Buchwald Signs The Scholarly Film Company As Agency Bolsters IP Division; ‘How To Rig An Election’ Series Among First Projects
Click here to read the full article.
EXCLUSIVE: As part of a strengthening of its IP division, Buchwald has signed the Scholarly Film Company production banner, which focuses on seeking out academic material that can be adapted for the screen.
Founded by Dr. Sipke Shaughnessy of Cambridge University and based in London, the SFC’s mission is to mine academic monographs, doctoral dissertations and scholarly journal articles for IP that could be adapted into films and TV shows. Most projects will be set up as co-productions.
More from Deadline
One of the first projects under the SFC banner will be How to Rig an Election, written by Nic Cheeseman and Brian Klaas, which is being developed as a series. Based on more than 500 interviews with world leaders and using real-world examples, they reveal the six essential strategies used to undermine the electoral process and secure a victory, the producers say.
“Basically, what I can bring to the table is an ability to find hidden gems in the enormous IP library represented by academic research,” Shaughnessy noted. “By working together with professionals in the film and television world, I can bring these stories to life in a collaborative way.”
He added: “Nobody has really done this before in an institutionalized way … but the amount of content that this could produce is phenomenal. We’re talking about an untapped gold mine.”
Said Matt Nordsten, an intellectual property/lit agent at Buchwald: “All of the major players in Hollywood are after the same book titles, articles, etc. which ultimately favors buyers with the deepest pockets. By unlocking a high-quality and well-researched IP mine, we are confident that the Scholarly Film Co. will provide an additional source of inspiration for creators and will give academic research a life after initial publication.”
Best of Deadline
Coronavirus: U.S. Toll Passes 57,000; Global Cases Eclipse 3 Million - Update
Coronavirus: Movies That Have Halted Or Delayed Production Amid Outbreak
Hong Kong Filmart Postponed Due To Coronavirus Fears; Event Moves Two Weeks Before Toronto
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
