatEast are companies founded around the same time in two completely different continents. They share highly identical visions and values, which offers FormatEast a great privilege of having HorsePower as one of its partners. Korean creators are very much anticipating such a partnership model of the two companies.”