Irish production company ShinAwil and UK production company Zig Zag have joined forces on a strategic alliance aimed at expanding both their operations across the two islands and abroad. The move is aimed at mitigating a certain amount of uncertainty regarding Brexit.
This new alliance will see Zig Zag and ShinAwil co-develop and co-produce original unscripted formats, while remaining independent operators. Projects will be handled by Zig Zag from London and by ShinAwil from Belfast and Dublin, with each representing the others unscripted formats in their respective countries.
Whilst Brexit poses a degree of uncertainty for both the UK and Irish content industries, this exciting new collaboration allows us both to continue building robust, sustainable, international businesses whilst harnessing each other’s creative strengths and local market insight.
Larry Bass, CEO – ShinAwiL
ShinAwil’s format development and production expertise across Ireland is second to none. By partnering up with Larry’s team, both our companies will be able to create exceptional creative content and widen our international footprint.
Danny Fenton, CEO – Zig Zag Productions
Set up in 1999 specialising in entertainment, factual entertainment, live event programming and now scripted drama, ShinAwiL is one of the largest and most successful independent production companies in Ireland. In 2009 ShinAwiL Ltd. opened its first UK office and 2012 saw its first BBC NI commission, Undercover NI. ShinAwiL is the production powerhouse behind some of Ireland’s biggest entertainment series’ including The Apprentice, Dragons’ Den, MasterChef Ireland and most recently The Voice of Ireland and Dancing with the Stars. As well as dominating the Irish market by producing large-scale international formats, ShinAwiL has also created original formats. Soccastars was licensed in Portugal, Turkey, Malaysia and 7 Middle Eastern States while Rising Stars has been licensed to 8 countries in the Caribbean Basin. ShinAwiL is currently in development on original factual entertainment series’ for the UK and US markets.
Zig Zag Productions is one of the UK’s foremost independent television production companies formed in 1999 by Danny Fenton. With offices in London and New York, Zig Zag has produced over 700 hours of non scripted programming and has grown to become an internationally recognised, respected and award winning television producer both in the UK, USA and internationally. Zig Zag has produced programming for broadcasters including BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Five, TLC, MTV, Fox, National Geographic, Discovery, OWN, Logo and Syfy. The company has also won numerous awards including the Rose D’or for Best Format.