Vertikal integration
France's M6 inks deal for English co-prods
M6 head of drama Edouard de Vesinne said this is the first time the private web has signed an agreement of this kind with a TV co-production entity.
Vertikal was founded two years ago by Marla Ginsburg, previously head of international co-production at Gaumont Television, and Jan Korbelin, former president of entertainment and news at Germany's Prosieben.
"Marla Ginsburg is one of the very few European based producers with experience, competence and strong network contacts on the other side of the Atlantic," De Vessine said.
"With Vertikal we are confident we can bring out long running series in English, budgeted at over $1 million per episode, which, because of their European nationalty will also meet program quota requirements."
While at Gaumont Television, Ginsburg, an American based in Paris for the past 13 years, was responsible for developing the hit USA Networks series "La Femme Nikita," based on the Gaumont feature film by Luc Besson.
At Gaumont, Ginsburg collaborated with M6 on 119 episodes of "Highlander," which sold to syndication in the U.S.
Prior to moving to Paris, Ginsburg was sr. VP of Comedy at Columbia Pictures Television.
Vertikal presently has several series in development including the upcoming Chuck Norris project "McKinley" for USA Networks, a skein inspired by the organization Doctors Without Borders for FX, and a Candace Bushnell project for the BBC.
